Ready to celebrate Martin Luther King Day with MLK quotes?
We all know the most famous Martin Luther King Jr Quote, which starts with one of the most captivating lines ever spoken in all of history, “I have a dream.”
Who among us doesn’t have a dream? Do you?
A dream that seems impossible, a dream we want to make a reality, whether that’s to see our lives or the world changed for the better.
After a year like 2020, which was marked by an awakening for justice for black lives, Martin Luther King Jr’s words ring louder than ever.
May they ring in our ears and knock on the doors of our hearts. In 2021, the dream of equality, love, and freedom for all is more alive than ever.
At his heart, I believe that Martin Luther King Jr was a dreamer. He was an activist, a minister, a father and so much more to so many people throughout the years, but to me, he was a dreamer.
I too have a dream, and I hope that one day it will come to pass. What’s your dream?
As It’s All You Boo is dedicated to the dreamers, what better way to celebrate one of the world’s most famous dreamers, than by sharing a carefully curated collection of MLK quotes.
Beyond the political sentiments and fight for equality of the time, there is a running message of love, community, courage, greatness throughout all of Martin Luther King Jr’s quotes.
Dive in, and enjoy these inspirational quotes to celebrate MLK day or even Black History Month.
This post contains affiliate links. If you make a purchase from these links, I may earn a commission. You can read my full disclaimer here.
Martin Luther King Jr Quotes on Faith and Hope
We cannot do anything successfully in life without FIRST having faith and hope that things will work out. Martin Luther King Jr is known as a man of faith, it strengthened him and encouraged him to push forward, even without seeing the outcome in his lifetime. This collection of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr quotes encourages us to have faith, push past challenges and disappointment, to have hope regardless of what’s going on. Above all else, MLK quotes are grounded in faith and hope. Every dreamer needs hope and faith to have the confidence to try.
1. “Faith is taking the first step even when you don’t see the whole staircase.”
2. “We must accept finite disappointment, but never lose infinite hope.”
3. “Seeing is not always believing.”
4. “We must build dikes of courage to hold back the flood of fear.”
“Out of the mountain of despair, a stone of hope.”
6. “Courage is an inner resolution to go forward despite obstacles; Cowardice is submissive surrender to circumstances. Courage breeds creativity; Cowardice represses fear and is mastered by it.”
👉🏽 RELATED POST: 39 Amazing Quotes to Boost Your Confidence Right Now
Martin Luther King Jr Quotes About Never Giving Up
No matter how big your dreams are, or how impossible they may feel right now, never give up. Just thinking about how BIG Dr. King’s dreams were and how bold he was in pursuing them, at the time he did, gives me courage. This collection of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr quotes encourage you to keep going, any way you can. That one day, your dream no matter how impossible it seems today can come to pass. There is an unstoppable force found within all MLK quotes. We should all celebrate Martin Luther King Jr. Day!
7. “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 POST: 45 Uplifting Quotes for When You Feel Like Giving Up
8. “No person has the right to rain on your dreams.”
9. “Change does not roll in on the wheels of inevitability, but comes through continuous struggle.”
“Only in the darkness can you see the stars.”
11. “Human progress is neither automatic nor inevitable… Every step toward the goal of justice requires sacrifice, suffering, and struggle; the tireless exertions and passionate concern of dedicated individuals.”
A Life Worth Living by Martin Luther King Jr Quotes
Live a life worth living! Dr. Martin Luther King Jr has a lot to say about what truly living your life should mean for you. A life without meaning, without purpose and without something worth dying for, isn’t one worth living. It sounds extreme, but Dr. King was a passionate man living in desperate times. Are you desperate to change your life and achieve your dreams? If so, find your purpose, add depth and breadth to your life. These MLK quotes shine a spotlight on what living really means.
“The quality, not the longevity, of one’s life is what is important.”
13. “There is nothing more tragic than to find an individual bogged down in the length of life, devoid of breadth.”
👉🏽RELATED POST: 40 Inspirational New Year’s Resolution Quotes
14. “No one really knows why they are alive until they know what they’d die for.”
15. “If a man has not discovered something that he will die for, he isn’t fit to live.”
Martin Luther King Jr Quotes on Greatness
You too can be great! The cure for a life void of meaning is to aspire to greatness, in the little things. According to this collection of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr quotes, every single one of us is capable of being great. Dr. King shares that greatness is found in serving others and doing the small things in a great way. Furthermore, these MLK quotes reassure you that success and greatness are not found in fancy cars and dollar signs, but in your strong relationships with others. What are your priorities?
