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Essay On Nonviolent Direct Action

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The Jim Crow era was a time of extreme racial discrimination. Laws and unfair systems were made to prevent black people from voting, such as poll taxes, impossible tests, transportation issues, and racist threats. The town of Selma, Alabama, was known for its resistance to unfair laws and segregation. Their goal was to secure their right to vote by passing the Voting Rights Act, a goal that would take much perseverance to reach with nonviolent direct action. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. created a system that could be used to stand up to injustices like those in Selma, which consisted of four points that were essential to nonviolent action. The use of direct action in Selma did adhere to every step of Dr. King’s system and followed the philosophy …show more content…

King’s steps is negotiation, a stage of discussion where they peacefully make a request. Their goal was to start a productive dialogue between the opposing sides that would hopefully yield a strong result. Dr. King began negotiations with Lyndon B. Johnson in hopes of convincing him to pass the Voting Rights Act, following the order of their four step process. This negotiation was unsuccessful at first, as Lyndon B. Johnson decided that it was not the right time to make this decision, which forced Dr. King to carry on to the next step of direct action. In Selma, protestors were able to have discussions and make statements that encouraged reconsideration of the racist system that was created to prevent black people from voting. These dialogues were an important factor in the passing of the Voting Rights Act, as they led the protests to take direct action that furthered the …show more content…

King’s nonviolent campaign was direct action. In 1963, people gathered in protest of the 16th Street Birmingham church bombing. In 1965, protestors made three marches from Selma to Montgomery to stand against racist laws, a very powerful motion that made a significant statement. They remained peaceful and completely nonviolent throughout the entire march, and successfully made a stand for their right to vote. Prior to these marches, they met the requirements for every previous stage of Dr. King’s four step process, allowing them to take direct action in protest of the laws holding them back. While Dr. King’s negotiation with Lyndon B. Johnson initially failed, this direct action was an essential step in achieving their goal of passing the Voting Rights Act and obtaining the right to

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