INTRODUCTION
Over the past few years there has been an increase in “non-violent protest.” Much of this has been sparked by mainstream attention to controversial killings of Blacks, notably unarmed males at the hands of police officers. While it is encouraging to see a rise in social activism, there is also concern about how grounded this activity is. Students of contemporary history will note that similar tides in activism have occurred before, sometimes with these very same issues, but often faded due to the lack of a solid foundation regarding the approach to activism. To this end, it may be helpful to reflect on the words of two stalwarts of Nonviolence, looking specifically at the guidance they offer regarding the foundation of this approach to social action and life. Thus, I turn to the words of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. and Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi.
In 1958, an article by King titled An Experiment in Love was published. It is an excerpt from his book Stride Toward Freedom: The Montgomery Story. The book reflects on the famous bus boycott in Montgomery, Alabama, which began in December 1955. In the article, he presents a basic overview of the approach of Nonviolence in the space of a few pages. I encourage readers to review this article in whole. This booklet uses King’s article as an outline, offering commentary and explanation to suit the particulars of today -- with an explicit emphasis on applying (living) the components of this approach. To this, I augment additional references from the teachings of Gandhi.
