Martin Luther King Jr. Day Vocabulary List

a set of guiding rules or beliefs

I have a dream that one day this nation will rise up and live out the true meaning of its creed: We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal.

to change to a worse state or condition : to become worse, weaker, less useful, etc.

We must not allow our creative protest to degenerate into physical violence.

lacking the people, plants, animals, etc., that make people feel welcome in a place

Now is the time to make real the promises of democracy. Now is the time to rise from the dark and desolate valley of segregation to the sunlit path of racial justice. Now is the time...

the quality of being worthy of honor or respect

We can never be satisfied as long as our children are stripped of their selfhood and robbed of their dignity by signs stating: for whites only.

something that you have wanted very much to do, be, or have for a long time

I have a dream that my four little children will one day live in a nation where they will not be judged by the color of their skin but by the content of their character.

a state of being very tired

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.

impossible to separate : closely joined or related

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.

something that provides refuge, relief, or pleasant contrast

I have a dream that one day even the state of Mississippi, a state sweltering with the heat of injustice, sweltering with the heat of oppression will be transformed into an oasis of freedom and justice.

violent action against a ruler or government

The whirlwinds of revolt will continue to shake the foundations of our nation until the bright day of justice emerges.

a strong desire for something

Let us not seek to satisfy our thirst for freedom by drinking from the cup of bitterness and hatred.

impossible to take away or give up

This note was a promise that all men - yes, black men as well as white men - would be guaranteed the unalienable rights of life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness.

someone who has a lot of experience in a particular activity, job, etc.

You have been the veterans of creative suffering. Continue to work with the faith that unearned suffering is redemptive.