The King Philosophy • • • •
Triple Evils Six Principles Of Nonviolence Six Steps of Nonviolent Social Change The Beloved Community
TRIPLE EVILS The Triple Evils of POVERTY, RACISM and MILITARISM are forms of violence that exist in a vicious cycle. They are interrelated, all-inclusive, and stand as barriers to our living in the Beloved Community. When we work to remedy one evil, we affect all evils. To work against the Triple Evils, you must develop a nonviolent frame of mind as described in the “Six Principles of Nonviolence” and use the Kingian model for social action outlined in the “Six Steps for Nonviolent Social Change.” Some contemporary examples of the Triple Evils are listed next to each item: Poverty – unemployment, homelessness, hunger, malnutrition, illiteracy, infant mortality, slums… “There is nothing new about poverty. What is new, however, is that we now have the resources to get rid of it. The time has come for an all-out world war against poverty … The well off and the secure have too often become indifferent and oblivious to the poverty and deprivation in their midst. Ultimately a great nation is a compassionate nation. No individual or nation can be great if it does not have a concern for ‘the least of these.” Racism – prejudice, apartheid, ethnic conflict, anti-Semitism, sexism, colonialism, homophobia, ageism, discrimination against disabled groups, stereotypes… “Racism is a philosophy based on a contempt for life. It is the arrogant assertion that one race is the center of value and object of devotion, before which other races must kneel in submission. It is the absurd dogma that one race is responsible for all the progress of history and alone can assure the progress of the future. Racism is total estrangement. It separates not only bodies, but minds and spirits. Inevitably it descends to inflicting spiritual and physical homicide upon the out-group.” Militarism – war, imperialism, domestic violence, rape, terrorism, human trafficking, media violence, drugs, child abuse, violent crime… “A true revolution of values will lay hands on the world order and say of war- ‘This way of settling differences is not just.’ This way of burning human beings with napalm, of filling our nation’s homes with orphans and widows, of injecting poisonous drugs of hate into the veins of peoples normally humane, of sending men home from dark and bloody battlefields physically handicapped psychologically deranged, cannot be reconciled with wisdom, justice and love. A nation that continues year after year to spend more money on military defense than on programs of social uplift is approaching spiritual death.” Source: “Where Do We Go From Here: Chaos or Community?” by Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.; Boston: Beacon Press, 1967. SIX PRINCIPLES OF NONVIOLENCE Fundamental tenets of Dr. King’s philosophy of nonviolence described in his first book, Stride Toward Freedom. The six principles include:
1. Nonviolence is a way of life for courageous people. It is a positive force confronting the forces of injustice, and utilizes the righteous indignation and the spiritual, emotional and intellectual capabilities of people as the vital force for change and reconciliation. 2. The Beloved Community is the framework for the future. The nonviolent concept is an overall effort to achieve a reconciled world by raising the level of relationships among people to a height where justice prevails and persons attain their full human potential. 3. Attack forces of evil, not persons doing evil. The nonviolent approach helps one analyze the fundamental conditions, policies and practices of the conflict rather than reacting to one’s opponents or their personalities. 4. Accept suffering without retaliation for the sake of the cause to achieve the goal. Self-chosen suffering is redemptive and helps the movement grow in a spiritual as well as a humanitarian dimension. The moral authority of voluntary suffering for a goal communicates the concern to one’s own friends and community as well as to the opponent. 5. Avoid internal violence of the spirit as well as external physical violence. The nonviolent attitude permeates all aspects of the campaign. It provides mirror type reflection of the reality of the condition to one’s opponent and the community at large. Specific activities must be designed to help maintain a high level of spirit and morale during a nonviolent campaign. 6. The universe is on the side of justice. Truth is universal and human society and each human being is oriented to the just sense of order of the universe. The fundamental values in all of the world’s great religious include the concept that the moral arc of the universe bends toward justice. For the nonviolent practitioner, nonviolence introduces a new moral context in which nonviolence is both the means and the end. SIX STEPS OF NONVIOLENT SOCIAL CHANGE A sequential process of nonviolent conflict-resolution and social change based on Dr. King’s teachings. The Six Steps of Nonviolence developed by The King Center include: 1. Information Gathering – The way you determine the facts, the options for change, and the timing of pressure for raising the issue is a collective process. 2. Education – The process for developing articulate leaders, who are knowledgeable about the issues. It is directed toward the community through all forms of media about the real issues and human consequences of an unjust situation. 3. Personal Commitment – Means looking at your internal and external involvement in the nonviolent campaign and preparing yourself for long-term as well as short-term action. 4. Negotiation – Is the art of bringing together your views and those of your opponent to arrive at a just conclusion or clarify the unresolved issues, at which point, the conflict is formalized. 5. Direct Action – Occurs when negotiations have broken down or failed to produce a just response to the contested issues and conditions. 6. Reconciliation – Is the mandatory closing step of a campaign, when the opponents and proponents celebrate the victory and provide joint leadership to implement change. 7. We often view the Six Steps as a phases or cycles of a campaign rather than steps because each of them embodies a cluster or series of activities related to each of the other five elements.
