Sermons_and_speeches_of_Martin_Luther_King_Jr.

Sermons and speeches of Martin Luther King Jr.

Sermons and speeches of Martin Luther King Jr.

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The sermons and speeches of Martin Luther King Jr., comprise an extensive catalog of American writing and oratory – some of which are internationally well-known, while others remain unheralded and await rediscovery.

Martin Luther King Jr. at the podium on the steps of the Lincoln Memorial in August 1963

Martin Luther King Jr. was a prominent African-American clergyman, a leader in the civil rights movement and a Nobel Peace Prize laureate.[1]

King himself observed, "In the quiet recesses of my heart, I am fundamentally a clergyman, a Baptist preacher."[2]

Speechwriter and orator

The famous "I Have a Dream" address was delivered in August 1963 from the steps of the Lincoln Memorial in Washington, D.C. Less well-remembered are the early sermons of that young, 25-year-old pastor who first began preaching at the Dexter Avenue Baptist Church in Montgomery, Alabama, in 1954.[3] As a political leader in the Civil Rights Movement and as a modest preacher in a Baptist church, King evolved and matured across the span of a life cut short. The range of his rhetoric was anticipated and encompassed within "The Three Dimensions of a Complete Life," which he preached as his trial sermon at Dexter Avenue Baptist Church in 1954 and every year thereafter for the rest of his life.[4]

Sermons

  • 1953 – "The Three Dimensions of a Complete Life"[5]
  • 1954 – "Rediscovering Lost Values", Sunday February 28, Detroit, Michigan.[6]
  • 1955 - "The Impassable Gulf (The Parable of Dives and Lazarus)", Sunday October 2, Dexter Avenue Baptist Church, Montgomery, Alabama.[7]
  • 1956 - "The Death of Evil Upon the Seashore", Wednesday May 17, Cathedral of St. John the Divine, New York City[8]
  • 1956 - "Living Under the Tensions of Modern Life", Sunday September (exact date unknown), Dexter Avenue Baptist Church, Montgomery, Alabama.[9]
  • 1956 – "Paul's Letter to American Christians", Sunday November 4, Dexter Avenue Baptist Church, Montgomery, Alabama.[10]
  • 1957 – "The Birth of a New Nation", Sunday April 7, Dexter Avenue Baptist Church, Montgomery, Alabama.[11]
  • 1957 – "Garden of Gethsemane", Sunday April 14, Dexter Avenue Baptist Church, Montgomery, Alabama.[12]
  • 1957 – "Loving Your Enemies", Sunday November 17, Dexter Avenue Baptist Church, Montgomery, Alabama.[13]
  • 1960 – "Why Jesus Called A Man A Fool", Sunday May 15, Ebenezer Baptist Church, Atlanta[14]
    • Possibly the first time King delivered a variation of this sermon, see 27 August 1967 below
  • 1963 – "Eulogy for the Martyred Children" (victims of 16th Street Baptist Church bombing), Wednesday September 18, Birmingham, Alabama[15]
  • 1964 - "Religious Witness for Human Dignity," May 31, Los Angeles Coliseum, California[16]
  • 1964 - "Religious Witness for Human Dignity," June 3, Goodwin Stadium, Arizona State University, and Tanner Chapel AME Church, Phoenix, Arizona[17]
  • 1966 – "Guidelines for a Constructive Church", Sunday June 5, Ebenezer Baptist Church, Atlanta[18]
  • 1967 – "The Three Dimensions Of A Complete Life", Sunday April 9, New Covenant Baptist Church, Chicago.[19]
  • 1967 - "Three Evils of Society" Address Delivered to the First Annual National Conference for New Politics[20]
  • 1967 - "The Casualties of the War in Vietnam" Address delivered at the Nation Institute[21]
  • 1967 – "Why Jesus Called A Man A Fool", Sunday August 27, Mt. Pisgah Missionary Baptist Church, Chicago[22]
    • Possibly the last time King delivered a variation of this sermon, which started at least as early as May 15, 1960 (see above)[23]
  • 1967 – "A Knock at Midnight", Delivered on several occasions, including the Installation Service of Ralph Abernathy at Atlanta's West Hunter Baptist Church February 11, 1962.[24]
  • 1968 – "The Drum Major Instinct", Sunday February 4, Ebenezer Baptist Church, Atlanta.[25]
  • 1968 – "Remaining Awake Through a Great Revolution", Sunday March 31, National Cathedral, Washington, D.C.[26]
    • King's last Sunday sermon.
  • 1968 – "I've Been to the Mountaintop", Wednesday April 3, Mason Temple, Memphis, Tennessee.[27]
  • 1968 – "Why America May Go to Hell",[28] planned to be delivered on Sunday April 7, but never delivered due to his assassination.[29]

Speeches


More information Year, Date ...

