Dream Deferred or Dream Come True?
April 4th 2008 is the 40th anniversary of the assasination of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.
To see and hear his powerful and inspiring "I Have a Dream" speech, I invite you check out the blog I posted on his birthday this year:
http://crisisblog.crisischronicles.com/2008/01/15/happy-birthday-dr-martin-luther-king-jr.aspx
But for some reason, today I can't get out of my mind a short poem by another eloquent African-American hero of mine. Its title is "Harlem," although it is applicable to more than one place, more than one "race," and more than one dream. Langston Hughes wrote this poem in 1951, more than a decade before Dr. King's famous "Dream" speech. Yet the poem and speech always remind me of each other.
Langston Hughes' "Harlem" is also known as "Dream Deferred."
And though I've read it dozens of times, it still speaks loudly to the core of my being.
[Langston Hughes]
Anyway, I wonder what you think...
Has Dr. King's dream been deferred - by his untimely death or otherwise?
Or has his dream, over time, come true?
Might we say it's been a little of both?
And if so, can we quantify it?
For example: 50% true and 50% deferred? 60 and 40? 40 and 60? 20 and 80?
Food for thought... and I welcome your feedback.
Without further ado, here's Hughes' poem:
To see and hear his powerful and inspiring "I Have a Dream" speech, I invite you check out the blog I posted on his birthday this year:
http://crisisblog.crisischronicles.com/2008/01/15/happy-birthday-dr-martin-luther-king-jr.aspx
But for some reason, today I can't get out of my mind a short poem by another eloquent African-American hero of mine. Its title is "Harlem," although it is applicable to more than one place, more than one "race," and more than one dream. Langston Hughes wrote this poem in 1951, more than a decade before Dr. King's famous "Dream" speech. Yet the poem and speech always remind me of each other.
Langston Hughes' "Harlem" is also known as "Dream Deferred."
And though I've read it dozens of times, it still speaks loudly to the core of my being.
[Langston Hughes]
Anyway, I wonder what you think...
Has Dr. King's dream been deferred - by his untimely death or otherwise?
Or has his dream, over time, come true?
Might we say it's been a little of both?
And if so, can we quantify it?
For example: 50% true and 50% deferred? 60 and 40? 40 and 60? 20 and 80?
Food for thought... and I welcome your feedback.
Without further ado, here's Hughes' poem:
-
- What happens to a dream deferred?
- Does it dry up
- like a raisin in the sun?
- Or fester like a sore
- And then run?
- Does it stink like rotten meat?
- Or crust and sugar over
- like a syrupy sweet?
- Maybe it just sags
- like a heavy load.
- Does it dry up
- What happens to a dream deferred?
-
- Or does it explode?
- Or does it explode?
I think there has been progress, there IS a good possibility that a man with African heritage will be our next Prez. The Dr. would be proud of us. But on a personal, everyday, one-on-one level? The prison stats say it all. What is it? Not sure of exact numbers here, but something like 80% of inmates are black, while the total black population is less than 30%...damn! Now I want the exact nuumbers....off to google.
Nice job C. I didn't realize the date at all.
Hugs,
Suzette
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Thanks for your comment, Suzette.
I know from experience that the State of Ohio prison system tries to achieve "racial balance," at least on paper. Not all states or all localities are similarly interested. So I'd like to know what the total national numbers are, including state and federal prisons, county jails, city detention facilities, et cetera.
Ohio achieves this "balance" in a few, not necessarily "fair and balanced" ways.
Here are the numbers from the Ohio Department of Rehabilitation and Correction's February 2008 report.
Total Population 49,700
Male 92.51% Female 7.49%
White 51.35% Black 47.77% Other .88%
But I recall there being a class at one of my colleges called "How to Lie with Statistics."
What do you the 0.88% other consists of? Hispanic would be a good guess - but it would be wrong. The "Other" consists of Asian, Native American, and Pacific Islander inmates. So does this mean there are no Hispanic inmates in state of Ohio? I know that when I was at Marion Correctional Institution (and I have family who've worked at other institutions who confirm that it was similar elsewhere), at LEAST 10 percent of the inmates were Hispanic - especially of Mexican, Cuban and Puerto Rican descent. Is the state including these in the "White" number or the "Black" number? Some places let the inmate choose: "Do you want to be Black Hispanic or White Hispanic?" And most choose to be counted as white. Other places count Hispanic as white by default - unless a specific inmate requests to be classed as black.