THE BELOVED COMMUNITY “The Beloved Community” is a term that was first coined in the early days of the 20th Century by the philosopher-theologian Josiah Royce, who founded the Fellowship of Reconciliation. However, it was Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., also a member of the Fellowship of Reconciliation, who popularized the term and invested it with a deeper meaning which has captured the imagination of people of goodwill all over the world. For Dr. King, The Beloved Community was not a lofty utopian goal to be confused with the rapturous image of the Peaceable Kingdom, in which lions and lambs coexist in idyllic harmony. Rather, The Beloved Community was for him a realistic, achievable goal that could be attained by Dr. King’s Beloved Community is a global vision, in which all people can share in the wealth of the earth. In the Beloved Community, poverty, hunger and homelessness will not be tolerated because international standards of human decency will not allow it. Racism and all forms of discrimination, bigotry and prejudice will be replaced by an all-inclusive spirit of sisterhood and brotherhood. In the Beloved Community, international disputes will be resolved by peaceful conflict-resolution and reconciliation of adversaries, instead of military power. Love and trust will triumph over fear and hatred. Peace with justice will prevail over war and military conflict. Dr. King’s Beloved Community was not devoid of interpersonal, group or international conflict. Instead he recognized that conflict was an inevitable part of human experience. But he believed that conflicts could be resolved peacefully and adversaries could be reconciled through a mutual, determined commitment to nonviolence. No conflict, he believed, need erupt in violence. And all conflicts in The Beloved Community should end with reconciliation of adversaries cooperating together in a spirit of friendship and goodwill. As early as 1956, Dr. King spoke of The Beloved Community as the end goal of nonviolent boycotts. As he said in a speech at a victory rally following the announcement of a favorable U.S. Supreme Court Decision desegregating the seats on Montgomery’s busses, “the end is reconciliation; the end is redemption; the end is the creation of the Beloved Community. It is this type of spirit and this type of love that can transform opponents into friends. It is this type of understanding goodwill that will transform the deep gloom of the old age into the exuberant gladness of the new age. It is this love which will bring about miracles in the hearts of men.” An ardent student of the teachings of Mohandas K. Gandhi, Dr. King was much impressed with the Mahatma’s befriending of his adversaries, most of whom professed profound admiration for Gandhi’s courage and intellect. Dr. King believed that the age-old tradition of hating one’s opponents was not only immoral, but bad strategy which perpetuated the cycle of revenge and retaliation. Only nonviolence, he believed, had the power to break the cycle of retributive violence and create lasting peace through reconciliation. In a 1957 speech, Birth of A New Nation, Dr. King said, “The aftermath of nonviolence is the creation of the beloved community. The aftermath of nonviolence is redemption. The aftermath of nonviolence is reconciliation. The aftermath of violence is emptiness and bitterness.” A year later, in his first book Stride Toward Freedom, Dr. King reiterated the importance of nonviolence in attaining The Beloved Community. In other words, our ultimate goal is integration, which is genuine inter-group and inter-personal living. Only through nonviolence can this goal be attained, for the aftermath of nonviolence is reconciliation and the creation of the Beloved Community.
