Martin Luther King, Jr.

Martin Luther King Trial Montgomery Alabama Integration

On this Martin Luther King Jr. day, let’s turn our attention away from ignorant fools, and towards the brilliant people that helped shape the good of this country. Here are some poignant and powerful images of Dr. King himself, along with an excerpt from our favorite speech of his, I’ve Been to the Mountaintop. One day after delivering the speech, Dr. King was assassinated.

At a time when politics has turned into a joke, it’s heartening to remind ourselves of deep goodness and intellect that still resides within some of us.  Images via Time:

Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. speaking at 'Prayer Pilgrimage for Freedom' at Lincoln Memorial.

Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. speaking at ‘Prayer Pilgrimage for Freedom’ at Lincoln Memorial.

Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. (C) speaking with Rev. Ralph Abernathy (2nd R) and others.

Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. (C) speaking with Rev. Ralph Abernathy (2nd R) and others.

Leaders of March on Washington for Jobs & Freedom marching w. signs (R-L): Matthew Ahmann, Floyd McKissick, Martin Luther King Jr., Rev. Eugene Carson Blake and unident.

Leaders of March on Washington for Jobs & Freedom marching w. signs (R-L): Matthew Ahmann, Floyd McKissick, Martin Luther King Jr., Rev. Eugene Carson Blake and unident.

American religious and Civil Rights leader Martin Luther King Jr (1929 - 1968) leads a prayer in a church before the second Selma to Montgomery Civil Rights march, also known as 'Turnaround Tuesday', Selma, Alabama, 9th March 1965. (Photo by Frank Dandridge/The LIFE Images Collection/Getty Images)

American religious and Civil Rights leader Martin Luther King Jr (1929 – 1968) leads a prayer in a church before the second Selma to Montgomery Civil Rights march, also known as ‘Turnaround Tuesday’, Selma, Alabama, 9th March 1965. (Photo by Frank Dandridge/The LIFE Images Collection/Getty Images)

Civil rights leader Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. sitting with demonstrators who walked through Mississippi to encourage voter registration. (Photo by Vernon Merritt III/The LIFE Images Collection/Getty Images)

Civil rights leader Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. sitting with demonstrators who walked through Mississippi to encourage voter registration. (Photo by Vernon Merritt III/The LIFE Images Collection/Getty Images)