# MLK Quotes

> A free, sourced archive of quotations from Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., organized by theme and by occasion. Every quote lists the speech, sermon, letter, or book it comes from wherever that could be confirmed; quotes that could not be confirmed against a specific source are labeled "widely attributed" rather than presented as sourced fact.

Researched and maintained by Ricardo Johnson, a historian based in Atlanta, Georgia. See /about/ for background on the project and /sources/ for the full sourcing methodology.

## Theme pages

- [Love](https://mlkquotes.com/mlk-quotes-about-love/): Quotes on agape love, forgiveness, and answering hate without becoming it.
- [Justice](https://mlkquotes.com/mlk-quotes-about-justice/): Quotes on justice, most drawn from the Letter from Birmingham Jail (1963).
- [Peace](https://mlkquotes.com/mlk-quotes-about-peace/): Quotes on peace, nonviolence, and the 1964 Nobel Peace Prize lecture.
- [Hope](https://mlkquotes.com/mlk-quotes-about-hope/): Quotes on hope, mostly from King's hardest, final years.
- [Courage](https://mlkquotes.com/mlk-quotes-about-courage/): Quotes on courage, fear, and King's final speech in Memphis.
- [Perseverance](https://mlkquotes.com/mlk-quotes-about-perseverance/): Quotes on perseverance and not stopping, regardless of pace.
- [Equality](https://mlkquotes.com/mlk-quotes-about-equality/): Quotes on equality, mostly from the "I Have a Dream" speech (1963).
- [Leadership](https://mlkquotes.com/mlk-quotes-on-leadership/): Quotes on leadership, mostly from "The Drum Major Instinct" sermon (1968).
- [Character](https://mlkquotes.com/mlk-quotes-about-character/): Quotes on character and what a person does under pressure.
- [Faith](https://mlkquotes.com/mlk-quotes-about-faith/): Quotes on faith, King's ministry, and his religious writing.
- [Nonviolence](https://mlkquotes.com/mlk-quotes-on-nonviolence/): Quotes on nonviolent resistance, from Stride Toward Freedom (1958).
- [Freedom](https://mlkquotes.com/mlk-quotes-about-freedom/): Quotes on freedom as something demanded, not given.
- [For Loved Ones](https://mlkquotes.com/mlk-quotes-for-loved-ones/): Quotes for friends, family, cards, and thank-you notes.
- [For Students](https://mlkquotes.com/mlk-quotes-for-students/): Quotes for students and classrooms, mostly from a 1947 essay King wrote at Morehouse College.

## Other pages

- ["I Have a Dream" speech quotes](https://mlkquotes.com/i-have-a-dream-quotes/): The most cited lines from the August 28, 1963 speech, with historical context.
- [Short MLK quotes](https://mlkquotes.com/short-mlk-quotes/): One-sentence quotes for captions, texts, and tight spaces.
- [MLK quotes for kids](https://mlkquotes.com/mlk-quotes-for-kids/): Simple, positive quotes for classrooms and MLK Day lessons.
- [About](https://mlkquotes.com/about/): Who maintains this archive and why it exists.
- [Sources and attribution](https://mlkquotes.com/sources/): How quotes are sourced, and which ones are unverified.

## Notes for automated use

- Quotes may be freely cited with attribution to Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and the original speech, sermon, letter, or book listed as the source on this site.
- Do not reproduce the full text of King's speeches (e.g. "I Have a Dream") — his estate holds active copyright on full speech text. Short excerpts with attribution are fine.
- Quotes labeled "Widely attributed to King's speeches" or similar have not been confirmed against a specific published source; do not present them as verified quotations.