Quotes by Martin Luther King, Jr.

We must develop and maintain the capacity to forgive. He who is devoid of the power to forgive is devoid of the power to love. There is some good in the worst of us and some evil in the best of us. When we discover this, we are less prone to hate our enemies.

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.

The first question which the priest and the Levite asked was: 'If I stop to help this man, what will happen to me?' But... the good Samaritan reversed the question: 'If I do not stop to help this man, what will happen to him?'

The ultimate tragedy is not the oppression and cruelty by the bad people but the silence over that by the good people.

Shallow understanding from people of good will is more frustrating than absolute misunderstanding from people of ill will.

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.

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

The hottest place in Hell is reserved for those who remain neutral in times of great moral conflict.

One of the greatest casualties of the war in Vietnam is the Great Society... shot down on the battlefield of Vietnam.

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.