As I took my time to deconstruct Martin Luther King’s Speech at the Lincoln memorial, I found that we still have so far to go. He had a vision for all of us, and we fell short. What would his view of America be. I know I am not the first one to look at this Speech and dissect it, But I thought I’d search within me as an African American woman.

This movement went down in history as THE greatest civil rights movement in the history of the United States. There on August 23, 1963, under the thoughtful gaze of Abraham Lincoln, and in front of thousands and subsequently millions, Dr. Martin Luther king Jr. laid out a plan for our nation.

Since the signing of the Emancipation Proclamation, these words became the new anchor we clung to. They renewed the hope that had been dashed after one hundred years of segregation and injustice.

Here we are again forty five years later, and we haven’t completely broken that barrier. Forty five hears later, blacks as a people are still subject to discrimination and in some cases segregation. Forty five hears later, and though it has vastly improved, blacks are still the majority in poverty. Forty five hears later, and blacks are still outcasts in American society. That check that Dr. King went to the capital city to cash forty five years ago; the one that guaranteed the unalienable rights of life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness has bounced. During the civil rights movement, African Americans refused to believe that “the bank of Justice was bankrupt.” Should we accept that deficit now?

Should we give up getting our fair share of the funds in “The vaults of opportunity”? Dr. King went to Washington that day and left with only fifty percent of his due of the riches of freedom and security of justice.

Dr. King Presented himself on those steps with the urgency of “Now.” This was then, forty five years ago, and in that time, after a strong start, we took that tranquilizing drug of gradualism and cooled our heels from running for freedom. It was then that they made the promises of democracy real. They then rose from segregation to a somewhat more just racial equality. They tried then to open more opportunity for every one, and almost achieve racial brotherhood.

I don’t believe that the nation overlooked the urgency Dr. King spoke of… but they became more guarded and passively resistant to the change. The determination of African Americans was not underestimated but was endured until they were less determined. The summer of African Americans discontent persists. As Dr. King said 1963 was only the beginning; but just a few changes have occurred since then and they again became complacent, though more angry and bitter about it.

African Americans have been granted their citizenship rights, only if they know what they are, and in turn are judged more harshly than all others. The civil revolt shook foundations of our nation, but fizzled before justice emerged.

The younger generation of African Americans dropped the ball Dr. King handed us when some of us began to perform wrongful deeds in the name of revenge; thus making it harder for the rest of us to be viewed in a more pure and positive light. They drank from the plentiful cup of Bitterness and hatred; they now control the struggle in the much and bile along with their oppressors. Creative protesting turned into careless and degenerate violence. The soul force clearly corrupted and abandoned. We did not turn to mistrust all white people, but are always on the alert of their hypocrisy. As their willingness to believe the stereotypes, brings about many conspiracy theories about their motives. Their freedom to speak as they feel is tied to our freedom to just be.

There is no turning back, and we can never be satisfied, until all of us are treated as equal human beings. But African Americans are still victimized by police brutality; there are still cities in this country that allow businesses to discriminate against them. Most African Americans’ upward mobility still consists of moving from a smaller ghetto to a larger one. Only as of recent hears, African Americans still believed his vote did not count.

No we’re not satisfied, but we are at a loss to make it better.

The people standing there, on that hot August day, went back to Mississippi, Alabama, Georgia, South Carolina, Louisiana and all of their slums and ghettos of our big cities with the full intention of changing the system. Some of us, that Prospered have found a simulation of that change, but those that are still in those ghettos are back to wallowing in despair.

Dr. King had a dream rooted in the American Dream. The dream that all men were created equal. In some ways his dream did come true; because today, in the red Hills of Georgia The sons of former slaves and slave owners sit together at the table in brotherhood.

In Mississippi, injustice and oppression that were openly evident, is now hidden and less frequent.

Even though right now, his four little children are judged by the content of their character thanks to him. All others still have to fight not to be judged by the color of their skin. The only difference now is that it can now be achieved.

He had a dream alright, and in Alabama once opposed to integration, little black children and little white children go to school together… but don’t sit together at lunch.

Every valley is still low and every hill a mountain. The rough places are rough and the crooked places still crooked.

All those people returned south with a new hope and faith. They made strides to get rid of their despair. They smothered and covered up the discord of our nation to simulate harmony. Therefore the south is able to work together in semi freedom.

America is still a great nation, but If true freedom is to be achieved, who knows how much greater it will become. How glorious would the sound of true freedom ring from every mountainside of the land? So I eagerly await for the day in which we can all truly sing “Free at last! Free at last! Thank god almighty we’re free at last!”

Speech paraphrased: “I have a dream” Dr. Martin Luther King jr. Copyright 1963 by martin Luther king jr. Renewed by Coretta Scott king in 1991