Martin Luther King, Jr. is best known for his “I have a dream,” speech and this is also by far his most famous quote. Many Martin Luther King quotes focused on love, and how to treat others only with forgiveness and equality.
In 1929, Martin Luther King Jr. was born in Atlanta, Georgia to a civil rights leader, his father, Martin Luther King Sr. Following his father’s footsteps, he spoke on behalf of civil rights throughout his life until he was murdered in April, of 1968 in Memphis, Tennessee.
From his strong Christian beliefs and following the efforts and strategies of Mahatma Gandhi, King believed that love was far more powerful than hate.
His strategies were based on unity, peace, and forgiveness and would change America for the better forever. Throughout his life, he worked tirelessly to end segregation and bring racial divides closer to equal opportunities. King also served to narrow the gaps in the standards of living for minorities across the country.
In 1964, Martin Luther King won a Nobel Peace Prize for efforts of leading peaceful, non-violent protests to combat racial inequality.
He would continue his efforts, his most famous act, in the southern states in three, 54 mile, marches from Selma Alabama to the capitol, Montgomery with the result of President Lyndon Johnson pushing the Civil Rights Act through Congress.
King’s message is that we can have love in our hearts that includes forgiveness so we can move forward with a better life for everyone.
The life that his quotes reflect is described by other great quotable Americans and is written in the Declaration of Independence where all men are created equal and in the Constitution’s Preamble and Bill of Rights.
-
“Man must evolve for all human conflict a method which rejects revenge, aggression and retaliation. The foundation of such a method is love.”
-
“We must use time creatively, in the knowledge that the time is always ripe to do right.”
-
“Property is intended to serve life, and no matter how much we surround it with rights and respect, it has no personal being. It is part of the earth man walks on. It is not man.”
-
“There is nothing more tragic than to find an individual bogged down in the length of life, devoid of breadth.”
-
“The function of education is to teach one to think intensively and to think critically. Intelligence plus character – that is the goal of true education.”
-
“We may have all come on different ships, but we’re in the same boat now.”
-
“All labor that uplifts humanity has dignity and importance and should be undertaken with painstaking excellence.”
-
“An individual has not started living until he can rise above the narrow confines of his individualistic concerns to the broader concerns of all humanity.”
-
“We must build dikes of courage to hold back the flood of fear.”
-
“It is not enough to say we must not wage war. It is necessary to love peace and sacrifice for it.”
-
“Shallow understanding from people of good will is more frustrating than absolute misunderstanding from people of ill will.”
-
“A lie cannot live.”
-
“The past is prophetic in that it asserts loudly that wars are poor chisels for carving out peaceful tomorrows”
-
“Let no man pull you so low as to hate him.”
-
“Love is the only force capable of transforming an enemy into a friend.”
-
“I have decided to stick with love. Hate is too great a burden to bear.”
-
“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.”
-
“There can be no deep disappointment where there is not deep love.”
-
“Our lives begin to end the day we become silent about things that matter.”
-
“Forgiveness is not an occasional act; it is a constant attitude.”
1 comment