--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: We have a great dream. It started way…" description: "\"We have a great dream. It started way back in 1776, and God grant that America will be true to her dream.\" — Martin Luther King, Jr" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/09e/martin-luther-king-jr-127_america_we-have-a-great-dream-it-started-way-bac_1168904.png" --- # We have a great dream. It started way back in 1776, and… ![“We have a great dream. It started way back in 1776, and God grant that America will be true to her dream.” quote by Martin Luther King, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/09e/martin-luther-king-jr-127_america_we-have-a-great-dream-it-started-way-bac_1168904.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/09e/martin-luther-king-jr-127_america_we-have-a-great-dream-it-started-way-bac_1168904.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/09e/martin-luther-king-jr-127_america_we-have-a-great-dream-it-started-way-bac_1168904.png) > “We have a great dream. It started way back in 1776, and God grant that America will be true to her dream.” [Martin Luther King, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-luther-king-jr/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. America should fulfill its founding ideals of freedom and equality, staying true to its original vision. **In simple terms:** America must live up to its promise of liberty. Key Takeaway Advocate for justice and hold the nation accountable. Themes civil rights freedom justice American ideal Mood inspirational hopeful Type historical political When to use this quote - civil rights movement - political activism - educational curricula Key Concepts democracy equality historical promise social change Questions to Reflect On - What does the American dream mean to you? - How can we ensure progress toward equality? A Different Perspective Idealism may overlook systemic obstacles. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [America](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/america/) [Dream](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/dream/) [Dreams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/dreams/) ## Related quotes > [For me this was never a money issue, it was about being rich in your heart. To come home, and to be in the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/baron-davis/for-me-this-was-never-a-money-issue-it-was-about-being-rich-in-your/) [Baron Davis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/baron-davis/) > [I never planned on being an actress, just as I never planned on being a model. I went to law and international-relations school. It…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gal-gadot/i-never-planned-on-being-an-actress-just-as-i-never-planned-on-being/) [Gal Gadot](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gal-gadot/) > [Football was always my dream. I started playing at the age of five, and I'm still playing now.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sadio-mane/football-was-always-my-dream-i-started-playing-at-the-age-of-five-and/) [Sadio Mane](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sadio-mane/) > [I can't tell you what it's like to be in Europe, for example, to be talking about the greatness of America. But the true…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-w-bush/i-can-t-tell-you-what-it-s-like-to-be-in-europe-for-example-to-be/) [George W. Bush](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-w-bush/) > [God plants dreams in people's hearts. But many people do not continue all the way to the end in order to follow Him to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joyce-meyer/god-plants-dreams-in-people-s-hearts-but-many-people-do-not-continue-2/) [Joyce Meyer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joyce-meyer/) > [It takes a dream to get started, desire to keep going, and determination to finish.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eddie-harris/it-takes-a-dream-to-get-started-desire-to-keep-going-and/) [Eddie Harris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eddie-harris/) > [“The American Dream is a constant reminder that America's true nature and distinctive grandeur is in promising the common man, thr man on the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cal-jillson/the-american-dream-is-a-constant-reminder-that-america-s-true-nature/) [Cal Jillson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cal-jillson/) > [When I stand up here, and I'm fighting for your rights and the rights of all people in these United States of America, I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/linda-sarsour/when-i-stand-up-here-and-i-m-fighting-for-your-rights-and-the-rights/) [Linda Sarsour](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/linda-sarsour/) > [God plants dreams in people's hearts. But many people do not continue all the way to the end in order to follow Him to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/god-plants-dreams-in-people-s-hearts-but-many-people-do-not-continue/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [ I learned this \[ that fear doesn't have to stop me\] when my world came apart. I was living a life-long dream of a… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frances-moore-lapp/i-learned-this-that-fear-doesn-t-have-to-stop-me-when-my-world-came/) [Frances Moore Lappé](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frances-moore-lapp/) > [America’s true power lies not in its will to dominate but in its ability to inspire.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-byrd/america-s-true-power-lies-not-in-its-will-to-dominate-but-in-its/) [Robert Byrd](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-byrd/) > [Quite simply, quite plainly, just by virtue of his being, Obama is America. The first true American to lead our nation.