This tribute was originally published on Martin Luther King, Jr. Day 2014. We’re reposting it today with some updates. 

We tend to be all “I had a dream” when we think about Martin Luther King, Jr. King believed passionately in the power of love to drive out hate. He was also a fierce and incisive critic of government policy on health care, labor, war and other issues, and spoke out strongly on the apathy of the citizenry and for decisive action.

A preacher, King could turn an exquisite phrase; an activist and organizer, he knew he had to cut through passivity. Many of his quotes would not be out of place on a protest placard today — but he was not writing for Facebook, and for the true complexity of his arguments, we should read his quotes in context.

Lest we forget, here are some rousing King quotes that we found across the web, along with links to the speeches from which the quotes were taken.

“One day, some great opportunity stands before you and calls you to stand up for some great principle, some great issue, some great cause. And you refuse to do it because you are afraid… You refuse to do it because you want to live longer…. Well, you may go on to live until you are 90, but you’re just as dead at 38 as you would be at 90.”

From a sermon delivered in 1967 at Ebenezer Baptist Church in Atlanta, Georgia.

“Of all the forms of inequality, injustice in health care is the most shocking and inhuman.”

From his press conference before King delivered his speech at the Second Annual Convention of the Medical Committee for Human Rights, Chicago, March 25, 1966. Read the report.

“Never forget that everything Hitler did in Germany was legal.”

“Freedom is never voluntarily given by the oppressor, it must be demanded by the oppressed.”

From King’s Letter from Birmingham Jail, 1963. Read the letter.

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

From his 1963 book of sermons, “Strength to Love.“

“A nation that continues year after year to spend more money on military defense than on programs of social uplift is approaching spiritual death.”

From “Beyond Vietnam: A Time to Break Silence.”

“The hope of a secure and livable world lies with disciplined nonconformists, who are dedicated to justice, peace, and brotherhood. The trailblazers in human, academic, scientific, and religious freedom have always been nonconformists. In any cause that concerns the progress of mankind, put your faith in the nonconformist.”

From “Strength to Love,” 1963.

“Somewhere I read that the greatness of America was the right to protest for rights.”

From King’s last speech, “I’ve Been to the Mountaintop,” delivered on April 3, 1968, in Memphis, Tennessee. He was assassinated the following day. Read the speech.

Visit the King Center to learn more.

Is there a MLK quote you wish we’d included? Add it in the comments section below.

Photo by Bee Calder on Unsplash