​#804 A movement of nonviolence: Martin Luther King, Jr.

Left: Martin Luther King, Jr., in his office next to portrait of Mahatma Gandhi (The Martin Luther King, Jr. Research and Education Institute at Stanford University); right: King leading march from Selma to Montgomery of voting rights for African Americans. Beside King is John Lewis, Reverend Jesse Douglas, James Forman and Ralph Abernathy (ABC News).

Goals:

• Explore Nonviolence, not only as a concept, but as a political strategy. Today’s class will be discussion around three interconnected questions: What did King learn from Gandhi? How did nonviolence help King and other civil rights leaders advance their cause? And, what about that lesson is relevant for the present?
• To facilitate this discussion we will review a timeline, key concepts, and then take up discussion roles.

Concepts:

• Ahimsa: Sanskrit, from a “non-, without” + hiṃsā “violence.” In the Hindu, Buddhist, and Jainist tradition, ahimsa refers to respect for all living things and avoidance of violence towards others.
• Civil disobedience: The refusal to comply with certain laws considered unjust, as a peaceful form of political protest.
• Satyagraha: Sanskrit, from satya “truth” + āgraha “obstinacy.” Satyagraha is a term created by Gandhi that translates roughly as “truth-force.” A fuller rendering would be “the force that is generated through adherence to Truth.” Gandhi's method aimed to utilize civil disobedience to convert his opponent, bringing about a “change of heart.”

Timelines:

• Examine the following timelines. As you view them, consider which events are essential for addressing our key questions.
  • Mahatma Gandhi timeline (BBC)
  • Martin Luther King, Jr. timeline (BBC)

Discussion roles:

• The Historians: You are focused on the origins of Gandhi’s strategy of nonviolence and how that strategy was adapted by King. Your goal is to match the ideals of the two leaders with the particular campaigns discussed by Kumar.

 

• The Activists: You are interested in how the strategy of nonviolent resistance represents a type of “practical idealism” that can be applied across multiple contexts: that is, in different times and places. You are especially invested in the relevance of Gandhi and King for issues of racial justice in the United States today.
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• The Questioners: Your role is to spark discussion through thoughtful questions that will help the other two groups address our key questions. It will be your responsibility to keep the conversation on track and to ensure that we are conducting a balanced discussion.