小学英语演讲稿3分钟关于万圣节（通用20篇）
小学英语演讲稿3分钟关于万圣节 篇1
Halloween is a holiday celebrated on October 31. By tradition, Halloweenbegins after sunset.
万圣节前夜是在10月31日庆祝的一个节日，根据传统，万圣节前夜的庆祝活动从太阳落山开始。
Long ago, people believed that witches gathered together and ghosts roamedthe world on Halloween.
在很久以前，人们相信在万圣节前夜女巫会聚集在一起，鬼魂在四处游荡。
Today, most people no longer believe in ghosts and witches. But thesesupernatural beings are still a part of Halloween.
现在，大多数人们不再相信有鬼魂和女巫的存在了，但是他们仍然把这些作为万圣节前夜的一部分。
The colors black and orange are also a part of Halloween. Black is a symbolfor night and orange is the color of pumpkins.
黑色和橙色仍然是万圣节前夜的一部分，黑色是夜晚的象征，而橙色代表着南瓜。
A jack-o’-lantern is a hollowed-out pumpkin with a face carved on one les are usually placed inside, giving the face a spooky glow.
南瓜灯是用雕刻成脸型，中间挖空，再插上蜡烛的南瓜做成的，带来一个毛骨悚然的灼热面孔。
Dressing up in costumes is one of the most popular Halloween customs,especially among children.
盛装是最受欢迎的万圣节风俗之一，尤其是受孩子们的欢迎。
According to tradition, people would dress up in costumes (wear specialclothing, masks or disguises) to frighten the spirits away.
按照传统习俗，人们会盛装(穿戴一些特殊的服饰，面具或者装饰)来吓跑鬼魂。
Popular Halloween costumes include vampires (creatures that drink blood),ghosts (spirits of the dead) and were wolves (people that turn into wolves whenthe moon is full).
流行的万圣节服装包括vampires(吸血鬼)，ghosts(死者的灵魂)和werewolves(每当月圆时就变成狼形的人)。
Trick or Treating is a modern Halloween custom where children go from houseto house dressed in costume, asking for treats like candy or toys. 欺骗或攻击是现代万圣节的风俗。孩子们穿着特殊的衣服走街串巷，讨取糖果和玩具之类的赏赐。
If they don't get any treats, they might play a trick (mischief or prank)on the owners of the house.
如果他们得不到任何的赏赐，就可能会对屋主大搞恶作剧或者胡闹了。
The tradition of the Jack o' Lantern comes from a folktale about a mannamed Jack who tricked the devil and had to wander the Earth with a lantern.
南瓜灯的传统来自于一个民间传说。一个名叫Jack的人戏弄了恶魔，之后就不得不提着一盏灯在地球上流浪。
The Jack o' Lantern is made by placing a candle inside a hollowed-outpumpkin, which is carved to look like a face.
南瓜灯是用雕刻成脸型，中间挖空，再插上蜡烛的南瓜做成的。
There are many other superstitions associated with Halloween. Asuperstition is an irrational idea, like believing that the number 13 isunlucky!
和万圣节有关的迷信还有很多。迷信是一种不合常理的想法，比如认为13是不吉利的数字!
Halloween is also associated with supernatural creatures like ghosts andvampires.
万圣节还和一些诸如鬼魂和吸血鬼之类的超自然的生物有关。
These creatures are not part of the natural world.
这些生物不是自然界的一部分。
They don't really exist... or do they?
他们实际上是不存在的......或许他们其实真的存在?
Witches are popular Halloween characters that are thought to have magicalpowers.
女巫是万圣节很受欢迎的人物，人们认为她们具有强大的魔力。
They usually wear pointed hats and fly around on broomsticks.
他们通常戴着尖顶的帽子，骑在扫把上飞来飞去。
Bad omens are also part of Halloween celebrations.恶兆也是万圣节庆祝活动的一部分。
A bad omen is something that is believed to bring bad luck, like blackcats, spiders or bats.
人们相信恶兆会带给坏运气，黑猫、蜘蛛或者蝙蝠都算是恶兆。
小学英语演讲稿3分钟关于万圣节 篇2
Halloween Halloween is an autumn holiday that Americans celebrate everyyear. It means "holy evening," and it comes every October 31, the even
ing before All Saints' Day. However, it is not really a church holiday, itis a holiday for children mainly.
