Martin Luther King, Jr., born January 15, 1929 and died April 4, 1968, was the most visible American civil rights leader from 1955 until his assassination. He promoted civil rights through non-violence, motivated by his Christian beliefs and the peaceful activism of Mahatma Gandhi. We suspect that this wise soul was incarnated to teach the world about race relations and much more, and we are grateful for his wisdom. Below, we share some of his quotes, which are also good reminders for the present.
“I have a dream that my four young children will one day live in a nation where they will not be judged by the color of their skin, but by the content of their character.”
“Returning violence for violence multiplies the violence, adding a deeper darkness to a night already bereft of stars.”
“Darkness cannot drive out darkness; only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate; only love can do that.”
“If you can’t fly then run, if you can’t run then walk, if you can’t walk then crawl, but whatever you do you have to keep going.”
“The ultimate measure of a man is not where he stands in moments of comfort and convenience, but where he stands in moments of challenge and controversy.”
“We may have all come in different boats, but now we’re in the same boat.”
“You don’t have to see the whole ladder, just take the first step.”
“A man dies when he refuses to stand up for what is right. A man dies when he refuses to stand up for justice. A man dies when he refuses to stand up for what is true.”
“Never, ever be afraid to do the right thing, especially if the well-being of a person or an animal is at stake. Society’s punishments are small compared to the wounds we inflict on our souls when we look the other way.”
“It’s always the right time to do the right thing.”
“Violence as a means of achieving racial justice is both impractical and immoral. It is impractical because it is a downward spiral that ends in the destruction of all. It is immoral because it seeks to humiliate the opponent rather than gain his understanding; it seeks annihilate rather than convert. Violence is immoral because it thrives on hate rather than love.”
“What affects one directly affects all indirectly.”
“We must learn that expecting God to do everything while we do nothing is not faith but superstition.”
“Not everyone can be famous, but everyone can be great, because greatness is determined by service.”
“Use me, God. Show me how to take what I am, what I want to be, and what I can do, and use it for a purpose greater than myself.”
“We must learn to live together as brothers or perish together as fools.”
“Nothing in the world is more dangerous than sincere ignorance and conscious stupidity.”
“Let’s build bridges, not walls.”
“This is the great new problem of humanity. We have inherited a great house, a great ‘world house’ in which we have to live together: black and white, eastern and western, gentile and jewish, catholic and protestant, muslim and hindu. – a family unduly separated in ideas, culture and interests, who, because we can never again live apart, must somehow learn to live together in peace.”
“The function of education is to teach to think intensely and to think critically. Intelligence plus character: that is the goal of true education.”
“If you can’t be a sun, be a star. Because size doesn’t make you win or fail. Be the best of whatever you are.”
“I still believe that upholding God’s truth is the greatest thing in the world. This is the end (purpose) of life. The end of life is not to be happy. The end of life is not to achieve pleasure and avoid pain The end of life is to do God’s will, no matter what.”
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