16. “Everybody can be great … because anybody can serve. You don’t have to have a college degree to serve. You don’t have to make your subject and verb agree to serve. You only need a heart full of grace. A soul generated by love.”
17. “If I cannot do great things, I can do small things in a great way.”
👉🏽RELATED POST: Quotes About Dreams and Reality
“Whatever your life’s work is, do it well. A woman should do her job so well that the living, the dead, and the unborn could do it no better.”*
19. “We are prone to judge success by the index of our salaries or the size of our automobiles rather than by the quality of our service and relationship to mankind.”
Live Your Life According to Martin Luther King Jr Quotes
How are your emotions right now? Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. left no part of your life outside the preview of his talks and speeches, even the parts that aren’t visible to the naked eye. Dr. King dove deep into how you feel about others, your attitude in the face of adversity, and even how you feel about yourself. This selection of MLK quotes focuses on your internal life and encourages you to not hate, to resist bitterness, to find happiness, and to forgive.
20. “Let no woman pull you so low as to hate her.”*
“Never succumb to the temptation of bitterness.”
22. “Those who are not looking for happiness are the most likely to find it, because those who are searching forget that the surest way to be happy is to seek happiness for others.”
👉🏽RELATED POST: 50 Quotes About Being Criticized
23. “Forgiveness is not an occasional act, it is a constant attitude.”
“The art of acceptance is the art of making someone who has just done you a small favor wish that he might have done you a greater one.”
25. “You will change your mind; You will change your looks; You will change your smile, laugh, and ways but no matter what you change, you will always be you.”
Martin Luther King Jr Quotes on Love
Love is a powerful thing! It is able to change hearts and turn enemies into friends. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr shares deeply how hate is too hard a choice and love is the only option. This selection of MLK love quotes inspires you to choose love, not hate. That there is nothing you’ll face in your life that love cannot resolve, whether that’s love for yourself or another.
26. “I have decided to stick with love. Hate is too great a burden to bear.”
27. “Love is the only force capable of transforming an enemy into a friend.”
28. “Darkness cannot drive out darkness; only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate; only love can do that.”
“There can be no deep disappointment where there is not deep love.”
30. “She who is devoid of the power to forgive is devoid of the power to love.”*
31. “Nonviolence is absolute commitment to the way of love. Love is not emotional bash; it is not empty sentimentalism. It is the active outpouring of one’s whole being into the being of another.”
👉🏽 RELATED POST: 26 Inspiring Self-Love Quotes
Care for Others Martin Luther King Jr Quotes
Are you in it for yourself, or to lift others with you? Dr. Martin Luther King Jr encourages us to question our motives and our actions. This selection of MLK quotes asks the question, “who is it for?” That we must be better than simply doing this for ourselves.
32. “Life’s most persistent and urgent question is, ‘What are you doing for others?‘”
👉🏽 RELATED POST: 40 Chadwick Boseman Quotes
33. “Almost always, the creative dedicated minority has made the world better.”
“Every woman must decide whether she will walk in the light of creative altruism or in the darkness of destructive selfishness.”*
35. “Whatever affects one directly, affects all indirectly. I can never be what I ought to be until you are what you ought to be. This is the interrelated structure of reality.”
Martin Luther King Jr Quotes All About Community
What community do you belong to? Now think even larger than that, and beyond your inner circle to your widen human community as Dr. Martin Luther King Jr would. It’s not just about you, it’s about the sisterhood and brotherhood of the world. No matter who you are or what you’re trying to achieve, you can’t do this alone. This collection of MLK quotes are all about community, friendship, and why we need each other. More poignantly, these Martin Luther King Jr quotes teach us why we are all better together.
36. “We cannot walk alone.”
37. “We may have all come on different ships, but we’re in the same boat now.”
👉🏽 RELATED POST: 161 Empowering Feminist Quotes
38. “We must learn to live together as sisters or perish together as fools.”*
“The good neighbor looks beyond the external accidents and discerns those inner qualities that make all men human and, therefore, brothers.”
40. “People fail to get along because they fear each other; they fear each other because they don’t know each other; they don’t know each other because they have not communicated with each other.”
Martin Luther King Jr Quotes on Leadership
Has the world ever had a more inspiring leader? It’s no surprise that Dr. Martin Luther King Jr quotes are some of the best leadership quotes of all time. With every word, almost at every speech, each of these MLK quotes encourages you to be brave, to do the right thing, not just for you, but for others. To Dr. King, leadership was leading by example, even when it’s uncomfortable and contrary to what some might believe.