Every autumn, when the vegetables are ready to eat, children pick largeorange pumpkins. Then they cut faces in the pumpkins and put a burning candleinside. It looks as if there were a person looking out of the pumpkin! Theselights are called jack-o'-lanterns, which means "Jack of the lantern".
The children also put on strange masks and frightening costumes everyHalloween. Some children paint their faces to look like monsters. Then theycarry boxes or bags from house to house. Every time they come to a new house,they say,"Trick or treat! Money or eat!" The grown-ups put treat-money or candyin their bags.
Not only children, but most grown-ups also love Halloween and Halloweenparties because on this day,they can disguise themselves as personages or ghostas their imaginations will lead them. This bring them the satisfaction of beingyoung.
万圣节前夕是美国人年年都会庆祝的秋季节日。它的意思是“神圣的夜晚”，在每年的10月31日，也就是万圣节前夜。但实际上这不是一个真正的宗教节日，而主要是孩子们的节日。
每年秋天蔬菜成熟可以食用的时候，孩子们就会挑出大个儿的橙色南瓜。然后在南瓜上刻上一张脸，把一根点燃的蜡烛放在里面。看起来就好像有人在向南瓜外面张望。这些灯就叫做“iack-o'-lantems”，意思也就是“杰克的灯”。
每年万圣节前夕孩子们还戴上奇怪的面具，穿上吓人的服装。有些孩子把脸刷成怪物。然后他们拿着盒子或袋子挨家挨户串门。每来到一个新房子他们就说：“不款待就捣乱!给钱还是吃的!”大人们就会把用来招待的钱或糖放在他们的袋子里了。
不仅孩子，许多成年人也喜欢万圣节前夕和万圣节前夕晚会。因为这一天他们可以根据自己的想象把自己装扮成名流或幽灵。这会带给他们年轻的快感。
小学英语演讲稿3分钟关于万圣节 篇3
Halloween (or Hallowe'en) is an annual holiday observed on October 31,which commonly includes activities such as trick-or-treating, attending costumeparties, carving jack-o'-lanterns, bonfires, apple bobbing, visiting hauntedattractions, playing pranks, telling scary stories, and watching horror filmsarevery happy.
Halloween (or Hallowe'en) is an annual holiday observed on October 31,which commonly includes activities such as trick-or-treating, attending costumeparties, carving jack-o'-lanterns, bonfires, apple bobbing, visiting hauntedattractions, playing pranks, telling scary stories, and watching horrorfilms.
History
Historian Nicholas Rogers, exploring the origins of Halloween, notes thatwhile "some folklorists have detected its origins in the Roman feast of Pomona,the goddess of fruits and seeds, or in the festival of the dead calledParentalia, it is more typically linked to the Celtic festival of Samhain, whoseoriginal spelling was Samuin (pronounced sow-an or sow-in)" name is derivedfrom Old Irish and means roughly "summer's end"-Apple Night (1832) byDaniel cts apple bobbing and divination games at a Halloween partyin Blarney, name 'Halloween' and many of its present-day traditionsderive from the Old English era.
The word Halloween is first attested in the 16th century and represents aScottish variant of the fuller All-Hallows-Even ("evening"), that is, the nightbefore All Hallows Day.[4] Although the phrase All Hallows is found in OldEnglish (ealra hālgena m?ssed?g, mass-day of all saints), All-Hallows-Even isitself not attested until 1556.
11月1日 -- 万圣节 All Saints' Day
11月2日 -- 墨西哥的鬼节 Day of Death
万圣节(All Saints' Day, All Hallow's Day或Hallowmas) 是每年11月1日 的欧美大节日。
Halloween 是 All Hallows Eve 的缩写，万圣节前夜的意思，指10月31日的晚上。
For thousands of years people have been celebrating different holidays andfestivals at the end of October. The Celts celebrated it as Samhain (pronounced“sow-in”, with “sow” rhyming with cow)。 The Irish English dictionary publishedby the Irish Texts Society defines the word as follows:
“Samhain, All Hallowtide, the feast of the dead in Pagan and Christiantimes, signalizing the close of harvest and the initiation of the winter season,lasting till May, during which troops (esp. the Fiann) were quartered. Faerieswere imagined as particularly active at this season. From it the half year isreckoned. also called Feile Moingfinne (Snow Goddess)。(1) The Scottish GaelisDictionary defines it as ”Hallowtide. The Feast of All Soula. Sam + Fuin = endof summer.“(2) Contrary to the information published by many organizations,there is no archaeological or literary evidence to indicate that Samhain was adeity. The Celtic Gods of the dead were Gwynn ap Nudd for the British, and Arawnfor the Welsh. The Irish did not have a ”lord of death“ as such.
