Don't let anybody make you think God chose America as His divine messianic force to be a sort of policeman of the whole world.

— Martin Luther King

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.

— Martin Luther King

Everything that we see is a shadow cast by that which we do not see.

— Martin Luther King

Faith is taking the first step even when you don't see the whole staircase.

— Martin Luther King

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

— Martin Luther King

Hatred paralyzes life love releases it. Hatred confuses life love harmonizes it. Hatred darkens life love illumines it.

— Martin Luther King

Have we not come to such an impasse in the modern world that we must love our enemies - or else? The chain reaction of evil - hate begetting hate, wars producing more wars - must be broken, or else we shall be plunged into the dark abyss of annihilation.

— Martin Luther King

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.

— Martin Luther King

Human Salvation lies in the hands of the creatively maladjusted.

— Martin Luther King

I am not interested in power for power's sake, but I'm interested in power that is moral, that is right and that is good.

— Martin Luther King