In Martin Luther King’s I Have A Dream Speech, He Said, “It Is A Dream Deeply Rooted In The American Dream.” This Article Explores The American Dream And How It Relates To King's Dream.

A writer named James Truslow Adams came up with the term, American Dream, in his 1931 book, The Epic of America. He defined it as, “that dream of a land in which life should be better, richer, and fuller for everyone, with opportunity for each according to ability or achievement.”

The American Dream has also been defined as, “…the opportunity for individual prosperity and success, as well as upward social mobility for oneself and their children, achieved through hard work in a capitalist society with few barriers.

The American dream has been our national identity far longer than 1931. People have been coming to this country to fulfill their dreams for hundreds of years and they continue to come today. It’s what makes this country uniquely special.

We all may interpret the American dream differently as we see it for ourselves. Some may think of having a nice home or specific job, traveling around the world, or enjoying fame and fortune. Others may come simply for the peace and security they cannot find in their former homes.

What do you dream of? What is your personal interpretation of the American Dream?

What hard work will it take on your part to achieve your dream?

Is anything standing in your way to achieving your dream? If yes, what are your barriers? (For example, no money, poor health, unsafe environment or you simply don’t know how to get started.)

What ideas do you have to get past these barriers?

In Martin Luther King’s I Have a Dream speech, he said, “It is a dream deeply rooted in the American dream.”

In his speech, King told us how so many people were treated unfairly and how he dreams it will someday change. In one part he 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.”

You can read the whole speech here.

King was killed in 1968 by a man who wanted to stop him from protesting and helping others. He was only 39 years old and had spent most of his adult life fighting for civil rights in America.

Just days after King’s assassination, Congress passed the Civil Rights Act of 1968, which made hate crimes illegal and requirements for fair housing, fair legal actions, and other ways to correct unfairness.

But nearly 60 years later, many Americans still struggle with inequality in health, education, safety, financial footing, unfairness in opportunities and more.

You can see evidence of these inequalities on these websites:

• https://home.treasury.gov/news/featured-stories/racial-inequality-in-the-united-states

• https://www.ssa.gov/policy/about/racial-equity-resources.html

• https://www.cdc.gov/nchs/data/factsheets/factsheet_disparities.htm

• https://usafacts.org/state-of-the-union/crime

• https://www.gao.gov/blog/racial-disparities-education-and-role-government

• https://www.census.gov/topics/income-poverty/income-inequality.html

Each represents a potential barrier to someone achieving their dreams.

Pick one barrier to discuss. Why do you think that unfair barriers still exist?

Martin Luther King Jr. Day is a federal holiday

In 1983, President Ronald Reagan made Martin Luther King Jr. Day a federal holiday to coincide with King’s birthday.

His widow, Coretta Scott King said, “The greatest birthday gift my husband could receive is if people of all racial and ethnic backgrounds celebrated the holiday by performing individual acts of kindness through service to others.”

For the same barrier you chose above, consider how you might help another person to overcome it.

What act of kindness can you do to help others? What service can you perform to show your community that everyone is equal? What barrier can you help to take away so all people in your community have equal access to their version of the American Dream?

Martin Luther King Jr. Day is a great day to start making a difference. Can you keep it up throughout the year? If everyone takes one small step each day, maybe we can make another giant leap together.

Recommended Reading

Dear Martin
By Nic Stone

Justyce McAllister is a good kid, an honor student, and always there to help a friend–but none of that matters to the police officer who just put him in handcuffs. Despite leaving his rough neighborhood behind, he can’t escape the scorn of his former peers or the ridicule of his new classmates.

Justyce looks to the teachings of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. for answers. But do they hold up anymore? He starts a journal to Dr. King to find out.

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A Sweet Smell of Roses
By Angela Johson

There’s a sweet, sweet smell in the air as two young girls sneak out of their house, down the street, and across town to where men and women are gathered, ready to march for freedom and justice.

Inspired by the countless young people who took a stand against the forces of injustice, two Coretta Scott King Honorees, Angela Johnson and Eric Velasquez, offer a stirring yet jubilant glimpse of the youth involvement that played an invaluable role in the Civil Rights movement.

Go to bookstore