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-ridley/quite-simply-quite-plainly-just-by-virtue-of-his-being-obama-is/) [John Ridley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-ridley/) > [“When we let "RACE" to become the narrative in everything we do, then we'll never have an "America" of its true quality, that, "all…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-johnson-jr/when-we-let-race-to-become-the-narrative-in-everything-we-do-then-we/) [Henry Johnson Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-johnson-jr/) > [Quite simply, quite plainly, just by virtue of his being, Barack Obama is America. The first true American to lead our nation.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-ridley/quite-simply-quite-plainly-just-by-virtue-of-his-being-barack-obama/) [John Ridley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-ridley/) > [I learned something then. And I believe it still. There is a value in taking a stand, whether or not anybody may be noticing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/teresa-heinz/i-learned-something-then-and-i-believe-it-still-there-is-a-value-in/) [Teresa Heinz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/teresa-heinz/) ## More by Martin Luther King, Jr > [The strong man holds in a living blend strongly marked opposites.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-luther-king-jr/the-strong-man-holds-in-a-living-blend-strongly-marked-opposites/) [Martin Luther King, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-luther-king-jr/) > [Our nation was born in genocide when it embraced the doctrine that the original American, the Indian, was an inferior race. ... We are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-luther-king-jr/our-nation-was-born-in-genocide-when-it-embraced-the-doctrine-that/) [Martin Luther King, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-luther-king-jr/) > [Somewhere somebody must have some sense. Men must see that force begets force, hate begets hate, toughness begets toughness. And it is all a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-luther-king-jr/somewhere-somebody-must-have-some-sense-men-must-see-that-force/) [Martin Luther King, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-luther-king-jr/) > [Every genuine expression of love grows out of a consistent and total surrender to God.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-luther-king-jr/every-genuine-expression-of-love-grows-out-of-a-consistent-and-total/) [Martin Luther King, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-luther-king-jr/) > [We must remember that intelligence is not enough. Intelligence plus character--that is the goal of true education. The complete education gives one not only…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-luther-king-jr/we-must-remember-that-intelligence-is-not-enough-intelligence-plus/) [Martin Luther King, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-luther-king-jr/) > [I’ve been to the Mountaintop](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-luther-king-jr/i-ve-been-to-the-mountaintop/) [Martin Luther King, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-luther-king-jr/) > [The supreme task is to organize and unite people so that their anger becomes a transforming force.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-luther-king-jr/the-supreme-task-is-to-organize-and-unite-people-so-that-their-anger/) [Martin Luther King, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-luther-king-jr/) > [The great issue of life is to harness the drum major instinct.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-luther-king-jr/the-great-issue-of-life-is-to-harness-the-drum-major-instinct/) [Martin Luther King, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-luther-king-jr/) > [Somebody must have sense enough and morality enough to cut off the chain of hate and the chain of evil in the universe. And…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-luther-king-jr/somebody-must-have-sense-enough-and-morality-enough-to-cut-off-the/) [Martin Luther King, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-luther-king-jr/) > [Darkness is only driven out with light, not more darkness.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-luther-king-jr/darkness-is-only-driven-out-with-light-not-more-darkness/) [Martin Luther King, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-luther-king-jr/) > [What seems so necessary today may not even be desirable tomorrow.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-luther-king-jr/what-seems-so-necessary-today-may-not-even-be-desirable-tomorrow/) [Martin Luther King, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-luther-king-jr/) > [The Negro cannot win the respect of his oppressor by acquiescing; he merely increases the oppressor's arrogance and contempt.