Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.'s 'Dream' speech

Here is the famous 'I have a dream' speech by Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., given Aug. 28, 1963. Below are some statements from various officials and a video of mayoral candidate Bill Thompson.



Also, here is Thompson speaking at the Trinity Baptist Church today. Introduction by Bronx Borough President Ruben Diaz Jr.



Here is a statement from state Sen. Adriano Espaillat:

“Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. lived his life pursuing equality and justice for all. Along the way, he left a blueprint for what a better world can and must look like.

“While we’ve made important progress since the days of Dr. King – thanks in no small measure to the courageous works of Dr. King and other civil rights leaders – the quest for economic and social justice calls for a continued struggle. Whether it’s support for labor, an increased minimum wage, the fight against income inequality, taking on racism and intolerance, or addressing poverty, Dr. King’s legacy is alive and embodied in today’s progressive movement.

“Together, we must continue to live up to Dr. King’s legacy and honor his sacrifice with our own works, thus, building a stronger, more justice America we can continue to be proud of.”

And here is an email Rep. Eliot Engel sent to his constituents today:

Dear Friends,

Today we commemorate the birth of one of America’s greatest leaders, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.  Many of our current values stem from the contributions of this extraordinary man.   All Americans owe a debt of gratitude to Dr. King for his bravery and commitment to civil rights and nonviolence, that changed this nation and the world. 
But Dr. King expanded the idea of civil rights and equality beyond voting and political influence. He also said, “Of all the forms of inequality, injustice in health care is the most shocking and inhumane.”  All Americans deserve affordable health care. Medical care in America is the most advanced in the world, but, sadly, it is not available to many Americans. That is why I voted for the Affordable Care Act, and why I believe we should adopt a single payer system of health care for all Americans.
For Dr. King equality also meant a good education. In arguably his most famous speech, Dr. King said ""I have a dream that my four little children will one day live in a nation where they will not be judged by the color of their skin, but by the content of their character."  In order for the children of today to be judged solely by the content of their character, we must do more to address a big obstacle facing too many young Americans – being educated in substandard schools.
The state of education, our economy, and the perilously high unemployment rate means the federal government must take action. This means the partisan bickering which has crippled Washington and brought the business of our country to a grinding halt must end.  In 2011 we were forced to deal with manufactured crisis after manufactured crisis.  The result being brinksmanship not seen in our Capitol in decades, and led to a downgrade of our national credit rating.  The current majority in the House refuses to compromise and has chosen ideology over good government time and again.  As a result, legislation which would help put more people back to work has been shelved.  Reforms to our education system have been put on the backburner, alongside badly-needed reconstruction of our transportation system, our nation's infrastructure and a reform of our immigration policy.
We must take our inspiration from Dr. King, If we are to work together to make the needed changes and provide the opportunities that can give life to the quote etched on the stone at the Dr. King monument in Washington: "With this faith, we will be able to hew out of the mountain of despair a stone of hope."
I have a deep commitment to fighting for equality for all Americans.  I am proud to say that I have received the following honors for my dedication to civil rights:

• “A+” for fighting poverty from the Sargent Shriver National Center on Poverty.
• "A" from the NAACP
• 100% Civil Rights score from The Leadership Conference on Civil Rights

Dr. King contributed so much to the fabric and the soul of America. It is my intention to continue trying to emulate his example to make the America inherited by our children, better than the one we inherited from our parents.