小学英语演讲稿3分钟关于万圣节 篇4
On Friday night, I went to bond with my classmates for Halloween.
Standing at the gate of bond, there was a huge, terrifying ghost thatgreeted us as if we were in the devil's hell.
There are some students in there who pretend to be ghosts, but I'm not likethem. I'm a witch.
Inside the most fun is hungry you damn fool reborn, my classmates and Iplay, first with his left hand to touch her ears, with his right hand twist yournose, bent down, turn around three times in situ, the teacher put potato chipsin our nose, using your tongue to eat potato chips. My chips have landed, but myclassmates have it. She is very cow!
Halloween is coming to an end and I really want to stay there.
小学英语演讲稿3分钟关于万圣节 篇5
Hello! My name is .I'm ten. I study in WZ children arts school. I'm in Class one Grade four .
Welcome to Our ClassroomThis is my classroom. There is a sign on the door. It says: Welcome to Our Classroom!
There are many is my name is on it.
This is my teacher's desk. There are many interesting things.
There is a fish bowl on the name is name is Swimmy.
There is a large blackboard on the front teacher writes our homework on it.
There is a birthday chart on the back teacher puts our names and birthdays on it.
There is a round clock above the tells us what time it is.
There are our drawings on the side is is Jenny's.
There is a reading couch in the is my favorite place.
小学英语演讲稿3分钟关于万圣节 篇6
Good morning everyone:
My name is Li Yuke .I am very happy to make a speech here. I will talk something about how to learn English.
When I was seven years old, my mother sent me to an English school. At there, I played games and sang English songs with my friend . Then I discovered the beauty of the language, and began my colorful dream in the English world. Everyday, I read English following the tapes. Sometimes, I watch English cartoons, such as Tom and Jerry.
I thing the best way to learn English well is often use English. Don’t be afraid and don’t laugh at others. We’d better listen, speak, read and write more . If we can speak English everyday, you can master English well and you will be able to become interested in English.
English is not very difficult . And I am sure everyone will be successful.
小学英语演讲稿3分钟关于万圣节 篇7
Dear teacher and classmates:
I am very glad to make a speech here in this class again! This time, I'd like to talk something about English.
I love English. English language is now used everywhere in the world. It has become the most common language on Internet and for international trade. Learning English makes me confident and brings me great pleasure.
When I was seven, my mother sent me to an English school. At there, I played games and sang English songs with other children . Then I discovered the beauty of the language, and began my colorful dream in the English world.
Everyday, I read English following the tapes. Sometimes, I watch English cartoons.
On the weekend, I often go to the English corner. By talking with different people there, I have made more and more friends as well as improved my oral English.
I hope I can travel around the world someday. I want to go to America to visit Washington Monument, because the president Washington is my idol. Of course, I want to go to London too, because England is where English language developed. If I can ride my bike in Cambridge university, I will be very happy.
I hope I can speak English with everyone in the world. I'll introduce China to them, such as the Great Wall, the Forbidden City and Anshan.
I know, Rome was not built in a day. I believe that after continuous hard study, one day I can speak English very well.
If you want to be loved, you should learn to love and be lovable. So I believe as I love English everyday , it will love me too.
