but there is something that i must say to my people, who stand on the warm threshold which leads into the palace of justice: in the proceof gaining our rightful place, we must not be guilty of wrongful deeds. let us not seek to satisfy our thirst for freedom by drinking from the cup of bitterneand hatred. we must forever conduct our struggle on the high plane of dignity and discipline. we must not allow our creative protest to degenerate into physical violence. again and again, we must rise to the majestic heights of meeting physical force with soul force.
the marvelous new militancy which has engulfed the negro community must not lead us to a distrust of all white people, for many of our white brothers, as evidenced by their presence here today, have come to realize that their destiny is tied up with our destiny. and they have come to realize that their freedom is inextricably bound to our freedom.
we cannot walk alone.
and as we walk, we must make the pledge that we shall always march ahead.
we cannot turn back.
there are those who are asking the devotees of civil rights, "when will you be satisfied?" we can never be satisfied as long as the negro is the victim of the unspeakable horrors of police brutality. we can never be satisfied as long as our bodies, heavy with the fatigue of travel, cannot gain lodging in the motels of the highways and the hotels of the cities. we cannot be satisfied as long as a negro in mississippi cannot vote and a negro in new york believes he has nothing for which to vote. no, no, we are not satisfied, and we will not be satisfied until "justice rolls down like waters, and righteousnelike a mighty stream.