--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I loved Martin Luther King more than a…" description: "\"I loved Martin Luther King more than a brother.\" — Ralph Abernathy" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fe7/ralph-abernathy-27416_brother_i-loved-martin-luther-king-more-than-a-b_567471.png" --- # I loved Martin Luther King more than a brother. ![“I loved Martin Luther King more than a brother.” quote by Ralph Abernathy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fe7/ralph-abernathy-27416_brother_i-loved-martin-luther-king-more-than-a-b_567471.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fe7/ralph-abernathy-27416_brother_i-loved-martin-luther-king-more-than-a-b_567471.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fe7/ralph-abernathy-27416_brother_i-loved-martin-luther-king-more-than-a-b_567471.png) > “I loved Martin Luther King more than a brother.” [Ralph Abernathy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ralph-abernathy/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Deep admiration for a leader can feel like familial love, strengthening commitment to a cause. **In simple terms:** Respect can feel like family. Key Takeaway Cultivate deep respect for mentors. Themes leadership admiration solidarity Mood respectful determined Type historical emotional When to use this quote - activism - community building - historical movements Key Concepts civil rights personal devotion Questions to Reflect On - How does this admiration influence your actions? - What boundaries are healthy in admiration? A Different Perspective Intense admiration may overlook flaws in leadership. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Brother](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/brother/) [Brotherhood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/brotherhood/) [Kings](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/kings/) ## Related quotes > [Anybody who takes Martin Luther King seriously has got to go beyond the standard understanding of who he was, has to connect those dots.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cornel-west/anybody-who-takes-martin-luther-king-seriously-has-got-to-go-beyond/) [Cornel West](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cornel-west/) > [I always knew that I was called to do something. I didn't know what, but I finally rationalized after I met Martin \[Luther King,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/coretta-scott-king/i-always-knew-that-i-was-called-to-do-something-i-didn-t-know-what/) [Coretta Scott King](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/coretta-scott-king/) > [One of the things I love most about Martin Luther King is that he was willing to sacrifice his popularity in favor of his…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cornel-west/one-of-the-things-i-love-most-about-martin-luther-king-is-that-he-was/) [Cornel West](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cornel-west/) > [That was exciting to be able to comment on civil rights. I mean, the civil rights movement that young people don't know about today,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jules-feiffer/that-was-exciting-to-be-able-to-comment-on-civil-rights-i-mean-the/) [Jules Feiffer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jules-feiffer/) > [I'm not Martin Luther King. I can't be Martin Luther King. The only thing I can do is present what I feel the essence…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-mackie/i-m-not-martin-luther-king-i-can-t-be-martin-luther-king-the-only/) [Anthony Mackie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-mackie/) > [I think that for many of us, the years of the Civil Rights movements - Martin Luther King, Bobby Kennedy running for president in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-f-kerry/i-think-that-for-many-of-us-the-years-of-the-civil-rights-movements/) [John F. Kerry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-f-kerry/) > [When white supremacy becomes institutional, it begins to harm the very people who are not simply outside of it because of their race, it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-eric-dyson/when-white-supremacy-becomes-institutional-it-begins-to-harm-the-very/) [Michael Eric Dyson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-eric-dyson/) > [Some people criticize the faithful for getting involved in politics, but it's important to remember that down through the centuries, people motivated by their…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frank-wolf/some-people-criticize-the-faithful-for-getting-involved-in-politics/) [Frank Wolf](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frank-wolf/) > [ People have to allow themselves to be used by God and Martin \[Luther King, Jr.\] committed himself totally to God's will and purpose and… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/coretta-scott-king/people-have-to-allow-themselves-to-be-used-by-god-and-martin-luther/) [Coretta Scott King](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/coretta-scott-king/) > [ Nonviolence with Dr. \[Martin Luther \]King is only a method. That's not his objective. ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/malcolm-x/nonviolence-with-dr-martin-luther-king-is-only-a-method-that-s-not/) [Malcolm X](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/malcolm-x/) > [Martin Luther King Jr., recognized bias when he saw it, knew what he was talking about.