Hardback: 40 Pages
Publication: October 9, 2012 by Schwartz & Wade
Rating: 5 stars
On August 28, 1963, Martin Luther King Jr. stood in front of the Lincoln Memorial looking out over thousands of troubled Americans who had gathered in the name of civil rights and uttered his now famous words, “I have a dream . . .” It was a speech that changed the course of history.
This anniversary edition honors Martin Luther King Jr.’s courageous dream and his immeasurable contribution by presenting his most memorable words in a concise and convenient edition.
Guest Post by Christina Diaz Gonzalez
Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s historic “I have a dream” speech touches many hearts because we all yearn for a better tomorrow… for a better world where freedom abounds and people are solely judged on the content of their character. It was just a couple of years before Dr. King gave that iconic speech on the steps of the Lincoln Memorial in Washington, D.C. that my parents arrived in the United States seeking freedom from a totalitarian regime. They were young teenagers, but they had already been forced to grow up quickly because the only way they had to escape Castro’s Cuba was to leave without their parents through Operation Pedro Pan… a secret plan that, during a two year period, enabled over 14,000 Cuban children to find refuge in the United States. My grandparents had made the heartbreaking decision of sending away their children because they desperately wanted them to grow up with freedom and liberty, and not under Castro’s Communist regime. Yes, America was in turmoil at that time and Cubans faced their share of discrimination with apartment rentals blatantly posting signs stating “No Blacks, No Dogs, No Cubans”, but that was not the country they envisioned living in nor was it the one dreamed of by Martin Luther King Jr. No, the country they saw was (and still is today) a land of opportunity, of freedom, of hope. A place that, despite its many faults, is fueled with promise and possibilities.
It is to that country which I was born…the first U.S. born child in my family.
From a very early age, my parents made sure that I understood that, in this country, I could grow up to be whatever I wanted to be, that there would be no limitations to what I could do. My dreams led me to become a lawyer, wife, mother and finally, a published author writer. It is in the same country where Dr. King spoke about all people, regardless of skin color, having equal rights that we now have an African-American president. Yet, we still have work to do… but we most certainly have moved forward in the right direction in the struggle for Civil Rights.
So, when I hear even a line or two from that classic speech, it reminds me of where we have been as a nation and why my family came here, but it also pushes me onward to continue fulfilling Dr. King’s dream of a country that is full of hope, liberty and freedom for all its people.
CHRISTINA DIAZ GONZALEZ made her literary debut with the much acclaimed The Red Umbrella. Her second novel, A Thunderous Whisper comes out in paperback in October 2013. She lives in Florida with her husband and children. Learn more about her at ChristinaGonzalez.com.
Author: Crystal
A story girl at heart, Crystal is a bibliophile who can easily spend the day immersed in a good read. She writes under the name Kristy Wang. You can follow her writing adventures on X and Instagram @_kristywang.
Leave a Reply