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今天，我高興地同大家一起，參加這次將成為我國歷史上為了爭取自由而舉行的最偉大的示威集會。
100年前，一位偉大的美國人——今天我們就站在他像征性的身影下——簽署了《解放宣言》。這項重要法令的頒布，對於千百萬灼烤於非正義殘焰中的黑奴，猶如帶來希望之光的碩大燈塔，恰似結束漫漫長夜禁錮的歡暢黎明。
然而，100年後，黑人依然沒有獲得自由。100年後，黑人依然悲慘地蹣跚於種族隔離和種族歧視的枷鎖之下。100年後，黑人依然生活在物質繁榮翰海的貧困孤島上。100年後，黑人依然在美國社會中間向隅而泣，依然感到自己在國土家園中流離漂泊。所以，我們今天來到這裡，要把這駭人聽聞的情況公諸於眾。
從某種意義上說，我們來到國家的首都是為了兌現一張支票。我們共和國的締造者在擬寫憲法和獨立宣言的輝煌篇章時，就簽署了一張每一個美國人都能繼承的期票。這張期票向所有人承諾——不論白人還是黑人——都享有不可讓渡的生存權、自由權和追求幸福權。
然而，今天美國顯然對她的有色公民拖欠著這張期票。美國沒有承兌這筆神聖的債務，而是開始給黑人一張空頭支票——一張蓋著「資金不足」的印戳被退回的支票。但是，我們決不相信正義的銀行會破產。我們決不相信這個國家巨大的機會寶庫會資金不足。
因此，我們來兌現這張支票。這張支票將給我們以寶貴的自由和正義的保障。
我們來到這塊聖地還為了提醒美國：現在正是萬分緊急的時刻。現在不是從容不迫悠然行事或服用漸進主義鎮靜劑的時候。現在是實現民主諾言的時候。現在是走出幽暗荒涼的種族隔離深谷，踏上種族平等的陽關大道的時候。現在是使我們國家走出種族不平等的流沙，踏上充滿手足之情的磐石的時候。現在是使上帝所有孩子真正享有公正的時候。
忽視這一時刻的緊迫性，對於國家將會是致命的。自由平等的朗朗秋日不到來，黑人順情合理哀怨的酷暑就不會過去。1963年不是一個結束，而是一個開端。
如果國家依然我行我素，那些希望黑人只需出出氣就會心滿意足的人將大失所望。在黑人得到公民權之前，美國既不會安寧，也不會平靜。反抗的旋風將繼續震撼我們國家的基石，直至光輝燦爛的正義之日來臨。
但是，對於站在通向正義之宮艱險門檻上的人們，有一些話我必須要說。在我們爭取合法地位的過程中，切不要錯誤行事導致犯罪。我們切不要吞飲仇恨辛酸的苦酒，來解除對於自由的飲渴。
我們應該永遠得體地、紀律嚴明地進行鬥爭。我們不能容許我們富有創造性的抗議淪為暴力行動。我們應該不斷昇華到用靈魂力量對付肉體力量的崇高境界。
席捲黑人社會的新的奇跡般的戰鬥精神，不應導致我們對所有白人的不信任——因為許多白人兄弟已經認識到：他們的命運同我們的命運緊密相連，他們的自由同我們的自由休戚相關。他們今天來到這裡參加集會就是明證。
我們不能單獨行動。當我們行動時，我們必須保證勇往直前。我們不能後退。有人問熱心民權運動的人：「你們什麼時候會感到滿意？」只要黑人依然是不堪形容的警察暴行恐怖的犧牲品，我們就決不會滿意。只要我們在旅途勞頓後，卻被公路旁汽車遊客旅社和城市旅館拒之門外，我們就決不會滿意。只要黑人的基本活動範圍只限於從狹小的黑人居住區到較大的黑人居住區，我們就決不會滿意。只要我們的孩子被「僅供白人」的牌子剝奪個性，損毀尊嚴，我們就決不會滿意。只要密西西比州的黑人不能參加選舉，紐約州的黑人認為他們與選舉毫不相干，我們就決不會滿意。不，不，我們不會滿意，直至公正似水奔流，正義如泉噴湧。
我並非沒有注意到你們有些人歷盡艱難困苦來到這裡。你們有些人剛剛走出狹小的牢房。有些人來自因追求自由而遭受迫害風暴襲擊和警察暴虐狂飆摧殘的地區。你們飽經風霜，歷盡苦難。繼續努力吧，要相信：無辜受苦終得拯救。
回到密西西比去吧；回到亞拉巴馬去吧；回到南卡羅來納去吧；回到佐治亞去吧；回到路易斯安那去吧；回到我們北方城市中的貧民窟和黑人居住區去吧。要知道，這種情況能夠而且將會改變。我們切不要在絕望的深淵裡沉淪。
朋友們，今天我要對你們說，儘管眼下困難重重，但我依然懷有一個夢。這個夢深深植根於美國夢之中。
我夢想有一天，這個國家將會奮起，實現其立國信條的真諦：「我們認為這些真理不言而喻：人人生而平等。」
我夢想有一天，在佐治亞州的紅色山崗上，昔日奴隸的兒子能夠同昔日奴隸主的兒子同席而坐，親如手足。
我夢想有一天，甚至連密西西比州——一個非正義和壓迫的熱浪逼人的荒漠之州，也會改造成為自由和公正的青青綠洲。
我夢想有一天，我的四個小女兒將生活在一個不是以皮膚的顏色，而是以品格的優劣作為評判標準的國家裡。
我今天懷有一個夢。
我夢想有一天，亞拉巴馬州會有所改變——儘管該州州長現在仍滔滔不絕地說什麼要對聯邦法令提出異議和拒絕執行——在那裡，黑人兒童能夠和白人兒童兄弟姐妹般地攜手並行。
我今天懷有一個夢。
我夢想有一天，深谷彌合，高山夷平，歧路化坦途，曲徑成通衢，上帝的光華再現，普天下生靈共謁。
這是我們的希望。這是我將帶回南方去的信念。有了這個信念，我們就能從絕望之山開採出希望之石。有了這個信念，我們就能把這個國家的嘈雜刺耳的爭吵聲，變為充滿手足之情的悅耳交響曲。有了這個信念，我們就能一同工作，一同祈禱，一同鬥爭，一同入獄，一同維護自由，因為我們知道，我們終有一天會獲得自由。
到了這一天，上帝的所有孩子都能以新的含義高唱這首歌：
我的祖國，可愛的自由之邦，我為您歌唱。這是我祖先終老的地方，這是早期移民自豪的地方，讓自由之聲，響徹每一座山崗。
如果美國要成為偉大的國家，這一點必須實現。因此，讓自由之聲響徹新罕布什爾州的巍峨高峰！
讓自由之聲響徹紐約州的崇山峻嶺！
讓自由之聲響徹賓夕法尼亞州的阿勒格尼高峰！
讓自由之聲響徹科羅拉多州冰雪皚皚的洛基山！
讓自由之聲響徹加利福尼亞州的婀娜群峰！
不，不僅如此；讓自由之聲響徹佐治亞州的石山！
讓自由之聲響徹田納西州的望山！
讓自由之聲響徹密西西比州的一座座山峰，一個個土丘！
讓自由之聲響徹每一個山崗！
當我們讓自由之聲轟響，當我們讓自由之聲響徹每一個大村小莊，每一個州府城鎮，我們就能加速這一天的到來。那時，上帝的所有孩子，黑人和白人，猶太教徒和非猶太教徒，耶穌教徒和天主教徒，將能攜手同唱那首古老的黑人靈歌：「終於自由了！終於自由了！感謝全能的上帝，我們終於自由了！」
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馬丁·路德·金（公元1929—1968年），美國黑人律師，著名黑人民權運動領袖。一生曾三次被捕，三次被行刺，1964年獲諾貝爾和平獎。1968年被種族主義分子槍殺。他被譽為近百年來八大最具有說服力的演說家之一。1963年他領導25萬人向華盛頓進軍「大遊行」，為黑人爭取自由平等和就業。馬丁·路德·金在遊行集會上發表了這篇著名演說。
（bob錄自中國文史出版社《世紀檔案》）----------------------------
附：英文原文----------------------------i have a dreamby martin
luther king, jr.delivered on the steps at the lincoln memorial in washingtond.c.
on august 28, 1963five score years ago, a great american, in whose symbolic
shadowwe stand signed the emancipation proclamation. this momentousdecree came
as a great beacon light of hope to millions of negroslaves who had been seared
in the flames of withering injustice.it came as a joyous daybreak to end the
long night ofcaptivity.but one hundred years later, we must face the tragic fact
thatthe negro is still not free. one hundred years later, the lifeof the negro
is still sadly crippled by the manacles ofsegregation and the chains of
discrimination. one hundred yearslater, the negro lives on a lonely island of
poverty in themidst of a vast ocean of material prosperity. one hundred
yearslater, the negro is still languishing in the corners of americansociety and