小学英语演讲稿3分钟关于万圣节 篇8
At a seminar, a famous speaker didn't speak a prologue, but he held a $20 bill in his hand
In the face of 200 people in the meeting room, he asked: "who wants this $20" one hand went up. Then he said: "I am going to put this $20 to one of you, but before that, please allow me to do one thing." he said the bill into a ball, and then asked: "who will" people are still held up his hand. He said: "so, if I do this" he threw the money on the ground, and set foot on one foot, and grinds it with the foot. Then he picked up the bill, the bill has become dirty wrinkled. "Now who also" there are still people who raised his hand. "My friends, you have a very interested The meaning of the class. No matter how I treat the money, you still wanted it because it did not fall, it is still worth $20. Life on the road, we will many times down by their own decision or encounter adversity, bullying or even grind to be smashed to pieces. We seem to feel worthless but no matter what happens. Or, what will happen, in the eyes of God, you will never lose your value. In his opinion, dirty or clean, neat clothing neat or not, you are still priceless "
小学英语演讲稿3分钟关于万圣节 篇9
today, as people live a better life, they chase for more enjoyment. we can see from the news that when the holiday comes, there are so many people gather in the scenery site. people like to travel today, they can take a plane, take the bus or even take a bike. on my opinion, the best way to travel is by train. first, it is very cheap. compare with other ways, such as plane and bus, train is less expensive, people can save a lot of money. besides, taking the train is much safer. people don’t have to worry about crush, which is more happen in the plane or bus. second, we can enjoy the scenery in the train. though the train is very slow, we can have a good sight of the beautiful scenery, when we go to tibet, we can see different colors and different mountains during the trip. taking the train is the best way to travel.
今天，随着人们过上更好的生活，人们追求更多的娱乐。我们可以从新闻上看到当节假日来临的时候，很多人聚集在景点。现在，人们喜欢旅游，他们可以坐飞机，坐巴士甚至骑单车。在我看来，最好的旅游方式是坐火车。第一，这很便宜。和其他方式，如飞机和巴士，坐火车便宜很多，人们可以省下很多钱。而且，做坐火车也更加安全。人们不用担心坠毁，这更多地发生在飞机和巴士上。第二，我们可以在火车上欣赏风景。虽然火车很慢，我们可以好好看看美丽的风景，当我们去西藏的时候，可以在旅途中看到不同的颜色和不同的大山。坐火车是最好的旅游方式。
小学英语演讲稿3分钟关于万圣节 篇10
the thirsty pigeon口渴的鸽子
a pigeon, oppressed by excessive thirst, saw a goblet of water painted on a signboard. not supposing it to be only a picture, she flew towards it with a loud whir and unwittingly dashed against the signboard, jarring herself terribly. having broken her wings by the blow, she fell to the ground, and was caught by one of the bystanders. zeal should not outrun discretion.
有只鸽子口渴得很难受，看见画板上画着一个水瓶，以为是真的。他立刻呼呼地猛飞过去，不料一头碰撞在画板上，折断了翅膀，摔在地上，被人轻易地捉住了。 这是说，有些人想急于得到所需的东西，一时冲动，草率从事，就会身遭不幸。
小学英语演讲稿3分钟关于万圣节 篇11
Good morning，ladies and gentlemen. I am Tracy from Guangzhou Huamei International School. I am a shiny girl. My family love me and I love then too. Do you know how help at home? Let me tell you about that.
My mom works very hard every day. She comes home very late in the evening. Usually my dad cooks for us. Sometimes I help my dad to wash the vegetables. Sometimes I set the table. I always wash the dishes when we finish eating. After I finish my homework I often water the flowers. I also look after my pet fish. I feed the fish before I go to bed.
I really enjoy helping my partents at home. Do you think I an a helpful girl? I think so!
Thank you!
小学英语演讲稿3分钟关于万圣节 篇12
dear classmates,
every one of us, rich or poor, should at least have one or two good friends. my friends will listen to me when i want to speak, will wipe my eyes when i cry, will take care of me when i am sick, and my friends will go together with me side by side through this journey of life.
as students, we could share more time with our friends. the friendship in our young hearts is pure, fresh and simple. i often feel very lucky to have a lot of good friends. especially when i had justin as one of my best friends. justin was my english teacher from the usa. i met him in 1996 when i was a student who could only speak very little english. justin was a vivid young man with a bright smile on his face, and he always had his special way to make the class active and attractive. he taught us english by telling stories, playing games, singing songs, and even dancing. i could still remember very clearly that one afternoon when we fin-ished our class, we went to some other classes to sing songs for them, just like what people do in the states on christmas eve. it was so interesting and unforgettable. justin was an excellent teacher, because he taught us not only how to study english well, but also the way to find out the beauty of the world and the way to be angels to others' lives. i know there was friendship and pure love in our hearts. facing this valuable emotion neither nationality nor age was important, the real importance lay in faith, under-standing, and care. justin is the best friend i have ever had, and i know i will cherish those days of staying together with him as the best part of my memory.