Notes

  1. Lischer, p. 66.
  2. Lischer, p. 81.
  3. Full text available. King, Martin. "Rediscovering Lost Values - Martin Luther King Speeches". Retrieved 20 February 2018.
  4. Full text available. King, Martin (31 January 2017). "The Impassable Gulf (The Parable of Dives and Lazarus)". Retrieved 21 September 2019.
  5. King, Martin L. (May 17, 1956). ""The Death of Evil Upon the Seashore," Sermon Delivered at the Service of Prayer and Thanksgiving, Cathedral of St. John the Divine". The Papers of Martin Luther King Jr. The King Center. Archived from the original on 2014-12-18. Retrieved August 11, 2016.
  6. King, Martin Luther Jr. ""Living Under the Tensions of Modern Life," Sermon Delivered at Dexter Avenue Baptist Church" (September 1956). Martin Luther King Jr. Papers Project. Martin Luther King Jr. Research and Education Institute, Stanford University. Retrieved 16 November 2020.
  7. Full text available. King, Martin. "Paul's Letter to American Christians - Martin Luther King Speeches". www.mlkonline.net. Retrieved 20 February 2018.
  8. Full text available. King, Martin. "The Birth of a New Nation - Martin Luther King Speeches". www.mlkonline.net. Retrieved 20 February 2018.
  9. King, Martin Luther Jr. ""Garden of Gethsemane," Sermon Delivered at Dexter Avenue Baptist Church" (14 April 1957). Martin Luther King Jr. Papers Project. Martin Luther King Jr. Research and Education Institute, Stanford University. Retrieved 20 February 2018.
  10. Full text available. King, Martin. "Loving Your Enemies - Martin Luther King Speeches". www.mlkonline.net. Retrieved 20 February 2018.
  11. King, Martin Luther Jr. "Eulogy for the Martyred Children (Birmingham, Alabama)" (18 September 1963). Martin Luther King Jr. Papers Project. Martin Luther King Jr. Research and Education Institute, Stanford University. Retrieved 16 November 2020.
  12. "Martin Luther King, Jr. speech at L.A. Coliseum, 1964". pepperdine.contentdm.oclc.org. Retrieved 2024-04-09.
  13. Full text and audio available. King, Martin. ""Guidelines for a Constructive Church"**". kingencyclopedia.stanford.edu. Retrieved 20 February 2018.
  14. Full text availableKing, Martin. "DrMartinLutherKingJr.com - The Three Dimensions Of A Complete Life". www.drmartinlutherkingjr.com. Retrieved 20 February 2018.
  15. King, Martin L. (2013). "The Three Evils of Society". Youtube. Video Uploader. Retrieved August 11, 2016.
  16. King, Martin L. (February 26, 1967). "The Casualties of the War in Vietnam". The King Paper Project. The King Center. Archived from the original on August 1, 2016. Retrieved August 11, 2016.
  17. YouTube Video retrieved May 4, 2018
  18. Full text and audio available. King, Martin. ""Remaining Awake Through a Great Revolution"**". mlk-kpp01.stanford.edu. Archived from the original on 3 June 2011. Retrieved 20 February 2018.
  19. Full text and video available. King, Martin. "I've Been to the Mountaintop / I See the Promised Land - Martin Luther King Speeches". www.mlkonline.net. Retrieved 20 February 2018.
  20. "Martin After Elijah: 'America May Go To Hell'". noirg.org. 20 June 2015. Retrieved 2016-04-05.
  21. Vern E. Smith; Jon Meacham (1998). "Martin Luther King Jr.: The Legacy". Washington Post.
  22. "Who is Truly Great | The Martin Luther King Jr. Center for Nonviolent Social Change". www.thekingcenter.org. Archived from the original on 2017-12-17. Retrieved 2017-12-16.
  23. "Morehouse College Martin Luther King Jr. Collection Series 2: Writings By Martin Luther King Jr". findingaid.auctr.edu. Folder/ Box Referenced as (2.3.0.1120). Archived from the original on 2017-12-16. Retrieved 2017-12-16.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: others (link)
  24. nicholasflyer (2015-09-24), Martin Luther King Jr. 'Rediscovering Lost Values' February 28, 1954, retrieved 2017-11-25
  25. Cosentino, Lawrence (2019-01-17). "Why and When Martin Luther King Jr. came to Lansing". Lansing City Pulse.
  26. ""A Religion of Doing," Sermon at Dexter Avenue Baptist Church". The Martin Luther King Jr. Research and Education Institute. 2016-12-01. Retrieved 2021-01-17.
