79
30
35
40
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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. I have a dream that one day in the state of
Alabama little black boys and little
black girls
will be able to join hands
with little white boys and little white
girls and walk together as sisters and
brothers.
This is our hope. This is the faith
with which I return to the South. With
this faith we will be able 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 to
sing with new meaning, “My country, ‘
tis of
thee, sweet land of liberty, of thee I
sing. Land where my fathers died.
Land of the pilgrim’s pride. From every
mountainside, let freedom ring.”
And if America is to be a great nation, this must become true. So let freedom
ring from the hilltops of New Hampshire. Let freedom ring from the mighty
mountains of New York. Let freedom ring from the peaks of California!
Let freedom ring from every hill in Mississippi.
When we let freedom ring, we
will be able to speed up that day when all of God’s children will be able to join
hands and sing in the words of the old Negro spiritual, “Free at last! Free at last!
Thank God
Almighty, we are free
at last!”
Reading Time
_______ minutes _______ seconds
577 words
39
‘
tis --- old poetic form for “it is”
39
thee --- old poetic form for “you”
40
pilgrim --- a traveler, usually following
her or his religious beliefs
48
almighty --- having complete power
48
at last --- finally
