King referenced that “america has defaulted on this promissory note insofar as its citizens of color are concerned.” what is he referring to?

Martin Luther King makes reference to President Lincoln's Gettysburg Address, in which the former made it clear that it was in the nation best interests to pursue equal rights for all of the citizens of the United States, regardless of their ethnical background or culture.

King left it clear that the country was not doing enough to live up to the words of President Lincoln but was taking steps in the other direction.

answer; /// slavery should be outlawed in the new country, was part of the initial draft of the declaration of independence, but not part of the final

the emancipation proclamation was the aim of the war change to include the freeing of slaves in addition to preserving the union. the 13th amendment, which abolished slavery in the u.s. was passed on december 6th 1865.

as promised, lincoln waited to unveil the proclamation until he could do so with success from the union military advance. on september 22nd 1862, after a victory at antietam, he publicly announced a preliminary emancipation proclamation, declaring all slaves free in the rebellious states as of january 1st 1863.