Martin Luther King, Jr.

Explore 26 quotes by Martin Luther King, Jr.

I have a dream that my four little 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.

Martin Luther King, Jr.

I Have a Dream

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Topic

Racial equality Equality Civil rights

Speaker

Martin Luther King, Jr.

Source

I Have a Dream

Medium

Speech

Genre

Political speech

Language

English

Time

1963 1960s 20th century

Authentication Score 0

Citation

King, Martin Luther, Jr. "I Have a Dream." March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom. 28 Aug. 1963, Lincoln Memorial, Washington, DC, USA.

Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere. We are caught in an inescapable network of mutuality, tied in a single garment of destiny. Whatever affects one directly, affects all indirectly.

Martin Luther King, Jr.

Letter from Birmingham Jail

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Topic

Interconnectedness of all people Injustice

Author

Martin Luther King, Jr.

Source

Letter from Birmingham Jail

Medium

Open letter Letter

Language

English

Time

1963 1960s 20th century

Authentication Score 2

Original Citation

King, Martin Luther, Jr. "Letter from a Birmingham Jail." 16 Apr. 1963.

Current Citation

King, Martin Luther, Jr. "Letter from a Birmingham City Jail (1963)." A Testament of Hope: The Essential Writings and Speeches, edited by James M. Washington. HarperOne, 2003.

I have a dream that one day every valley shall be exalted, and every hill and mountain shall be made low; the rough places will be made plain, and the crooked places will be made straight; and the glory of the Lord shall be revealed, and all flesh shall see it together.

Martin Luther King, Jr.

I Have a Dream

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Topic

Progress Political reconciliation

Speaker

Martin Luther King, Jr.

Source

I Have a Dream

Medium

Speech

Genre

Political speech

Statement Type

Vision

Language

English

Time

1963 1960s 20th century

Authentication Score 3

Citation

King, Martin Luther, Jr. "I Have a Dream." March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom. 28 Aug. 1963, Lincoln Memorial, Washington, DC, USA.

I have also decided to stick with love...hate is too great a burden to bear.

Martin Luther King, Jr.

Where Do We Go From Here?

More information about this quote

Topic

Love and hate Love Hate

Speaker

Martin Luther King, Jr.

Source

Where Do We Go From Here?

Medium

Speech

Genre

Political speech

Language

English

Time

1967 1960s 20th century

Authentication Score 3

Citation

King, Martin Luther, Jr. "Where Do We Go From Here?" 11th Annual SCLC Convention. 16 Aug. 1967, Atlanta, GA, USA.

A riot is at bottom the language of the unheard.

Martin Luther King, Jr.

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Topic

Riots Political unrest Politics

Author

Martin Luther King, Jr.

Source

Where Do We Go From Here: Chaos or Community?

Language

English

Time

1967 1960s 20th century

Authentication Score 3

Citation

King Martin Luther, Jr. Where Do We Go from Here: Chaos or Community? Harper & Row, 1967, ch. 4.

When the architects of our republic wrote the magnificent words of the Constitution and the Declaration of Independence, they were signing a promissory note to which every American was to fall heir... America has defaulted on this promissory note insofar as her citizens of color are concerned.

Martin Luther King, Jr.

I Have a Dream

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Topic

Declaration of Independence US Constitution The Founders American founding Civil rights American politics

Speaker

Martin Luther King, Jr.

Source

I Have a Dream

Medium

Speech

Genre

Political speech

Language

English

Time

1963 1960s 20th century

Authentication Score 3

Citation

King, Martin Luther, Jr. "I Have a Dream." March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom. 28 Aug. 1963, Lincoln Memorial, Washington, DC, USA.

When we allow freedom to 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!"

Martin Luther King, Jr.

I Have a Dream

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Topic

Freedom Equality

Speaker

Martin Luther King, Jr.

Source

I Have a Dream

Medium

Speech

Statement Type

Prophecies and predictions

Language

English

Time

1963 1960s 20th century

Authentication Score 3

Citation

King, Martin Luther, Jr. "I Have a Dream." March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom. 28 Aug. 1963, Lincoln Memorial, Washington, DC, USA.

We shall overcome because the arc of the moral universe is long, but it bends toward justice.

Martin Luther King, Jr.

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Topic

Civil rights Moral progress Progress Justice

Speaker

Martin Luther King, Jr.

