In 1951, the poet Langston Hughes asked the question “What happens when a dream is deferred?” The questions that follow in the poem suggest pain, anger, and rage can erupt when dreams are not achieved or are deferred.
In August 1963, Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., pastor of Dexter Avenue Baptist Church in Montgomery, Ala., stated he had a dream of a beloved community not only rooted in the American dream, but a dream that was primarily grounded in Christian faith and in biblical texts such as the Lord’s Prayer that states, “thy Kingdom come, thy will be done, on earth as it is in heaven.” Dr. King and other dreamers of the time, like those in the student non-violence movement, had a vision that would bring the dream closer to my generation and subsequent generations of today. They prayed, acted, and gave so that subsequent generations would see the end of injustices, violence, hunger, and poverty for all people. A vision that would remove the scourge of racial and class bias.
While it is true that public policies at the federal, state, and local levels have reformed some unjust laws, today’s protests and public prayers make it clear that these past victories are only the start of true reform.
It was not enough to pass executive actions in the first decade of the 2000s’ addressing the concerns of our Latino/Latina “DREAMers.” They too believe their generation should have an opportunity to pursue a good education and a life without violence, poverty, and hunger. The president’s executive order on immigration reform has been a huge step forward, but much work remains. Some of these dreamers have joined the “hands up, don’t shoot” campaign in their fight for social justice.
This year marks the 52nd anniversary of the March on Washington. The tragic loss of Black lives this year reminds us that the dream of the beloved community is still deferred. A disproportionate number of African-Americans continues to suffer from hunger, live in poverty, and are incarcerated in mass numbers. The tragic deaths of young, African-American men like Trayvon Martin, Michael Brown, and Eric Garner, who died at the hands of police engagement, remind us that justice is still not color blind.
The protests surrounding these issues demonstrate that this generation has not given up on the dreams of their parents and grandparents, a dream grounded in peace and justice. We are witnessing signs of hope as people stand up and lie down (die-ins) to say that a deferred dream of a more just and peaceful community, that respects and loves Black lives, can move us closer to the dream of beloved community.
Rev. Dr. Angelique Walker-Smith is the National Associate for African-American and African Church Engagement at Bread for the World in Washington, DC.
