By Benay Hicks January 6, 2022
Martin Luther King, Jr. delivering “I Have a Dream” at the 1963 Washington D.C. Civil Rights March. Photo in the Public Domain.
Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s iconic I Have a Dream speech was made on Aug. 28, 1963 at the Lincoln Memorial. The speech is melodic, powerful, and a deliberate call to action. It’s a sermon and a vision. His belief in the possibility of a just, peaceful, and equitable world is a message that bears repeating time and time again: “No, no, we are not satisfied, and we will not be satisfied until justice rolls down like waters, and righteousness like a mighty stream.”
There are many striking soundbites in I Have a Dream. It’s a profound experience to absorb the speech in its entirety, as well as in pieces…focusing on each phrase and every cadence. Each time you take in his words, you will glean something new. You can read and listen to it here.
One particular soundbite of note is in the middle of the speech, when Dr. King declares, “We cannot walk alone. And as we walk, we must make the pledge that we shall always march ahead. We cannot turn back.”
We cannot walk alone. People of every shade, culture, and religion must somehow walk together. Forward. With intention. The power of community is something that Book Harvest knows well; it is only through the hard work and generosity of others that we have provided over 1.6 million books to youth. Together, by providing access to culturally-inclusive books and literacy support, we are doing our part to achieve Dr. King’s dreams of a more equitable and just world.
We cannot walk alone. And as we walk, we must make the pledge that we shall always march ahead. We cannot turn back. -Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.
Book Harvest honors Dr. King annually with the Dream Big Book Drive & Community Celebration, which aptly takes place on MLK Day. And as we round the corner into January each year, we reflect on Dr. King’s vision and the role Book Harvest plays in the pursuit of freedom and justice for all. We hope you will join us at Durham Central Park on Monday, January 17, from 1-4 PM as we celebrate Dr. King’s big dreams, the power of community, book access, and literacy. Learn more here.
Thank you to the 75+ Book Drive Captains currently collecting thousands of books, the 63 sponsors who are making the event possible, the 25+ community partners joining us, the dozens of volunteers offering their time and talents, and to our beloved community for supporting us every step of the way.
We cannot walk alone.
Thank you to our 2022 Dream Big Sponsors
Dream Sponsor: Scholastic
Lead Sponsors: Elevation Church The Forest at Duke Hendrick Subaru Mebane Charitable Foundation Participate Learning United Way Written Word Media
Aspire Sponsors: ABC 11 Cardinal Retirement Planning, Inc Duke University Libraries Erie Insurance Lulu Press