Nonviolence and Martin Luther King Jr.

Question 1

From the 1950’s to 60’s what were all the movements and protests like?

Answer 1

Nonviolent

Question 2

Where did the idea of nonviolent protests stem from?

Answer 2

From one of the Civil Rights movements leaders , Martin Luther King Jr. and his religious views ( catholic ) which resonated with both Blacks and whites. And also King based his teachings on Mohandas Ghandi’s ways of nonviolent protests.

Question 3

What was Kings opinion on violent protests?

Answer 3

He criticised organised and premeditated violence, saying that it would confuse those who are on the fence when it comes to civil rights and that it would fail to attract African Americans to a unified and co-operative movement.He also argued that enemies of their cause would struggle to deal with “a huge, unarmed but resolute group” rather than small armed groups.

Question 4

what did large groups mean?

Answer 4

Larger groups meant more media coverage and more attention drawn to the issue. This allowed it to be recognised on a national scale. The non-violent aspect meant that those opposed were more easily seen as in the wrong as seen in the events of the Birmingham riots.