‘I Have a Dream,’ 55 years on

Fifty-five years ago today, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. stood on the steps of the Lincoln Memorial and delivered what would become one of the great speeches in America’s history at the March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom.

Half a century after “I Have a Dream,” President Donald J. Trump says “our Nation reaffirms our commitment to protecting the promise of America for all our people.” That promise includes expanding opportunity for every citizen. “As a result, for example, we have already seen the unemployment rate for African Americans reach a record low.”

Read President Trump’s message on the 55th anniversary of “I Have a Dream.”

Markets soar as President announces new deal

A day after President Trump announced a preliminary trade deal with Mexico, news broke that consumer confidence in August has reached its highest level since October 2000, CNBC reports.

That’s big news: Consumer spending accounts for about 70 percent of all U.S. economic activity, so economists pay close attention to it. “These historically high confidence levels should continue to support healthy consumer spending in the near-term,” said Lynn Franco, director of economic indicators at The Conference Board.

The S&P 500 and NASDAQ also soared to record highs yesterday as President Trump made good on his promise to renegotiate the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA). “This is something that’s very special for our manufacturers and for our farmers from both countries,” President Trump told President of Mexico Enrique Peña Nieto in a phone call from the Oval Office yesterday.

“The Teamsters Union has long been a leader in demanding real reforms to NAFTA to make it work for workers across all of North America,” Teamsters General President Jim Hoffa said. “We believe that the Administration has taken real steps to deal with our concerns.”

CNBC: Consumer confidence pops to highest level since 2000

In their words: “Our Negotiator-in-Chief will close a deal [for] all Americans.”

Ivanka Trump: Why we must empower women

Yesterday, Ivanka Trump joined Ambassadors from across the Western Hemisphere at the Organization of American States (OAS) in Washington, D.C. Her message was simple: Women’s economic empowerment makes everyone better off.

“We believe, we know that the world is more prosperous, more peaceful when women can fully participate in the economy,” Ms. Trump told OAS. “Advancing economic opportunity for women in our hemisphere is essential to fostering lasting peace, stability, and opportunities in the Americas.”

Watch Ivanka Trump discuss the importance of women’s empowerment.

More: President Trump honors the anniversary of women’s suffrage.