In his 1959 Sermon on Gandhi, Dr. King elaborated on the after-effects of choosing nonviolence over violence: “The aftermath of nonviolence is the creation of the beloved community, so that when the battle’s over, a new relationship comes into being between the oppressed and the oppressor.” In the same sermon, he contrasted violent versus nonviolent resistance to oppression. “The way of acquiescence leads to moral and spiritual suicide. The way of violence leads to bitterness in the survivors and brutality in the destroyers. But, the way of non-violence leads to redemption and the creation of the beloved community.” The core value of the quest for Dr. King’s Beloved Community was agape love. Dr. King distinguished between three kinds of love: eros, “a sort of aesthetic or romantic love”; philia, “affection between friends” and agape, which he described as “understanding, redeeming goodwill for all,” an “overflowing love which is purely spontaneous, unmotivated, groundless and creative”…”the love of God operating in the human heart.” He said that “Agape does not begin by discriminating between worthy and unworthy people…It begins by loving others for their sakes” and “makes no distinction between a friend and enemy; it is directed toward both…Agape is love seeking to preserve and create community.” In his 1963 sermon, Loving Your Enemies, published in his book, Strength to Love, Dr. King addressed the role of unconditional love in struggling for the beloved Community. ‘With every ounce of our energy we must continue to rid this nation of the incubus of segregation. But we shall not in the process relinquish our privilege and our obligation to love. While abhorring segregation, we shall love the segregationist. This is the only way to create the beloved community.” One expression of agape love in Dr. King’s Beloved Community is justice, not for any one oppressed group, but for all people. As Dr. King often said, “Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere.” He felt that justice could not be parceled out to individuals or groups, but was the birthright of every human being in the Beloved Community. I have fought too long hard against segregated public accommodations to end up segregating my moral concerns,” he said. “Justice is indivisible.” In a July 13, 1966 article in Christian Century Magazine, Dr. King affirmed the ultimate goal inherent in the quest for the Beloved Community: “I do not think of political power as an end. Neither do I think of economic power as an end. They are ingredients in the objective that we seek in life. And I think that end of that objective is a truly brotherly society, the creation of the beloved community” In keeping with Dr. King’s teachings, The King Center embraces the conviction that the Beloved Community can be achieved through an unshakable commitment to nonviolence. We urge you to study Dr. King’s six principles and six steps of nonviolence, and make them a way life in your personal relationships, as well as a method for resolving social, economic and political conflicts, reconciling adversaries and advancing social change in your community, nation and world.
Glossary of Nonviolence AGAPE – Overflowing unconditional love for all, including adversaries, needed for nonviolent conflict-resolution. Dr. King called it “love in action…love seeking to preserve and create community…love which is purely spontaneous, unmotivated, groundless and creative.” AHIMSA – The Hindi word for non-injury, or nonviolence made popular by Gandhi as the central value of his beliefs and leadership.
