preview

Examples Of Peaceful Resistance

Decent Essays

Peaceful resistance without a doubt positively impacts a free society. Peaceful resistance is a means of opposing unjust laws when legislators are being unhelpful, and it has had astounding impacts on our society in many significant ways. Take the United States in the 1960’s for example, during the height of the Civil Rights Movement. The Reverend Martin Luther King Jr., Rosa Parks, and many other civil rights leaders at the time led several peaceful protests across the country, including such landmark events as the Montgomery Bus Boycott or the March from Selma to Montgomery.
In 1955 Rosa Parks, an African American woman, was arrested because she refused to move her seat on the bus to accommodate for a white person who wanted to sit there. This was illegal at the time, yet Rosa believed this law to be unjust, so she wouldn't move. …show more content…

MLK used nonviolent civil disobedience based on his Christian beliefs. His goal was to end the segregation of African-American citizens and create the Civil Rights Act of 1964. His influence and inspiration to the people led to his remembrance as a leader in history and shielded people from racism by fighting to diminish class superiority and give all people the freedom they deserve. MLK’s skillful rhetoric put a new energy on the movement. African-American communities took legal action against cities that were unconstitutional based on Brown vs. Board of Education’s “separate is never equal.” Martin Luther King Jr.’s most famous speech, “I have a dream” emphasized his beliefs on the hope for equality and freedom for African-Americans. Because of him people all around the world began to question to question the effects of the Jim Crow Laws. This demonstrated a peaceful resistance as word spread of MLK’s oration began to grow and with just a peaceful gathering the people were able to change laws in their

Get Access