Remembering & Celebrating Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.
We remember Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. as the REVOLUTIONARY he was. We wanted to post the quotes that you don't see, the quotes that people skip over, the quotes that aren't just about love, but also justice, recognizing white privilege, civil disobedience, anti-capitalism, and Black liberation. He didn't sugarcoat anything and neither do we. May we continue to fight for what he (and many others) longed to see.
We read several letters, sermons, and speeches written and delivered by Dr. Martin Luther King Jr and took the quotes in each that hit us the hardest. We challenge you to really reflect on the words of a man who changed the world.
Here are the titles and where we found them:
Letter from Birmingham Jail: https://www.africa.upenn.edu/Articles_Gen/Letter_Birmingham.html
A Time To Break Silence: https://www.americanrhetoric.com/speeches/mlkatimetobreaksilence.htm
The Death of Evil Upon the Seashore: http://okra.stanford.edu/transcription/document_images/Vol03Scans/256_17-May-1956_The%20Death%20of%20Evil%20upon%20the%20Seashore.pdf
I've Been to the Mountaintop: https://kinginstitute.stanford.edu/king-papers/documents/ive-been-mountaintop-address-delivered-bishop-charles-mason-temple
I Have a Dream Speech: https://www.npr.org/2010/01/18/122701268/i-have-a-dream-speech-in-its-entirety
The Other America: https://www.crmvet.org/docs/otheram.htm
Our God is Marching On: https://kinginstitute.stanford.edu/our-god-marching
The Three Evils of Society (You'll have to sign up for a free trial to read and download): https://www.scribd.com/doc/134362247/Martin-Luther-King-Jr-The-Three-Evils-of-Society-1967
Otherwise, you can watch it here: https://youtu.be/6sT9Hjh0cHM
A Knock at Midnight: https://kinginstitute.stanford.edu/king-papers/documents/knock-midnight
The Drum Major Instinct: https://www.africanamericanreports.com/2018/01/transcript-martin-luther-king-jr-drum.html
The Rising Tide of Racial Consciousness: https://kinginstitute.stanford.edu/king-papers/documents/rising-tide-racial-consciousness-address-golden-anniversary-conference
The Role of the Church in Facing the Nation’s Chief Moral Dilemma: https://kinginstitute.stanford.edu/king-papers/documents/role-church-facing-nation-s-chief-moral-dilemma-address-delivered-25-april
Give Us the Ballot: https://kinginstitute.stanford.edu/king-papers/documents/give-us-ballot-address-delivered-prayer-pilgrimage-freedom
The Negro and the American Dream: https://kinginstitute.stanford.edu/king-papers/documents/negro-and-american-dream-excerpt-address-annual-freedom-mass-meeting-north
Where Do We Go From Here: https://kinginstitute.stanford.edu/where-do-we-go-here
Social Media Toolkit
Want to share a quote that most likely, but almost definitely won't be shared on social media on Dr. King's birthday? Download quotes by tapping on the Dr. King Quotes You Won't See Today photo.
Featured Speeches:
Letter From Birmingham Jail // I've Been To The Mountaintop // The Death of Evil Upon The Seashore // I Have A Dream // Beyond Vietnam: A Time To Break Silence // The Other America // A Knock At Midnight // Our God Is Marching On // The Three Evils Of Society // The Drum Major Instinct // The Rising Tide of Racial Consciousness // The Role of The Church In Facing The Nation's Chief Moral Dilemma // Give Us The Ballot // The Negro And The American Dream
Messages From A King
We partnered with Irondequoit High School students to read excerpts from several different sermons by Dr. King. Watch the trailer and videos from the series below. You can also view the series on our YouTube Channel.
The Other America
An excerpt from Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.'s speech, The Other America given on April 14, 1967 at Stanford University
Directed and Edited by Jackie McGriff
Produced by Jackie McGriff and Courtney Shouse
Actor: Ryleigh Day
Camera Operators: Jackie McGriff and Courtney Shouse
Production Supervisor: Teisha Maldonado
Shot on location at Irondequoit High School in Rochester, NY
Give Us The Ballot
An excerpt from Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.'s speech, Give Us The Ballot, delivered at the Prayer Pilgrimage for Freedom on May 17, 1957 at Lincoln Memorial
Directed and Edited by Jackie McGriff
Produced by Jackie McGriff and Courtney Shouse
Actor: Zoe Briggs
Camera Operators: Jackie McGriff and Courtney Shouse Production Supervisor: Teisha Maldonado
Shot on location at Irondequoit High School in Rochester, NY
Letter From Birmingham Jail
An excerpt from Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.'s, Letter From Birmingham Jail written on April 16, 1963
Directed and Edited by Jackie McGriff
Produced by Jackie McGriff and Courtney Shouse
Actor: Catherine Robinson
Camera Operators: Jackie McGriff, Courtney Shouse, and Ethan Totter
Production Supervisor: Teisha Maldonado
Shot on location at Irondequoit High School in Rochester, NY
Where Do We Go From Here
An excerpt from Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.'s speech, Where Do We Go From Here, delivered at the Student Christian Leadership Congress (SCLC) in Atlanta, GA on August 16, 1967
Directed and Edited by Jackie McGriff
Produced by Jackie McGriff and Courtney Shouse
Actor: Ethan Totter
Camera Operators: Jackie McGriff and Courtney Shouse
Production Supervisor: Teisha Maldonado
Shot on location at Irondequoit High School in Rochester, NY
A Knock At Midnight
An excerpt from Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.'s sermon, A Knock At Midnight, delivered in Chicago, IL on September 14, 1958
Directed and Edited by Jackie McGriff
Produced by Jackie McGriff and Courtney Shouse
Actor: Abiola Kounassou
Camera Operators: Jackie McGriff and Courtney Shouse,
Production Supervisor: Teisha Maldonado
Shot on location at Irondequoit High School in Rochester, NY
The Three Evils Of Society
An excerpt from Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.'s speech, The Three Evils of Society, delivered at the National Conference on New Politics on August, 31, 1967
Directed and Edited by Jackie McGriff
Produced by Jackie McGriff and Courtney Shouse
Actor: Tejon Tejada
Camera Operators: Jackie McGriff and Courtney Shouse
Production Supervisor: Teisha Maldonado
Shot on location at Irondequoit High School in Rochester, NY
Beyond Vietnam: A Time To Break Silence
An excerpt from Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.'s speech, Beyond Vietnam: A Time to Break Silence, delivered at Riverside Church on April 4, 1967
Directed and Edited by Jackie McGriff
Produced by Jackie McGriff and Courtney Shouse
Actor: Jonathan Williams
Camera Operators: Jackie McGriff and Courtney Shouse
Production Supervisor: Teisha Maldonado
Shot on location at Irondequoit High School in Rochester, NY