friendship is a kind of treasure in our lives. it is actually like a bottle of wine, the longer it is kept, the sweeter it will be. it is also like a cup of tea. when we are thirsty, it will be our best choice, but when we have enough time to enjoy ourselves, it is also the most fragrant drink.
however, in this fast-developing modern society, the reality is not that. more and more people forget to enjoy the beauty of life and -the beauty of friendship. they work hard in order to gain a higher position, in the society and to earn more money for their work. of course, we don't deny that it is important to find a bet-ter place in our lives, but we wish more and more people could pay a little more attention to themselves and their friends. all of us have to spare some time for personal lives. we have to find the chance to express our emotion and love. when staying with our friends, we can release ourselves completely. we can do whatever we want, we can laugh together, talk together, and even cry to-gether. i should say that being together with our best friends is the most wonderful moment of our lives.
as we know, we would feel lonely if we didn't even have a friend. but it doesn't mean we could depend on our friends all the time. there is a famous motto saying that “a friend is like a quilt with cotton wadding, but the real thing that keeps you warm is your own temperature.” it is really true. we have to work hard together with our friends, encourage each other and help each other. when we receive love and friendship, we should repay as much as we can.
finally, let's pray together now that one day, all of us could find the person we want to find, and could enjoy a real beautiful friendship in our lives. let's pray the flower of friendship be-tween our friends and us would always bloom brightly in our hearts.
小学英语演讲稿3分钟关于万圣节 篇13
Hi, everyone! My name is . Today my topic is: "I Love English".
English is now used everywhere in the world, It has become the most important language on internet. Learning English makse me confident and brings me great pleasure.
When I was eight , my father sent me to an English school. At there, I played games and sang English song with other children. Then I discovered the beauty of the language, and began my colorful dream in the English world.
Every day, I read English following the tapes. Sometimes, I like watching English movies for children, such as Finding Nemo, Harry Potter and so on. These movies not only improved my English, but also gave me a lot of fun. Outlook English also help me a lot in my English Studies, I have been watching this program for nearly two years.
I hope I can travel around the world someday. I want to go to America, because America is one of the most developed countries in the world. I also want to go to England, because English originated in England.
I love English, English has become part of my life. Do you like English, my friends? If you do, come with me. Let's enjoy the fun of learning English built in a day."
That's all, thank you!
小学英语演讲稿3分钟关于万圣节 篇14
Dear teachers and students:
Hello, everyone! The topic of my speech is "success begins with faith." I'll tell you a story
In Africa, a lush jungle, walking four skinny men, they carry a heavy box forward, stumbled in the woods. They follow the leader into the jungle adventure, class, the captain was in task is complete disease two unfortunately buried in the jungle.
The dying captain entrusted them with his own suitcase, and said with great sincerity, "if you can send this box to my friend's hand, you will get something more precious than gold"
After the burial of the captain, they will hit the road carrying a box, increasingly difficult to walk the road, their efforts are also getting smaller and smaller, but they still get up go forward. Finally one day, suddenly opened the green barrier, they experienced a lot of hard work is finally out of the jungle, the captain found a friend however, the friend said: "I have nothing at all!"
小学英语演讲稿3分钟关于万圣节 篇15
good morning, my dear teachers and friends! my name is li bingke, fromclass four o five. today, i am very happy to be here. my topic is “ourschool”.
my dear friends, welcome to our school! my school is very beautiful! it hasa big playground. we can play and do some sports there. near the playground,there is a garden. many trees and flowers are there. so the air is very cleanand we can hear birds singing in the trees. it is so wonderful. our teachingbuildings are around the garden and look like our teachers’ arms to welcome can draw pictures in the art room on the first floor and read story-books inthe library on the second floor. my classroom is on the third floor. it is cleanand bright. we like to study in it. the computer room is on the fifth floor. wecan sing and dance in the music room on the sixth floor. what a lot of fun! wecan have lunch in the canteen near defang teaching building.
our school, our teachers work hard and help us with our lessons. we studyhard and listen to teachers carefully. after class, our teachers play with usand we feel very happy.
our school is so nice and our teachers are so kind. we all love them. dearfriends, do you like them?
that's all. thanks!
