Handwritten final draft of MLK's historic 'I Have a Dream' speech to be auctioned off
What might be the only handwritten final draft of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.'s historic "I Have a Dream" speech will be up for auction in January. The treasure of American history was recently discovered after being stored in the desk drawer of King's aide, Edward T. Clayton, for many decades. The proceeds from the sale will benefit several charities, including The King Center and the Xernona Clayton Foundation. It was Xernona who discovered the draft in her late husband's desk, where it sat until 2024. Edward was a speechwriter and editor, helping King with the speech's composition. He also served as head of public relations for King's civil rights organization, the Southern Christian Leadership Conference. Xernona said her husband kept everything, and King was known to give stuff away. Her advisor and Christie's, a notable and historic auction house , were able to confirm it is the only known handwritten final draft of the famous speech. The words are written in blue ink, complete with mark-throughs and edits, across seven pages of yellow legal pad paper, according to Christie's. It is believed that King finished the draft on the morning of August 28, 1963, in his hotel room in Washington and handed it to his assistants to type it up to be sent out to the media before he delivered the famous remarks later that morning. As many already know, King's iconic words — "I Have a Dream" — that would later become the name for the famous speech were added spontaneously, so you won't see them in the draft. Christie's said it does, however, include his powerful conclusion, "Free at last, free at last; thank God almighty, we are free at last." The manuscript is expected to generate in excess of $10 million. It will be publicly displayed at Christie's New York at 20 Rockefeller Plaza from King's birthday on Jan. 15 to Jan. 21 before being offered in a single-lot sale on January 22, 2027. "I am so grateful for the opportunity to give this amazing speech new life, and to give new life to people who are in need," said Xernona Clayton in a press release from Christie's. "It is poetic that the past will protect the future,” said Martin Luther King, III, Dr. King's son. "We are grateful that this treasure was preserved over decades by the Clayton family. It is a remarkable piece of history that shines a light on our father's process as he prepared to make a speech that so profoundly affected the course of the Civil Rights movement and our nation. Now, for the first time, the public will have the opportunity to be inspired by this document." Sign up for our Breaking News Email Newsletter to receive the latest headlines to your inbox
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