Established in 1968 by Mrs. Coretta Scott King, The Martin Luther King, Jr. Center for Nonviolent Social Change (‘The King Center’) has been a global destination, resource center and community institution for over a quarter century. Located in Atlanta, Ga., the King Center is a 501(c)3. Nearly a million people each year make pilgrimage to this national historic site to learn, be inspired and pay their respects to Dr. King’s legacy.
Both a traditional memorial and programmatic nonprofit, the King Center was envisioned by its founder to be “no dead monument, but a living memorial filled with all the vitality that was his, a center of human endeavor, committed to the causes for which he lived and died.” That vision was carried out through educational and community programs until Mrs. King’s retirement in the mid-1990s, and today it’s being revitalized.
“As we move into the second decade of the 21st century, the King Center is embarking on a major transformation into a more energetically-engaged educational and social change institution,” said museum officials. “Supported by our board of directors and an infusion of new thinking, the King Center is dedicated to ensuring that the King legacy not only remains relevant and viable, but is effectively leveraged for positive social impact.”
In short, the King Center is repositioning to meet the challenges and opportunities of today. Squarely-focused on serving as both a local and global resource, the King Center is dedicated to educating the world on the life, legacy and teachings of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., inspiring new generations to carry forward his unfinished work, strengthen causes and empower change makers who are continuing his efforts today.
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 Dr. King’s ‘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.”
Fundamental tenets follow of Dr. King’s philosophy of nonviolence described in his first book, Stride Toward Freedom. Dr. King often said, he got his inspiration from Jesus Christ and his techniques from Mohandas K. Gandhi. These principles should be embraced as a lifestyle.
Six principles of nonviolence
Principle one: Nonviolence is a way of life for courageous people.
- It is not a method for cowards; it does resist.
- It is active, nonviolent resistance to evil.
- It is aggressive spiritually, mentally, and emotionally.
Principle two: Nonviolence seeks to win friendship and understanding.
- The outcome of nonviolence is the creation of the ‘beloved community.’
- The end result of nonviolence is redemption and reconciliation.
Principle three: Nonviolence seeks to defeat injustice, or evil, not people.
- Nonviolence recognizes that evil doers are also victims and are not evil people.
- The nonviolent resister seeks to defeat evil not persons victimized by evil.
Principle four: Nonviolence holds that unearned, voluntary suffering for a just cause can educate and transform people and societies.
- Nonviolence is a willingness to accept suffering without retaliation—to accept blows without striking back.
- Nonviolence is a willingness to accept violence if necessary but never inflict it.
- Nonviolence holds that unearned suffering for a cause is redemptive and has tremendous educational and transforming possibilities.
Principle five: Nonviolence chooses love instead of hate.
- Nonviolence resists violence of the spirit as well as the body.
- Nonviolent love is spontaneous, unselfish, and creative.
Principle six: Nonviolence believes that the universe is on the side of justice.
- The nonviolent resister has deep faith that justice will eventually win.
- Nonviolence believes that God is a God of justice.
The ‘Six Steps for Nonviolent Social Change’ are based on Dr. King’s nonviolent campaigns and teachings that emphasize love in action. Dr. King’s philosophy of nonviolence, as reviewed in the ‘Six Principles of Nonviolence,’ guide these steps for social and interpersonal change.
Gathering information
To understand and articulate an issue, problem or injustice facing a person, community, or institution, you must do research. You must investigate and gather all vital information from all sides of the argument or issue so as to increase your understanding of the problem. You must become an expert on your opponent’s position.
Education
It is essential to inform others, including your opposition, about your issue. This minimizes misunderstandings and gains you support and sympathy.
Personal commitment
Daily check and affirm your faith in the philosophy and methods of nonviolence. Eliminate hidden motives and prepare yourself to accept suffering, if necessary, in your work for justice.
Negotiation
Using grace, humor and intelligence, confront the other party with a list of injustices and a plan for addressing and resolving these injustices. Look for what is positive in every action and statement the opposition makes. Do not seek to humiliate the opponent but to call forth the good in the opponent.
Direct action
These are actions taken when the opponent is unwilling to enter into, or remain in, discussion/negotiation. These actions impose a ‘creative tension’ into the conflict, supplying moral pressure on your opponent to work with you in resolving the injustice.
Reconciliation
Nonviolence seeks friendship and understanding with the opponent. Nonviolence does not seek to defeat the opponent. Nonviolence is directed against evil systems, forces, oppressive policies, unjust acts, but not against persons. Through reasoned compromise, both sides resolve the injustice with a plan of action. Each act of reconciliation is one step close to the ‘beloved community.’