小学英语演讲稿3分钟关于万圣节 篇16
many people burn incense and kowtow, do good deeds and strive for virtues, not just for the present, but mainly to let god see their sincerity so as to be reborn into a better afterlife, or to achieve the highest enlightenment after several lives of practice. they do believe in afterlife. but i can't help asking: suppose there were no afterlife, would you still do good deeds and strive for virtues? and if god does not see what you are doing, would you still be so upright and selfless? if you work, not for serving the public and liberating the others, but just for a better afterlife of your own, isn't it a little too selfish? comparing with this kind of believers, those who don't believe in afterlife, but still keep doing good deeds, are the most sincere and honest philanthropists, because they do them not for themselves but for other.
小学英语演讲稿3分钟关于万圣节 篇17
Hello,everybody ,I'm happy to make a speech name's Sheng Aifeng.I'm from Kun Tong Primary y my topic is a story of a small village. Next I will tell you a sad story about long ago,there was a beautiful village,it was my nice it was! Look,there was a beautiful forest near river,the trees were tall and straight,the sky was blue, the air was flesh, it looked like a green le lived there with the development of the society,more and more buildings stood in our village,many new cupboardstables、chairs and others came out. So woods became fewer and fewer,even some floods ofen happened, people lived there r we hear the story,should we do something for it?
We're Young Pioneers,proecting trees is our duty,let's do by ourselves.I hope everyone makes a contribution to protecting our environment, our hometown Anji will become more and more beautiful.
小学英语演讲稿3分钟关于万圣节 篇18
in the matter of courage we all have our limits. there never was a hero who did not have his bounds. i suppose it may be said of nelson and all the others whose courage has been advertised that there came times in their lives when their bravery knew it had come to its limit.
i have found mine a good many times. sometimes this was expected--often it was unexpected. i know a man who is not afraid to sleep with a rattle-snake, but you could not get him to sleep with a safety-razor.
i never had the courage to talk across a long, narrow room. i should be at the end of the room facing all the audience. if i attempt to talk across a room i find myself turning this way and that, and thus at alternate periods i have part of the audience behind me. you ought never to have any part of the audience behind you; you never can tell what they are going to do.
i'll sit down.
中文：
在勇气问题上，人人都有极限。从来就没有胆大包天的英雄好汉。我想，可以说，纳尔逊和所有那些被大量宣传的勇士，一生中都有勇气达到极限的时候。
我就多次发现自己的勇气到了极限。有时是意料之中的——经常是出乎意料的。我认识一个人.此君不怕与响尾蛇同寝，可你无法让他与保安剃刀共眠。
我从来就没有勇气在狭长房间的中央发表讲话。我得站在房间的一头，面对全体听众。如果我试图站在房间中央讲话，我就会不断地转身，这样，就不断有部分听众在我背后。你们永远不能让自己背后有听众;你们永远闹不清他们要干什么。
我得坐下了。
小学英语演讲稿3分钟关于万圣节 篇19
Everyone is attracted by beauty and beauty is powerful. But what is true beauty? Perhaps you can get the answer from the following story.
This morning I went to the market to buy some vegetables with my parents. On the way we all highly praised a young man in western-style clothes and leather shoes who was riding by. But he rode so fast that he knocked an old lady down ead of stopping, he pretended not to see this and rode away quickly. We were all very angry with the young man. To our happiness, a girl in plain dress ran forward at once, helped the lady up and took her home. We all praised the girl.
From this we know we cannot judge a person by his appearance. A person who is dressed beautifully may not have a beautiful soul. Only a person who has a beautiful soul is really beautiful.