I can't get a firm number for the number of Hispanic inmates in Ohio's state prisons - but I think 10% of the total population is a reasonable number as far as those classed as "White Hispanic." I also know of non-Hispanic inmates of partially African descent who are classed as "White." Such examples help bolster the "White" numbers and make it look like American minorites make up a minority of the prison inmates. Can you say "fuzzy math"?
There are other unfair ways they "achieve racial balance" - but perhaps I will save those for a future blog.
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I find this interesting:
Compare the above numbers for prison inmates to these numbers for State of Ohio prison staff/employees:
Total Males 9,767 Total Females 4,656
White Males 8,109 White Females 3,351
Black Males 1,431 Black Females 1,222
Other Males 227 Other Females 83
I'm too lazy to do the math this early in the morning - but it seems safe to say that 80 percent of the employees are white. Hmmm....
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hhhmmmmm....just can't think of where to start...State of Ohio attempting to "achieve racial balance"??? ....i have to wonder how this is possible?? ...now i DID read this whole blog and understand the different ideas about what has been achieved and what we still need to work on.
....i do NOT understand how any "arm of the government" can claim to attempt to "racially balance" anything!! ....unless you sit and count each and every offender, then throw out the "left-overs"...how is it possible?? ....we don't even have Hispanics included in the figures!! .....naw, some things haven't changed at all. ....they're just boxed differently with prettier bows.
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Thanks for your comment, barbie!
If you take the Hispanics out of the "White" category, you might get a breakdown something like this:
Black 48%, White 41%, Hispanic and "other" 11%.
This might be less misleading - but then it would make people wonder (as Suzette did) why minorities make up a MAJORITY of the prison population.
I like your analogy of being "boxed differently with prettier bows."
One of the things I didn't bring up in my above response because it would take too long to discuss (I will just throw it out there without a full discussion now, because I think it applies to your question) is this....
More blacks than whites arrive in Ohio prisons every day. So how do they achieve and sustain this "balance" in the prison population? One way is by releasing a far higher percentage of blacks than whites from prison - I've seen race play a significant role in who the parole board decides to release and who they decide to keep in prison - to the point where a black rapist who did not participate in any sex offender programming, did test positive for drugs several times during his incarceration, and had served 10 years behind bars was released - while at the same time a white rapist with 16 years in prison, no prior convictions, a perfect institutional record and full particpation in all available rehabilitative programming was not only NOT released, but given a 10-year continuance in prison before being eligible for parole again. But I could devote a whole book to such examples.
Another possible factor... more blacks are incarcerated for relatively minor charges that carry relatively short sentences.
Lots of reasons why there is as much a big outflux of black inmates from the prisons as there is a big influx.
Once again, though, I must emphasize that my experience is mostly limited to one state. So my perspective is subjective. And the state prisons only account for part of the actual total number of incarcerated folks in the state of Ohio. Things are much more complex than I'm making them look - which is one reason I think I need to devote an entire blog or series of blogs to this topic - as well as do more research and get more verifiable statistics - to really do the subject justice.
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....all making PERFECT sense, while just pissin' me off, to no end!!!!!
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Well That poem reminds me of the grief process!! If you really think of how many emotions one goes through after a loss of a loved one, it doesn't differ much than that of the death of a dream.
What happens to a dream deferred?
Does it dry up
like a raisin in the sun?***(The shock)***
Or fester like a sore
And then run?***(The Pain)***
Does it stink like rotten meat?***(Reality sets in)***
Or crust and sugar over
like a syrupy sweet?***(Numbness)***
Maybe it just sags
like a heavy load.***(Trying to come to terms with it)***
Or does it explode?***( Once you relize what has just been lost ANGER)***
I added my thoughts / feeling to the the poem & how one might feel after the loss of a loved one. That is what I got from that poem Thank you for sharing..
Now for you question I don't think I could put it in a % at all. Do I think his dream has come true not entirely no.
I think we as humans have a Long Long way to go in-order to come together like brothers.
We very much need more acceptance's, and understanding of one another. And when I say understanding I don't mean we all need to be 100% aware of everything about each other or all knowing, but we need to understand... with each difference a person has... with it comes much beauty, after all who would want to see everything in one color, or have everything make just one sound? The same sound! Difference is good in it is hidden beauty! If we can understand that, acceptance follows and we then come together.
(I almost lost myself thinking that deep LMAO)
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Wow, Angela! I like your very original and intriguing interpretation of Hughes' poem. It makes a lot of sense to me.