“A genuine leader is not a searcher for consensus but a molder of consensus.”
42. “The ultimate measure of a woman is not where she stands in moments of comfort and convenience, but where she stands at times of challenge and controversy.”*
43. “We are not makers of history. We are made by history.”
44. “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.”
👉🏽RELATED POST: 19 Powerful Quotes that Motivate You to Start
Speak Up and Do What is Right Martin Luther King Jr Quotes
See injustice, speak out about injustice. Know what is right, then do it. It’s really is that simple for Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. It is always the right time to stand up, speak up, and do what is right. Dr. King encourages us to not remain silent or blind to the matters of the world or if you yourself are being mistreated. This collection of MLK quotes encourage you to. Want to “change the world,” or even your world, then do it!
45. “In the end, we will remember not the words of our enemies, but the silence of our friends.”
46. “Our lives begin to end the day we become silent about things that matter.”
47. “The time is always right to do what is right.”
“We must use time creatively, in the knowledge that the time is always ripe to do right.”
49. “We must come to see that the end we seek is a society at peace with itself, a society that can live with its conscience.”
50. “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.”
Powerful Lessons from Martin Luther King Jr.
How amazing is this collection of Martin Luther King Jr quotes?
It’s almost as if you can live your life according to Martin Luther King Jr. You could ask yourself, what would MLK do in this situation? Almost certainly, he would have faith, never give up, love, and care for others, lead by example, and not be afraid to do what is right.
The times have changed (somewhat…) but his words still ring true, they echo through time.
“I have a dream…that one day!” We can all relate!
No matter your situation, or the dreams you have for yourself, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr has powerful words of wisdom to guide you.
Be brave, push onwards through challenges, as MLK would.
*And of course, I could not resist changing the pronouns female to add a new perspective to some of these quotes.
Printable Quotes About Dreams
Are you a dreamer like Martin Luther King Jr.? Get your 10 FREE printable black and white dream quotes that are perfect for your home, office, bedroom, or wherever you need to find inspirational daily. Each design is black and white and features brushed ink letter detailing.
This download comes with 10 high-resolution graphics ready to be printed and posted.
Sign up below for your 10 FREE Quotes About Dreams + get weekly tips to help you slay your goals.
May you celebrate Martin Luther King Jr. Day on January 18th by sharing his quotes and his story.
Even better still, may we all aspire to his ideals and commitment to non-violence, in our political and personal lives.
Hey dreamer, looking for motivation to never give up? Ready to make your dreams a reality? Click here for 50 Martin Luther King Jr. quotes that you'll love. #MartinLutherKing #MLK #QuotesToLiveBy #MLKDay
What’s your favorite Martin Luther King Jr. quote?
Last Updated on July 11, 2021
Jocelyn @ Hip Mama's Place says
Martin Luther King Jr remains to be an inspiration to many and I definitely enjoyed reading all of these quotes. I would love to have some of them printed for my home office to keep me inspired and motivated! They’re all very beautiful.
Nadalie Bardo says
Hey Jocelyn,
I couldn’t agree with you more. Martin Luther King Jr is such a lasting and enduring figure of hope and inspiration. I can’t get enough of his quotes either. That’s such a great idea!
Katherine says
What an inspirational man. SO many awesome quotes, I totally understand why he touched the hearts of so many people. Lets all hope for a “society at peace with itself’ soon. Thanks for the great post!
Nadalie Bardo says
Wasn’t he though! I love me some Martin Luther King Jr quotes. That’s my hope too! For all our nations and as a planet. ✌🏽
Victoria says
These are some great quotes. I found a few that I am going to write down on sticky notes for inspiration. Also, on a side note, I love your site. I’m all about goals, so I’m bookmarking it to come check back for new posts.
Nadalie Bardo says
Hey Victoria,
I absolutely love that idea – I can’t get enough of quotes in my office environment, and these Martin Luther King Jr quotes are no exception.
Thanks for the blog love! 😘
Ali Rost says
Just in time for the long MLK holiday weekend. I knew I’d really liked his quotes over the years, although it isn’t until I see so many in one place that I realize how many there are. The one that stands out most to me is “We cannot walk alone.” (Everything is so much better with a friend) x
Nadalie Bardo says
Hey Ali,
I will admit that the timing of this post was intentional! Happy Martin Luther King Jr Day!
