King dreamed that no individual or group is to be ever excluded from “all men,” as defined in the Declaration of Independence. King dreamed that America shift its focus from finding trivial human differences to searching for deeper inherent commonalities.
He dreamed America not only enacted laws but respected them. King demanded equal employment opportunities for African-Americans, seeking an end to racial discrimination. This so-called legalized racism continued for almost an entire century until the Civil Rights Movement reached its peak when King, with all his moral authority, attempted to lead America back to the universal freedom and equality with his “I Have a Dream” speech. Dodging the Constitution, they crafted Jim Crow laws at local and state levels, mandating “separate but equal” status for African-Americans at all public places. The constitutional guarantee of freedom and equality to “all men,” including African-Americans, infuriated former slave owners who showed unprecedented bigotry and hypocrisy toward freed slaves. However, to seek a permanent end to slavery, Lincoln had to work hard to cope with staunch political resistance to win the necessary votes in Congress to pass the 13th amendment abolishing slavery.
#UNFULFILLED NOTION DEFINITION FREE#
Although Lincoln’s landmark Emancipation Proclamation was a military strategy to win the war, it helped free a large number of slaves in the rebellious states. It was now Lincoln’s opportunity to abolish slavery. However, the ruthless reality that slavery provided a cheap source of labor for growing plantation business in the South prevented ratification of any such measure on July 4, 1776.ĭuring the next century, African-American slaves remained excluded from “all men.” They were treated as mere gasoline for the economic engine of the newly formed America until it backfired, resulting in the Civil War. Jefferson neither intended to nor explicitly excluded enslaved African-Americans in his generous definition of basic human equality for “all men.” In fact, he attempted to specifically include an anti-slavery clause in the founding document to avoid any such implication. Jefferson authored the Declaration of Independence, which formally acknowledged that “all men” are created equal. To tread the way, we must learn from the legacy of Jefferson, Lincoln and King together. Today, America faces even bigger challenges, and the road is still long. All three men faced enormous challenges, but their faith, courage and sacrifices helped shape modern America by advancing the notion of basic human equality and universal freedom. 28 marked the 50th anniversary of Martin Luther King’s “I Have a Dream” speech, which earned him a stature exclusive only to Thomas Jefferson and Abraham Lincoln. Originally published in the Duluth News TribuneĪug.
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