“History will have to record that the greatest tragedy of this period of social transition was not the strident clamor of the bad people, but the appalling silence of the good people.”

“Not only will we have to repent for the sins of bad people; but we also will have to repent for the appalling silence of good people.”

“We will have to repent in this generation not merely for the hateful words and actions of the bad people but for the appalling silence of the good people.”

“The ultimate tragedy of Birmingham was not the brutality of the bad people, but the silence of the good people.”

“The ultimate tragedy is not the oppression and cruelty by the bad people but the silence over that by the good people.”

“One of the great liabilities of history is that all too many people fail to remain awake through great periods of social change. Every society has its protectors of status quo and its fraternities of the indifferent who are notorious for sleeping through revolutions. Today, our very survival depends on our ability to stay awake, to adjust to new ideas, to remain vigilant and to face the challenge of change.”

“A social movement that only moves people is merely a revolt. A movement that changes both people and institutions is a revolution.”