On Martin Luther King, Jr. Day, let us pause not only to remember history, but to recommit ourselves to the everyday work of dignity: caring for people as whole human beings, listening with humility, and building trust across differences. This type of service isn’t an abstract idea—it’s measured in small, consistent actions: patience, respect, advocacy, and the belief that every life has equal worth.
Dr. King’s words continue to challenge us to see our shared responsibility to one another—and to keep moving forward, especially when the work is hard.
“Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere.”
“We are caught in an inescapable network of mutuality, tied in a single garment of destiny. And whatever affects one directly affects all indirectly.”
“Darkness cannot drive out darkness: only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate: only love can do that.”
“And I say to you, I have also decided to stick with love, for I know that love is ultimately the only answer to mankind’s problems.”
“Along the way of life, someone must have sense enough and morality enough to cutoff the chain of hate and evil. The greatest way to do that is through love.”
“If you can’t fly, run; if you can’t run, walk; if you can’t walk, crawl; but by all means keep moving.”
“But one day, we must ask the question of whether an edifice which produces beggars must not be restructured and refurbished.”
10 Facts About Martin Luther King Jr.
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Martin Luther King, Jr. was born in Atlanta and was named Michael King at birth.
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He helped lead the Montgomery Bus Boycott, a landmark nonviolent protest that began in 1955.
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King helped found and lead the Southern Christian Leadership Conference (SCLC), which organized nonviolent direct-action campaigns across the South.
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He delivered the “I Have a Dream” address at the March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom in 1963.
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In 1964, at age 35, he became the youngest person to receive the Nobel Peace Prize.
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His Nobel lecture included the line: “I believe that unarmed truth and unconditional love will have the final word in reality.”
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King was assassinated on April 4, 1968, in Memphis, Tennessee, at age 39.
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U.S. federal recognition of Martin Luther King, Jr. Day began in 1986; it is now observed as a national day of service as well as remembrance.
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King’s message of nonviolence emphasized disciplined moral action aimed at defeating injustice—not people.
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Dr. King’s legacy is preserved through major archival collections and research institutions, including Stanford’s King Institute and The King Center in Atlanta.