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Martin Luther King, Jr.

64 quotes

Martin Luther King Jr. (1929–1968) was an American Baptist minister and activist who became the most visible leader of the Civil Rights Movement. His philosophy of nonviolent resistance and his extraordinary gift for oratory — exemplified by his "I Have a Dream" speech — changed the course of American history and earned him the Nobel Peace Prize in 1964.

“The time is always right to do what is right.”

— Martin Luther King, Jr.

Time

All Quotes by Martin Luther King, Jr.

“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.”

— Martin Luther King, Jr.

Good

“Shallow understanding from people of good will is more frustrating than absolute misunderstanding from people of ill will.”

— Martin Luther King, Jr.

Good

“A genuine leader is not a searcher for consensus but a molder of consensus.”

— Martin Luther King, Jr.

Leadership

“There can be no deep disappointment where there is not deep love.”

— Martin Luther King, Jr.

Love

“The quality, not the longevity, of one's life is what is important.”

— Martin Luther King, Jr.

Life

“The art of acceptance is the art of making someone who has just done you a small favor wish that he might have done you a greater one.”

— Martin Luther King, Jr.

Art

“We have guided missiles and misguided men.”

— Martin Luther King, Jr.

Men

“We will have to repent in this generation not merely for the vitriolic words and actions of the bad people, but for the appalling silence of the good people.”

— Martin Luther King, Jr.

Good

“We must build dikes of courage to hold back the flood of fear.”

— Martin Luther King, Jr.

Courage

“There is nothing more tragic than to find an individual bogged down in the length of life, devoid of breadth.”

— Martin Luther King, Jr.

Life

“It may be true that the law cannot make a man love me, but it can keep him from lynching me, and I think that's pretty important.”

— Martin Luther King, Jr.

Love

“All labor that uplifts humanity has dignity and importance and should be undertaken with painstaking excellence.”

— Martin Luther King, Jr.

Work

“Change does not roll in on the wheels of inevitability, but comes through continuous struggle. And so we must straighten our backs and work for our freedom. A man can't ride you unless your back is bent.”

— Martin Luther King, Jr.

Change

“Love is the only force capable of transforming an enemy into friend.”

— Martin Luther King, Jr.

Love

“We must use time creatively.”

— Martin Luther King, Jr.

Time

“Our scientific power has outrun our spiritual power. We have guided missiles and misguided men.”

— Martin Luther King, Jr.

Men

“I am not interested in power for power's sake, but I'm interested in power that is moral, that is right and that is good.”

— Martin Luther King, Jr.

Good

“Life's most persistent and urgent question is, 'What are you doing for others?'”

— Martin Luther King, Jr.

Life

“I believe that unarmed truth and unconditional love will have the final word in reality. This is why right, temporarily defeated, is stronger than evil triumphant.”

— Martin Luther King, Jr.

Love

“I refuse to accept the view that mankind is so tragically bound to the starless midnight of racism and war that the bright daybreak of peace and brotherhood can never become a reality... I believe that unarmed truth and unconditional love will have the final word.”

— Martin Luther King, Jr.

Love