June 23: 47th Anniversary of Martin Luther King "I have a dream" Speech in Detroit

On this day, June 23, 47 years ago, Dr. Martin Luther King delivered a speech in Detroit. Some two months later, he would stand in front of the Lincoln Memorial and give his famous "I have a dream" speech. But as his speech in Detroit shows, the dream speech was rooted in the Motor City:

"And so I go back to the South not in despair. I go back to the South not with a feeling that we are caught in a dark dungeon that will never lead to a way out. I go back believing that the new day is coming. And so this afternoon, I have a dream. (Go ahead) It is a dream deeply rooted in the American dream.

I have a dream that one day, right down in Georgia and Mississippi and Alabama, the sons of former slaves and the sons of former slave owners will be able to live together as brothers.

I have a dream this afternoon (I have a dream) that one day, [Applause] one day little white children and little Negro children will be able to join hands as brothers and sisters.

I have a dream this afternoon that one day, [Applause] that one day men will no longer burn down houses and the church of God simply because people want to be free.

I have a dream this afternoon (I have a dream) that there will be a day that we will no longer face the atrocities that Emmett Till had to face or Medgar Evers had to face, that all men can live with dignity.

I have a dream this afternoon (Yeah) that my four little children, that my four little children will not come up in the same young days that I came up within, but they will be judged on the basis of the content of their character, not the color of their skin. [Applause]

I have a dream this afternoon that one day right here in Detroit, Negroes will be able to buy a house or rent a house anywhere that their money will carry them and they will be able to get a job. [Applause] (That’s right)

Yes, I have a dream this afternoon that one day in this land the words of Amos will become real and "justice will roll down like waters, and righteousness like a mighty stream."

I have a dream this evening that one day we will recognize the words of Jefferson that "all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness." I have a dream this afternoon. [Applause]

I have a dream that one day every valley shall be exalted, and "every valley shall be exalted, and every hill shall be made low; the crooked places shall be made straight, and the rough places plain; and the glory of the Lord shall be revealed, and all flesh shall see it together." [Applause]

I have a dream this afternoon that the brotherhood of man will become a reality in this day.

And with this faith I will go out and carve a tunnel of hope through the mountain of despair. With this faith, I will go out with you and transform dark yesterdays into bright tomorrows. With this faith, we will be able to achieve this new day when all of God's children, black men and white men, Jews and Gentiles, Protestants and Catholics, will be able to join hands and sing with the Negroes in the spiritual of old:

Free at last! Free at last!

Thank God almighty, we are free at last! [Applause]

The full text of the Detroit speech can be found at:

www.mlkonline.net/detroit.html

Richland Farmers Market now accepts donations, will soon offer online ordering and EBT

The Richland Farmers Market is finding more ways to make fresh food accessible, especially for low-income residents. From the Kalamazoo Gazette:

The market will be collecting food for Kalamazoo Loaves and Fishes, introducing an Electronic Benefits Machine and will soon feature an online service that allows farmers to tell shoppers what produce they would be featuring at upcoming markets.

“We really want to be a place that everyone wants to come to and has the option to purchase fresh food,” said Brook Wilke, co- manager of the market. These changes “will go a long way in helping support our mission at the farmers market.”

Wilke said the idea to have a box where farmers can put their

overflow, or customers can generously contribute, came from one of the market’s proponents, Rev. Ericka Parkinson-Kilbourne of First Presbyterian Church.

“It wouldn’t be possible without all of her work,” Wilke said.

Wilke said anyone could place any kind of food in the box, which would be delivered to Loaves and Fishes to help feed people in and around Kalamazoo. Currently, they collect around 10 pounds of food at every market.

LocalOrbit.com is a website that allows farmers to post each week the types of produce that will be available. Customers can visit the website and either order for delivery, or order and pick up at the farmers market.

Read the full article:
http://www.mlive.com/news/kalamazoo/index.ssf/2010/06/richland_farmers_market_now_ac.html