ARBITRATION – Hearing of a dispute and determining its outcome by a mutually-agreedupon third party. Can be binding or non-binding. BELOVED COMMUNITY – Term coined by philosopher Josiah Royce to denote an ideal community, used frequently by Dr. King to describe a society of justice, peace and harmony which can be achieved through nonviolence. In his sermon at Dexter Avenue Baptist Church in Montgomery, Alabama, on April 2, 1957, Dr. King said, “The aftermath of nonviolence is the creation of the beloved community.” BOYCOTT – A campaign of withdrawal of support from a company, government or institution which is committing an injustice, such as racial discrimination. As Dr. King said, “There is nothing quite so effective as the refusal to cooperate with the forces and institutions which perpetuate evil in our communities.” CIVIL DISOBEDIENCE – The act of openly disobeying an unjust, immoral or unconstitutional law as a matter of conscience, and accepting the consequences, including submitting to imprisonment if necessary, to protest an injustice. CONFLICT RESOLUTION – Ending of conflict, disputes or disagreements by nonviolent means with intent to achieve a “win-win” outcome for all parties. CONSCIENTIOUS OBJECTION – A refusal to participate in military service because of moral beliefs. CREATIVE TENSION – In his Letter from A Birmingham Jail, Dr. King said, “Nonviolent direct action seeks to create such a crisis and establish such creative tension that a community that has constantly refused to negotiate is forced to confront the issue…I must confess that I am not afraid of the word, tension. I have earnestly worked and preached against violent tension, but there is a type of constructive tension that is necessary for growth… the purpose of direct action is to create a situation so crisis-packed that it will inevitably open the door to negotiation.” DEMONSTRATIONS – Gatherings and protest activities organized to build support for peace, justice or social reform. DIRECT ACTION – Nonviolent resistance to injustice. More than 250 forms of nonviolent direct action have been identified, including marches, boycotts, picketing, sit-ins and prayer vigils, to name a few. See Six steps of nonviolence. FASTING – Refusing to eat as a method of self-purification to be spiritually strengthened for nonviolent action, or as a protest. GANDHI, MOHANDAS K. – (1869—1948) Leader of India’s nonviolent independence movement, who forced the British to quit India. Dr. King studied Gandhi’s successful campaigns and adapted some of Gandhi’s strategies in the American Civil Rights Movement. As Dr. King said of the role of Gandhi’s teachings in the Civil Rights Movement, “Christ furnished the spirit and motivation, while Gandhi furnished the method.” Dr. King said “Gandhi was the guiding light of our technique for nonviolent social change.” LAWS, JUST VS. UNJUST – A distinction made in deciding to engage in civil disobedience. A just law is created by both a majority and minority, and is binding on both. An unjust law is created by a majority that is binding on the minority, when the minority has no voice in creating the law. Dr. King said, “A just law is a man-made code that squares with
moral law or the law of God. An unjust law is a code that is out of harmony with moral law…One who breaks an unjust law must do so openly, lovingly and with a willingness to accept the penalty.” MASS MARCH – A large number of people walk in a group to a place of symbolic significance to protest an injustice. MEDIATION – intervention in a dispute by a neutral third party with expertise on a particular issue for the purpose of securing a compromise, an agreement or reconciliation. A mediator can not impose a binding agreement. MORAL SUASION – Appealing to the moral beliefs of an adversary or the public to convince the adversary to change behavior or attitudes. NEGOTIATION – Process of discussing, compromising and bargaining with adversaries in good faith to secure a resolution to a conflict and reconciliation of adversaries. (See six steps of nonviolence below) NONCOOPERATION – Refusal to participate in activities of or cooperate with individuals, governments, institutions, policies or laws that result in violence or injustice. PACIFISM – A philosophy based on an absolute refusal to engage in violence because it is morally wrong. PASSIVE RESISTANCE – Challenging an injustice by refusing to support or cooperate with an unjust law, action or policy. The term “passive” is misleading because passive resistance includes pro-active nonviolence, such as marches, boycotts and other forms of active protest. PERSONAL COMMITMENT – The spiritual and psychological decision to participate in nonviolent action to eliminate an injustice. Prayer, meditation and sometimes fasting are used to deepen one’s spiritual understanding. PETITION CAMPAIGNS – gathering of massive numbers of signatures in support of or opposed to a policy, proposal or law. PICKETING – A group of individuals walk with signs bearing protest messages in front of a site where an injustice has been committed. PURIFICATION – The cleansing of anger, selfishness and violent attitudes from the heart and soul in preparation for a nonviolent struggle. (See six steps of nonviolence below) RECONCILIATION – The end goal of nonviolence. Bringing together of adversaries in a spirit of community after a conflict has been resolved. (See six steps of nonviolence below) REDEMPTIVE SUFFERING – A willingness to accept suffering without seeking revenge or retribution. When an individual or group experiences injustice and abuse for a good cause, it will help produce a greater good. SATYAGRAHA – Hindi for “soul force,” a term coined by Gandhi to emphasize the power of unadorned truth and love in a social struggle SAVING FACE – Offering an adversary an alternative course of action which spares him or her embarrassment.
