10 Martin Luther King, Jr., Quotations

Note from the Editor:
Martin Luther King, Jr. was a great preacher, orator and writer. He knew the power of words to challenge and inspire individuals and society. Words lead to actions, and in King's case, words provided a pathway to racial reconciliation and the cornerstones for building a more just American society.

These familiar quotes are as relevant today as they were when King first said them. While we chose these ten, there were hundreds of others equally compelling. We encourage readers to add their own MLK quotes below.

From every mountainside, let freedom ring. When we let freedom ring, when we let it ring from every village and every hamlet, from every state and every city, we will be able to speed up that day when all of God's children, black men and white men, Jews and Gentiles, Protestants and Catholics, will be able to join hands and sing in the words of the old Negro spiritual, "Free at last! Free at last! Thank God Almighty, we are free at last!

I Have a Dream, 1963.

Somehow this madness must cease. We must stop now. I speak as a child of God and brother to the suffering poor of Vietnam. I speak for those whose land is being laid waste, whose homes are being destroyed, whose culture is being subverted. I speak for the poor in America who are paying the double price of smashed hopes at home and death and corruption in Vietnam. I speak as a citizen of the world, for the world as it stands aghast at the path we have taken. I speak as an American to the leaders of my own nation. The great initiative in this war is ours. The initiative to stop it must be ours.

The Trumpet of Conscience, 1967.

Nonviolence is the answer to the crucial political and moral questions of our time: the need for man to overcome oppression and violence without resorting to oppression and violence. Man must evolve for all human conflict a method which rejects revenge, aggression and retaliation. The foundation of such a method is love.

Nobel Prize acceptance speech, Stockholm, Sweden, December 11, 1964.

Darkness cannot drive out darkness; only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate; only love can do that. Hate multiplies hate, violence multiplies violence, and toughness multiplies toughness in a descending spiral of destruction ... The chain reaction of evil -- hate begetting hate, wars producing more wars -- must be broken, or we shall be plunged into the dark abyss of annihilation.

Strength To Love, 1963.

We know through painful experience that freedom is never voluntarily given by the oppressor; it must be demanded by the oppressed. Frankly, I have yet to engage in a direct action campaign that was "well timed" in the view of those who have not suffered unduly from the disease of segregation. For years now I have heard the word "Wait!" It rings in the ear of every Negro with piercing familiarity. This "Wait" has almost always meant "Never." We must come to see, with one of our distinguished jurists, that "justice too long delayed is justice denied."

Letter From A Birmingham Jail, 1963

Like anybody, I would like to live a long life. Longevity has its place. But I'm not concerned about that now. I just want to do God's will. And He's allowed me to go up to the mountain. And I've looked over. And I've seen the Promised Land. I may not get there with you. But I want you to know tonight, that we, as a people, will get to the promised land!

I've Been To The Mountaintop, 1968

A nation that continues year after year to spend more money on military defense than on programs of social uplift is approaching spiritual death.

Where Do We Go from Here: Chaos or Community?, 1967.

You know my friends, there comes a time when people get tired of being trampled by the iron feet of oppression ... If we are wrong, the Supreme Court of this nation is wrong. If we are wrong, the Constitution of the United States is wrong. And if we are wrong, God Almighty is wrong. If we are wrong, Jesus of Nazareth was merely a utopian dreamer that never came down to Earth. If we are wrong, justice is a lie, love has no meaning. And we are determined here in Montgomery to work and fight until justice runs down like water, and righteousness like a mighty stream.

Address to the first Montgomery Improvement Association (MIA) Mass Meeting, at Holt Street Baptist Church, 1955

Men often hate each other because they fear each other; they fear each other because they don't know each other; they don't know each other because they can not communicate; they can not communicate because they are separated.

Stride Toward Freedom: The Montgomery Story, 1958

The gospel at its best deals with the whole man, not only his soul but his body, not only his spiritual well-being, but his material well being. Any religion that professes to be concerned about the souls of men and is not concerned about the slums that damn them, the economic conditions that strangle them and the social conditions that cripple them is a spiritually moribund religion awaiting burial.

Pilgrimage to Non-Violence, 1960

Comments

[MoralHeroes]

06:21 PM on 01/25/2011

Excellent collection. I'm sure even 100 quotes by MLK wouldn't be enough to satisfy us. Like many in the comments have asked, what would our world be like if these quotes were more than quotes, and actually lived out?

