A well-travelled dream

On 28 August 1963, Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. delivered his most famous address on the steps of the Lincoln Memorial in Washington, D.C.

On 28 August 2008, Barack Obama will deliver his most historic speech (to date) on the stage constructed on Inesco Field in Denver, CO.

45 years and 1,688 miles; half of a lifetime, half of a continent. We have the privilege to witness an historical moment tonight.

Much has been gained, but there is much more work to do in uniting this nation. Georgia congressman John Lewis said it well on NPR this evening: Obama's acceptance of his party's nomination isn't the culmination of the dream, but "an enormous down payment on the dream".

Robert Kennedy was quoted in 1963 as saying he anticipated an African-American nominee in 50 years. His math was pretty damn good.