22 Powerful and Inspiring Martin Luther King Jr. Quotes

Violence is not only impractical but immoral.

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.

Faith is taking the first step even when you don’t see the whole staircase.

A second basic fact that characterizes nonviolence is that it does not seek to defeat or humiliate the opponent, but to win his friendship and understanding.

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

Human salvation lies in the hands of the creatively maladjusted.

Everything that we see is a shadow cast by that which we do not see.

Returning violence for violence multiplies violence, adding deeper darkness to a night already devoid of stars. Hate cannot drive out hate: only love can do that.

Nothing in all the world is more dangerous than sincere ignorance and conscientious stupidity.

We are the heirs of a past of rope, fire, and murder. I for one am not ashamed of this past. My shame is for those who became so inhuman that they could inflict this torture upon us.

Human progress is neither automatic nor inevitable... Every step toward the goal of justice requires sacrifice, suffering, and struggle; the tireless exertions and passionate concern of dedicated individuals.

Violence never really deals with the basic evil of the situation. Violence may murder the murderer, but it doesn’t murder murder. Violence may murder the liar, but it doesn’t murder lie; it doesn’t establish truth. Violence may even murder the dishonest man, but it doesn’t murder dishonesty. Violence may go to the point of murdering the hater, but it doesn’t murder hate. It may increase hate. It is always a descending spiral leading nowhere. This is the ultimate weakness of violence: It multiplies evil and violence in the universe. It doesn’t solve any problems.

What is more tragic than to see a person who has risen to the disciplined heights of tough-mindedness but has at the same time sunk to the passionless depths of hard-heartedness? .

It may be true that the law cannot change the heart, but it can restrain the heartless.

The Universe is on the side of Justice.

It is cheerful to God when you rejoice or laugh from the bottom of your heart.

All labor has dignity.

Peace is not merely a distant goal that we seek, but a means by which we arrive at that goal.

Means we use must be as pure as the ends we seek.

Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere. We are caught in an inescapable network of mutuality, tied in a single garment of destiny. Whatever affects one directly, affects all indirectly.