You might be interested to know that Martin Luther King, Jr. is featured as Hero of the Month over at MoralHeroes.org. You can follow the link to get there directly, http://moralheroes.org/martin-luther-king-jr

[zenju2]

07:16 AM on 01/18/2011

Another MLK quote from 1968: "You declare that you do not hate Jews, you are merely anti-Zionist...Zionism is nothing less than the dream and ideal of the Jewish people returning to live in their own land. What is anti-Zionism? It is discrimination against the Jews, because they are Jews. In short, it is anti-Semitism."
Words that need to be heard even now.

[helen1]

05:42 PM on 01/18/2011

O yes,and said Zionists are ALL about non violence and broherhood.
Why do I even bother.

[helen1]

06:11 PM on 01/18/2011

Not posted .I am so surprised.

[afrodesia]

08:21 PM on 01/17/2011

I book marked this page. Thanks for reprinting these important and timeless excerpts from a brilliant orator.

[DrJackD]

06:46 PM on 01/17/2011

This is what King wrote in his final essays in "The Trumpet of Conscience"---ML KING: "Can a nonviolent, direct-action movement find application on the international level, to confront economic and political problems? I believe it can. It is clear to me that the next stage of the movement is to become international…Nonviolent protest must now mature to a new level….The higher level is mass civil disobedience. There must be more than a statement to the larger society: there must be a force that interrupts its functioning at some key point. …
Beginning in the New Year, we will be recruiting three thousand of the poorest citizens...Those who choose to join this initial three thousand, this nonviolent army...will work with us for three months to develop nonviolent action skills. Then we will move on Washington, determined to stay there until the legislative and executive branches of the government take serious and adequate action on jobs and income. A delegation of poor people can walk into a high official’s office with a carefully, collectively prepared list of demands. (If you’re poor, if you’re unemployed anyway, you can choose to stay in Washington as long as the struggle needs you.) And if that official says, ‘But Congress would have to approve this,’ or, ‘But the President would have to be consulted on that,’ you can say, ‘All right, we’ll wait.’ And you can settle down in his office for as long a stay as necessary."

[meeks]

08:09 AM on 01/18/2011

Can you imagine what the world would look like if this had happened?

[LawrenceRoth]

05:29 PM on 01/17/2011

"Somehow this madness must cease. We must stop now."

Words that apply today regarding our wars, our poverty, our loss of jobs, and are misguided belief that the mega-rich are entitled to their bonuses, bailouts, and tax cuts.

[abellaspectra]

04:51 PM on 01/17/2011

Made the “mistake” of going on the MLK fan page early this morning
link http://www.facebook.com/pages/King-Martin-Luther-Jr/23676257995?v=wall
and it was littered with the most violent and disturbing hate spam. Just goes to show the truth of his words....

“Darkness cannot drive out darkness; only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate; only love can do that. Hate multiplies hate, violence multiplies violence, and toughness multiplies toughness in a descending spiral of destruction.The chain reaction of evil -- hate begetting hate, wars producing more wars -- must be broken, or we shall be plunged into the dark abyss of annihilation”. Strength To Love, 1963.”

The recent events in Arizona, and the atrocities upon atrocities humankind multiplies upon it self shows the destructive power of hate.
The brave life of Martin Luther, other honorable heroes and saints, and first and foremost the Lord of glory Jesus Christ show the restoring and redeeming power of love.

Let us live accordingly
Thank you and God bless.

[Anare]

03:31 PM on 01/17/2011

"The arc of the moral universe is long, but it bends toward justice."

The Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.

[WorldGoneWild]

03:20 PM on 01/17/2011

Dr. King was a man way ahead of his time but I thank him for his committment and sacrifice for making my life full of opportunities on the celebration of his birthday.

[risingsun4995]

08:59 PM on 01/30/2011

Martin Luther King is very relevant for all times.

[Lisa Spurgeon Bullock]

02:56 PM on 01/17/2011

His words are just as relevant today as they were 50 years ago. He was amazing and truly inspiring and we must never forget his messages.

