I Have a Dream: Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.'s Final Draft

Christies New York Auction: Delivered from the steps of the Lincoln Memorial on 28 August 1963, Dr. King's stirring words inspired generations to strive peacefully for a more just and equitable world. Today, the “I Have a Dream” speech is widely considered one of the most important in American history.

A newly identified manuscript, handwritten by Dr. King in the early morning hours of the March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom, offers a new perspective on the drafting of this historic speech. Discovered in the papers of Edward T. Clayton, one of Dr. King's speechwriters and advisors, the manuscript’s content was previously unknown to scholarship. Composed on seven pages of legal paper, Dr. King’s numerous corrections and deletions offer a glimpse into his creative process as he crafted what was the most crucial and consequential oration of his career.

Exhibition: From Dr. King’s birthday, January 15th to January 21st.