I have to say, that I think my favorite part is when he speaks of a promissory note that America has written to the negro people (the promise of liberty, freedom, and equality) but when they went to cash it, it came back insufficient funds. It is such a visceral image that resonates with pretty much everyone, and yet is very clever and poignant in it's critique of America's unequal treatment of minorities.
I also re-read his Letter from Birmingham Jail, which is (in my opinion) the perfect combination of rhetoric and logic. It is amazing that he was able to craft such an impressive piece of writing on scraps of paper in a jail cell. It can be found here: http://abacus.bates.edu/admin/offices/dos/mlk/letter.html
In writing to ministers, he was careful to use biblical examples to both refute arguments against him leveled by the ministers, and also to show them that he, too, has a strong religious education. My favorite quote has to be: "Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere."
Other pieces I particularly liked were:
"Just as Socrates felt that it was necessary to create a tension in the mind so that individuals could rise from the bondage of myths and half-truths to the unfettered realm of creative analysis and objective appraisal, we must we see the need for nonviolent gadflies to create the kind of tension in society that will help men rise from the dark depths of prejudice and racism to the majestic heights of understanding and brotherhood."
"Shallow understanding from people of good will is more frustrating than absolute misunderstanding from people of ill will."
-a great statement against those whites who said that they agreed with MLK in principle, but not in action.
Lastly, I liked his reference to "days the church was not merely a thermometer that recorded the ideas and principles of popular opinion; it was a thermostat that transformed the mores of society. "
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