Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. in jail in Birmingham

Dr. King was not only a great civil rights leader but also a great philosopher. In this photo he shows us that while forces beyond our control may hinder us from acting we can still control our minds. Never stop thinking. Never stop reasoning. Your mind’s action cannot be halted as easily as your body’s.

King argued that people, not some abstract force, are what push through change in our society. The wheels of reform are slowed by those who see themselves merely as bystanders witnessing a historic event. So, I urge you to get up and act. If you cannot because you are physically imprisoned in jail or school or your job then at least free your mind.