What's the real quote by Martin Luther King?

Search: mlk quote

Why: I have seen this quote attributed to MLK between 7 and 45 times in the last day and a half:

"I mourn the loss of thousands of precious lives, but I will not rejoice in the death of one, not even an enemy. Returning hate for hate multiplies hate, adding deeper darkness to a night already devoid of stars. Darkness cannot drive out darkness: only light can do that. Hate can not drive out hate: only love can do that.
- Martin Luther King, Jr

but according to Haterade sipper Megan McArdle, it's not real.

Answer: Oh, look, it's almost exactly the same. He first said the following in a 1956 sermon called "Our God is Able," and it's published in the 1963 collection Strength to Love (p. 108):

"Returning hate for hate multiplies hate, adding deeper darkness to a night already devoid of stars. Darkness cannot drive out darkness: only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate: only love can do that. ... The chain reaction of evil—hate begetting hate, wars producing more wars—must be broken, or we shall be plunged into the dark abyss of annihilation."

All this hullabaloo started because one poor girl - whose name (Jessica Dovey) will now forever be tied to this embarrassing Internet disaster - inadvertently misquoted MLK on her Facebook status, and then Penn Jillette - professional factchecker - Tweeted it. Oh well.

Source: Good

The More You Know: In related news, Mark Twain didn't say this thing about obituaries:

"I've never wished a man dead, but I have read some obituaries with great pleasure."

You know who did? Clarence Darrow! Remember talking about him in 8th grade? I do. Here is the truth:

The quotation actually comes from Clarence Darrow, the lawyer of Scopes Trial fame. Here's a fuller version of the quote, which appears in Darrow's 1932 work The Story of My Life:

"All men have an emotion to kill; when they strongly dislike some one they involuntarily wish he was dead. I have never killed any one, but I have read some obituary notices with great satisfaction."

Meanwhile, Mark Twain did say / write this:

"I didn't attend the funeral, but I sent a nice letter saying that I approved of it."

Spread the word!