I think that we've got to come to see this. The Negro is an American.

We are out to defeat injustice and not white persons who may be unjust.

You have very little morally persuasive power with people who can feel your underlying contempt.

[People] don't see that there's a great deal of a difference between nonresistance to evil and nonviolent resistance.

If I lived in China or even Russia, or any totalitarian country, Maybe I could understand some of these illegal injunctions. ... But somewhere I read of the freedom of assembly. Somewhere I read of the freedom of speech. Somewhere I read of the freedom of the press. Somewhere I read that the greatness of America is the right to protest for right.

Life's piano can only produce melodies of brotherhood (and sisterhood) when it is recognized that the black keys are as basic, necessary and beautiful as the white keys.

This is no time to engage in the luxury of cooling off or to take the tranquilizing drug of gradualism.