Although Martin Luther King, Jr., spends a significant portion of his speech addressing people of his own race, not everyone in his audience was African American, and he states that directly in his speech. Fairly early in the speech, he takes the opportunity to address African Americans specifically, introducing those comments with the words, "But there is something that I must say to my people." He tells them they must not be guilty of wrong deeds in their fight for justice. He also states that they must not fall into the trap of distrusting white people. He then acknowledges that many white people had come to support their black friends and were in the audience with them as King spoke. He says,

"Many of our white brothers, as evidenced by their presence here today, have come to realize that their destiny is tied up with our destiny and their freedom is inextricably bound to our freedom."

King delivered this speech on August 28, 1963, at the March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom, a political rally that was attended by about 200,000 people. In the audience were politicians, celebrities, clergy, civil rights activists, and others who were sympathetic to the cause African Americans were fighting for. As King noted, many white people had turned out to express solidarity with African Americans in their effort to get Congress to pass the Civil Rights Act. Thus, the last half of King's speech takes on a unifying tone, speaking of "all God's children," and envisioning the day when 

"little black boys and black girls will be able to join hands with little white boys and white girls and walk together as sisters and brothers."