Today, Aug. 28, marks the 50th anniversary of one of the most important days in our country’s history, when Martin Luther King Jr. delivered his “I Have A Dream Speech” at the March on Washington. King stood before the Abraham Lincoln Monument to deliver those words and in that very spot, the first African American President, Barack Obama, will speak today.
Earlier this month, the White House announced that Obama would cover many of the same topics King talked about, including jobs and the economy. King delivered his famous speech to 250,000 people and thousands are expected to show up today.
According to NBC News, there will be events in Washington throughout the day. Along with Obama, former Presidents Jimmy Carter and Bill Clinton will also speak. While George H.W. Bush and his son, George W. Bush, will not be in Washington, the younger Bush issued a statement.
“Dr. King was on this Earth just 39 years, but the ideals that guided his life of conscience and purpose are eternal,” Bush said. “Honoring him requires the commitment of every one of us. There's still a need for every American to help hasten the day when Dr. King's vision is made real in every community — when what truly matters is not the color of a person's skin, but the content of their character.”
You can read King’s speech here and watch it below.
“This is not the time for nostalgic commemoration," Martin Luther King III told NBC. "The task is not done. The journey is not complete. We can and we must do more."
image: Wikimedia Commons
