They were brought here from the soils of Africa. You will remember that it was in the year 1619 that the first Negro slaves landed on the shores of this nation. Now, in order to illustrate this, a little history is necessary. I think that I should begin this point by pointing out that the Negro himself has come a long,long way in re-evaluating his own intrinsic worth. Now let us notice that we have come a long, long way. We have come a long, long way, but we have a long, long way to go before the problem of racial injustice is solved in our nation. ![]() It is this realistic position that I would like to use as a basis for our thinking together today. The realistic position would agree with optimism that we have made some meaningful strides, but it would also agree with some aspects of pessimism in recognizing that we still have a long, long way to go. I would much prefer following what I consider a realistic position which combines the truths of two opposites while avoiding the extremes of both. On the other hand, we must avoid a deadening pessimism, because a superficial optimism says in substance that the problem is about solved now and we really don't have much to do, while the deadening pessimism tends to conclude that the problem can't be solved and that we've only made minor strides in the struggle for racial justice. I think in answering the question we have to avoid, on the one hand, a superficial optimism. I get this question a great deal myself from people and from the press and from concerned individuals. They are constantly asking whether we are making any real progress in the area of race relations. There is a desperate, even poignant, question on the lips of thousands and millions of people all over our nation and all over the world. I want to talk about that struggle, and I want to talk about the future of integration. This struggle has been taking place in our own country for a number of years now. In a real sense, the idea whose time has come today is the idea of freedom and justice, and that is a freedom explosion all over the world. Victor Hugo said on one occasion that there is no greater power in all the world than an idea whose time has come. I want to try to discuss with you today some of the issues surrounding that struggle that is taking place not only in our nation but all over the world. I happen to feel that dialogue is mighty good and something that we constantly need, and it's always a great tragedy when a society seeks to live in monologue rather than in dialogue. It is always a rich and rewarding experience to take a brief break from the day-to-day demands of our struggle for freedom and human dignity and discuss the issues involved in that struggle with college and university students and concerned friends of good will all over our nation and all over the world. (laughter, applause) But we made it, and I am certainly delighted to be here. Udy's son would remind him that he should slow up, and I started to say once that I would rather be Martin Luther King late than the late Martin Luther King. Udy in expressing our regrets for being late, but we did have some car trouble in Cleveland, and after we landed here, we had to make it very quickly, and ever and again Dr. ![]() I need not pause to say how very delighted I am to be here today and to have the privilege of being a part of your lecture series. ![]() ![]() Udy, members of the faculty, members of the student body of this great institution of learning, ladies, and gentlemen.
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