SELECTIVE PATRONAGE – The flip side of a boycott. Making a point of purchasing a product or service from a company that supports justice. SIT-INS – Tactic of nonviolence in which protesters sit down at the site of an injustice and refuse to move for a specified period of time or until goals are achieved. Examples include Flint (Mich.) sit-down strike of 1936-37 in which auto workers sat down on job for 44 days in protest for union recognition and the student sit-ins to desegregate lunch counters in Greensboro, N.C. in 1960. STOCKHOLDERS CAMPAIGN – Individuals or groups purchases a small amount of stock so they can have introduce resolutions at stockholder meetings, vote as stockholders and lobby corporations to correct an injustice. STRIKES – Organized withholding of labor to correct injustice. TEACH-INS – An organized event or series of events, including public hearings, lectures, panel discussions, theatrical presentations, showing of films, role-playing and scenario exercises and other educational techniques, to inform public about a particular issue. TRADE SANCTIONS – A nation levies import taxes on products from another nation, or bans importation of a nation’s products altogether. VIGILS – A form of protest in which individuals and groups stand, sit, walk, or pray at a site linked to an injustice or symbolically associated with principles of freedom, justice or peace.
Books & Bibliography A Selected Bibliography on Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., Civil Rights and Nonviolence • Books by Martin Luther King, Jr. • Collections of Dr. King's Writings & Speeches • Books about Martin Luther King, Jr. - Extended Citations • Books about Martin Luther King, Jr. • Books by Family Members • Books about The Civil Rights Movement • Books about Nonviolence
Books by Martin Luther King, Jr. Strength to Love. New York: Harper & Row Publishers, 1963. This is a collection of Dr. King’s most requested sermons. Stride Toward Freedom: The Montgomery Story. New York: Harper & Row Publishers, 1958. Dr. King’s first book; the story of the Montgomery Bus Boycott and the beginning of the Nonviolent Civil Rights Movement. The Trumpet of Conscience. New York: Harper & Row Publishers, 1968. (Foreword by Coretta Scott King.) This book is taken from the 1967 Massey Lectures which King gave through the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation. King addresses issues including the Vietnam War, youth and civil disobedience and concludes with the “Christmas Sermon for Peace.”
Where Do We Go From Here: Chaos or Community? New York: Harper & Row Publishers, 1967. An assessment of America’s priorities and a warning that they need to be re-ordered. Why We Can’t Wait. New York: Harper & Row Publishers, 1963. The essential writings of Martin Luther King, Jr. , James M. Washington, ed.
Collections of Dr. King's Writings and Speeches Carson, Clayborne and Shepard, Kris (editors). A Call to Conscience: The Landmark Speeches of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. New York: Warner Books, 2001. This collection includes the text of Dr. King's best-known oration, "I Have a Dream, " his acceptance speech for the Nobel Peace Prize, and "Beyond Vietnam," a compelling argument for ending the ongoing conflict. Each speech has an insightful introduction on the current relevance of Dr. King's words by such renowned defenders of civil rights as Rosa Parks, the Dalai Lama, and Ambassador Andrew Young, among others. A Testament of Hope. San Francisco: Harper & Row Publishers, 1986. A collection of quotations by Dr. King selected by Mrs. Coretta Scott King focusing on seven areas of concern; The Community of Man, Racism, Civil Rights, Justice and Freedom, Faith and Religion, Nonviolence and Peace. The Words of Martin Luther King, Jr. New York: Newmarket Press, 1983 Carson, Clayborne and Holloran, Peter (editors). A Knock At Midnight: Inspiration from the Great Sermons of Reverend Martin Luther King, Jr., New York: IPM in Association with Warner Books, 1998. This is the definitive collection of eleven of Dr. King’s most powerful sermons, from his earliest known audio recording to his last sermon, delivered days before his assassination. With introductions by renowned theologians and ministers including Reverend Billy Graham and Archbishop Desmond Tutu, filled with moving personal reflections and firsthand accounts of the events surrounding each sermon, A KNOCK AT MIDNIGHT is Dr. King’s living voice today – an irresistible call that resonates and inspires greatness in us all. Carson, Clayborne (editor). The Autobiography of Martin Luther King, Jr. New York: IPM in Association with Warner Books, 1998. This history-making autobiography is Martin Luther King in his own words: the mild-mannered, inquisitive child and student who chafed under and eventually rebelled against segregation; the dedicated young minister who continually questioned the depths of his faith and the limits of his wisdom; the loving husband and father who sought to balance his family’s needs with those of a growing, nationwide movement; and the reflective, world-famous leader who was fired by a vision of equality for people everywhere.
