On Aug. 28, 1963 — 60 years ago — Martin Luther King Jr. gave his historic “I Have a Dream” speech in front of a multiracial, inter-generational crowd of thousands in Washington, D.C.
In his speech, King reminded the country that America has not kept its constitutional promise that every man has the right to the pursuit of happiness.
“Instead of honoring this sacred obligation,” King said. “America has given the Negro people a bad check, a check which has come back marked insufficient funds.”
“But we refuse to believe that the bank of justice is bankrupt,” continued King.
“We refuse to believe that there are insufficient funds in the great vaults of opportunity of this nation. And so we’ve come to cash this check, a check that will give us upon demand the riches of freedom and the security of justice.”