There really are! This post was a bit of an exploration for me, we all know the most popular ones, but there are so many other inspirational Martin Luther King Jr. quotes.
Sara Welch says
Seeing is not always believing has always been one of my favorites. Maybe back in the day when technology didn’t make things so easily fake, seeing and believing was easier to follow. However, in this day and age where technology is king, it’s easy to be fooled whether it looks real or not. He had a way with words, didn’t he?
Nadalie Bardo says
Hey Sara,
I never even thought about it that way – we really have to be careful with what we believe. For myself, it meant that even if we’ve made progress or have success in our lives, we don’t always believe it. Sometimes we need more than seeing, it’s a feeling, a knowing.
He really did! A master words smith for sure.
Censie Sawyer says
We just talked about Martin Luther King Jur with our kids tonight. They were wondering why Monday was a holiday so we found a book to read to them all about the amazing things MLK did. I will be printing off some of these quotes for them!
Nadalie Bardo says
Hey Censie,
I just love hearing that! Wonderful, I so hope you had a wonderful Martin Luther King Jr. Day!
Kathleen says
I don’t know these quotes actually so thanks for sharing. My fave is “No person has the right to rain on your dreams.” I’d have to put that on my board. It’s a great motivational quote for me as I slay my goals for 2018.
Nadalie Bardo says
Hey Kathleen,
You’re so welcome! Full disclosure it was while researching this post that I learned most of them. I’d only ever really known a few of his most famous quotes.
Dr. K. Lee Banks says
I love reading quotes, especially those that are constructive and encouraging. Of course, it was smart to share this now just before we celebrate Martin Luther King Jr. Day. I think two of my favorite quotes in this collection are #1 and #42. I’m kind of surprised about some of the quotes directed at women; it’s hard to tell what the context may have been at the time.
Nadalie Bardo says
Hey Dr. K,
You’ve caught me! That’s exactly why I’m posting it now. Why not, right?
They’ve actually not originally, but I have this obsession with changing pronouns to female in some quotes. It really adds a new perspective to it. And as my readers are mostly amazing women, why not!
Thanks for noticing,
Nadalie
Ana Ojha says
What a legend was Dr. King! I enjoyed reading all his quotes and they are so inspirational indeed! My favorite is “I can do small things in a great way”!
Nadalie Bardo says
Hey Ana,
I love that one too! Really makes you change your perspective on what you can do. There is greatness even in the little things.
Fiona says
that was interesting! Thanks.
Nadalie Bardo says
Welcome, Fiona!
meg says
I found myself saying outloud, “Did he really say that?” Who knew! Thanks for sharing this. I learned a lot of his character.
Nadalie Bardo says
Hey Meg,
I feel you on that one. I felt the same way as I was collecting these. He sure said all of this and so much more.
Katie/Celebrating With The Bug says
This is such an inspiring list and it’s really cool to see so many of his qoutes all in one place! I really like #16!
Nadalie Bardo says
Hey Katie,
#16 is amazing, especially for today. In an age where everyone’s debating the advantage of college or university. You don’t need a degree to help others. We just think we do.
satoria ray says
Loved reading these. Reminded me of how great MLK JR was. Thank you for sharing!
Nadalie Bardo says
Doesn’t it just though? Martin Luther King Jr. was one of the greats for sure. Love that we have his quotes to honour and remember him by.
Thanks for commenting Satoria!
susannah says
I love all of his quotes on love and service. These are some beautiful printables!
Nadalie Bardo says
His quotes on love are so deep and inspiring. 😍
Tasheena @ SimplyTasheena.com says
Such a wonderful person with so many amazing quotes. Love all of them!
Nadalie Bardo says
Thanks Tasheena!
Martin Luther King Jr. sure was. I love his quotes too! Great reminder of him and how we ought to live like he did.
Elise Ho says
This is quite a thorough list. I love the staircase quote. We must climb up and have faith in order to see what is to come.
Nadalie Bardo says
Hey Elise,
Me too! I think it’s one of his most powerful and popular quotes. Martin Luther King Jr sure knew how to say it with such imagery. May we all have faith to take that first step.
Edward Thorpe says
My favorite is “The time is always right to do the right thing.” That pretty much covers the whole ball of wax.
Edward
Nadalie Bardo says
Hey Edward,
It really is always the right time. I really quite enjoy that one too. A standard we should all aspire to.
Monika @ My Food & Happiness says
What an inspirational figure. No. 33 was my favourite one! The creative minority always make the world better!