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-luther-king-jr/the-negro-cannot-win-the-respect-of-his-oppressor-by-acquiescing-he/) [Martin Luther King, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-luther-king-jr/) > [The majority of the Negroes who took part in the year-long boycott of Montgomery's buses were poor and untutored; but they understood the essence…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-luther-king-jr/the-majority-of-the-negroes-who-took-part-in-the-year-long-boycott-of/) [Martin Luther King, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-luther-king-jr/) > [Whenever you are engaged in work that serves humanity and is for the building of humanity, it has dignity and it has worth,](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-luther-king-jr/whenever-you-are-engaged-in-work-that-serves-humanity-and-is-for-the/) [Martin Luther King, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-luther-king-jr/) > [I have a dream that one day even the state of Mississippi, a desert state, sweltering with the heat of injustice and oppression, will…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-luther-king-jr/i-have-a-dream-that-one-day-even-the-state-of-mississippi-a-desert/) [Martin Luther King, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-luther-king-jr/) [Explore all 1,210 Martin Luther King, Jr quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-luther-king-jr/) ## More America quotes > [The costs of the Bush-Obama wars in Iraq and Afghanistan are now estimated to run as high as $4.4 trillion - a major victory…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noam-chomsky/the-costs-of-the-bush-obama-wars-in-iraq-and-afghanistan-are-now/) [Noam Chomsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noam-chomsky/) > [Young men, especially in America, write to me and ask me to recommend “a course of reading.” Distrust a course of reading! People who…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-lang/young-men-especially-in-america-write-to-me-and-ask-me-to-recommend-a/) [Andrew Lang](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-lang/) > [Well, The Day the Earth Caught Fire was a story... I don't if anybody knows what it is but it was about... in the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/val-guest/well-the-day-the-earth-caught-fire-was-a-story-i-don-t-if-anybody/) [Val Guest](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/val-guest/) > [So here's what I want you to know, and here's what I want all our men and women in uniform to know: Because of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/so-here-s-what-i-want-you-to-know-and-here-s-what-i-want-all-our-men/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [Today, the world looks to America for leadership. And America looks to its Corps of Marines.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ronald-reagan/today-the-world-looks-to-america-for-leadership-and-america-looks-to/) [Ronald Reagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ronald-reagan/) > [The image of blacks usually is one of people who are suffering from hunger, unemployment, and poverty. The idea of them as agents and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/grace-lee-boggs/the-image-of-blacks-usually-is-one-of-people-who-are-suffering-from/) [Grace Lee Boggs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/grace-lee-boggs/) > [ I'll smoke, I'll cough, I'll get the tumors, I'll die, deal? Thank you America. \[salutes\] ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-hicks/i-ll-smoke-i-ll-cough-i-ll-get-the-tumors-i-ll-die-deal-thank-you/) [Bill Hicks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-hicks/) > [America is a democracy and has no Hitler, but I am afraid for her future; there are hard times ahead for the American people,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albert-einstein/america-is-a-democracy-and-has-no-hitler-but-i-am-afraid-for-her/) [Albert Einstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albert-einstein/) > [I'm gonna bring America together.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-trump/i-m-gonna-bring-america-together/) [Donald Trump](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-trump/) > [In the nineteenth century some parts of the world were unexplored, but there was almost no restriction on travel.:; Up to 1914 you did…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-orwell/in-the-nineteenth-century-some-parts-of-the-world-were-unexplored-but/) [George Orwell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-orwell/) > [We need a system that serves our needs, not the needs of others. Remember, under a Trump administration it's called America first. Remember that.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-trump/we-need-a-system-that-serves-our-needs-not-the-needs-of-others/) [Donald Trump](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-trump/) > [America, you're sending girls a mixed message. On one hand, you're saying to have positive body image and love who we are; on the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adora-svitak/america-you-re-sending-girls-a-mixed-message-on-one-hand-you-re/) [Adora Svitak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adora-svitak/) > [You live overseas, you see these exotic places and you want to know about them. But, weirdly, it also made me homesick for all…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ken-jennings/you-live-overseas-you-see-these-exotic-places-and-you-want-to-know/) [Ken Jennings](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ken-jennings/) > [Freedom in every sense but primarily political sense, a rise in repression that stems from a repression of sexuality. It's AIDS, it's herpes, it's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-nicholson/freedom-in-every-sense-but-primarily-political-sense-a-rise-in/) [Jack Nicholson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-nicholson/) > [“In American terms, the accomplishment of Genghis Khan might be understood if the United States, instead of being created by a group of educated…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-weatherford/in-american-terms-the-accomplishment-of-genghis-khan-might-be/) [Jack Weatherford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-weatherford/) [Browse all 20,382 America quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/america/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "We have a great dream. 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