The grief process.... African-Americans have certainly been though a lot of grief (so have Native Americans and many others).
Strange to say, but it seems to me that in a way, a regular death is easier to process and "get over." The death happens, it's done, and the grief process takes its natural course. But the losses suffered by many Americans are not a one-time over-and-done deal - the dying is never completely finished. On some level, it's like a prolonged torture.... How can you get past the grief when the "dying" isn't done and buried, and the resolution is "deferred"?
Thanks for getting me thinking!
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That is true it's like it would take one into a new realm of reliving the death over and over, Either that itself will consume us or it will move us to fight harder for the dream that we dream.
It is true it could be seen as a repeated torture. Not just impacting one but impacting all.
I had got thinking about that after I posted my first reply.
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Oh... I can't pass this by with out leaving a comment. And I've only just woke up and came over here to your page to read this.
Geez, what is a dream deferred? Good or bad?
I can only speak from where I am in my life currently to give an answer to that. I think a dream deferred is like maybe a wine (non-drinker speaking here...so strictly metaphorical) where you can drink it new and sweet and appreciate it but allowing it to age (deferring it) gives it character and body that it didn't have before. And allows more people to enjoy its heady bouqet.
Referring ithat thought back to Martin Luther's "Dream"... I think over time more people not just in this country... but world-wide.. have developed an appreciation of his dream... his vision... and time has allowed that to take place. Where as is the '60's it seemed to be only the 'enlightened few" who appreciated and accepted his dream, his vision. Because it in reality has farther ramifications than just black and white, we now years later realize it has ramifications to gender, cultureal bias, a whole range of other issues.
So I think a dream deferred in a way is not a bad thing. Hope this makes some sense.
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I wrote a long response to you earlier... but had to step away from the computer for a while before I'd finished. So it timed out, causing me to lose my response. Maybe that was a sign that I was being too long-winded, anyway... lol.
This is a very interesting idea you've presented, and reminds me that "there are two sides to every story." It also reminds me of those old TV ads where Orson Welles said something like "we will serve no wine before its time." Wine (like Scotch) certainly benefits from aging - which we could think of as a sort of "deferred serving."
I think I get where you're going with this, and I like how you're trying to look outside the box, whether or not I ultimately agree.
In the grand scheme of things, it is certainly possible that in the future (perhaps far in the future), when the dream is reality, we will see a kind of good and necessity in the dream's deferment. We might then say, as we do with wine and Scotch, "it was worth the wait, and the waiting actually made it richer, smoother, more enjoyable, et cetera"? It's possible, but from a larger, broader perpective than we currently possess. But from the perspective of those who are oppressed or disadvantaged right now, or who have been in recenthistory, the "deferment is good" idea would be a very hard sell.
One could also say it depends on what kind of dream you mean....
Another thought-provoking comment... and one I'll be churning in my mind for some time.
Thank you, Chris!
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I guess my thought was not that it SHOULDN"T be realized, but just realizing it hasn't fully happened yet. And it the process of that, a lot of other issues that it affects have come into the picture, like gender rights, cultural genocide, etc... things that are relevant to the fuller implementation of the Dream being realized.
So In a way there are more pieces to the puzzle.. the picture is bigger... the Dream is bigger.
I think you did understand generally where I was trying to go with the idea.. I don't think I explained it very well because the idea came to me when re-reading the poem. So it is really not fully formed yet.
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I know you didn't mean it shouldn't be realized.
You're absolutely right: "There are more pieces to the puzzle.. the picture is bigger... the Dream is bigger."
I guess I just took off running with the hypothetical thinking....
Churn, churn, churn... lol.
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Sometimes it takes a lifetime for dreams to come true. But what MLK started dreaming is bit by bit happening right now. Marc Shepard, my son, is coming to Oberlin on April 16 to talk about his book, "Earl Dickerson, A Voice for Freedom and Equality." Barack Obama is the first time a black or bi-racial man has run for president. The Junior High in Oberlin is named the Langston Hughes
Junior High. I would be able to elaborate on all of the above if I hadn't lost my comment as I was writing it a few minutes ago. Perhaps I should write a blog. It all had to do with civil rights, racism and one of the foremost civil rights leader in this country and a friend of MLK. My daughter, Miriam, taught in an all black high school in D. C. I guess I'll just wait until others respond. Thanks for the reminder of the assassination of MLK. The years pass and we have to keep his light shining.
