Ninety-two years after Martin Luther King Jr. was born, most Americans are familiar with many of his words. They inspire us toward living according to high ideals:

• Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere.
• Darkness cannot drive out darkness; only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate; only love can do that.
• The time is always right to do what is right.

These words and many of his others are so powerful and ring so true that they most certainly stand on their own merit. And yet, like anything pulled out to stand on its own, what might we be missing by not reading them within the context of their larger works? How many of Martin Luther King’s speeches have you listened to in their entirety? How many of his letters have you read from start to finish? Do you wonder what you might be missing? In honor of what would be Reverend King’s 92nd birthday, we hope you’ll join us to discuss five of his most famous speeches, and the letter he penned while incarcerated in a Birmingham jail.

Upon registration, you will receive a link to the texts of all the materials, and videos for the five speeches, which range from just under two minutes to almost an hour in length. We hope you’ll find time to listen and read prior to our gathering to discuss, but you’re welcome to join us regardless. We’ll talk about our perception of the famous quotes outside of the context of the larger works, and then within the contexts. We’ll talk about the way his words were perceived in the 1960s compared to today, the impact of his delivery, and the legacy he has left behind.