You may have seen this one coming, but…"I Have a Dream" is about dreams. (Also, just to be clear, MLK is not talking about the type of dreams that you have when you're asleep. If he were, he'd probably dream about Black and white people riding flying with pink and purple sea lions.)
MLK states at the beginning of the speech that 1963 was the "beginning" (7.2) of the quest for equality. That means that his dream is idealistic and ambitious. It's a look toward the faraway future, kind of like how your personal dreams are well ahead (we're not famous singers yet, either). MLK aims for the moon in order to inspire the listener to strive higher.
The sad part? Half a century after "I Have a Dream," America still isn't totally there. (Source)
Questions About Dreams, Hopes, and Plans
The speech names several dreams. How would you summarize Martin Luther King, Jr.'s overall dream? Do you think that MLK's dream has been achieved in modern times? Name some rhetorical devices that the speech uses to describe the "dream." What political methods does MLK suggest to achieve his plans for the future of race relations?
Chew on This
Martin Luther King, Jr.'s hope is for African Americans to be able to participate in mainstream American society.
The speech references both American history and American culture to illustrate examples of what African Americans wanted—the American Dream and unalienable rights.