The Words of Martin Luther King, Jr.

Martin Luther King, Jr., had hoped to be a Baptist preacher in a Southern city. Instead, by the time he was assassinated in 1968 at the age of 39, he had been awarded the Nobel Peace Prize and had led millions of people in a nonviolent movement that shattered forever the Southern system of segregation of the races. His eloquent, passionate advocacy of civil and human rights, rooted in the techniques of peaceful demonstration pioneered by Mahatma Gandhi, brought a new dimension of dignity to people's lives and a new hope for freedom and the community of man. Throughout his brief life, his words communicated his vision, his passion, and his faith, and they demonstrated his gift to inspire others to follow his lead. He asked to be remembered as a "drum major for justice," and he is. Created as a living memorial to the philosophies and ideas of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., this essential volume includes more than 120 quotations from the greatest civil rights leader's speeches, sermons, and writings, along with 16 historical photographs. Selected and introduced by Coretta Scott King, this book helps keep the dream alive by focusing on seven areas of his concern: the community of man, racism,civil rights, justice and freedom, faith and religion, nonviolence, and peace. The message these words convey is as inspiring and fundamental to life today as it ever was during his lifetime. As Dr. King said, "Human progress is neither automatic nor inevitable. . . .This is no time for apathy or complacency. This is a time for vigorous and positive action."