KaaGee Notes

A Knock at Midnight Details King penned this sermon outline for the Youth Sunday Services of the Woman's Convention Auxiliary, National Baptist Convention. A report of the proceedings described King as “the Mahatma Gandhi—in the present day American race crisis.” 1  Written on stationery of the Woman's Auxiliary, it is based on Jesus' illustration of a neighbors response to a persistent friend seeking bread at midnight. Drawing on D. T. Niles's homily “Evangelism, King notes that while many look to the church during their time of need, “hundreds & [ thousands ] of men and women in quest for the bread of social justice” leave disappointed. 2  King later prepared a full version of this sermon for publication in  Strength to Love. 3

" Drum Major Instinct " Event February 4, 1968 On 4 February 1968, Martin Luther King , Jr., preached “The Drum Major Instinct” from the pulpit of Ebenezer Baptist Church. Ironically, two months before his assassination on 4 April 1968, he told his congregation what he would like said at his funeral: “I’d like for somebody to say that day that Martin Luther King, Jr., tried to love somebody” (King, “The Drum Major,” 185). Excerpts were played at King’s nationally televised funeral service, held at Ebenezer on 9 April 1968.  King’s sermon was an adaptation of the 1952 homily “Drum-Major Instincts” by J. Wallace Hamilton, a well-known, liberal, white Methodist preacher. Both men tell the biblical story of James and John, who ask Jesus for the most prominent seats in heaven. At the core of their desire was a “drum major instinct—a desire to be out front, a desire to lead the parade” (King, “The Drum Major,” 170–171). King warns his congregation that this desire for importa...

"How Long, Not Long" Background: "How Long, Not Long" is the popular name given to the public speech delivered by Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., on the steps of the State Capitol in Montgomery, Alabama, after the successful completion of the Selma to Montgomery March on March 25, 1965. The speech is also sometimes referred to as "Our God Is Marching On!" Key Quotes: "How long? Not long, because 'no lie can live forever." "How long? Not long, because the arc of the moral universe is long, but it bends toward justice."  

April 7, 1957. Sermon at Dexter Avenue Baptist Church The Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. delivered his "Birth of a New Nation" sermon in Montgomery in 1957, a month after Ghana liberated itself from British colonial rule. King begins this speech with the Exodus story, "the story of the flight of the Hebrew people from the bondage of Egypt, through the wilderness, and finally, to the promised land." Quote: "Ghana has something to say to us. It says to us first that the oppressor never voluntarily gives freedom to the oppressed. You have to work for it. Freedom is never given to anybody. Privileged classes never give up their privileges without strong resistance. "

Loving Your Enemies Delivered at Dexter Avenue Baptist Church Montgomery, Alabama, 17 November 1957. Summary Dr. King preaches on Jesus' commandment to love our enemies and suggests that while this is a very difficult thing to, it is both possible and essential for one to live as a good Christian or a good human being. It is a shining example of the philosophy of  Nonviolence  and  Christian pacifism . How does he suggest learning to love your enemies? Dr King suggests that the first step is to look deeply at ourselves and to acknowledge that in each person we dislike there is still some good qualities that we can admire and love them in spite of it ("within the worst of us, there is some good"). Famous Quote from Loving Your Enemies "Darkness cannot drive out darkness: only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate: only love can do that. " - Martin Luther King Commentary This quote went "viral" on the internet, after the kil...

Paul's Letter to American Christians Delivered at Dexter Avenue Baptist Church, Montgomery, Alabama, on 4 November 1956. Summary:  This imaginary letter from Apostle Paul speaks of the segregation within and without the church, not only in America but all over the world for there is still time to change and do God's will.

What Is Your Life's Blueprint What Is Your Life’s Blueprint? – Reflections on MLK Jr’s Speech In this speech, Mr. King asks his audience, and all of us the simple question,  “What Is Your Life’s Blueprint?” He asks us to reflect on our plan for our lives, and gives us some pointers to begin building our blueprint. And even though I’m closer to forty than to fourteen, I think these pointers are just as valid and valuable as they are to a young person setting out to build their adult life. Mr. King makes two simple but important points to begin with. He says: “Number one in your life’s blueprint, should be  a deep belief in your own dignity, your worth and your own somebodiness …” “Secondly, in your life’s blueprint you must have as the basic principle the determination to  achieve excellence in your various fields of endeavor. “