King is one of my heroes. The greatest of all black civil rights leader's life was taken by a gunman in Memphis, Tennessee, on Thursday 4 April 1968. King was a consumate orator, and to me is an iconic figure. If you have not read of his struggle, his piety, and his amazing speeches I urge you to do so. Everyone knows the I have a dream speech but feast your eyes on some of this wisdom:
Michael Gove and I share a quote from King on our office walls in the House of Commons:
"The ultimate measure of a man is not where he stands in moments of comfort and convenience, but where he stands at times of challenge and controversy."
On the subject of change he wrote:
"Change does not roll in on the wheels of inevitability, but comes through continuous struggle. And so we must straighten our backs and work for our freedom. A man can't ride you unless your back is bent."
And I love his approach to faith. For someone like me who had all faith bred out of him at school this surely is the passport back to a sense of faith:
"Take the first step in faith. You don't have to see the whole staircase, just take the first step."
King died aged only 39. He accomplished more than a hundred lesser motals did in all their lifetimes. His legacy is enduring, but the tragedy is to realise that had he lived he would now only be 84 - a wise old preacher and firebrand who changed the world and who could give us groundlings some sage advice in this difficult world.
