A New Dream: Thank You Dr. King

Fourth two years ago, a great American, in whose family's shadow we stand signed the Civil Rights Act of 1964. This momentous decree came as a light of triumph to millions of Blacks who had been burned in the flames of the inferno of Jim Crow laws and pricipalities. It came as joyous daybreak to end the long night of captivity. But 40 some odd years later we must face the fact that the black is still not free.

forty years later, the life of the black in America is sadly crippled by the vice of segregation and the chains of discrimination. Fourth years later, the black lives on a lonely island of poverty in the midst of a vast ocean of material prosperity. Forty years later, the black is still suffering in the corners of American society and finds himself an exile in his own land.

So today I write, to highlight a sickening condition. Not because of reparations or some form of restitution for our suffering, but by the means of faith we come here to cash a check. When the architects of our republic wrote the magnificent words of the Constitution and Declaration of Independence, they were signing a promissory note to which every American was to fall heir.

This note was a promise that all men would be guaranteed the inalienable rights of life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. It is obvious today that America has defaulted on this promissory note insofar as her citizens of color are concerned. Instead of honoring this sacred obligation, America has given Black people a bad check which has come back marked "insufficient funds." But we continue to send the same check back through even though the bank is seemingly low on funds. We continue to rely on the idea that the vaults are full of limited opportunity of this nation.

So we have come to cash this check-- (Part 2 Tomorrow)