Key Impact and Influence
Martin Luther King, Jr. was remarkably open about the sources of his inspiration. In speeches, he compared his work to that of the creators of the ideas he used. He respected the men who thought up the ideas that he believed were good enough to put to use himself. King wanted everyone to know that Gandhi's idea of nonviolence and Thoreau's idea of Civil Disobedience were the basis of his work.
Martin Luther King, Jr. worked to convince Americans to join the civil rights cause, and in doing so, he became one of the principle leaders of the American Civil Rights movement (Keilbach 1). He encouraged people to violate unjust laws, and willingly accept punishment, in attempts to call attention to the unjust laws that African Americans faced in the United States during the 1950's and 60's. "Most of the moral and legal theory surrounding [Civil Disobedience], as well as most of the instances in the street, have been inspired by Thoreau, Gandhi, and King" (Suber 1). Martin Luther King, Jr. drew inspiration for his actions, which he explained in Letter from a Birmingham Jail, from Mahatma Gandhi and Henry David Thoreau's ideas of civil disobedience and nonviolence and from Christian religious influences.
King gained a strong background in religion from his grandfather and father, who were both pastors of Ebenezer Baptist Church in Atlanta, and through his college education. Even though he belonged to a widely known black family in the south and could have lead the "good life," he chose to devote his attention to learning principles needed to lead the social reform movement in the south (Matthews 1). He displayed his intelligence at an early age by being allowed to pass over 9th and 12th grade and enter college at 15 where he earned a divinity degree from Crozer Theological Seminary and a doctorate in theology from Boston University. King's "magnificent speaking ability," acquired through preaching as a minister, allowed him to clearly express the blacks' desire for social justice (Garrow 1). Christian teachings became the basis of his program of nonviolence (Garrow 1). King's idea that love was important not only in individual relationships but social reforms as well came from the Sermon on the Mount (Matthews 2). St. Augustine said, "An unjust law is no law at all" (Carson 193), which made King feel people have a moral responsibility not to obey unjust laws. In order for a law to be just, it needs to follow the law of God. St. Thomas said, "An unjust law is a human law that is not rooted in eternal law and natural law" (Carson 193). King studied the sermons of current white Protestant ministers who preached against racism (Keilbach 1). In Letter from a Birmingham Jail, King admitted he came to Birmingham because of the injustice there because he felt "compelled to carry the gospel of freedom beyond his own town." (Carson 189).
Martin Luther King, Jr. worked to convince Americans to join the civil rights cause, and in doing so, he became one of the principle leaders of the American Civil Rights movement (Keilbach 1). He encouraged people to violate unjust laws, and willingly accept punishment, in attempts to call attention to the unjust laws that African Americans faced in the United States during the 1950's and 60's. "Most of the moral and legal theory surrounding [Civil Disobedience], as well as most of the instances in the street, have been inspired by Thoreau, Gandhi, and King" (Suber 1). Martin Luther King, Jr. drew inspiration for his actions, which he explained in Letter from a Birmingham Jail, from Mahatma Gandhi and Henry David Thoreau's ideas of civil disobedience and nonviolence and from Christian religious influences.
King gained a strong background in religion from his grandfather and father, who were both pastors of Ebenezer Baptist Church in Atlanta, and through his college education. Even though he belonged to a widely known black family in the south and could have lead the "good life," he chose to devote his attention to learning principles needed to lead the social reform movement in the south (Matthews 1). He displayed his intelligence at an early age by being allowed to pass over 9th and 12th grade and enter college at 15 where he earned a divinity degree from Crozer Theological Seminary and a doctorate in theology from Boston University. King's "magnificent speaking ability," acquired through preaching as a minister, allowed him to clearly express the blacks' desire for social justice (Garrow 1). Christian teachings became the basis of his program of nonviolence (Garrow 1). King's idea that love was important not only in individual relationships but social reforms as well came from the Sermon on the Mount (Matthews 2). St. Augustine said, "An unjust law is no law at all" (Carson 193), which made King feel people have a moral responsibility not to obey unjust laws. In order for a law to be just, it needs to follow the law of God. St. Thomas said, "An unjust law is a human law that is not rooted in eternal law and natural law" (Carson 193). King studied the sermons of current white Protestant ministers who preached against racism (Keilbach 1). In Letter from a Birmingham Jail, King admitted he came to Birmingham because of the injustice there because he felt "compelled to carry the gospel of freedom beyond his own town." (Carson 189).