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I still haven't had a chance to read Marc's book. One of these days, I hope to do so. So many books, so little time....
It's strange how we tend to forget Jesse Jackson, Alan Keyes, and Al Sharpton - all of whom are African Americans who've run for President. And then there have been a number of black third-party candidates who've earned a statistically insignificant number of votes, like the Gus Hall and Angela Davis ticket of 1984 (for a Marxist party).
But I definitely appreciate your point that Barack is the first black man to have a chance of actually winning a major party nomination (and of course, following that, the presidency). This shows how far we've come since Dr. King was shot in Memphis. But then look at the number of African-American members in the United States Senate, and we see (on the other hand) how far we have yet to go.
Martin Luther King, Jr.... I agree with you, Elena: "The years pass and we have to keep his light shining."
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http://my.earthlink.net/article/top?guid=20080404/47f5b5d0_3421_1334520080404140565988
http://my.earthlink.net/article/top?guid=20080404/47f5b5d0_3421_1334520080404-1019653
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Good articles. Thank you for posting the links, mb!
I haven't even taken the time to read my morning paper.
Maybe I'll do that now.
Memphis is one of those places I've always wanted to visit.
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Great blog ... my 6th literary speech was King's "I Have a Dream" ... it's always hit a deep chord with me. I will never understand or embrace prejustice of any kind.
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Thanks, Lisa!
May King's dream come fully true soon!
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I dig that Langston Hughes poem.
I'm posting some journal entries from 1968 on walkingthinice.com. Figure they're related to what you're writing here as well.
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Oh, and I think the dream has been deferred for all of us, unfortunately.
I'm encouraged by Obama but I think we have a long way to go.
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Dr. King said, "I believe that unarmed truth and unconditional love will have the final word in reality. That is why right, temporarily defeated, is stronger than evil triumphant." Unfortunately, you are right. We have a "long way to go" before we reach the "final word" of which he spoke.
Thanks, Lady... I haven't been to your www.walkingthinice.com blog yet today. But I look forward to doing so.
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40 years . . . sometimes I wonder if we have come that far at all.
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Much ado is made of Barack Obama's presidential candidacy - and it's a beautiful thing that a man of African descent (and even a woman of any descent, in the case of Hillary) can now reach such a position in politics.
But then I recall that Barack was the first black U.S. Senator since Reconstruction! That's in the 1800s! (I know you know that, but I mention it for others who might not.) One black Senator in well over 100 years - including 30-some years after Dr. King.... That kind of progress is entirely inadequate. And "inadequate" is an inadequate word for it. Such progress (or lack thereof) is unacceptable.
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I agree with a lot of the above. I think there are racist forces out there who have tried to silence his dream (i.e. every street in America named after MLK typically being the one most run-down... coincidence?) but have actually just deferred it, intensifying it.
His dream won't fully manifest... well, probably not in my grandchildren's lifetime, but eventually.. It's about human evolution more than anything, and the unthinking majority slowly shifting into the unthinking minority.
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Thank you, Brandon. I especially like your point about "human evolution." It's amazing how evolved we've always considered ourselves - and yet how much more evolution has always remained ahead of us. Ptolemy was brilliant - but did the sun really orbit the earth like he thought? And similar examples could be plucked from every period of human history. I'm sure there are many ways in which the brilliant minds of today are not as enlightened as they (or we) might think either. There is much room for us to grow - socially, morally, intellectually, artistically, and so on - in ways we might not yet be able to conceive. And then there are also those large numbers of minds some folks might like to consider not-so-brilliant (can I make a comment about people voting for George Bush without insulting anyone - or without admitting that I voted for Bush's father in 1988? LOL).
I also very much like your observation of it largely being a matter of "unthinking majority slowly shifting into the unthinking minority." Very well put....
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A dream deferred is like life and love deferred. I believe all of these things occur at different times. Anger, remorse, resentment and even fond memories can all occur given time.
I think MLK opened many doors, but many more remain closed. Understanding and tolerance are the keys to achieving peace and harmony with one another. If people would only open their hearts and minds instead of fearing the unknown and the different we might one day see peace on earth. All of the violence for "Gods" sake would end.
Great blog, baby! Keep up the great work.
Love, Geri Lynne
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Thank you!
Life and love are dreams of a sort, I suppose. Too often too many of these are deferred for too many reasons.
