Martin Luther King Day: 10 memorable MLK quotes

Monday is Martin Luther King Jr. Day in the United States. The civil rights leader was also one of the most famed orators in American history. Here are a collection of 10 MLK quotes.

1. 'Hate cannot drive out hate'

Jacquelyn Martin/AP
The Martin Luther King, Jr. National Memorial site, which is currently under construction, is seen through mesh and scaffolding in Washington, on Thursday.

'Returning violence for violence multiplies violence, adding deeper darkness to a night already devoid of stars.... Hate cannot drive out hate: only love can do that.' –Where Do We Go from Here: Chaos or Community

At the height of his career, the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King gave 450 speeches and traveled more than 325,000 miles per year. All told, his speeches and writings fill hundreds of pages, but it’s not all unique material. Throughout his career, Dr. King often reused lines in his speeches, including this one, which popped up in several places throughout the mid to late 1960s.

1 of 10
You've read 3 of 3 free articles. Subscribe to continue.
CSM logo

Why is Christian Science in our name?

Our name is about honesty. The Monitor is owned by The Christian Science Church, and we’ve always been transparent about that.

The Church publishes the Monitor because it sees good journalism as vital to progress in the world. Since 1908, we’ve aimed “to injure no man, but to bless all mankind,” as our founder, Mary Baker Eddy, put it.

Here, you’ll find award-winning journalism not driven by commercial influences – a news organization that takes seriously its mission to uplift the world by seeking solutions and finding reasons for credible hope.

Explore values journalism About us