Martin Luther King Jr. Quotes

A collection of quotes by Martin Luther King Jr..

Martin Luther King Jr. (1929-1968) was a prominent American civil rights activist and leader. He was born on January 15, 1929, in Atlanta, Georgia. King grew up in a family deeply rooted in Baptist traditions, and his father was a pastor at Ebenezer Baptist Church.

With a fervent commitment to social justice and nonviolent activism, King became a prominent figure in the American civil rights movement of the 1950s and 1960s. He played a central role in fighting against racial segregation and discrimination towards African Americans, advocating for equal rights and peaceful resistance.

King's leadership and eloquent speeches, such as his famous "I Have a Dream" speech delivered during the 1963 March on Washington, deeply impacted the nation. He emphasized the principles of civil disobedience and peaceful protests, heavily influenced by the teachings of Mahatma Gandhi.

Throughout his career, King coordinated monumental campaigns, including the Montgomery Bus Boycott in Alabama, the organizing and leadership of the Southern Christian Leadership Conference (SCLC), and he played a pivotal role in the successful passage of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and the Voting Rights Act of 1965.

Tragically, on April 4, 1968, King was assassinated at the age of 39 in Memphis, Tennessee. Despite his untimely death, his legacy as a champion of equality, justice, and nonviolent activism lives on. He remains an icon in the fight against racial injustice, inspiring generations to continue the pursuit of a more equal and inclusive society.

If then, Moses so distinctly announces that there is in us n

If then, Moses so distinctly announces that there is in us not only a faculty, but also a facility for keeping all commandments, why are we sweating so much? ... What need is there now of Christ or of Spirit? We have found a passage that asserts freedom of choice, but also distinctly teaches that the keeping of the commandments is easy.

Martin Luther King Jr.

Sarcasm

The question is not if we will be extremists, but what kind

The question is not if we will be extremists, but what kind of extremists we will be. The nation and the world are in dire need of creative extremists.

Martin Luther King Jr.

Creativity Activism Civil Rights Movement

If I go back home to Wittenberg, I'll lie down in a coffin a

If I go back home to Wittenberg, I'll lie down in a coffin and give the maggots a fat doctor to eat.

Martin Luther King Jr.

Death Funny Christian

God will not let any violence go unpunished, but He Himself

God will not let any violence go unpunished, but He Himself will take vengeance on our enemies and will send home to them what they have deserved by the way they have treated us. As He Himself says (Deut. 23:55): Vengeance is Mine, I will repay. On the basis of this, St. Paul admonishes the Christians (Rom. 12:19): Never avenge yourselves, but leave it to the wrath of God. These words are not only instruction but also consolation, as if He were to say: Do not take it upon yourselves to avenge yourselves on one another or to speak curses and maledictions. The person that does you harm or injury is interfering with the office of God and sinning against God as gravely as this man has sinned against you. Therefore, keep your fist to yourself. Leave it to the charge of His wrath and punishing, for He will not let it remain unavenged, and His punishment is more severe than you would like. This man has not assailed you but God Himself, and has already fallen into His wrath. He will not escape this. No one ever has. So why get angry with him when the anger of God, immensely greater and more severe than the anger and punishment of the whole world, has already come upon him and has already avenged itself more thoroughly than you ever could? Besides, he has not injured you one tenth as much as he has injured God. When you see him lying under the severe condemnation, why so many curses and threats of vengeance? Rather you should take pity on his plight, and pray for him to be rescued from it and to reform.

Martin Luther King Jr.

Punishment Vengeance Wrath

Have we not come to such an impasse in the modern world that

Have we not come to such an impasse in the modern world that we must love our enemies - or else? The chain reaction of evil - hate begetting hate, wars producing more wars - must be broken, or else we shall be plunged into the dark abyss of annihilation.

Martin Luther King Jr.

War Love Enemies

The purpose of marriage is not to have pleasure and to be id

The purpose of marriage is not to have pleasure and to be idle, but to procreate and bring up children, to support a household. This, of course, is a huge burden full of great cares and toils. But you have been created by God to be a husband or a wife that you may learn to bear these troubles. Those who have no love for children are... unworthy of being called men or women; for they despise the blessing of God, the creator and author of marriage.

Martin Luther King Jr.

God Marriage Children Blessing Procreation

No person has the right to rain on your dreams.

No person has the right to rain on your dreams.

Martin Luther King Jr.

Dreams Dream

Intelligence plus character-that is the goal of true educati

Intelligence plus character-that is the goal of true education.

Martin Luther King Jr.

Education

Thus every matter, if it is to be done well, calls for the a

Thus every matter, if it is to be done well, calls for the attention of the whole person.

Martin Luther King Jr.

Action

It does not matter how long you live, but how well you do it

It does not matter how long you live, but how well you do it.

Martin Luther King Jr.

Inspirational

The heart of religion lies in its personal pronouns.

The heart of religion lies in its personal pronouns.

Martin Luther King Jr.

Religion

what more scoundrelly trick could you have played on us?

what more scoundrelly trick could you have played on us?

Martin Luther King Jr.

Insults

This new subterfuge is, of course, calculated to deceive the

This new subterfuge is, of course, calculated to deceive the simple and innocent into thinking that the matter is settled.

Martin Luther King Jr.

Insults

We must develop and maintain the capacity to forgive. He who

We must develop and maintain the capacity to forgive. He who is devoid of the power to forgive is devoid of the power to love. There is some good in the worst of us and some evil in the best of us.

Martin Luther King Jr.


Medicine makes people ill, mathematics makes them sad, and t

Medicine makes people ill, mathematics makes them sad, and theology makes them sinful

Martin Luther King Jr.

Medicine Sin Mathematics

Violence is not only impractical but immoral.

Violence is not only impractical but immoral.

Martin Luther King Jr.

Violence Nonviolence

It really boils down to this: that all life is interrelated.

It really boils down to this: that all life is interrelated. We are all caught in an inescapable network of mutuality, tired into a single garment of destiny. Whatever affects one destiny, affects all indirectly.

Martin Luther King Jr.

Connection

Like anybody, I would like to have a long life. Longevity ha

Like anybody, I would like to have a long life. Longevity has its place. But I'm not concerned about that now. I just want to do God's will.

Martin Luther King Jr.

Life Foreboding

You have as much laughter as you have faith.

You have as much laughter as you have faith.

Martin Luther King Jr.

Faith Laughter

Men are not made religious by performing certain actions whi

Men are not made religious by performing certain actions which are externally good, but they must first have righteous principles, and then they will not fail to perform virtuous actions.

Martin Luther King Jr.