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-schwartz/martin-luther-king-jr-recognized-bias-when-he-saw-it-knew-what-he-was/) [Jack Schwartz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-schwartz/) > [I need to hear something about how he's going to bring people together in the spirit, hopefully, of Martin Luther King Jr., and if…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/al-sharpton/i-need-to-hear-something-about-how-he-s-going-to-bring-people/) [Al Sharpton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/al-sharpton/) > [I think Martin Luther King would always keep track of collective insurgencies among poor and working people. He was concerned about the treatment of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cornel-west/i-think-martin-luther-king-would-always-keep-track-of-collective/) [Cornel West](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cornel-west/) > [Martin Luther King was not a Marxist or a communist, but his radical love leads him to put poor and working people at the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cornel-west/martin-luther-king-was-not-a-marxist-or-a-communist-but-his-radical/) [Cornel West](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cornel-west/) > [We live in a world where people are fearful of extremism, but Martin Luther King would say he was always trying to keep the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cornel-west/we-live-in-a-world-where-people-are-fearful-of-extremism-but-martin/) [Cornel West](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cornel-west/) ## More by Ralph Abernathy > [I'm sick and tired of black and white people of good intent giving aspirin to a society that is dying of a cancerous disease.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ralph-abernathy/i-m-sick-and-tired-of-black-and-white-people-of-good-intent-giving/) [Ralph Abernathy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ralph-abernathy/) > [Christians should be ready for a change because Jesus was the greatest changer in history.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ralph-abernathy/christians-should-be-ready-for-a-change-because-jesus-was-the/) [Ralph Abernathy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ralph-abernathy/) > [I will always be open to receive my friends. I will not force myself on them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ralph-abernathy/i-will-always-be-open-to-receive-my-friends-i-will-not-force-myself/) [Ralph Abernathy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ralph-abernathy/) > [History will treat me right.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ralph-abernathy/history-will-treat-me-right/) [Ralph Abernathy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ralph-abernathy/) > [I went to jail 44 times. I've been beaten and left for dead on the side of the road fighting for freedom. . .…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ralph-abernathy/i-went-to-jail-44-times-i-ve-been-beaten-and-left-for-dead-on-the/) [Ralph Abernathy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ralph-abernathy/) > [I don't know what the future may hold, but I know who holds the future.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ralph-abernathy/i-don-t-know-what-the-future-may-hold-but-i-know-who-holds-the-future/) [Ralph Abernathy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ralph-abernathy/) > [I have suffered as much as Martin Luther King. Only I didn't get the bullet. And I would have taken the bullet if I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ralph-abernathy/i-have-suffered-as-much-as-martin-luther-king-only-i-didn-t-get-the/) [Ralph Abernathy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ralph-abernathy/) > [It's not the name they call you, it's the name you answer to.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ralph-abernathy/it-s-not-the-name-they-call-you-it-s-the-name-you-answer-to/) [Ralph Abernathy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ralph-abernathy/) > [He told us he was going to take crime out of the streets. He did. He took it into the damn White House.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ralph-abernathy/he-told-us-he-was-going-to-take-crime-out-of-the-streets-he-did-he/) [Ralph Abernathy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ralph-abernathy/) > [If you see a good fight, get in it and fight to win it!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ralph-abernathy/if-you-see-a-good-fight-get-in-it-and-fight-to-win-it/) [Ralph Abernathy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ralph-abernathy/) > [I am not going to say I have been a saint. I have not been a perfect man. None is perfect but the Father,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ralph-abernathy/i-am-not-going-to-say-i-have-been-a-saint-i-have-not-been-a-perfect/) [Ralph Abernathy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ralph-abernathy/) > [Everything I learned about the Great Depression was from a college textbook.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ralph-abernathy/everything-i-learned-about-the-great-depression-was-from-a-college/) [Ralph Abernathy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ralph-abernathy/) > [Not only are a voteless people a hopeless people. A non-producing people are hopeless also.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ralph-abernathy/not-only-are-a-voteless-people-a-hopeless-people-a-non-producing/) [Ralph Abernathy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ralph-abernathy/) > [Violence is the weapon of the weak.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ralph-abernathy/violence-is-the-weapon-of-the-weak/) [Ralph Abernathy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ralph-abernathy/) > [The industrial landscape is already littered with remains of once successful companies that could not adapt their strategic vision to altered conditions of competition.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ralph-abernathy/the-industrial-landscape-is-already-littered-with-remains-of-once/) [Ralph Abernathy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ralph-abernathy/) [Explore all 20 Ralph Abernathy quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ralph-abernathy/) ## More Brother quotes > [I was 3-years-old - to this day it is a vivid memory. My family and I were on a boat, catching fish. As one…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joaquin-phoenix/i-was-3-years-old-to-this-day-it-is-a-vivid-memory-my-family-and-i/) [Joaquin Phoenix](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joaquin-phoenix/) > [Whatever meaning 'Annie's Song' had for me on a personal level, there was also a larger context. It could just as easily have been…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-denver/whatever-meaning-annie-s-song-had-for-me-on-a-personal-level-there/) [John Denver](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-denver/) > [Luckily, the bullet that hit my chest never got to me. It was stopped by a silver case I got for my brother's wedding.