finds himself an exile in his own land. so we havecome here today to dramatize
an appalling condition.in a sense we have come to our nation's capital to cash a
check.when the architects of our republic wrote the magnificent wordsof the
constitution and the declaration of independence, theywere signing a promissory
note to which every american was tofall heir. this note was a promise that all
men would beguarranteed the inalienable rights of life, liberty, and thepursuit
of happiness.it is obvious today that america has defaulted on thispromissory
note insofar as her citizens of color are concerned.instead of honoring this
sacred obligation, america has giventhe negro people a bad check which has come
back markedinsufficient funds.justice is bankrupt. we refuse to believe that
there areinsufficient funds in the great vaults of opportunity of thisnation. so
we have come to cash this check -- a check that willgive us upon demand the
riches of freedom and the security ofjustice. we have also come to this hallowed
spot to remindamerica of the fierce urgency of now. this is no time to engagein
the luxury of cooling off or to take the tranquilizing drugof gradualism. now is
the time to rise from the dark anddesolate valley of segregation to the sunlit
path of racialjustice. now is the time to open the doors of opportunity to allof
god's children. now is the time to lift our nation from thequicksands of racial
injustice to the solid rock ofbrotherhood.it would be fatal for the nation to
overlook the urgency of themoment and to underestimate the determination of the
negro. thissweltering summer of the negro's legitimate discontent will notpass
until there is an invigorating autumn of freedom andequality. nineteen
sixty-three is not an end, but a beginning.those who hope that the negro needed
to blow off steam and willnow be content will have a rude awakening if the
nation returnsto business as usual. there will be neither rest nor tranquilityin
america until the negro is granted his citizenship rights.the whirlwinds of
revolt will continue to shake the foundationsof our nation until the bright day
of justice emerges.but there is something that i must say to my people who stand
onthe warm threshold which leads into the palace of justice. inthe process of
gaining our rightful place we must not be guiltyof wrongful deeds. let us not
seek to satisfy our thirst forfreedom by drinking from the cup of bitterness and
hatred.we must forever conduct our struggle on the high plane ofdignity and
discipline. we must not allow our creative protestto degenerate into physical
violence. again and again we mustrise to the majestic heights of meeting
physical force with soulforce. the marvelous new militancy which has engulfed
the negrocommunity must not lead us to distrust of all white people, formany of
our white brothers, as evidenced by their presence heretoday, have come to
realize that their destiny is tied up withour destiny and their freedom is
inextricably bound to ourfreedom. we cannot walk alone.and as we walk, we must
make the pledge that we shall marchahead. we cannot turn back. there are those
who are asking thedevotees of civil rights, "when will you be
satisfied?" we cannever be satisfied as long as our bodies, heavy with the
fatigueof travel, cannot gain lodging in the motels of the highways andthe
hotels of the cities. we cannot be satisfied as long as thenegro's basic
mobility is from a smaller ghetto to a larger one.we can never be satisfied as
long as a negro in mississippicannot vote and a negro in new york believes he
has nothing forwhich to vote. no, no, we are not satisfied, and we will not
besatisfied until justice rolls down like waters and righteousnesslike a mighty
stream.i am not unmindful that some of you have come here out of greattrials and
