BALTIMORE -- Thursday marked the 45th anniversary of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.'s historic speech on the National Mall during the 1963 March on Washington.

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A Baltimore pastor who served as one of King's assistants reflected on his "I Have A Dream" speech on Thursday and gave his thoughts on the importance of the speech being delivered by Democratic presidential nominee Sen. Barack Obama Thursday night.

Dr. Harold Carter was a member of King's church in Montgomery, Ala. He was also one of the many young preachers who personally gleaned wisdom and guidance from King, WBAL TV 11 News education reporter Tim Tooten said.

Much of what King shared with him and so many others was included in that historic Washington moment.

"It is a dream deeply rooted in the American dream," King said during his speech.

"If he were here, he would say it's not an accident. He would say it's a completion of a providential curve,'" Carter said.

Tooten asked what exactly King meant by the words "I have a dream."

"The reason why Dr. King says 'I have a dream' is because we didn't have anything else. We didn't have any money. We didn't have any political power, per se. We didn't have a great mass of educated persons, but we had dreams, and I'm of the impression that we still need dreams," Carter responded.

Tooten asked Carter how people are supposed to currently view the dream, especially with Obama in the forefront.

"Barack has come a long ways in terms of carrying the baton. He represents a new wave of the dream in which we are very proud -- extremely proud. Remember, it's still a dream because reality has to be the substance of the dream, the stuff that makes the dream real," Carter said.

Tooten asked him if there is something prophetic about Obama's run for presidency from a faith perspective.

"There is a moment in which things have to happen. There is a window of opportunity. There is a moment in which, let's say, the plane can rise. He has seized that moment. There are forces that have been at work, that have brought him to where he is. I don't know if he'll ever be president or not, that remains to be seen. I do know he wouldn't be where he is if certain forces had not been at work to bring him to where he is," Carter responded.

Tooten asked if the Obama factor is bigger than race and class.

"To see this come to bear and the rose that has blossomed in Barack Obama certainly does not answer all of our questions, but this is a major milestone," Carter said.

Carter has been the pastor of Baltimore's New Shiloh Baptist Church for more than 40 years.