Though Martin Luther King Day is obviously an occasion to honor and remember one of our nation's greatest civil rights activists, it is also a time to re-visit his famous dream, and assess how much work still needs to be done to achieve the vision he so eloquently laid out for us. Let these Martin Luther King Jr. quotes about equality inspire you today, and every day — because MLK's message is still just as relevant now as it was decades ago, and his words continue to resonate.
If there is one thing we can learn from Martin Luther King's legacy, it is that words have the power to spark positive and important change. It was Martin Luther King who taught us that when it comes to social justice and equality, we have nothing to gain from being silent. As King famously said himself, "the time is always right to do what is right." The time is always right to speak up for what you believe in. The following quotes are some of the most important uttered in American history, and they deserve to be repeated. Celebrate Martin Luther King Jr. Day by reminding yourself what it means to demand equality for all Americans.
1. "I have a dream that my four little children will one day live in a nation where they will be judged not by the color of their skin, but by the content of their character."
2. "Our lives begin to end the day we become silent about things that matter."
3. "The time is always right to do what is right."
4. "Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere."
5. "Freedom is never voluntarily given by the oppressor; it must be demanded by the oppressed."
6. "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."
7. "We may all have come from different ships, but we're in the same boat now."
8. "The ultimate tragedy is not the oppression and cruelty by the bad people, but the silence over that by the good people."
9. "We must learn to live together as brothers or perish together as fools."
10. "All labor that uplifts humanity has dignity and importance and should be undertaken with painstaking excellence."
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