Source

Remaining Awake Through a Great Revolution

Medium

Sermon

Statement Type

Prophecies and predictions

Language

English

Time

1968 1960s 20th century

Authentication Score 2

Citation

King, Martin Luther, Jr. "Remaining Awake Through a Great Revolution." 31 Mar. 1968, National Cathedral, Washington, DC, USA. Sermon.

One who breaks an unjust law must do so openly, lovingly, and with a willingness to accept the penalty.

Martin Luther King, Jr.

Letter from Birmingham Jail

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Topic

Civil disobedience Breaking the law Fighting injustice

Author

Martin Luther King, Jr.

Source

Letter from Birmingham Jail

Medium

Open letter Letter

Language

English

Time

1963 1960s 20th century

Authentication Score 2

Original Citation

King, Martin Luther, Jr. "Letter from a Birmingham Jail." 16 Apr. 1963.

Current Citation

King, Martin Luther, Jr. "Letter from a Birmingham City Jail (1963)." A Testament of Hope: The Essential Writings and Speeches, edited by James M. Washington. HarperOne, 2003.

It is both historically and biologically true that there can be no birth and growth without birth and growing pains. Whenever there is the emergence of the new we confront the recalcitrance of the old. So the tensions which we witness in the world today are indicative of the fact that a new world order is being born and an old order is passing away.

Martin Luther King, Jr.

More information about this quote

Topic

Circle of life Resistance to change Change

Speaker

Martin Luther King, Jr.

Medium

Speech

Genre

Political speech

Language

English

Time

1956 1950s 20th century

Authentication Score 3

Citation

King, Martin Luther, Jr. "Facing the Challenge of a New Age." First Annual Institute on Nonviolence and Social Change meeting. 3 Dec. 1956, Montgomery, AL, USA.

Government action is not the whole answer to the present crisis, but it is an important partial answer. Morals cannot be legislated, but behavior can be regulated. The law cannot make an employer love me, but it can keep him from refusing to hire me because of the color of my skin.

Martin Luther King, Jr.

More information about this quote

Topic

Legality and morality Civil rights

Author

Martin Luther King, Jr.

Language

English

Time

1958 1950s 20th century

Authentication Score 3

Citation

King, Martin Luther, Jr. Stride Toward Freedom: The Montgomery Story. Harper & Brothers, 1958, ch. 11.

I have a dream that one day on the red hills of Georgia, the sons of former slaves and the sons of former slave owners will be able to sit down together at the table of brotherhood.

Martin Luther King, Jr.

I Have a Dream

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More information about this quote

Topic

Racial equality Political reconciliation

Speaker

Martin Luther King, Jr.

Source

I Have a Dream

Medium

Speech

Genre

Political speech

Language

English

Time

1963 1960s 20th century

Authentication Score 3

Citation

King, Martin Luther, Jr. "I Have a Dream." March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom. 28 Aug. 1963, Lincoln Memorial, Washington, DC, USA.

I submit that an individual who breaks a law that conscience tells him is unjust, and who willingly accepts the penalty of imprisonment in order to arouse the conscience of the community over its injustice, is in reality expressing the highest respect for law.

Martin Luther King, Jr.

Letter from Birmingham Jail

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More information about this quote

Topic

Civil disobedience Breaking the law Fighting injustice

Author

Martin Luther King, Jr.

Source

Letter from Birmingham Jail

Medium

Open letter Letter

Language

English

Time

1963 1960s 20th century

Authentication Score 2

Original Citation

King, Martin Luther, Jr. "Letter from a Birmingham Jail." 16 Apr. 1963.

Current Citation

King, Martin Luther, Jr. "Letter from a Birmingham City Jail (1963)." A Testament of Hope: The Essential Writings and Speeches, edited by James M. Washington. HarperOne, 2003.

The nation is sick, trouble is in the land, confusion all around... But I know, somehow, that only when it is dark enough can you see the stars.

Martin Luther King, Jr.

I've Been to the Mountaintop

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Topic

Things get better

Speaker

Martin Luther King, Jr.

Source

I've Been to the Mountaintop

Medium

Speech

Genre

Political speech

Statement Type

Metaphor, analogy and simile

Language

English

Time

1968 1960s 20th century

Authentication Score 3

Citation

King, Martin Luther, Jr. “I’ve Been to the Mountaintop.” 3 Apr. 1968, Mason Temple, Memphis, TN, USA.