  27. "Remember Who You Are! | The Martin Luther King Jr. Center for Nonviolent Social Change". www.thekingcenter.org. Archived from the original on 2017-12-17. Retrieved 2017-12-16.
  28. "Morehouse College Martin Luther King Jr. Collection Series 2: Writings By Martin Luther King Jr". findingaid.auctr.edu. Reference Number Listed on Site (2.2.0.650). Archived from the original on 2017-12-16. Retrieved 2017-12-16.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: others (link)
  29. ""Facing the Challenge of a New Age," Address Delivered at NAACP Emancipation Day Rally". The Martin Luther King Jr. Research and Education Institute. 25 November 2015. Retrieved 2017-11-25.
  30. "An Inventory of the Major Papers and Recordings of Martin Luther King Jr. p. 3". swap.stanford.edu. Archived from the original on 2014-12-18. Retrieved 2017-12-02.
  31. King, Martin Luther (February 6, 1957). "Non-Violence and Racial Justice" (PDF). Mary Courts Burnett library, Texas Christian University. Retrieved December 2, 2017.
  32. miasria (2011-10-10), Martin Luther King Jr.- The Speech at Galilee, retrieved 2018-11-28
  33. John Leonard Harris (2014-01-17), John Leonard Harris - Dr King Speech May 23 1962, retrieved 2017-11-25
  34. "MLK in NYC". janos.nyc. 2015-01-21. Retrieved 2017-11-25.
  35. "Letter From a Birmingham Jail | The Martin Luther King Jr. Research and Education Institute". kinginstitute.stanford.edu. Archived from the original on 2018-01-27. Retrieved 2017-12-02.
  36. townsend, karmen (2008). "Unknown title". www.morehouse.edu. Retrieved 2017-12-16. We are unified in segregation just as, one hundred years ago we were unified in slavery; is this the unity we want? The unity of oppression? The unity of discrimination? The unity of poverty and ignorance and want? It is not – it can not – it will not be so![dead link]
  37. "Morehouse College Martin Luther King Jr. Collection Series 2: Writings By Martin Luther King Jr". findingaid.auctr.edu. File Folder/ Bog Number is Listed as (2.3.0.680). Archived from the original on 2017-12-16. Retrieved 2017-12-16.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: others (link)
  38. "Morehouse College Martin Luther King Jr. Collection Series 2: Writings By Martin Luther King Jr". findingaid.auctr.edu. Folder/ Box referenced as (2.3.0.650). Archived from the original on 2017-12-16. Retrieved 2017-12-16.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: others (link)
  39. "Facing the Challenge of a New Age, Address delivered at Michigan State University". King Resources. The Martin Luther King Jr. Research and Education Institute, Stanford University, Stanford, CA. Retrieved 26 August 2019.
  40. "Martin Luther King Jr. Visits MSU". University Archives & Historical Collections. 12 January 2015. Retrieved 12 August 2019.
  41. "An Inventory of the Major Papers and Recordings of Martin Luther King Jr. p. 8". swap.stanford.edu. Archived from the original on 2014-12-18. Retrieved 2017-12-02.
  42. Full text available. King, Martin. "How Long, Not Long - Our God Is Marching On - Martin Luther King Speeches". www.mlkonline.net. Retrieved 20 February 2018.
  43. "Remaining Awake Through a Great Revolution". Martin Luther King Jr. at Oberlin. Electronic Oberlin Group, Oberlin College. June 14, 1965. Retrieved May 26, 2018.
  44. "The Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. - Visit to Philadelphia (KYW-TV video, and archives' transcript)" (1965-08-03). Urban Archives Film and Video | Civil Rights in a Northern City | Desegregation of Girard College. Temple University Libraries, Urban Archives, Temple University. Retrieved 2020-09-22.
  45. "Irvington Abbott House Marks 50 Years at Gala". Rivertowns, NY Patch. 2013-11-02. Retrieved 2017-12-02.
  46. "King Proposes A Boycott Of The Racist World". Chicago Tribune. Chicago. 30 April 1961. p. 18. Retrieved 17 January 2022 via Newspapers.com.
  47. King, Martin Luther (December 1965). "Let My People Go". Africa Today. 12 (10): 9–11. JSTOR 4184679. Retrieved 17 January 2022 via jstor.org.
  48. "Who Are We? | The Martin Luther King Jr. Center for Nonviolent Social Change". www.thekingcenter.org. Archived from the original on 2017-12-04. Retrieved 2017-12-04.