Nadalie Bardo says
Hey Monika,
Such a great Martin Luther King Jr. quote isn’t it! What I love most about that is, we are the creative minority!
Sandra says
What an awesome post for today. My fave quote is about taking the first step even when you don’t see the whole staircase. I tweeted this for you!
Nadalie Bardo says
Hey Sandra,
One of Martin Luther King Jr’s very best quotes for sure. May we all be brave enough to take our very first step.
Melanie williams says
What a fab post. Feeling inspired and motivated. Love quote number 5 “out of the mountain…” What a guy – amazing!! x
Nadalie Bardo says
Hey Melanie,
Thanks so much! Loving that you’re feeling inspired and motivated. 🙌🏽
Natasha says
I love this! What a wonderful way to celebrate MLK and bring us so much encouragement and inspiration in the process! The kids and I watched the original full length of the I have a Dream speech yesterday…so so awesome!
Nadalie Bardo says
Hey Natasha,
What a wonderful way for you and the kids to celebrate Martin Luther King Jr. day! I’m going to click over to YouTube and also watch his speech. So inspiring!
Jana says
I really need it to read your post today and it made me so happy. I am a huge dreamer, I always dream and have too many dreams. I absolutely love all the quotes and really need it the inspiration. Thank you.
Nadalie Bardo says
Hey Jana,
I’m so glad that you’re feeling happier today! We’re all dreamers, but then there’s a time to take action! You got this!
Evelyn says
So love and honor this man for his contribution on the world. Thanks so much for the reminder that just one person can make such a huge difference, Nadalie. Blessings <3
Nadalie Bardo says
Hey Evelyn,
Me too! I love that about him, his life was literally so others could live better. We can all make a HUGE difference. Here’s to being brave enough.
jhilmil says
This is some real good motivation I need to start off my day. True, faith is taking a step ahead even when we don’t see a staircase!! Really awesome quotes by a great soul!
Nadalie Bardo says
Hey Jhilmil,
Right, I think so! Nothing like waking up with some inspirational quotes to get you going. And Martin Luther King Jr., is the master of inspiration.
Natalie Linda says
I love Dr. King’s quotes. He was so articulate – his words will never lose meaning.
Nadalie Bardo says
Hey Natalie,
Me too, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. really was incredibly articulate and moving in his speech. He could say it as it is, yet want you to change and be better at the same time.
Elizabeth O says
This blog post made me super happy and inspired. SO many great MLK quotes and a brilliant way to celebrate him on this day. Much love
Nadalie Bardo says
Hey Elizabeth,
I’m glad that you’re feeling super happy and inspired after reading these incredible Martin Luther King Jr. quotes. It happens to me too – can’t help but smile!
Alyssa C says
What a wonderful post! I tend to forget about a few of his quotes and how powerful they are. I definitely needed this. Thank you.
Nadalie Bardo says
Hey Alyssa,
Isn’t it funny how we so easily remember Martin Luther King Jr’s most notable quotes, but somehow his others slip from our minds? I’m good at remembering the sentiment of a quote, but then have to run to google to get the exact words sometimes.
Angela says
Dr. king was such a powerful speaker. Having is words in a collective space is moving.
It's All You Boo says
Happy to spread his words through these quotes, Angela! Thanks!
Leslie says
So many wonderful quotes and sentiments by a truly inspirational person. My favorite is definitely #22:
“Those who are not looking for happiness are the most likely to find it, because those who are searching forget that the surest way to be happy is to seek happiness for others.”
It's All You Boo says
Hi Leslie,
I love that quote as well! You will only be truly happy if you made someone happy.
Mimi says
These are so inspiring! I love his quotes
It's All You Boo says
Thanks for dropping by, Mimi! Happy to share his quotes!
Heather Castillo says
There are so many good ones! We tend to focus on the couple we learned in school but he was a brilliant man taken too soon.
It's All You Boo says
We can continue living his legacy through these quotes! Thanks Heather!
Bella says
All these quotes are so inspiring!! There are so many good ones, he was such an important man! thanks for sharing
It's All You Boo says
I think all of these quotes are great! Thanks Bella!
Mallory says
Wow! I loved reading through these. He really had so many inspiring words to say.
It's All You Boo says
MLK was truly an inspiring man! Gone too soon! Happy you loved these MLK quotes!
Emman Damian says
Great compilation of MLK quotes! He was a very significant figure in religion and history. I read so much about him.
It's All You Boo says
A great man with great legacy left behind! Thanks for reading, Emman!