Even if it falls your lot to be a street sweeper, go on out and sweep streets like Michelangelo painted pictures; sweep streets like Handel and Beethoven composed music; sweep streets like Shakespeare wrote poetry; (Go ahead) sweep streets so well that all the hosts of heaven and earth will have to pause and say, "Here lived a great street sweeper who swept his job well."

Martin Luther King, Jr.

More information about this quote

Topic

Doing a good job Vocation

Speaker

Martin Luther King, Jr.

Medium

Sermon

Language

English

Time

1967 1960s 20th century

Authentication Score 3

Citation

King, Martin Luther, Jr. "The Three Dimensions of a Complete Life." 9 April 1967, New Convenant Baptist Church, Chicago, IL, USA. Sermon.

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. And I'm happy tonight, I'm not worried about anything. I'm not fearing any man. Mine eyes have seen the glory of the coming of the Lord.

Martin Luther King, Jr.

I See the Promised Land

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More information about this quote

Topic

Civil rights Political progress

Speaker

Martin Luther King, Jr.

Source

I See the Promised Land

Medium

Speech

Language

English

Time

1968 1960s 20th century

Authentication Score 3

Citation

King, Martin Luther, Jr. “I’ve Been to the Mountaintop.” 3 Apr. 1968, Mason Temple, Memphis, TN, USA.

"Wait" has almost always meant "Never."

Martin Luther King, Jr.

Letter from Birmingham Jail

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Topic

Civil rights Social progress Political progress Progress Politics

Author

Martin Luther King, Jr.

Source

Letter from Birmingham Jail

Medium

Open letter Letter

Language

English

Time

1963 1960s 20th century

Authentication Score 2

Original Citation

King, Martin Luther, Jr. "Letter from a Birmingham Jail." 16 Apr. 1963.

Current Citation

King, Martin Luther, Jr. "Letter from a Birmingham City Jail (1963)." A Testament of Hope: The Essential Writings and Speeches, edited by James M. Washington. HarperOne, 2003.

There are two types of laws: just and unjust. I would be the first to advocate obeying just laws. One has not only a legal but a moral responsibility to obey just laws. Conversely, one has a moral responsibility to disobey unjust laws.

Martin Luther King, Jr.

Letter from Birmingham Jail

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More information about this quote

Topic

Civil disobedience Law Justice Legal theory Moral theory

Author

Martin Luther King, Jr.

Source

Letter from Birmingham Jail

Medium

Open letter Letter

Genre

Political literature

Language

English

Time

1963 1960s 20th century

Authentication Score 2

Original Citation

King, Martin Luther, Jr. "Letter from a Birmingham Jail." 16 Apr. 1963.

Current Citation

King, Martin Luther, Jr. "Letter from a Birmingham City Jail (1963)." A Testament of Hope: The Essential Writings and Speeches, edited by James M. Washington. HarperOne, 2003.

We should never forget that everything Adolf Hitler did in Germany was "legal" and everything the Hungarian freedom fighters did in Hungary was "illegal."

Martin Luther King, Jr.

Letter from Birmingham Jail

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More information about this quote

Topic

Legality and morality

Author

Martin Luther King, Jr.

Source

Letter from Birmingham Jail

Medium

Open letter Letter

Language

English

Time

1963 1960s 20th century

Authentication Score 2

Original Citation

King, Martin Luther, Jr. "Letter from a Birmingham Jail." 16 Apr. 1963.

Current Citation

King, Martin Luther, Jr. "Letter from a Birmingham City Jail (1963)." A Testament of Hope: The Essential Writings and Speeches, edited by James M. Washington. HarperOne, 2003.

The Negro's great stumbling block in the stride toward freedom is not the White Citizen's Councillor or the Ku Klux Klanner, but the white moderate, who is more devoted to "order" than to justice; who prefers a negative peace which is the absence of tension to a positive peace which is the presence of justice.

Martin Luther King, Jr.

Letter from Birmingham Jail

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Topic

Civil rights Political compromise American politics

Author

Martin Luther King, Jr.

Source

Letter from Birmingham Jail

Medium

Open letter Letter

Language

English

Time

1963 1960s 20th century

Authentication Score 2

Original Citation

King, Martin Luther, Jr. "Letter from a Birmingham Jail." 16 Apr. 1963.

Current Citation

King, Martin Luther, Jr. "Letter from a Birmingham City Jail (1963)." A Testament of Hope: The Essential Writings and Speeches, edited by James M. Washington. HarperOne, 2003.