MLK Day, which falls on the third Monday in January each year, is a day to honor, remember and celebrate the life and accomplishments of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. As an American minister and activist, King became one of the most prominent and instrumental figureheads of the Civil Rights Movement. He led with courage and was committed to nonviolence, spreading his message through the use of peaceful protests. Many inspiring MLK quotes stem from the powerful words he used as he advocated for justice and equal rights.
His brave actions and lifelong fight to end racial segregation earned him a Nobel Peace Prize in 1964. After his assassination in 1968, efforts began to establish a federal holiday to honor King. President Ronald Reagan signed the bill in 1983, and MLK Day was first observed in 1986. Now, nearly 40 years later, many use this a day to honor his legacy, while continuing to advocate for equal rights around the world.
The following powerful MLK quotes help us to remember King’s life, work and impact on our nation. These words, taken from his famous speeches, literary works and more, are eloquent, inspiring and revolutionary.
Inspiring MLK Quotes You May Not Know
During his lifetime and activism career, King delivered countless speeches, sermons and addresses, as well as wrote multiple books. His voice extended well past his most famous presentations—including his pivotal and world-renowned “I Have a Dream” speech. His powerful messages can be found across all of his works and orations. Get inspired by the following unique quotes by Martin Luther King Jr., that you may not have heard before.
Never Lose Hope
“We must accept finite disappointment, but never lose infinite hope.”
King spoke these words during an address in Washington, D.C., in 1968, mere months before his assassination. Exemplifying his entire civil rights stance, this quote reminds us that even in the face of inevitable setbacks, we can remain hopeful of the potential the future holds.
Taking A Stand
“A man dies when he refuses to stand up for that which is right. A man dies when he refuses to stand up for justice. A man dies when he refuses to take a stand for that which is true.”
This King quote came on March 8, 1965, the day following Bloody Sunday, when Civil Rights protestors were attacked by police. He was encouraging followers to not back down and to continue to fight for freedom and fairness.
Peace And Forgiveness
“First, 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. ”
This quote ties into King’s theme of peace and love in the face of widespread hostility and hatred. He frequently preached about the importance of forgiveness and compassion, even towards one’s enemies. This is an excerpt pulled from the Reverend’s book A Gift of Love.
Keep Moving
“Keep moving, for it may well be that the greatest song has not yet been sung, the greatest book has not been written, the highest mountain has not been climbed.”
In a 1960 address titled “Keep Moving from This Mountain” at Spelman College, MLK outlined four symbolic mountains to overcome: relativism, materialism, segregation and violence. He also went on to motivate the young students he was speaking to with these uplifting words about a promising future.
If You Have Not Love
“And so I say to you today, my friends, that you may be able to speak with the tongues of men and angels; you may have the eloquence of articulate speech; but if you have not love, it means nothing.”
In his 1967 “Where Do Go From Here?” address in Atlanta, MLK emphasizes the importance of moving forward with love at the forefront of our actions. He states that words mean nothing if they’re not backed by love. In this same speech, King also spoke his famous line: “I have also decided to stick with love, for I know that love is ultimately the only answer to mankind’s problems.”
Finding Your Purpose
“If a man doesn’t have something that he’ll die for, he isn’t fit to live.”
On Dec. 5, 1955, MLK gave “The Montgomery Bus Boycott” speech, asking people to refrain from taking the bus after the unfair treatment and arrest of Rosa Parks. The saying reaffirms the idea that having a strong purpose and moral directive is the greatest way to live a meaningful life. It was additionally meant to draw even more people to the Civil Rights cause at a moment when support was needed more than ever.
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Famous MLK “I Have a Dream” Quotes
During the March on Washington in 1963, King delivered his well-known “I Have a Dream” speech. This was arguably one of the most influential speeches in our nation’s history. During the rally cry on the steps of the Lincoln Memorial, King called for racial equality and change through peaceful means. Some of the most recognizable and best MLK quotes were pulled from the dialogue, and we’re highlighting just a handful below.
- “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.”
- “I have a dream that one day this nation will rise up and live out the true meaning of its creed. We hold these truths to be self-evident that all men are created equal.”
