“I submit that an individual who breaks the law that conscience tells him is unjust and willingly accepts the penalty by staying in jail to arouse the conscience of the community over its injustice, is in reality expressing the very highest respect for law.”
Respect“One who breaks an unjust 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.”
Respect“A nation or civilization that continues to produce soft-minded men purchases its own spiritual death on the installment plan.”
Death“Shallow understanding from people of good will is more frustrating than absolute misunderstanding from people of ill will.”
Good“We must learn to live together as brothers or perish together as fools.”
Learning“Take the first step in faith. You don't have to see the whole staircase, just take the first step.”
Faith“All labor that uplifts humanity has dignity and importance and should be undertaken with painstaking excellence.”
Work“There is nothing more tragic than to find an individual bogged down in the length of life, devoid of breadth.”
Life“Never forget that everything Hitler did in Germany was legal.”
Legal“We must accept finite disappointment, but never lose infinite hope.”
Hope“Peace is not merely a distant goal that we seek, but a means by which we arrive at that goal.”
Peace“The means by which we live have outdistanced the ends for which we live. Our scientific power has outrun our spiritual power. We have guided missiles and misguided men.”
Men“Life's most persistent and urgent question is, 'What are you doing for others?'”
Life“History will have to record that the greatest tragedy of this period of social transition was not the strident clamor of the bad people, but the appalling silence of the good people.”
Good“We must concentrate not merely on the negative expulsion of war but the postive affirmation of peace.”
Peace“I just want to do God's will. And he's allowed me to go 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.”
God“That old law about 'an eye for an eye' leaves everybody blind. The time is always right to do the right thing.”
Time“Discrimination is a hellhound that gnaws at Negroes in every waking moment of their lives to remind them that the lie of their inferiority is accepted as truth in the society dominating them.”
Society“We are not makers of history. We are made by history.”
History“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. When we discover this, we are less prone to hate our enemies.”
Best“If physical death is the price that I must pay to free my white brothers and sisters from a permanent death of the spirit, then nothing can be more redemptive.”
Death