The King Papers - Volumes 1-6 (with more volumes forthcoming), University of California Press.
Books about Martin Luther King, Jr. -‐ extended citations
Ansbro, John J. Martin Luther King, Jr.: Nonviolent Strategies and Taxtics for Social Change. Madison Books Baldwin, Lewis. Never to Leave Us Alone: The Prayer Life of Martin Luther King Jr. 2010 Fortress Press Baldwin, Lewis. There is a Balm in Gilead. 1991. Fortress Press Baldwin, Lewis. To Make the Wounded Whole. 1992. Fortress Press. King, Coretta Scott. My Life with Martin Luther King, Jr. New York: Henry Holt and Company, 1969. Revised edition copyright 1993 by Coretta Scott King. When Coretta Scott King first wrote MY LIFE WITH MARTIN LUTHER KING, JR., America was just beginning to cope with the tragedy of his assassination. Her personal narrative helped us to hold on to his memory. Now addressing a new generation of readers, she reminds us of the Dr. King many of us have forgotten. Recounting the events of the Civil Rights Movement, Mrs. King shows us the true power of militant nonviolence – the most effective force for changing race relations in United States history. For the King family, though the Civil Rights Movement was not just a matter of marches and speeches. They had their own special battles against racism to fight on the home front. Revealing for the first time in detail how she found the strength, courage and resources to face daily threats, Mrs. King speaks directly to the problems many families face today. Harding, Vincent. Martin Luther King: The Inconvenient Hero. Orbis Books. In these eloquent essays that reflect upon King's legacy over the past two decades and the meaning of his life today, a portrait emerges of a man constantly evolving and going deeper into the roots of violence and injustice--a man whose challenge remains as timely and necessary as ever. Jackson, Thomas F. From Civil Rights to Human Rights: Martin Luther King, Jr. and the Struggle for Economic Justice (Politics and Culture in Modern America). University of Pennsylvania Press Moses, Greg. Revolution of Conscience: Martin Luther King, Jr. and the Philosophy of Nonviolence. The Guilford Press Pepper, William F. Orders to Kill: The Truth Behind the Murder of Martin Luther King, Jr. New York: IPM in Association with Warner Books, 1995 by Dr. William Pepper. Excerpt from the front cover: “Here for the first time William F. Pepper reveals the whole truth about the Martin Luther King, Jr. assassination. In 1978, at the urging of longtime civil rights leader Ralph Abernathy, William F. Pepper interviewed James Earl Ray at Brushy Mountain State Penitentiary. What he heard then and discovered in succeeding years so convinced him of Ray’s innocence that eventually he became James Earl Ray’s lawyer and continued a twenty-year investigation into the crime. Now Pepper’s revelations, based on extensive research and never-before-revealed evidence and interviews, solve the haunting mystery surrounding James Earl Ray’s real role in the killing and expose a ruthless conspiracy wrought by hate and power that will shame-and shock-all Americans.” Philips, Donald T. Martin Luther King, Jr. On Leadership. New York: Warner Books, 1999. Excerpt from the front cover: “A man who articulated a vision, crafted a strategy, and