- “I have a dream that one day on the red hills of Georgia, the sons of former slaves and the sons of former slaveowners will be able to sit down together at the table of brotherhood.”
- “Now it the time to rise from the dark and desolate valley of segregation to the sunlit path of racial justice.”
- “But we refuse to believe that the bank of justice is bankrupt.”
- “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… spiritual, “Free at last, free at last. Thank God Almighty, we are free at last.”
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Martin Luther King Jr. Quotes About Life And Success
King’s words are tied to his lifelong fight for justice and equality in America. But, many of his sayings are also applicable to everyday life. People can continue to find inspiration today from these MLK quotes about success, humanity and life’s true meaning.
- “Life’s most persistent and urgent question is, ‘What are you doing for others?’” —A Sermon in Montgomery, Alabama, in 1957
- “If you can’t fly, run; if you can’t run, walk; if you can’t walk, crawl; but by all means keep moving.” —“Keep Moving from This Mountain,” Address at Spelman College on April 10, 1960
- “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.” —Address at the Youth March for Integrated Schools in Washington, D.C., on April 18, 1959
- “We are prone to judge success by the index of our salaries or the size of our automobiles, rather than by the quality of our service and relationship to humanity.” —“My Pilgrimage to Nonviolence” Speech in New York on Sept. 1, 1958
- “Occasionally in life one develops a conviction so precious and meaningful that he will stand on it till the end.” —The Autobiography of Martin Luther King Jr.
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Some Of The Best MLK Quotes About Justice And Change
King campaigned for radical revolution. Through his work, he tried to dig down to the root cause of this discrimination and spoke of his mission to remove it from our society. The following MLK quotes about equality and change show just a few examples of this overarching theme, making it clear that he advocated for justice for all.
- “Darkness cannot drive out darkness; only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate; only love can do that.” —“Loving Your Enemies” Sermon in Montgomery, Alabama, in 1957
- “Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere.” —“Letter from a Birmingham Jail” Written on April 16, 1963
- “Change does not roll in on the wheels of inevitability, but comes through continuous struggle.” —A Sermon at the Cathedral of St. John the Divine in New York in 1956
- “And we are determined here in Montgomery to work and fight until justice runs down like water, and righteousness like a mighty stream.” —“The Montgomery Bus Boycott” Speech in Montgomery, Alabama, on Dec. 5, 1955
- “Let us be dissatisfied until integration is not seen as a problem but as an opportunity to participate in the beauty of diversity.” —“Where Do We Go From Here?” Address in Atlanta on Aug. 16, 1967
- “We must rapidly begin the shift from a thing-oriented society to a person-oriented society.” —“Beyond Vietnam: A Time to Break the Silence” Speech in Washington, D.C., on April 4, 1967
Martin Luther King Jr. Quotes On Courage
King encouraged action with his sayings revolving around courage. He led by example, showing unwavering valor even in the face of challenges or setbacks. These motivational quotes from MLK are reminders of how bravery can bring about change.
- “Faith is taking the first step even when you don’t see the whole staircase.” —A speech at the Park-Sheraton Hotel in New York City during the centennial anniversary of the Preliminary Emancipation Proclamation on Sept. 12, 1962
- “We know through painful experience that freedom is never voluntarily given by the oppressor; it must be demanded by the oppressed.” —“Letter from a Birmingham Jail” Written on April 16, 1963
- “I am convinced that men hate each other because they fear each other. They fear each other because they don’t know each other, and they don’t know each other because they don’t communicate with each other, and they don’t communicate with each other because they are separated from each other.” —Speech at Cornell College on Oct. 15, 1962
- “We still need some Paul Revere of conscience to alert every hamlet and every village of America that revolution is still at hand.” —“Where Do We Go From Here?” Address in Atlanta on Aug. 16, 1967
Famous MLK Sayings On Peace
One of the defining hallmarks of King’s work was his commitment to peace and nonviolence. He believed in what he referred to as “true pacificism” and inspired his followers by spreading love rather than hate. He was able to effect change through protests such as sit-ins, boycotts, marches and rallies. These MLK peace quotes are the perfect example of his irenic approach to the Civil Rights Movement.