  49. "North Breeds Watts Riots, Claims King". The State Journal. 10 March 1966. p. E-4.
  50. "Dr. King Talks in Lansing". The Chicago Defender. 12 March 1966. p. 1.
  51. "Making the Best of A Bad Mess | The Martin Luther King Jr. Center for Nonviolent Social Change". www.thekingcenter.org. Archived from the original on 2017-12-01. Retrieved 2017-11-27.
  52. In a follow-up letter, Martin Luther King Jr. remarked:
    Words are inadequate for me to say how honored I was to be the recipient of the Margaret Sanger Award. This award will remain among my most cherished possessions. While I cannot claim to be worthy of such a signal honor, I can assure you that I accept it with deep humility and sincere gratitude. Such a wonderful expression of support is of inestimable value for the continuance of my humble efforts... I am happy to be the recipient of the Margaret Sanger Award and I can assure you that this distinct honor will cause me to work even harder for a reign of justice and a rule of love all over our nation. "Family Planning – A Special and Urgent Concern"
  53. "Morehouse College Martin Luther King Jr. Collection Series 2: Writings By Martin Luther King Jr". findingaid.auctr.edu. Folder/ Box reference listed as (2.3.0.1030). Archived from the original on 2017-12-16. Retrieved 2017-12-16.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: others (link)
  54. "Inventory of the Hosea L. Williams Papers aarl04-004". aafa.galileo.usg.edu. Retrieved 2017-12-04.
  55. "Moreouse College Centennial Program". www.thekingcenter.org. Archived from the original on 2017-12-04. Retrieved 2017-12-04.
  56. Vphiamer Adis Ogaarwa (2015-01-23), Martin Luther King Jr. the Lost Speech - The Casualties of the Vietnam War, retrieved 2017-11-25
  57. "Revolution In The Classroom | The Martin Luther King Jr. Center for Nonviolent Social Change". www.thekingcenter.org. Archived from the original on 2017-12-01. Retrieved 2017-11-27.
  58. King, Dr. Martin Luther (1967-04-14). The Other America (Speech). Speech to Stanford University Faculty and Students. Stanford, California: Veterans of the Civil Rights Movement (crmvet.org). Retrieved 2020-09-17.
  59. Merv GriffinShow (2012-08-31), Martin Luther King Interview- Vietnam/Communism (Merv Griffin Show 1967), retrieved 2017-11-27
  60. "The Crisis in America's Cities | The Martin Luther King Jr. Center for Nonviolent Social Change". www.thekingcenter.org. Archived from the original on 2017-12-01. Retrieved 2017-11-27.
  61. E. Joesph Doalmsavid (2013-09-14), Martin Luther King The Three Evils of Society, retrieved 2017-11-27
  62. "Dr. King Receives Bid to Visit Russia". Detroit News. 4 November 1967. p. 7.
  63. "Inventory of the Hosea L. Williams Papers aarl04-004". aafa.galileo.usg.edu. Retrieved 2017-12-04.
  64. Martin Luther King Jr., Martin Luther King Jr. Massey Lecture 1, retrieved 2017-11-27
  65. Martin Luther King Jr., Martin Luther King Massey lecture 2, retrieved 2017-11-27
  66. Martin Luther King, Martin Luther King Jr. Massey Lectures 3, retrieved 2017-11-27
  67. Martin Luther King Jr., Martin Luther King Jr. Massey lecture 4, retrieved 2017-11-27
  68. "PRX » Series » Martin Luther King Jr. Massey Lectures". PRX - Public Radio Exchange. Retrieved 2017-11-27.
  69. King, Martin Luther; Du Bois, W. E. B (1968). Honoring Dr. Du Bois. publisher not identified, 1968?. OCLC 612191709.
  70. Morgan, Hugh (15 March 1968). "Hecklers Interrupt King: Grosse Pointe Audience Hears Civil Rights Leader". Jackson Citizen Patriot. p. 10.
  71. "The Other America". Grosse Pointe Historical Society. Retrieved March 21, 2010.
  72. "CJ Classics: Civil Rights | The Rabbinical Assembly". www.rabbinicalassembly.org. Retrieved 2017-11-27.

References


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This article uses material from the Wikipedia article Sermons_and_speeches_of_Martin_Luther_King_Jr., and is written by contributors. Text is available under a CC BY-SA 4.0 International License; additional terms may apply. Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.