Will we march only to the music of time, or will we, risking criticism and abuse, march to the soul-saving music of eternity? – Martin Luther King,Jr., Strength to Love, 1963

Ordinarily, a person leaving a courtroom with a conviction behind him would wear a somber face. But I left with a smile. I knew that I was a convicted criminal, but I was proud of my crime. – Martin Luther King,Jr., March 22, 1956

A fifth point concerning nonviolent resistance is that it avoids not only external physical violence but also internal violence of spirit. The nonviolent resister not only refuses to shoot his opponent but he also refuses to hate him. – Martin Luther King,Jr., Stride Toward Freedom: The Montgomery Story, 1958

Without denying the value of scientific endeavor, there is a striking absurdity in committing billions to reach the moon where no people live, while only a fraction of that amount is appropriated to service the densely populated slums. – Martin Luther King,Jr., Where Do We Go from Here: Chaos or Community?, 1967