took defeats and turned them into victory, Dr. King and his life’s work offer us powerful lessons that you can apply to your life, business and any endeavor you undertake. MARTIN LUTHER KING, JR. ON LEADERSHIP shows today’s potential leaders how to: forge coalitions, consensus, and alliances based on the best interests of all concerned; obtain the information you need the most – and keep the channels of communication open; change direction – and allow your organization to redefine itself; handle crises and turn setbacks into positives; train the next generation of leaders. Part history and part inspiration, MARTIN LUTHER KING, JR., ON LEADERSHIP blends an exciting story with sharp analysis. This is a book that will not only help leaders lead their organizations more effectively but teach all of us how to stand up for our own vision and our own dreams.” Books about Martin Luther King, Jr. Bennett, Lerone, Jr. What Manner of Man. Chicago: Johnson Publishing Co., Book Division, 1964. An in-depth biography of Dr. King by the senior editor of Ebony magazine, who was a college classmate of Dr. King’s. Oates, Stephen B. Let The Trumpet Sound: The Life of Martin Luther King, Jr. New York: Harper & Row, 1982. An extensive and well researched biography of Dr. King which allows the reader to experience the life of Dr. King and the times in which he lived. Schulke, Flip, ed. Martin Luther King, Jr.: A Documentary, Montgomery to Memphis. New York: W.W. Norton & Co, 1976. A pictorial biography of Martin Luther King, Jr. Witherspoon, Wm. Roger. Martin Luther King, Jr.: To the Mountaintop. Garden City: Doubleday & Co., Inc., 1985 An extensively illustrated biography of Dr. King and the Civil Rights Movement.
Books by Family Members Farris, Christine King. Martin Luther King, Jr.: His Life and Dream. Lexington: Silver, Burdettee and Ginn, Inc., 1986. Teaching guide for grades K-12. King, Rev. Bernice A. Hard Questions, Heart Answers: Three Rivers Press King, Coretta Scott. My Life with Martin Luther King, Jr. New York: Holt, Rinehart & Winston, Inc., 1969. Mrs. King writes of her experiences as the wife of Martin Luther King, Jr. King, Dexter Scott. Growing Up King: An Intimate Memoir: Grand Central Publishing King, Rev. Martin Luther, Sr. Daddy King: An Autobiography. New York: William Morrow & Co. Inc., 1980. Rev. Martin Luther King, Sr. tells the poignant aspects of his life. King, Yolanda Denise; Elodia Tate. Open My Eyes, Open My Soul : Celebrating Our Common Humanity Watkins, Angela Farris. My Uncle Martin's Big Heart: Abrams Books for Young Readers
Books about The Civil Rights Movement Bates, Daisy. The Long Shadow of Little Rock. Fayetteville: University of Arkansas, 1987. A memoir by Daisy Bates giving her account of “The Battle of Little Rock” of September 3, 1957.
