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“I have a dream that one day even the state of Mississippi, a state sweltering with the heat of injustice, sweltering with the heat of oppression, will be transformed into an oasis of freedom and justice.

I have a dream that my four little children will one day live in a nation where they will not be judged by the color of their skin but by the content of their character. I have a dream today.

I have a dream that one day, down in Alabama, with its vicious racists, with its governor having his lips dripping with the words of interposition and nullification; one day right there in Alabama, little black boys and black girls will be able to join hands with little white boys and white girls as sisters and brothers.

I have a dream today….”

The above was part of the celebrated ”I Have a Dream” speech delivered by the popular American human rights crusader, Rev. Martin Luther King Jnr. at the historic rally in Washington, DC, on August 28, 1963. The event was highly rated and credited for mobilising supporters of desegregation which subsequently prompted the 1964 Civil Rights Act.

Thursday marks the 45th anniversary of the historic speech, which changed the politics of race in American society. Again, history appears to be at the verge of being repeated at the city of Denver, as Illinios Senator and Democratic Party presidential hopeful, Barak Obama, is billed to make an historic acceptance speech as the presidential candidate of the Democratic Party for the November 4, election into the White House.

Thursday‘s event, which is the highlight of the four-day carnival-like national convention of the party, would be the first time ever that an African-American would emerge as the presidential candidate of any of its two major political parties. And this is coming nearly 150 years after the Emancipation Proclamation.

In the often strange brew of U.S. race relations and presidential politics, that fact sometimes has to slip to the background, but not for millions of African Americans who, for months, have been riding a roller coaster of pride and hope and worry about a potential Black first family.

Obama, 47, had over the weekend, announced Senior Congressman, Senator Joe Biden, as his running mate ahead of the convention, which kicked off on Monday.

The choice has been hailed by many party men and observers as a ”wise choice”, in view of Biden‘s wealth of experience, having been in the Senate since 1972.

Denver, according to online accounts, had started wearing a new look of ”political theartre” ahead of Thursday (today‘s) epic event. The major streets are said to have opened to streets party with enthusiasts in full red, white and blue regalia and anti-war protesters in white death masks, converging on the city to see Obama declared as the Democrats‘ presidential nominee.

No fewer than 50,000 accredited delegates were being expected. They include Democratic governors and members of Congress, party officials and labour leaders.

The climax of the event would be on Thursday when Obama makes his acceptance speech before an audience of 75,000 at Denver‘s football stadium.

Hundreds of anti-war protesters had reportedly taken over the main pedestrian mall since Sunday, carrying banners saying: ”It‘s the system, stupid”.

There were almost as many police on bicyles, horseback and on foot with assault rifles cradled close to their chests.

Obama‘s wife, Michelle and Senator Edward Kennedy, had set the tone for convention with their respective speeches at the Monday opening of the convention in Denver, where both canvassed support for an Obama presidency.

After Kennedy‘s electrifying speech, Michelle, who is fast rising to the occasion, had reportedly told the audience to ”stop doubting, but start dreaming”.

Many observers are anticipating a highly celebrated speech from Obama, which according to them, would be perhaps one major bold step, at selling his candidacy to the generality of the American electorate. The speech is seen as capable of sustaining the myth surrounding Obama, just as it could also expose his weakness.

But more and more Americans of varying backgrounds are eagerly waiting for the historic moment. There have been reports of parents making moves to ensure that their wards listen to the speech either at the stadium or via live transmission on the television.

”I am just overwhelmed,” said former Virginia governor, L. Douglas Wilder, who became the nation‘s first elected Black governor in 1990. ”I don‘t think the American people have awakened to what‘s happening the next couple of months; the possibility of an African American President? Think about it. Look how short of a period it‘s been since we came from slavery.”

”I spend a lot of time trying to teach my children that in many respects, their destiny is in their own hands. I try to expose them to people and events that reinforce the idea that racial and social progress are generally the result of a lot of hard work and sacrifice by lots of people over a very long time. Barack‘s nomination stands as a milestone to the sacrifices of thousands of people who preceded us all in the struggle for equality, and I wanted my children to see this process . . . to make tangible the lessons I‘ve been teaching them.”

