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Martin Luther King, Jr. Quotes - Page 8

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Every man must decide whether he will walk in the light of creative altruism or in the darkness of destructive selfishness.

Every man must decide whether he will walk in the light of creative altruism or in the darkness of destructive selfishness.

Martin Luther King, Jr.
Integrity, Selfish, Creativity
Martin Luther King Jr. (1963). “Strength to Love”

When evil men burn and bomb, good men must build and bind.

Martin Luther King, Jr.
Men, Evil, Good Man

Every man is somebody because he is a child of God.

Martin Luther King, Jr.
Children, Men, Child Of God

I question and soul-search constantly into myself to be as certain as I can that I am fulfilling the true meaning of my work, that I am maintaining my sense of purpose, that I am holding fast to my ideals, that I am guiding my people in the right direction.

Martin Luther King, Jr.
People, Soul, Maintaining
Source: www.thedailybeast.com

The white poor also suffer deprivation and the humiliation of poverty if not of color. They are chained by the weight of discrimination though its badge of degradation does not mark them. It corrupts their lives, frustrates their opportunities and withers their education. In one sense it is more evil for them because it has confused so many by prejudice that they have supported their own oppressors.

Martin Luther King, Jr.
Confused, Opportunity, Color

One of the great liabilities of history is that all too many people fail to remain awake through great periods of social change.

Martin Luther King, Jr.
People, Political, Social Activism
Methodist Student Leadership Conference Address, delivered 1964, Lincoln, Nebraska

Through our scientific and technological genius we've made of this world a neighborhood. And now through our moral and ethical commitment we must make of it a brotherhood. We must all learn to live together as brothers-or we will all perish together as fools.

Martin Luther King, Jr.
Brother, Commitment, Science

A social movement that only moves people is merely a revolt. A movement that changes both people and institutions is a revolution.

Martin Luther King, Jr.
Moving, People, Movement
Martin Luther King (Jr.), Alex Ayres (1993). “The Wisdom of Martin Luther King, Jr”, Plume

This will be the day when we shall bring into full realization the dream of American democracy - a dream yet unfulfilled. A dream of equality of opportunity, of privilege and property widely distributed; a dream of a land where men will not take necessities from the many to give luxuries to the few.

Martin Luther King, Jr.
Dream, Respect, Opportunity
Martin Luther King (Jr.), Michael K. Honey (2011). “All Labor Has Dignity”, p.57, Beacon Press

Keep feeling the need for being first. But I want you to be the first in love. I want you to be the first in moral excellence. I want you to be the first in generosity.

Martin Luther King, Jr.
First Love, Generosity, Feelings
"The Drum Major Instinct". Sermon at Ebenezer Baptist Church in Atlanta, Georgia, kinginstitute.stanford.edu. February 4, 1968.

Stand up for justice, stand up for truth; and God will be at your side forever.

Martin Luther King, Jr.
Your Side, Justice, Forever

Love is creative and redemptive. Love builds up and unites; hate tears down and destroys. The aftermath of the ‘fight with fire’ method...is bitterness and chaos, the aftermath of the love method is reconciliation and creation of the beloved community...Yes , love-which means understanding, creative, redemptive goodwill, even for one’s enemies-is the solution

Martin Luther King, Jr.
Hate, Mean, Fighting

But I know, somehow, that only when it is dark enough, can you see the stars.

Martin Luther King, Jr.
Stars, Dark, Enough
I've Been to the Mountaintop, delivered 3 April 1968, Mason Temple (Church of God in Christ Headquarters), Memphis, Tennessee

Morality cannot be legislated, but behavior can be regulated. Judicial decrees may not change the heart, but they can restrain the heartless.

Martin Luther King, Jr.
Heart, Political, May
Speech, Nashville, Tenn., 27 Dec. 1962

An eye for an eye leaves everybody blind.

Martin Luther King, Jr.
Inspirational, Revenge, Eye
Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. (2010). “Stride Toward Freedom: The Montgomery Story”, p.225, Beacon Press

The belief that God will do everything for man is as untenable as the belief that man can do everything for himself. It, too, is based on a lack of faith. We must learn that to expect God to do everything while we do nothing is not faith but superstition.

Martin Luther King, Jr.
Men, Superstitions, Belief
Martin Luther King, Jr. (2012). “A Gift of Love: Sermons from Strength to Love and Other Preachings”, p.136, Beacon Press

Let no man pull you so low as to hate him.

Martin Luther King, Jr.
Inspiring, Wisdom, Hate
Martin Luther King (Jr.) (1968). “I Have a Dream: The Quotations of Martin Luther King, Jr”

And I must say tonight that a riot is the language of the unheard. And what is it America has failed to hear? It has failed to hear that the plight of the negro poor has worsened over the last twelve or fifteen years. It has failed to hear that the promises of freedom and justice have not been met. And it has failed to hear that large segments of white society are more concerned about tranquility and the status quo than about justice and humanity.

Martin Luther King, Jr.
White, America, Years
"The Other America". Speech at Grosse Pointe High School, March 14, 1968.

O America, how you've taken necessities from the masses to give luxuries to the classes.

Martin Luther King, Jr.
Taken, Class, Luxury

Make a career of humanity. Commit yourself to the noble struggle for equal rights. You will make a greater person of yourself, a greater nation of your country, and a finer world to live in.

Martin Luther King, Jr.
Country, Spring, Men
"The Essential Martin Luther King, Jr.: "I Have a Dream" and Other Great Writings".

On some positions, cowardice asks the question, is it expedient? And then expedience comes along and asks the question, is it politic? Vanity asks the question, is it popular? Conscience asks the question, is it right? There comes a time when one must take the position that is neither safe nor politic nor popular, but he must do it because conscience tells him it is right.

Martin Luther King, Jr.
Life, Courage, Time
"Remaining Awake Through a Great Revolution". Martin Luther King, Jr.'s Speech in Washington, D.C., kinginstitute.stanford.edu. March 31, 1968.

The question is not whether 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.
Heart, Creativity, Creative
Martin Luther King (Jr.) (1968). “I Have a Dream: The Quotations of Martin Luther King, Jr”

When you are right you cannot be too radical; when you are wrong, you cannot be too conservative.

Martin Luther King, Jr.
Thought Provoking, Advice, Radicalism
Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. (2011). “Why We Can't Wait”, p.99, Beacon Press

Freedom only comes through persistent revolt, through persistent agitation, through persistently rising up against the system of evil.

Martin Luther King, Jr.
Rising Up, Evil, Agitation
Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. (2013). “"In a Single Garment of Destiny": A Global Vision of Justice”, p.53, Beacon Press

The failures of the past must not be an excuse for the inaction of the present and the future.

Martin Luther King, Jr.
Past, Civil Rights, Excuse

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