the drum major instinct: a sermon by Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.
Today we’re celebrating Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Day. Observed annually on the third Monday of January in the US, this day honors the life and legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., a leader of the American civil rights movement. Established as a federal holiday in 1983, it celebrates his commitment to justice, equality, and nonviolent activism. The day is marked by community service, educational events, and reflections on Dr. King’s vision of a society free from racial discrimination. It serves as a reminder of the ongoing work needed to achieve his dream of unity, dignity, and equality for all.
In honor of his heroic efforts and exceptional leadership, I’d like to share a few inspiring and impactful passages from a sermon that Dr. King gave on February 4, 1968, at the Ebenezer Baptist Church in Atlanta, Georgia. He delivered it exactly two months before his assassination on April 4.
This sermon, titled “The Drum Major Instinct,” reflects on the human desire for recognition and greatness. Dr. King warned against the dangers of selfish ambition and urged his listeners to channel this instinct toward serving others. He emphasized humility, love, and a life dedicated to justice and equality as the highest forms of greatness. In this powerful message, he envisioned a world where individuals seek to be "drum majors for justice, peace, and righteousness," leaving a legacy of selfless service. This sermon, one of his final public addresses, encapsulates his commitment to the moral and spiritual dimensions of leadership and humanity.
On the Nature of the Drum Major Instinct
“Now, the drum major instinct is a desire to be out front, a desire to lead the parade, a desire to be first. And it is something that runs the whole gamut of life. And so, before we condemn them, let us see that we all have the drum major instinct. We all want to be important, to surpass others, to achieve distinction, to lead the parade. … It’s a good instinct if you don’t distort it and pervert it. Don’t give it up. Keep feeling the need for being important. Keep feeling the need for being first. But I want you to be first in love. I want you to be first in moral excellence. I want you to be first in generosity. That is what I want you to do.”
On Service and Greatness
“If you want to be important—wonderful. If you want to be recognized—wonderful. If you want to be great—wonderful. But recognize that he who is greatest among you shall be your servant. That’s a new definition of greatness. And this morning, the thing that I like about it: by giving that definition of greatness, it means that everybody can be great, because everybody can serve. You don’t have to have a college degree to serve. You don’t have to make your subject and your verb agree to serve. You don’t have to know about Plato and Aristotle to serve. You don’t have to know Einstein’s theory of relativity to serve. You don’t have to know the second theory of thermodynamics in physics to serve. You only need a heart full of grace, a soul generated by love. And you can be that servant.”
On Living a Meaningful Life
“Every now and then I guess we all think realistically about that day when we will be victimized with what is life’s final common denominator—that something we call death. We all think about it. And every now and then I think about my own death, and I think about my own funeral. … Every now and then I ask myself, ‘What is it that I would want said?’ And I leave the word to you this morning. If any of you are around when I have to meet my day, I don’t want a long funeral. … And if you get somebody to deliver the eulogy, tell them not to talk too long. Every now and then I wonder what I want them to say. Tell them not to mention that I have a Nobel Peace Prize—that isn’t important. Tell them not to mention that I have three or four hundred other awards—that’s not important. Tell them not to mention where I went to school.
I’d like somebody to mention that day that Martin Luther King Jr. tried to give his life serving others. I’d like for somebody to say that day that Martin Luther King Jr. tried to love somebody. I want you to say that I tried to be right on the war question. I want you to be able to say that day that I did try to feed the hungry. And I want you to be able to say that day that I did try in my life to clothe those who were naked. I want you to say on that day that I did try to visit those who were in prison. I want you to say that I tried to love and serve humanity. Yes, if you want to say that I was a drum major, say that I was a drum major for justice. Say that I was a drum major for peace. I was a drum major for righteousness. And all of the other shallow things will not matter. I won’t have any money to leave behind. I won’t have the fine and luxurious things of life to leave behind. But I just want to leave a committed life behind. And that’s all I want to say.”
