I've Been to the Mountaintop facts for kids
Famous speech by Martin Luther King, Jr.
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| Date | April 3, 1968 |
| Location | Memphis, TN, USA |
| Topics | Human rights; civil rights; non-violent protest |
| Known for being King's last speech before he was murdered | |
"I've Been to the Mountaintop" was the last speech given by Martin Luther King, Jr. before he was killed. He delivered it on April 3, 1968, in Memphis, Tennessee.
King was in Memphis to support the Memphis Sanitation Strike. Garbage workers in Memphis were on strike because they were paid very little. Their jobs were also dangerous. King wanted to help them get fair treatment.
The speech mainly focused on this strike. King talked about the best ways to help the workers. At the end of his speech, he spoke about the chance that he might be killed. The very next day, King was murdered.
Contents
Key Messages of the Speech
Supporting the Memphis Sanitation Strike
Why Non-Violence Was Important
When King spoke about the strike, he stressed how important non-violence was. A few days before, some protesters had become violent and broken windows. King explained that violence made people focus on the wrong thing.
He said:
Let us keep the issues where they are. The issue is injustice... That's always the problem with a little violence. You know what happened the other day, and the press dealt only with the window-breaking... They very seldom got around to mentioning the fact that one thousand, three hundred sanitation workers are on strike, and that Memphis is not being fair to them.
King believed that if protesters were violent, people would only talk about the violence. They would forget about the unfair way the sanitation workers were being treated.
Using Boycotts to Make a Change
King suggested boycotting businesses owned by white people. A boycott is when people stop buying things from a business to protest something. This was a non-violent way to get attention.
He explained that even if one black person was poor, together they spent a lot of money. This gave them power. If they stopped buying from certain businesses, those businesses would lose money. Then, they would have to listen to the workers' demands. King said:
Go out and tell your neighbors not to buy Coca-Cola in Memphis. Go by and tell them not to buy Sealtest milk... As Jesse Jackson has said, up to now, only the garbage men have been feeling pain; now we must kind of [spread out] the pain.
He also encouraged black people to buy from businesses owned by other black people.
Fighting for Civil Rights
King then spoke about the Civil Rights Movement. This movement worked to gain equal rights for African Americans. He reminded everyone of the promises made in the U.S. Constitution.
He said:
All we say to America is, "Be true to what you said on paper." [S]omewhere I read of the freedom of assembly. Somewhere I read of the freedom of speech. Somewhere I read of the freedom of press. Somewhere I read that the greatness of America is the right to protest for right. And so just as I say, we aren't going to let [anything] turn us around. We are going on.
King promised that civil rights activists would keep fighting. They would not stop until they had their basic human rights.
Facing Possible Death
At the end of his speech, King mentioned that he had received threats in Memphis. However, he said he was not afraid of death. This part of the speech is very famous.
He said:
Well, I don't know what will happen now. We've got some difficult days ahead. But it really doesn't matter with me now, because I've been to the mountaintop... Like anybody, I would like to live - a long life... But I'm not concerned about that now. I just want to do God's will. And He's allowed me to go up to the mountain. And I've looked over. And I've seen the Promised Land. I may not get there with you. But I want you to know tonight, that we, as a people, will get to the Promised Land. So I'm happy, tonight. I'm not worried about anything. I'm not fearing any man. Mine eyes have seen the glory of the coming of the Lord!
The Bible's Influence on the Speech
Martin Luther King, Jr. was a Baptist pastor. He often used stories from the Bible in his speeches.
In the final part of this speech, King refers to a story from the Old Testament. This story is about Moses, who led the Israelites (people of Israel). The Israelites followed Moses because they believed he would lead them to a "Promised Land." This was a place where they could live in peace.
However, before they reached the Promised Land, God spoke to Moses. God told Moses he could see the Promised Land, but he would not be allowed to enter it. The Bible says:
Then Moses climbed Mount Nebo... There the Lord showed him the whole land... Then the Lord said to him, "This is the land I promised on oath to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob... I will let you see it with your eyes, but you will not cross over into it.
Moses died soon after this. Joshua became the new leader and led the people of Israel into the Promised Land.
King used this story to explain his own feelings. He was saying that, like Moses, he had "been to the mountaintop." He had seen the "Promised Land," which for him meant a society where black people had peace and equal rights. He knew he might not live to see this "Promised Land" with them. But he told his listeners that, like the people of Israel, African Americans would reach their "Promised Land" of equality.
Images for kids
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The plaque outside the site of the speech, Mason Temple in Memphis, Tennessee
