As a writer, I love spending Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Day reading the words written and spoken by this great man in his lifetime. Of course, we turn to Dr. King’s words for thoughts on issues of justice and equality, but he spoke just as much about faith, aspirations, life and love. So many of his words can encourage us creatives as we seek to make our dreams come true and strive to make our world a better place with what we create. Here are some of my favorite Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. quotes.

Lift Your Voice

“Lightning makes no sound until it strikes.”

“I came to the conclusion that there is an existential moment in your life when you must decide to speak for yourself; nobody else can speak for you.”

“Our lives begin to end the day we become silent about things that matter.”

Dream Your Dreams

“Faith is taking the first step even when you don’t see the whole staircase.”

“No person has the right to rain on your dreams.”

“If you can’t fly then run, if you can’t run then walk, if you can’t walk then crawl, but whatever you do you have to keep moving forward.”

Related Reading: I Am Black and Beautiful

Change Your World

“Every man must decide whether he will walk in the light of creative altruism or in the darkness of destructive selfishness.”

“We must use time creatively, in the knowledge that the time is always ripe to do right.”

“All labor that uplifts humanity has dignity and importance and should be undertaken with painstaking excellence.”

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

“No one really knows why they are alive until they know what they’d die for.”

 

What is your favorite Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. quote?