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-doohan/luckily-the-bullet-that-hit-my-chest-never-got-to-me-it-was-stopped/) [James Doohan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-doohan/) > [“Yeah. You treat him like a son or a soldier, instead of like a brother. He wants you to like him and admire him…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/faith-hunter/yeah-you-treat-him-like-a-son-or-a-soldier-instead-of-like-a-brother/) [Faith Hunter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/faith-hunter/) > [“Your relationship with your brother will be, in many ways, the most complex and bewildering of all the interpersonal connections you will form. An…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ron-currie-jr/your-relationship-with-your-brother-will-be-in-many-ways-the-most/) [Ron Currie Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ron-currie-jr/) > [If I had my brothers I think with just a little bit of the correct marketing, I'd like to be almost exclusively in small…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-bozzio/if-i-had-my-brothers-i-think-with-just-a-little-bit-of-the-correct/) [Terry Bozzio](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-bozzio/) > [There's no publicist, no advertisements, and no one's pushing us. If people are buying our records, it's because big brothers and sisters or friends…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/spencer-moody/there-s-no-publicist-no-advertisements-and-no-one-s-pushing-us-if/) Spencer Moody > [The only way to make sure that the Hand didn't get to you would have been to kill your brother. I could've done it,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ilona-andrews/the-only-way-to-make-sure-that-the-hand-didn-t-get-to-you-would-have/) [Ilona Andrews](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ilona-andrews/) > [“Your favorite son and brother, Shade. Like”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/victoria-aveyard/your-favorite-son-and-brother-shade-like/) [Victoria Aveyard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/victoria-aveyard/) > [Sister + brother = a lovely family](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/sister-brother-a-lovely-family/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [There ain't no such thing as black Muslims. That's how they tried to cut off all my brothers in the rest of the world…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/muhammad-ali/there-ain-t-no-such-thing-as-black-muslims-that-s-how-they-tried-to/) [Muhammad Ali](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/muhammad-ali/) > [Brothers and Sisters, I bid you beware Of giving your heart to a dog to tear.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rudyard-kipling/brothers-and-sisters-i-bid-you-beware-of-giving-your-heart-to-a-dog/) [Rudyard Kipling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rudyard-kipling/) > [Like a child exploring the attic of an old house on a rainy day, discovering a trunk full of treasure and then calling all…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eugene-h-peterson/like-a-child-exploring-the-attic-of-an-old-house-on-a-rainy-day/) [Eugene H. Peterson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eugene-h-peterson/) > [Stephanie could see the greed seep into the watery eyes of her father’s other brother, a horrible little man called Fergus, as he nodded…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/derek-landy/stephanie-could-see-the-greed-seep-into-the-watery-eyes-of-her-father/) [Derek Landy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/derek-landy/) > [I worked in a barbershop. I used to make the waves in the brother's hair, you know? Like, Nat King Cole, Sugar Ray Robinson.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-clinton/i-worked-in-a-barbershop-i-used-to-make-the-waves-in-the-brother-s/) [George Clinton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-clinton/) [Browse all 7,453 Brother quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/brother/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "I loved Martin Luther King more than a brother.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Ralph Abernathy" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ralph-abernathy/i-loved-martin-luther-king-more-than-a-brother/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Brother" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ralph-abernathy/i-loved-martin-luther-king-more-than-a-brother/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fe7/ralph-abernathy-27416_brother_i-loved-martin-luther-king-more-than-a-b_567471.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fe7/ralph-abernathy-27416_brother_i-loved-martin-luther-king-more-than-a-b_567471.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fe7/ralph-abernathy-27416_brother_i-loved-martin-luther-king-more-than-a-b_567471.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“I loved Martin Luther King more than a brother.” — Ralph Abernathy", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Ralph Abernathy", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ralph-abernathy/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "I loved Martin Luther King more...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ralph-abernathy/i-loved-martin-luther-king-more-than-a-brother/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ralph-abernathy/i-loved-martin-luther-king-more-than-a-brother/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```