Martin Luther King, Jr.  
 
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1929 - 1968 

      "On January 19, 2009 America celebrates the birthday of The Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., one of the greatest spiritual leaders of all time. He stood up for working people, civil rights, civic engagement, and human dignity.  He spoke for us in this country and across the globe.  Although best known for his "I have a dream" speech, the whole of of Martin Luther King Jr's writings and speeches provide evidence that his commitment, faith, and courage extended beyond his colorblind vision of racial reconciliation.  His dream was much bigger than the constricting bonds of prejudice and intolerance.   He reminded us that "The moral arc of the universe bends at the elbow of justice." Martin Luther King, Jr.
His activities for civil rights were only one small portion of that sentiment. 
 "We must build dikes of courage to hold back the flood of fear."
Martin Luther King, Jr.
"We must learn to live together as brothers or perish together as fools."
Martin Luther King, Jr.   
"Most memory of Martin luther King Jr. emphasizes only individual equality, but his legacy, including his death, was also dedicated to the collective organization and empowerment of workers."   Nathan Newman

"This Nobel Peace Prize winner was slain on April 4, 1968 while assisting sanitation workers on strike in Memphis, Tenn. He was cut from the same cloth as labor leaders Eugene Debs and John L. Lewis. He always supported the labor movement and was always supported by it. One of his chief strategists, advisers and tacticians was rail labor leader A. Philip Randolph."     Northwest Labor Press "I decided early to give my life to something eternal and absolute. Not to these little gods that are here today and gone tomorrow, but to God who is the same yesterday, today, and forever."  From "Rediscovering Lost Values," Feb. 28, 1954 "Everything that we see is a shadow cast by that which we do not see."    The Measure of a Man, 1958 "Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere." Letter from Birmingham Jail, April 16, 1963

"We will have to repent in this generation not merely for the
 hateful words and actions of the bad people but for the appalling silence of the good people."   Ibid "Letter..."  April 16, 1963
 

"I submit to you that if a man hasn't discovered something he will die for, he isn't fit to live."    Speech in Detroit, June 23, 1963

"Now, I say to you today my friends, even though we face the difficulties of today and tomorrow, I still have a dream. It is a dream deeply rooted in the American dream. 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.'"

 From the "I Have a Dream" speech, Aug. 28, 1963
Speech at Civil Rights March on Washington

"I believe that unarmed truth and unconditional love will have the final word in reality. That is why right, temporarily defeated, is stronger than evil triumphant."  Ibid

"Our scientific power has outrun our spiritual power. We have guided missiles and misguided men."

Strength to Love, 1963

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

Ibid.

"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."

Ibid.

"We must learn to live together as brothers or perish together as fools."

Speech at St. Louis, March 22, 1964
 

"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."
From a speech given to the Southern Christian Leadership Conference, Aug. 16, 1967

"I just want to do God's will. And he’s allowed me to go to the mountain...And I've looked over, and I've seen the promised land. I may not get there with you, but I want you to know tonight that we as a people will get to the promised land. So I'm happy tonight. I'm not worried about anything. I'm not fearing any man."

Speech in Memphis, April 3, 1968, the day before King was assassinated

"If physical death is the price that I must pay to free my white brothers and sisters from a
 permanent death of the spirit, then nothing can be more redemptive." ( On learning of threats on his life, June 5, 1964)

More about Martin Luther King, Jr.:

• The I have a dream speech
• The Martin Luther King Directory at Stanford
• Some sound clips of King's speeches, provided by Webcorp
  
  Martin Luther King Jr.   from the Seattle Times about the life and impact of Dr. King.  seattletimes.nwsource.com/mlk/
  
  If we are to go forward, we must go back and rediscover those precious values - that all reality hinges on moral foundations and that all reality has spiritual control.
  Martin Luther King, Jr.
  
  In the End, we will remember not the words of our enemies, but the silence of our friends.
  Martin Luther King, Jr.
  
  Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere.
  Martin Luther King, Jr.
  
  Our lives begin to end the day we become silent about things that matter.
  Martin Luther King, Jr.
  
  The hope of a secure and livable world lies with disciplined nonconformists who are
  dedicated to justice, peace and brotherhood.
  Martin Luther King, Jr.

Celebrate Martin Luther King, Jr. Day of Service on January 19

“Nothing in all the world is more dangerous than sincere ignorance and conscientious stupidity.”       
MLK Jr.          Strength to Love, 1963
   

Day of Service→ http://my.mlkday.gov/mlkprojects/activeresource/index.aspx   Volunteer!   www.handsonportland.org

Bobby Kennedy   Coretta Scott King     Learn about the legacy...     Martin     Martin Luther King, Jr.      Memories of Martin    Illumination Project

The Forgotten Teachings of Martin Luther King - by Paul Rockwell ...www.inmotionmagazine.com/mlk3.html