tribulations. some of you have come fresh from narrowcells. some of you have
come from areas where your quest forfreedom left you battered by the storms of
persecution andstaggered by the winds of police brutality. you have been
theveterans of creative suffering. continue to work with the faiththat unearned
suffering is redemptive.go back to mississippi, go back to alabama, go back to
georgia,go back to louisiana, go back to the slums and ghettos of ournorthern
cities, knowing that somehow this situation can andwill be changed. let us not
wallow in the valley of despair.i say to you today, my friends, that in spite of
thedifficulties and frustrations of the moment, i still have adream. it is a
dream deeply rooted in the american dream.i have a dream that one day this
nation will rise up and liveout the true meaning of its creed: "we hold
these truths to beself-evident: that all men are created equal."i have a
dream that one day on the red hills of georgia the sonsof former slaves and the
sons of former slaveowners will be ableto sit down together at a table of
brotherhood.i have a dream that one day even the state of mississippi, adesert
state, sweltering with the heat of injustice andoppression, will be transformed
into an oasis of freedom andjustice.i have a dream that my four children will
one day live in anation where they will not be judged by the color of their
skinbut by the content of their character.i have a dream today.i have a dream
that one day the state of alabama, whosegovernor's lips are presently dripping
with the words ofinterposition and nullification, will be transformed into
asituation where little black boys and black girls will be ableto join hands
with little white boys and white girls and walktogether as sisters and
brothers.i have a dream today.i have a dream that one day every valley shall be
exalted, everyhill and mountain shall be made low, the rough places will bemade
plain, and the crooked places will be made straight, andthe glory of the lord
shall be revealed, and all flesh shall seeit together.this is our hope. this is
the faith with which i return to thesouth. with this faith we will be able to
hew out of themountain of despair a stone of hope. with this faith we will
beable to transform the jangling discords of our nation into abeautiful symphony
of brotherhood. with this faith we will beable to work together, to pray
together, to struggle together,to go to jail together, to stand up for freedom
together,knowing that we will be free one day.this will be the day when all of
god's children will be able tosing with a new meaning, "my country, 'tis of
thee, sweet landof liberty, of thee i sing. land where my fathers died, land
ofthe pilgrim's pride, from every mountainside, let freedom ring."and if
america is to be a great nation this must become true. solet freedom ring from
the prodigious hilltops of new hampshire.let freedom ring from the mighty
mountains of new york. letfreedom ring from the heightening alleghenies of
pennsylvania!let freedom ring from the snowcapped rockies of colorado!let
freedom ring from the curvaceous peaks of california!but not only that; let
freedom ring from stone mountain ofgeorgia!let freedom ring from lookout
mountain of tennessee!let freedom ring from every hill and every molehill
ofmississippi. from every mountainside, let freedom ring.when we let freedom
ring, whem we let it ring from every villageand every hamlet, from every state
and every city, we will beable to speed up that day when all of god's children,
black menand white men, jews and gentiles, protestants and catholics,will be
able to join hands and sing in the words of the oldnegro spiritual, "free
at last! free at last! thank godalmighty, we are free at last!"
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