Celebrating Martin Luther King Jr Day

The third Monday of January is celebrated in the United States and Canada as Martin Luther King Jr. Day, and January is National Mentoring Month. I wanted to find a way to tie both events together, but my mind wasn’t cooperating and the experience was very frustrating for me because I couldn’t come up with a blog post that was innovative or witty. Before throwing in the towel and abandon writing a blog post for the day, I decided to keep it simple and write two separate blog posts like I usually do. I am a little bit disappointed that I couldn’t pull it together, but life goes on.

In the past, I have written about Martin Luther King Jr, so I thought that I would first curate my content, and then curate other people’s content, so you can get a sense of who this legendary man was.

Martin Luther King Jr, a Life Cut Short, but a Life Well Lived

Mini Biography of Martin Luther King Jr, Human Rights Activist

I Have a Dream – Thinking Without Borders

6 Leadership Lessons from Martin Luther King, Jr.:  Although Paul Schoemaker, Research Director, Wharton’s Mack Institute wrote this article a few years ago in honor of Black History Month, the lessons are still relevant today. Ability to adapt and form strong alliances are two of the six lessons.

5 Leadership Lessons from Martin Luther King Jr.: I love this article by Katie Morell, freelance writer, that I found on American Express’ Open Forum, because of the lessons in the article – embrace fear, encourage ‘creative tension,’ know the why and much more. Feel the fear is important to me because there are times when we know that what we have to do is so audacious that it scares us, yet we have to work through the fear, and move beyond it.

Eight Leadership Lessons from Martin Luther King, Jr.: This is yet another article about leadership lessons from Martin Luther King Jr, but it is different from the other two. By reading the three articles, as well as my two blog posts, you will get a sense of who this legend was.

Martin Luther King Jr Inspiring Quotes

“Faith is taking the first step even when you don’t see the whole staircase.” I love this Martin Luther King Jr quote because it tells me that things do not have to be perfect for me to take action.

“I have a dream that my four little children will one day live in a nation where they will not be judged by the color of their skin, but by the content of their character.” I love this quote because all of us have to develop cultural sensitivity, so that we can respect and live with others who are different from us.

“In a real sense all life is inter-related. All men are caught in an inescapable network of mutuality, tied in a single garment of destiny. Whatever affects one directly, affects all indirectly. I can never be what I ought to be until you are what you ought to be, and you can never be what you ought to be until I am what I ought to be…This is the inter-related structure of reality.” There is a lot of violence in the world today, and it is not a “their” problem, but an “our” problem, and that’s one of the reasons why I am hosting the Read the World Challenge.

“Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere.” I love this quote because of the reasons I gave above.

“Nothing in all the world is more dangerous than sincere ignorance and conscientious stupidity.” Isn’t that the truth?

“Our lives begin to end the day we become silent about things that matter.” Although it’s important to choose our battles, we must stand for something.

“Whatever your life’s work is, do it well. A man should do his job so well that the living, the dead, and the unborn could do it no better.” Whatever your vocation, to remain relevant, you have to continually boost your career skills.

“Philanthropy is commendable, but it must not cause the philanthropist to overlook the circumstances of economic injustice which make philanthropy necessary.” This is a great message.

“Means we use must be as pure as the ends we seek.” This to me means to do the right thing, and you have to determine what the right thing is for you.

“The hope of a secure and livable world lies with disciplined nonconformists who are dedicated to justice, peace and brotherhood.”

“Since being in India, I am more convinced than ever before that the method of nonviolent resistance is the most potent weapon available to oppressed people in their struggle for justice and human dignity.” Martin Luther King Jr looked up to Gandhi and learned non-violent resistance from him.

“Oppressed people cannot remain oppressed forever. The yearning for freedom eventually manifests itself.” I like this quote because of many of the reasons given above.

“Have we not come to such an impasse in the modern world that we must love our enemies – or else? The chain reaction of evil – hate begetting hate, wars producing more wars – must be broken, or else we shall be plunged into the dark abyss of annihilation.” Need I say more!

The Martin Luther King Jr quotes and the articles about him will give you insights into who he was.