I regret to say that I never met Dr. King. But I participated in the March on Washington in 1963, when he gave his famous “I Have a Dream” speech. It was one of the greatest days in American history, a day that marked a major turning of the tide, a day led by civil rights groups in alliance with labor unions and religious groups, a day that marked the beginning of a new era in American society, when black Americans claimed full citizenship rights, silent no more. No one was more important on that day than Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., whose words rang out across the nation and the world
In honor of his birthday, I am linking to that speech ( here is a YouTube video of the March and speech) and also to his famous “Letter from a Birmingham City Jail.”
Dr. King was a brilliant man with a wide range of knowledge. He wrote and spoke with unparalleled moral power and left us with a lasting legacy.
Here is a quote provided by one of our readers, which is relevant to our lives today and tomorrow:
“Courage is an inner resolution to go forward despite obstacles;
Cowardice is submissive surrender to circumstances.
Courage breeds creativity; Cowardice represses fear and is mastered by it.
Cowardice asks the question, is it safe?
Expediency ask the question, is it politic?
Vanity asks the question, is it popular?
But conscience ask the question, is it right? And there comes a time when we must take a position that is neither safe, nor politic, nor popular, but one must take it because it is right.”
Diane Ravitch's blog 
I would like to add this quote I saw at my school’s assembly.
“Life’s most persistent and urgent question is, What are you doing for others.” Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.
Such a wonderful speech. Here are some little known facts about it:
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/northamerica/usa/8426862/I-Have-a-Dream-10-Martin-Luther-King-speech-facts.html
http://www.progress.org/banneker/kingsay.html
Martin Luther King, Jr.’s LAST WORD OF ADVICE
MLK, Jr. Quote: We are likely to find that the problems of housing and education, instead of preceding the elimination of poverty, will themselves be affected if poverty is first abolished.
“And there comes a time when we must take a position that is neither safe, nor politic, nor popular, but one must take it because it is right.”
YES.
What would Martin say?(by Yohuru Williams)
Full title “With Public Schools Under Attack, What Would Martin Say?”
BEAUTIFUL!!
May I add this. Some of you will be familiar with Dietrich Bonhoeffer. For those who may not, he was a German theologian studying in the U. S. when Hitler came to power. He had made quite a name for himself and his colleagues wanted him to stay here. He said no, he had to be with his people so he went back to Germany.
When a group of his fellow pastors got together to decide what to do, they knew that Hitler would take over the churches, should they go along and do their best in place to help their flock or speak out against Hitler. It was a very difficult decision under the circumstances. What WAS the best way to proceed. The story goes that as they were debating Bonhoeffer stood quietly and spoke these few words which when I read the words just jumped out at me, I copied them and they are on my mirror in the bedroom:
One man asks what is to come
The other what is right,
And that is the difference between the free man and the slave.
For those familiar with this you will know that Bonhoeffer did work against Hitler, was discovered when the assassination plot failed and was hanged for his troubles VERY shortly before the Allies came through where he was jailed.
Something that goes along VERY well with Dr. King’s remarks.
Love the quote. I was listening to Tavis Smiley on a show on King Day and he was talking about his research into King’s life and in a particular speech, King talked about three things critical in America-racism, poverty and militarism. In 2015, how relevant is that to now. We know poverty affects our student’s achievement probably more than anything. Racism is endemic in America and military-industrial complex, alive and too well. Until we start or continue to deal with these problems, America will not be well.Instead of us always telling other countries what is wrong with them, we need to work on ourselves and our problems. Our students don’t have to live in poverty, we don’t have to be the policemen of the world and color and class should not divide us like it does. On MLK day, here’s to all the visionaries who see what we won’t.