[kenhamlett]

02:53 PM on 01/17/2011

Dr. King is a great hero of mine. In September, I spent time at the MLK, Jr. Center in Atlanta, and it was among the most uplifting and moving experiences of my life. The biographical film they show at the center about the life and work of Dr. King should be required viewing for every American. I have so many favorite quotations from Dr. King. Certainly, in light of our current adventures with war in Iraq and Afghanistan, the quote mentioned in this article about countries who spend more on their military than on social programs is near the top. When will we learn from his message? As a gay man, though, my personal favorite is "Justice delayed is justice denied." I am regularly told by my liberal and Democratic friends on the HuffPost and in life (I will not even bother to discuss the positions taken by too many Republicans on the issue) that gays and lesbians just need to learn to be more patient. Instead, I agree with Dr. King. Delaying constitutes denial. Again, when will we learn from his message?

[andiannj]

03:31 PM on 01/17/2011

Excellent point! I also thought of that reading the above quote - 'Frankly, I have yet to engage in a direct action campaign that was "well timed" in the view of those who have not suffered unduly from the disease of segregation. For years now I have heard the word "Wait!" It rings in the ear of every Negro with piercing familiarity. This "Wait" has almost always meant "Never."

More MLK quotes -

'The time is always right to do what is right.'

'He who passively accepts evil is as much involved in it as he who helps to perpetrate it. He who accepts evil without protesting against it is really cooperating with it.'

'The ultimate tragedy is not the oppression and cruelty by the bad people but the silence over that by the good people.'

[SWEET MONTANA]

02:04 PM on 01/17/2011

Last night before bed my daughter said “You know mom if MLK wouldn't have been born you and dad couldn't be together now" (my husband’s white) and "We wouldn't be allowed to use the same restroom or water fountain as Taylor" (their white little friend), I realized how quick we are to forget how lucky we are and was so thankful that my girls will never have to experience that kind of racism and injustice in their lifetime. So this MLK Holiday I will not think about it as just another holiday off from school and/or work but instead. . . . I ask myself; “Life's most urgent question is: What are you doing for others?" MLK Jr.

[tinsldr2]

03:01 PM on 01/17/2011

You have a smart little girl!

Of course it is always a bit more complicated for adults, because By the 1950s most states DID allow Inter-racial marriage, and it was the Supreme Court Case of Loving V Virginia that finally over turned all marriage laws based on race (which should have never existed in the first place).

But it is amazing how kids can be so color blind unless they are taught not to like others based on things as silly as skin tone, or ethnic heritage.

Of course when she turns 17 she will know EVERYTHING better then you like my son knows everything better then me anyway but that is another story and he is a great kid anyway.

But it very much sounds like you are raising her right and kudo's for that!

[afrodesia]

07:37 PM on 01/17/2011

SWEET MONTANA F & F just for reminding us why the children shall lead!

[andiannj]

01:47 PM on 01/17/2011

'Martin Luther King Speech - Where do we go from here'

"There are forty million poor people here. And one day we must ask the question, "Why are there forty million poor people in America?" And when you begin to ask that question, you are raising questions about the economic system, about a broader distribution of wealth. When you ask that question, you begin to question the capitalistic economy. And I'm simply saying that more and more, we've got to begin to ask questions about the whole society. We are called upon to help the discouraged beggars in life's market place. But one day we must come to see that an edifice which produces beggars needs restructuring. It means that questions must be raised. You see, my friends, when you deal with this, you begin to ask the question, "Who owns the oil?"

'A nation that will keep people in slavery for 244 years will "thingify" them - make them things. Therefore they will exploit them, and poor people generally, economically. And a nation that will exploit economically will have to have foreign investments and everything else, and will have to use its military might to protect them. All of these problems are tied together. What I am saying today is that we must go from this convention and say, "America, you must be born again!"
http://www.famous-speeches-and-speech-topics.info/martin-luther-king-speeches/martin-luther-king-speech-where-do-we-go-from-here.htm

[jjtx]

02:54 PM on 01/17/2011

thank you for these comments from MLK - I appreciate it.

[NobodySince1980]

01:40 PM on 01/17/2011

“The cemeteries of the world are full of indispensable men.”
Charles de Gaulle

[Ty LaRue]

01:40 PM on 01/17/2011

Still apply today:

A nation that continues year after year to spend more money on military defense than on programs of social uplift is approaching spiritual death."
Where Do We Go from Here: Chaos or Community?, 1967.

[texshelters]

01:22 PM on 01/17/2011

Obama should be more like Dr. King

http://texshelters.wordpress.com/2011/01/17/why-we-remember-dr-martin-luther-king-jr/

Peace,
Tex Shelters