“The ultimate weakness of violence is that it is a descending spiral, begetting the very thing it seeks to destroy. Instead of diminishing evil, it multiplies it. Through violence you may murder the liar, but you cannot murder the lie, nor establish the truth. Through violence you murder the hater, but you do not murder hate. In fact, violence merely increases hate...Returning violence for violence multiplies violence, adding deeper darkness to a night already devoid of stars. Darkness cannot drive out darkness; only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate; only love can do that.”

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About Martin Luther King Jr.

American civil rights activist and Baptist minister

Martin Luther King Jr. was an American civil rights activist and Baptist minister, active in the United States from 1955 until his assassination in 1968. He became a central figure in the civil rights movement and is known for his leadership in the struggle against segregation and discrimination. King advanced civil rights through nonviolent action and, at times, civil disobedience. His public voice was shaped by opposition to Jim Crow laws and other forms of legalized discrimination that most often targeted African Americans.

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Books by Martin Luther King Jr.

The autobiography of Martin Luther King, Jr.

1998

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A call to conscience

2001

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Why We Can't Wait

1964

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The words of Martin Luther King, Jr.

1919

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I have a dream

1920

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