I especially like what you said about understanding, tolerance and fear of the unknown. Dr. King once said that "Hatred paralyzes life; love releases it. Hatred confuses life; love harmonizes it. Hatred darkens life; love illuminates it." It's much easier for us to hate what we don't know and love what we know. One example - I've known certain people to have something negative to say about our having partially-African grandchildren. But meet our grandchildren, spend a bit of time and let yourself know them - and you can't help but love them. Then you can see them as neither black, white, nor any other color - but simply as beautiful little people who want nothing more than to love and be loved.
The hard part is loving even those we don't know. And I think great souls like King and Gandhi were able to do that, to a large degree. Our future and world might just depend on such unconditional love.
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Boy , I haven't been able to get back to catch upon the blog discussion... until now. And I only have a few minutes for my response but I love that quote by Dr. King, I've never heard it before. Is it from one of his diaries or a speech that he had given?
I can also relate to people having less tolerance for what they don't know than what they do know. I had an older woman friend who disliked gays and gay couples intensly and was very predjudiced until she found out her favorite nephew was one. Because it was someone she loved dearly her attitude didn't just soften but completely changed and she even became a very active AIDS activist in the community... go figure.
But unconditional love... that is the key... it takes a lot of courage to love like that... because it entails loving those who hate, do not look out for your best interests, or who would even harm you... they are great souls who can do that. Something definitely to emulate. Thanks JC.. I'd love to know where you found that quote...
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I had a dream last night
What a lovely dream it was
I dreamed we all were alright
Happy in a land of Oz
Why did everybody laugh
When I told them my dream
I guess they all were so far
From that kind of scene
Feeling real mean
I heard a song last night
What a lovely song it was
I thought I'd hum it all night
Unforgettable because
All Of the players were playing together
And all of the heavies were light as a feather
See all I remember is a feeling of sorrow
But as I recall the rest will just follow
I had a dream last night
What a lovely dream it was
I dreamed we all were alright
Happy in a land of Oz
What a lovely dream it was
What a lovely dream it was
What a lovely dream it was
by john sebastian
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That's my favorite dream song (well, along with Elvis' "If I Can Dream")!
I've loved it ever since the first time I saw the Woodstock movie, in which John Sebastian performed it (but I'm sure you already know that). Perfect lyrics for today.... Thank you!
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I don't really have anything to add. Everyone's comments were awesome. I so admired the man. And what he stood for.
Hope the dream continues through those who believed as he did.
Namaste'
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Amen, sister!
Namaste....
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What is a dream? Do we daydream while we're awake or do we wake up to another reality after sleeping and dreaming? To make the dream of Dr. King work we all have to live up to his HOPES FOR A BETTER FUTURE FOR ALL PEOPLE OF COLOR AND ALL MINORITIES. Remember that most so-called "blacks" are not really from Africa. They also have European white blood. Let's get our racism turned around like Barack Obama said in his speech. He had an African father, a white mother and is a mixture of many races. So are millions of Americans. We are all Americans and MLKs dream was freedom and equality for all. I just had a two hour conversation with a very very black man, a friend who I have known for a long time. It is acceptance and caring and hope and love for all people, white, black, and all in-between that will make Martin Luther's dream come true. I am hopeful for us and will fight to see life in this country right for all. I have known many brilliant black or bi-racial people in my life who are extremely creative and they have been my very close friends and friends of my family. Seek your inner truth when you think of racism and how each of us reacts to it. This is important!!
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Amen, Elena! I think in many ways race is an illusion. But like some other illusions, it can be persistent and even debilitating.
So we have different amounts of melanin in our skins - what fun would a rainbow be if it was all red, all orange, all yellow, all green, all blue, all indigo, or all violet? Diversity makes it beautiful. But in essence, every color of the rainbow is nothing more than electromagnetic energy - just like infrared, ultraviolet, AM and FM radio waves, microwaves.... We're all just bundles of cosmic energy. Or as Carl Sagan might say, we're all star stuff.... But often we get hung up looking at the differences in the clouds and fail to remember that they're all made of water - and they have the same sun behind them, drawing them upward and making them condense - so that they can in turn become rain and refresh the earth from which they came.
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That is such a beautiful thought you wrote. The world is so full of so many things we all should be just as happy as KINGS. Most of us know we shouldn't judge people by the color of their skins but there are subtle psychological and subconscious reasons we have to face. It is time that we all faced and felt our star stuff and our universe and the world we live in as an immense and wonderful place and that includes all the people that live in it with us. So fly above the clouds and realize the sun is always shining somewhere on earth.
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good poem. simple, but bites.
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Indeed....
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