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.
'Letter from Birmingham Jail' in Why We Can't Wait 1963.
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More from Martin Luther King Jr.
Philanthropy is commendable, but it must not cause the philanthropist to overlook the circumstances of economic injustice which make philanthropy necessary.
Strength to Love (1963)
viewThis is no time for apathy or complacency. This is a time for vigorous and positive action.
Stride Toward Freedom the Montgomery Story - Chapter XI Where Do We Go From Here
Returning hate for hate multiplies hate, adding deeper darkness to a night already devoid of stars. Darkness cannot drive out darkness; only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate; only love can do that.
Loving Your Enemies (1957 speech) and included in King's book Strength to Love (1963)
Everything that we see is a shadow cast by that which we do not see.
The Measure of a Man (1958)
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.”… 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. I have a dream today.
"I Have a Dream," speech at the Lincoln Memorial, Washington, D.C., August 28, 1963