January Wisdom from Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.

We’re barreling towards the end of January, and it’s hard to believe that the first month of 2020 is nearly gone. Seems like a good time to stop and take in a little wisdom. And the week we celebrate the life of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr gives us the perfect opportunity to do so.

King was born in January of 1929 in Atlanta, Georgia. He grew up in a highly-segregated south to become both a minister and a leading civil rights activist. In 1964, he won the Nobel Peace Prize. King’s activism was influential in the Montgomery Bus Boycott and the passing of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and the Voting Rights Act in 1965. He is remembered for his powerful vision and the eloquent expression of this vision in works like “Letter from a Birmingham Jail,” and his famous “I Have a Dream” speech. A proponent of nonviolent demonstration and activism, Dr. King was assassinated on April 4, 1968 in Memphis, Tennessee.

Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. was a scholar, an activist, and a wise man who took learning very seriously. His wisdom which stands the test of time continues to inform people today. In honor of King’s life, we’re sharing a few of our favorite quotes with you.

“The time is always right to do what is right.”

 “Whatever your life’s work is, do it well.”

“The function of education is to teach one to think intensively and to think critically. Intelligence plus character–that is the goal of true education.”

“The quality, not the longevity, of one’s life is what is important.”

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

“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.”

“Only in the darkness can you see the stars.”

“Never succumb to the temptation of bitterness.”

“Everything that we see is a shadow cast by that which we do not see.”

Of course, these are only a few of the inspiring words Dr. King spoke and wrote in his too short life. We can all learn from the wisdom of those who came before us. Every day at AMT we strive to study, learn more, and commit ourselves to the values that informed the actions of some of our greatest leaders. It’s good for us, and it’s good for you.

If you’re interested in learning more about Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. check out these books:

Bearing the Cross by David J. Garrow

Killing the Dream: James Earl Ray and the Assassination of Martin Luther King, Jr. by Gerald Posner

The Autobiography of Martin Luther King, Jr. by Martin Luther King, Jr. and Clayborne Carson

Why We Can’t Wait by Martin Luther King, Jr.

My Life, My Love, My Legacy by Coretta Scott King