- “… love is the only force capable of transforming an enemy into a friend.” —Excerpt from A Gift of Love
- “True peace is not merely the absence of tension; it is the presence of justice.” —Excerpt from “Stride Toward Freedom”
- “We must come to see that the end we seek is a society at peace with itself, a society that can live with its conscience. And that will be a day not of the white man, not of the black man. That will be the day of man as man.” —“How Long? Not Long” Speech in Montgomery, Alabama, on March 25, 1965
- “Sooner or later all the people of the world will have to discover a way to live together in peace, and thereby transform this pending cosmic elegy into a creative psalm of brotherhood.” —Nobel Peace Prize Acceptance Speech in Oslo, Norway, on Dec. 10, 1964
- “It is no longer a choice between violence and non-violence; it is either non-violence or non-existence.” —Speech at Cornell College on Oct. 15, 1962
- “… peace is more precious than diamonds or silver or gold.” —Nobel Peace Prize Acceptance Speech in Oslo, Norway, on Dec. 10, 1964
Motivational MLK Quotes On Character And Leadership
MLK’s leadership quotes show his commitment to being a just and effective leader. The aspects of his leadership can inspire us and propel us toward being better people, and leaders, today.
- “A genuine leader is not a searcher for consensus but a molder of consensus.” —“Domestic Impact of the War” Speech in November 1967
- “The ultimate measure of a man is not where he stands in moments of comfort and convenience, but where he stands at times of challenge and controversy.” —Excerpt from Strength to Love
- “There comes a time when one must take a position that is neither safe, nor politic, nor popular, but he must take it because conscience tells him it is right.” —“A Proper Sense of Priorities” in Washington, D.C., on Feb. 6, 1968
- “I refuse to accept the idea that man is mere flotsam and jetsam in the river of life, unable to influence the unfolding events which surround him.” —Nobel Peace Prize Acceptance Speech in Oslo, Norway, on Dec. 10, 1964
- “We need leaders not in love with money but in love with justice. Not in love with publicity but in love with humanity.” — “The Birth of a New Age” Address in Buffalo, New York, on Aug. 11, 1956
- “Let no man pull you so low as to hate him.” —A Knock at Midnight: Inspiration from the Great Sermons of Reverend Martin Luther King Jr.
MLK Sayings About Education
He believed education was a key part of a developing character. He lived this out through lifelong learning, critical thinking and using education to serve others.
- “Education must enable one to sift and weigh evidence, to discern the true from the false, the real from the unreal, and the facts from the fiction.” —“The Purpose of Education,” The Maroon Tiger, 1947
- “Science gives man knowledge which is power. Religion gives man wisdom which is control. Science deals mainly with facts. Religion deals mainly with values. The two are not rivals. They are each other’s complement.” —“A Tough Mind and a Tender Heart,” Sermon in 1959
- “Intelligence plus character—that is the goal of true education.” —“The Purpose of Education,” The Maroon Tiger, 1947
- “The trailblazers in human, academic, scientific, and religious freedom have always been nonconformists.” — “Transformed Nonconformist,” Sermon in 1954
- “Education without social action is a one‐sided value because it has no true power potential. Social action without education is a weak expression of pure energy. Deeds uninformed by educated thought can take false directions. When we go into action and confront our adversaries, we must be as armed with knowledge as they. Our policies should have the strength of deep analysis beneath them to be able to challenge the clever sophistries of our opponents.” —Where Do We Go From Here? Chaos or Community
Honoring Martin Luther King Jr. And His Powerful Legacy
Martin Luther King Jr. will forever hold a place in history as a symbol of hope, courage and the pursuit of justice. On this MLK Day, we reflect on his monumental contributions to civil rights and the wisdom he shared through his words and peaceful actions. As we honor his legacy, we can also recommit ourselves to the ongoing fight for equality and justice for all. King’s dream is a call to action, reminding us that progress requires perseverance. A brighter future is possible when we stand together with a focus on love and humanity.