中文译文：
每个人都会被美所吸引,荚有强大的力量。但什么是真正的美呢?或许你可以从下面的故事得到答案。
今天早上我去市场买些蔬菜和我的父母。在路上我们都高度赞扬一个年轻人他骑在西式的衣服和皮鞋。但是他骑得太快了,不小心把一位老太太撞倒。他没有阻止,而是假装没有看到飞快地骑走了。我们都很生气的年轻人。我们的幸福,一个女孩穿着朴素立刻跑过来,帮助这位女士,带她回家。我们都赞扬了女孩。
从这我们知道我们不能通过外表来判断一个人。一个人可以没有美丽的心灵是打扮得漂漂亮亮。”只有一个人有一个美丽的灵魂真漂亮。
小学英语演讲稿3分钟关于万圣节 篇20
i have a dream
i am happy to join with you today in what will go down in history as the greatest demonstration for freedom in the history of our nation.
five score years ago, a great american, in whose symbolic shadow we stand today, signed the emancipation proclamation. this momentous decree came as a great beacon light of hope to millions of negro slaves who had been seared in the flames of withering injustice. it came as a joyous daybreak to end the long night of their captivity.
but one hundred years later, the negro still is not free. one hundred years later, the life of the negro is still sadly crippled by the manacles of segregation and the chains of discrimination. one hundred years later, the negro lives on a lonely island of poverty in the midst of a vast ocean of material prosperity. one hundred years later, the negro is still languished in the corners of american society and finds himself an exile in his own land. and so we've come here today to dramatize a shameful condition.
in a sense we've come to our nation's capital to cash a check. when the architects of our republic wrote the magnificent words of the constitution and the declaration of independence, they were signing a promissory note to which every american was to fall heir. this note was a promise that all men, yes, black men as well as white men, would be guaranteed the "unalienable rights" of "life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness." it is obvious today that america has defaulted on this promissory note, insofar as her citizens of color are concerned. instead of honoring this sacred obligation, america has given the negro people a bad check, a check which has come back marked "insufficient funds."
but we refuse to believe that the bank of justice is bankrupt. we refuse to believe that there are insufficient funds in the great vaults of opportunity of this nation. and so, we've come to cash this check, a check that will give us upon demand the riches of freedom and the security of justice.
we have also come to this hallowed spot to remind america of the fierce urgency of now. this is no time to engage in the luxury of cooling off or to take the tranquilizing drug of gradualism. now is the time to make real the promises of democracy. now is the time to rise from the dark and desolate valley of segregation to the sunlit path of racial justice. now is the time to lift our nation from the quicksands of racial injustice to the solid rock of brotherhood. now is the time to make justice a reality for all of god's children.
it would be fatal for the nation to overlook the urgency of the moment. this sweltering summer of the negro's legitimate discontent will not pauntil there is an invigorating autumn of freedom and equality. nineteen sixty-three is not an end, but a beginning. and those who hope that the negro needed to blow off steam and will now be content will have a rude awakening if the nation returns to busineas usual. and there will be neither rest nor tranquility in america until the negro is granted his citizenship rights. the whirlwinds of revolt will continue to shake the foundations of our nation until the bright day of justice emerges.
but there is something that i must say to my people, who stand on the warm threshold which leads into the palace of justice: in the proceof gaining our rightful place, we must not be guilty of wrongful deeds. let us not seek to satisfy our thirst for freedom by drinking from the cup of bitterneand hatred. we must forever conduct our struggle on the high plane of dignity and discipline. we must not allow our creative protest to degenerate into physical violence. again and again, we must rise to the majestic heights of meeting physical force with soul force.
the marvelous new militancy which has engulfed the negro community must not lead us to a distrust of all white people, for many of our white brothers, as evidenced by their presence here today, have come to realize that their destiny is tied up with our destiny. and they have come to realize that their freedom is inextricably bound to our freedom.
we cannot walk alone.
and as we walk, we must make the pledge that we shall always march ahead.
we cannot turn back.
there are those who are asking the devotees of civil rights, "when will you be satisfied?" we can never be satisfied as long as the negro is the victim of the unspeakable horrors of police brutality. we can never be satisfied as long as our bodies, heavy with the fatigue of travel, cannot gain lodging in the motels of the highways and the hotels of the cities. we cannot be satisfied as long as a negro in mississippi cannot vote and a negro in new york believes he has nothing for which to vote. no, no, we are not satisfied, and we will not be satisfied until "justice rolls down like waters, and righteousnelike a mighty stream.