William D. Euille who grew up in a public housing complex in Alexandria but then became the city‘s first Black mayor in 2003, said Obama‘s nomination ”represents the hope, belief, that if he can do it, others can certainly follow.”

James Hudson, a D.C. lawyer who has raised money for Obama, said he grew up in the 1960s never thinking he‘d see the day a Black politician would be a serious presidential candidate.

”The issue of discrimination and slavery has been about since the founding of the country,” said Hudson, an Obama delegate from the District. ”This is the beginning of the resolution of it. . . Historic is probably an understatement.”

But, an Assistant Professor of African American Studies, Melinda Chateauvert, cautioned that it will be years before the historical nature of Obama‘s speech can be put into context, depending on whether he wins and which policies he pursues as President.

The interest in Thursday‘s speech and the likelihood of an Obama Presidency, no doubt, goes beyond the American shores.

A former American Ambassador to Nigeria, Mr. Walter Carrington, believed that Obama has a strong appeal, a factor, which according to him, explained the excitement which his candidacy had generated all over the world.

Carrington said in an interview in Lagos on Tuesday that the initial fear about Obama‘s chances was that he might not be well received in the white -dominated states. He however added that that fear evaporated with his good showings in states like Iowa.

Saying that Thursday‘s speech would be a major highpoint of Obama‘s campaign, Carrington said that the ability of presidential aspirant and former first lady, Mrs Hilary Clinton, to use her speech to convince her supporters to sign up for Obama was quite crucial.

According to Carrington, another major decider of the November 4, election would be the personality of McCain’s running mate, which yet to be unveiled.

A renowned scholar of International Politics and Head of Department of Political Science at the Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife, Prof Femi Mimiko, said Thursday‘s speech is capable of changing the American political calculation, depending on how it is packaged.

Mimiko, however believed that Obama is capable of making the best use of the historic speech, if his past speeches and contributions at the American Senate were anything to go by. Mimiko made specific reference to the speech the Democratic Party candidate gave sometime ago about race -relations in the US, stressing that such speeches are not only thought-provoking, but capable of exciting the American electorates.

”The speech is yet to be given, but given Obama‘s record of speech, especially the one he gave about race -relation in America, one can make a projection that it will be electrifying and capable of winning the hearts of more Americans.”

Also echoing Mimiko‘s position, Chief Niyi Raheem, a chieftain of the Action Congress in Europe, believes that Thursday‘s speech is capable of convincing many undecided voters to give it to Obama.

Raheem, like Mimiko, believed that the Democratic candidate has a record of fine speeches, with corresponding body language and gesturing. He did it in Berlin, Germany during his tour of Europe.

Raheem said that the speech, coming on the 45th anniversary of the famous Rev King‘s speech, was more than sheer coincidence.

”The mood and the date of the speech are quite significant, and these factors would help to convey the Obama message, if properly utilised,” he said.

On the chances of Obama going ahead to win the presidential election on November 4, Mimiko said the Democratic Party candidate stood a very good chance.

According to Mimiko, while one could not discountenance the fact of race in the 2008 American election, there are other factors, the combination of which could drown the issue of race in deciding who gets the highly coveted post.

These factors, according to Mimiko, are in favour of Obama. They include the fact that the Republican candidate, John McCain, is not considered an exciting personality by the American people. Another major factor is the performance of the George Bush-led Republican government, which had been dubbed as ineffective, especially in terms of domestic issues. Added to these is the new personality which Obama was bringing to the polity, as well as, his multi-racial background.

He believes that the fact that Obama had no background in civil rights could also be a factor in favour of his quest to clinch the position.

Obama is expected to square up with Republican presidential hopeful, Senator John Mc Cain in the November 4, election. Other candidates of the lesser parties who already got tickets for the election include: Congressman Bob Barr ( The Libertarian Party); Pastor and Radio talk show host, Chuck Baldwin; (Constitution Party); Cynthia Mckinney (Green Party); and Ralph Nader, who is running as an independent candidate.

The winner of the election would be inaugurated on January 23, 2009.

Political pundits are anxious to see a repeat of a speech that would be remembered for ages to come, as it is a unique opportunity for another Black American dream to be born.

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