On this date in 1968, Martin Luther King Jr. gave his final speech to the striking sanitation workers in Memphis.
The speech is commonly known as “I’ve Been to the Mountaintop” because of one line from the text, which comes from the final paragraph.
It is a powerful speech.
It is in some ways a deeply personal speech.
Here is that final paragraph, with its Biblical reference to Moses looking over the Promised Land he will never enter:
Well, I don't know what will happen now. We've got some difficult days ahead. But it doesn't matter with me now. Because I've been to the mountaintop. And I don't mind. Like anybody, I would like to live a long life. Longevity has its place. 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. And 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.
You can read the complete text of the speech here.
There is as far as I know no complete video of the speech, but there is complete audio, to which you can listen here. Perhaps at some point you can take the 43 minutes to listen.