Bennett, Lerone Jr. Before the Mayflower: A History of Black America. New York: Viking Penguin, 1984. This black history classic emphasizes the role of African-Americans in American history and culture. It is based on the trials and triumphs of black Americans. Carson, Clayborne. In Struggle: SNCC and the Black Awakening of the 1960’s. Massachusetts: Harvard University, 1981. A history of SNCC’s evolving radicalism. Clark, Septima. Ready From Within: Septima Clark and the Civil Rights Movement. California: Wild Tree Press, 1986. A first person narrative book on Septima Clark of her participation in the movement. Fager, Charles E. Selma 1965: The March that Changed the South. Boston: Beacon Press, 1985. Fairclough, Adam. To Redeem the Soul of America: The SCLC and Martin Luther King, Jr. Athens: University of Georgia, 1987. A history of the SCLC and its role in bringing about a second reconstruction of the South. Farmer, James. Lay Bare the Heart. New York: Arbor House, 1985. Autobiographical history of the Civil Rights Movement as seen through the eyes of James Farmer, founder of CORE. Gilliard, Deric A. Unsung: Living in the Shadows of a Legend: Unsung Heroes and Sheroes Who Marched With Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Gilliard Communications. 2002 Leventhal, Willy S. The Children Coming On : A Retrospective of theMontgomeryBus Boycott. Black Belt Press. 1998 Lewis, John. Walking with the Wind: A Memoir of the Movement. Mariner Books. 1999 Morris, Aldon. The Origins of The Civil Rights Movement. New York: Free Press, 1984. This book covers a decade of the Civil Rights Movement, 1953-1963, focusing on the unsung black Americans and their little known community organizations which were a vital force in the Movement. Pickering, George W., and Alan B. Anderson. Confronting the Color Line: Broken Promise of the Civil Rights Movement in Chicago. Athens: University of Georgia, 1986. Raines, Howell. My Soul Is Rested. New York: Viking Penguin, 1977. Personal recollections from leaders and followers of the Civil Rights Movement, as well as voices from the resistance and supporters of the “Old South.” This book presents the reader with a human and compelling documentation. Robinson, JoAnn. The Montgomery Bus Boycott and the Women Who Started It: The Memoir of JoAnn Gibson Robinson. Knoxville: University of Tennessee Press, 1987. David J.Garrow, ed. Williams, Juan. Eyes on the Prize: America’s Civil Rights Years, 1954-1965. New York: Viking, 1987. A history of the Civil Rights Movement from 1955-1965 as seen by participants in the movement, then and now. Woods, Barbara, Jacqueline Anne Rouse, and Vicki L. Crawford. Women in the Civil Rights Movement: Trailblazers and Torchbearers, 1941-1965. New York: Carlson Publishing, 1990. A history of the significant roles African-American women have played in the struggle for freedom and equality.
Young, Andrew. An Easy Burden: The Civil Rights Movement and the Transformation ofAmerica. Baylor Press. 2008. Young, Andrew. A Way Out of No Way; The Spiritual Memoirs of Andrew Young. Thomas Nelson, Inc. 1996 Books About Nonviolence Attenborough, Richard. The Words of Gandhi. New York: Newmarket Press, 1982. Borman, William. Gandhi and Nonviolence. New York: University of New York, 1986. A critical exposition and evaluation of Gandhi’s philosophy of nonviolence. Cooney, Robert and Helen Michalowski. Power of the People: Active Nonviolence in The United States. Philadelphia: New Society, 1987. An informative history of the Nonviolent movement in this country. Desai, Narayan. Towards A Nonviolent Revolution. Canton: Greenleaf Books. Gandhi, Mahatma. Nonviolent Resistance. New York: Schocken, 1961. Gandhi, Mahatma. Gandhi: An Autobiography. Boston: Beacon Press, 1957. Gregg, Richard. The Power of Nonviolence. Canton: Greenleaf Books, 1984. Holmes, Robert L. ed. Nonviolence In Theory and Practice. California: Wadsworth, 1990. A history of nonviolence and the people who practice it as a way of life. Hornsburg, H.J.N. Nonviolence and Aggression: A Study of Gandhi’s Moral Equivalent of War. London: Oxford University, 1968. A critique of armed force and a general analysis of the requirements of an acceptable substitute. Lakey, George. Powerful Peacemaking: A Strategy for a Living Revolution. Philadelphia: New Society, 1987. Seeley, Robert. The Handbook of Nonviolence. New York: Lakeville Press, 1986. Includes Aldous Huxley’s Encyclopedia of Pacifism. Sharp, Gene. Politics of Nonviolent Action. Boston: Porter Sargent Publishers, 1974. A major exploration of the nature of nonviolent struggle. There are three volumes: Power and Struggle, The Methods of Nonviolent Action, and the Dynamics of Nonviolent Action. Thoreau, Henry David. “Civil Disobedience.” New York: Holt, Rinehart, Winston, 1970. Thoreau’s classic essay on nonviolent resistance. Tolstoy, Leo. The Law of Love and the Law of Violence. This book was written shortly before Tolstoy’s death and is his statement on the necessity of nonviolent collective action to stop escalating violence in the world.