I thought that I would gather some quotes by Reverend King to celebrate MLK Day on January 19, 2026. As I collected Dr. King’s words, I was struck by how many are relevant today as they were during his lifetime. Dr. King was murdered on April 4, 1968. His remarks today are as important as they were 58 years ago.

“Darkness cannot drive out darkness; only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate; only love can do that.”

“It is always the right time to do the right thing.”

“May I stress the need for courageous, intelligent, and dedicated leadership… Leaders of sound integrity. Leaders not in love with publicity, but in love with justice. Leaders not in love with money, but in love with humanity. Leaders who can subject their particular egos to the greatness of the cause.”

“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.”

“I have a dream that my four little children will one day live in a nation where they will not be judged by the color of their skin, but by the content of their character.”

“The SILENCE of the good people is more DANGEROUS than the BRUTALITY of the bad people.”

“We may have all come on different ships, but we’re in the same boat now.”

“I have decided to stick with love. Hate is too great a burden to bear.”

“Our lives begin to end the day we become silent about things that matter.”

“Never, never be afraid to do what’s right, especially if the well-being of a person or animal is at stake. Society’s punishments are small compared to the wounds we inflict on our soul when we look the other way.”

“History will have to record that the greatest tragedy of this period of social transition was not the strident clamor of the bad people, but the appalling silence of the good people. 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. He who passively accepts evil is as much involved in it as he who helps to perpetrate it. He who accepts evil without protesting against it is really cooperating with it.”

“Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere.”

“The richer we have become materially, the poorer we become morally and spiritually. We have learned to fly in the air like birds and swim in the sea like fish, but we have not learned the simple art of living together as brothers.”

“Life’s most persistent and urgent question is, ‘What are you doing for others?’”

The difference between a dreamer and a visionary is that a dreamer has his eyes closed and a visionary has his eyes open

“Be The Peace You Wish To See In The World!”

“Peace is not simply the absence of conflict, but the existence of justice for all people.”

“In the End, we will remember not the words of our enemies but the silence of our friends.”

“I still believe that standing up for the truth of God is the greatest thing in the world. This is the end (purpose) of life. The end of life is not to be happy. The end of life is not to achieve pleasure and avoid pain. The end of life is to do the will of God, come what may.”

“The best way to solve any problem is to remove its cause.”

“We are now faced with the fact that tomorrow is today. We are confronted with the fierce urgency of now. In this unfolding conundrum of life and history, there “is” such a thing as being too late. This is no time for apathy or complacency. This is a time for vigorous and positive action.”

“Never, never be afraid to do what’s right.”

“A man dies when he refuses to stand up for that which is right. A man dies when he refuses to stand up for justice. A man dies when he refuses to take a stand for that which is true.”

“Let’s build bridges, not walls.”

“When evil men plot, good men must plan. When evil men burn and bomb, good men must build and bind. When evil men shout ugly words of hatred, good men must commit themselves to the glories of love.”[1]

I hope Dr. King’s words will inspire you as they have me.

I will leave you with the words from Cisco Houston in the song The Reuben James: “Well many years have past and still I wonder why the worst of men must fight and the best of men will die,”

[1] Marin Luther King, Jr, Quotes, A-Z Quotes, TOP 25 QUOTES BY MARTIN LUTHER KING, JR. (of 1202) | A-Z Quotes