15 Iconic Martin Luther King Jr Quotes That Are Meaningful

Martin Luther King Jr.

Even if you didn't live in his era, you must have heard of Martin Luther King Jr's speech ‘I have a dream'. Flawlessly delivered on 28 August 1963 on the March on Washington by King, the speech put him on the spotlight.

Not only did it highlight his eloquent oratory skills, it also marked a defining moment in the civil rights movement. To date, it is still revered as one of the most iconic speeches in history.

The speech, that was delivered on the steps of the Lincoln Memorial held a pivotal role. It was a key influence of the civil rights movement that brought about the Civil Rights Act of 1964, Voting Rights Act of 1965, and the Fair Housing Act of 1968.

And apart from this famous speech, Martin Luther King Jr was a man full of wisdom. An American Baptist minister and activist, he was one of the prominent leaders in the civil rights movement from 1955 until his assassination in 1968.

His father was also a Baptist minister and an early figure in the civil rights movement. King fought for the rights of people of color through nonviolence and civil disobedience. He was greatly inspired by Mahatma Gandhi's nonviolent activism and his Christian beliefs.

King was jailed several times and was even on the watch of the FBI who kept a keen eye on his every movement. King won the Nobel Peace Prize in 1964 because he combated racial inequality through his nonviolent resistance.

He also campaigned for other matters like poverty, capitalism, and the Vietmam war. He was assassinated on 4 April 1968 while planning the Poor People's Campaign. There was nationwide mourning, anger, and riots after his death.

He received awards and medals while streets and a day were named in his honor. And now, without further ado let's look into the best of Martin Luther King Jr quotes and sayings of all time.

Martin Luther King Jr. Quotes

If you can’t fly then run, if you can’t run then walk, if you can’t walk then crawl, but whatever you do you have to keep moving forward.

If you can’t fly then run, if you can’t run then walk, if you can’t walk then crawl, but whatever you do you have to keep moving forward.

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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.

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.

Don’t be a fool. Recognize your dependence on God. As the days become dark and the nights become dreary, realize that there is a God who rules above.

Don’t be a fool. Recognize your dependence on God. As the days become dark and the nights become dreary, realize that there is a God who rules above.

Change does not roll in on the wheels of inevitability but comes through continuous struggle. And so we must straighten our backs and work for our freedom. A man can’t ride you unless your back is bent.

Change does not roll in on the wheels of inevitability but comes through continuous struggle. And so we must straighten our backs and work for our freedom. A man can’t ride you unless your back is bent.

We must move past indecision to action. We must find new ways to speak for peace in Vietnam and for justice throughout the developing world, a world that borders on our doors. If we do not act, we shall surely be dragged down the long, dark, and shameful corridors of time reserved for those who possess power without compassion, might without morality, and strength without sight.

We must move past indecision to action. We must find new ways to speak for peace in Vietnam and for justice throughout the developing world,

A time comes when silence is betrayal. Even when pressed by the demands of inner truth, men do not easily assume the task of opposing their government's policy, especially in time of war. Nor does the human spirit move without great difficulty against all the apathy of conformist thought, within one's own bosom and in the surrounding world.

A time comes when silence is betrayal. Even when pressed by the demands of inner truth, men do not easily assume the task of opposing

About the contents of this page

Amra conducted research on the quotes with the assistance of Annabele.

Maggie organized the quotes into topics.

Charity wrote the introduction copy.

Schenley designed exclusive images for the quotes.

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