Remembering Martin Luther King, Jr. and his Legacy

“Nonviolence is a powerful and just weapon. It is a sword that heals. [It] cuts without wounding and ennobles the man who wields it.”
- Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.

At the heart of the U.S. Civil Rights Movement in the 1950s and 1960s was the use of nonviolent direct-action protest. Inspired by the example of Jesus, and the teachings of Mahatma Gandhi during India’s struggle for independence, black church and community leaders in the United States began advocating the use of non-violence in their own struggle. Beyond spontaneous and planned student sit-ins, several organizations were formed to fight for civil rights using Gandhi’s model of nonviolent dissent and action. Three of the most influential groups—the Congress of Racial Equality, the Southern Christian Leadership Conference, and the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee—were pivotal in bringing about social change in America.

P.O.V.’s Web site also has resources about the last 100 years of protests on the Washington Mall and its history as well as the future of marching in Washington.
Visit the interactive photo gallery and timeline >>

From everyone at ITVS, Happy Martin Luther King Jr. Day.

Tags: African American, Martin Luther King, protests