Martin Luther King Jr was born Michael King Jr on January 15 1929, in Atlanta, Georgia. He was the second of three children of Michael King Sr and Alberta King. He became prominent because he is one of the most visible spokespeople in the American civil rights movement aside from being a minister. He is also known as MLK.
That’s why most of his accounts, speeches, and sermons were compiled and turned into books and even films. Some of the most famous books include Stride Toward Freedom: The Montgomery Story, Why We Can’t Wait, A Gift of Love: Sermons From Strength to Love, and The Trumpet of Conscience, among others.
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Michael King Sr. and Jr. became Martin Luther when King Jr. father was sent on a trip that changed his perspective forever. When he was in Germany, he saw the place where a German monk named Martin Luther nailed his 95 theses to the door of the Wittenberg castle church, which led to the protestant reformation. After that trip, King Jr. father immediately changed his name and his son’s name. Martin Luther King Jr was 28 years old at that time.
MARTIN LUTHER KING JR. QUOTES
The compilations of his accounts and speeches show his impact on society. That’s why we know how vital it is to make a compilation of Martin Luther King Jr quotes to honour his work and legacy. Take a look at these books, posters, and home decor with quotes from MLK.
“Non-violence is an absolute commitment to the way of love. Love is not emotional bash; it is not empty sentimentalism. It is the active outpouring of one’s whole being into the being of another.”
“I have decided to stick with love. Hate is too great a burden to bear.”
“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. There is some good in the worst of us and some evil in the best of us. When we discover this, we are less prone to hate our enemies.”
“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.”
“The past is prophetic in that it asserts loudly that wars are poor chisels for carving out peaceful tomorrows.”
“The limitation of riots, moral questions aside, is that they cannot win and their participants know it. Hence, rioting is not revolutionary but reactionary because it invites defeat. It involves an emotional catharsis, but it must be followed by a sense of futility.”
“The quality, not the longevity, of one’s life is what is important.”
“There comes a time when people get tired of being pushed out of the glittering sunlight of life’s July and left standing amid the piercing chill of an alpine November.”
“Every man lives in two realms: the internal and the external. The internal is that realm of spiritual ends expressed in art, literature, morals, and religion. The external is that complex of devices, techniques, mechanisms, and instrumentalities by means of which we live.”
“Shallow understanding from people of goodwill is more frustrating than absolute misunderstanding from people of ill will.”
A lot of leaders, prominent people and even ordinary people look up to Martin Luther King Jr.’s ideals and way of activism that’s why we compiled this list of Martin Luther King Jr quotes. We hope that everyone will never forget and celebrate his contributions to the civil rights movement, speeches, and overall perspective in life.
Martin Luther King Jr was assassinated on April 4, 1968, while standing on the balcony of Lorraine Motel in Memphis. A wave of riots swept major cities all over the country, and the president declared a national day of mourning. This just shows Martin Luther King Jr.’s impact not only on the whole country but also worldwide.
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