I Have a Dream

One of the Greatest Speeches Illustrated

Although it is now possible to download the test of the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.'s world-famous "I Have a Dream" speech (given August 28, 1963) from the Internet, this beautiful volume takes the text of the speech and juxtaposes it with masterful illustrations by prominent African-American artists. The result is a book of unspeakable beauty.

In the Afterword, each artist describes what motivated him or her to depict what they did; these artists are Leo and Diane Dillon (whose masterpiece adorns the front cover), Floyd Cooper, Jerry and Brian Pinkney, Pat Cummings, Jan Spivey Gilchrist, George Ford, Terea Shaffer, Tom Feelings, James Ransome, Wil Clay, Kathleen Atkins Wilson, and Carole Byard. I only wish that Faith Ringgold, an artist I admire greatly, were included as well.

Coretta Scott King, now reunited with her late husband, offers a concise introduction in the Foreword. This book is a genuine keepsake, one well worth owning.