Martin Luther King, Jr., the Writer

Martin Luther King, Jr. is rightly celebrated for his skill as an orator and his ability to engage and motivate a crowd.

But don't overlook Dr. King's abilities as a writer. 

Beyond the speeches that he wrote, delivered, and is remembered for, consider this example of his power with the written word (even without his impassioned delivery):

Never before have I written so long a letter. I'm afraid it is much too long to take your precious time. I can assure you that it would have been much shorter if I had been writing from a comfortable desk, but what else can one do when he is alone in a narrow jail cell, other than write long letters, think long thoughts, and pray long prayers?

 

 If you want to take this exploration a step further, follow this link to what many feel is the best example of his prowess as a writer: "Letter from a Birmingham Jail"