WASHINGTON — Monday is the 60th anniversary of one of the most inspiring moments in American history. The Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr's "I Have a Dream" speech on the steps of the Lincoln Memorial in Washington.
Six decades after his speech, how close are we to achieving that dream?
Dr. King's daughter, Bernice, spoke about how far the country has come and what work still needs done.
Aug. 28, 1963, - the march on Washington for jobs and freedom. A record 250,000 people descended on the nation’s capital from across the country to bear witness to a historic moment.
"I think this march will go down as one of the greatest, if not the greatest of demonstrations for freedom and human dignity ever held in the Unites States," Dr. King said.
"What he shared that on that day, becomes kind of like a measuring rod, we, you know, we can look at where we are today, according to what he was saying about the conditions of our society at that time period”, explained Bernice.
A blueprint for change, Bernice, works to keep in the forefront – 60 years later.
"The new generations may not be aware of it. And we know that when that happens when people don't know their history, they're bound to repeat it”, Bernice said.
History intertwined with racial inequality, from voting rights and racism – to disparities in pay and education. All products of an unfair America – highlighted in King's speech.
"I am sure many things will happen as result of the march. Certainly, the people who attended will go back to their communities and work with bold and grim determination,” said Dr. King.
King's speech helped lay the groundwork — to push through laws that guaranteed Blacks equal access to the ballot, civil rights and even equal housing. But like many – Bernice King says she's concerned that those laws are now being threatened and weakened with recent decisions about education and legal issues.
"I think the reason a lot of these things happen is because, you know, there seems to be a lag and vigilance. My father said it best, he said, one of the tragedies still of human history. And of course, he was saying this more than six years ago, but it's applicable today. One of the tragedies still of human history is that the children of darkness are often more zealous and determined than the children of light," Bernice said.
King says decades later, her father's message still provides hope, and a reference point for building communities, where injustice comes to an end and love prevails.
"You know, part of the reason we had the problems we had in the 50s and 60s. And my father said it is because of not because of the quote unquote, flukes Ku Klux Klan. It was because of the moderate white individual who saw what was happening but refused to get engaged in any form of fashion. And so I think each person has a role and responsibility to be more conscious and aware of their surroundings of what's happening in our world, and really deciding how they're going to connect to the struggle to create a just humane, equitable and peaceful world", Bernice said.
A journey King says she's committed to – just as her father. Until freedom rings for all.
"These things to me are worth, you know, putting your all into, because I'm in the place that I’m in because people fought for me to have some of the rights and privileges that I have. And so how dare I sit back and glory and all of this while other people are still being, you know, deprived? So, yeah, I’m gonna continue to fight till I can't,” Bernice said.
Bernice said a major part of that fight includes closing the racial wealth gap. She hopes before the 70th or 80th anniversary of her father's speech, things will look drastically different for job employment, pay and generational wealth for all people.