To what extent did ghandi's theory of non violence influence martin luther king civil rights movement?

Question

To what extent did ghandi's theory of non violence influence martin luther king civil rights movement?

Answer 1

The historical record of King's life clearly indicates MLK was profoundly influenced by Mahatma Gandhi's practice of non-violence in the face of the British government's oppression of the people of India.  Through Gandhi's successful non-violent resistance, the British relented.  MLK saw this extraordinary accomplishment as the model for a civil rights movement in America.  

Through non-violent protest, King believed black Americans had the best chance of securing the equality they sought but should never have had to fight for.

Malcolm X had a decidedly different view, dismissing King's non-violence as ineffective at best and an appeasement to the white power structure at worst.  King, however, never wavered in his commitment to non-violence.  It is tragically ironic that the pacifist life of this great man was ended in a most violent manner

Answer 2

Martin Luther King Jr was not only directly influnced by Mahatma Ghandi, he travel with his wife to India to study "Satyagraha, Gandhi's principle of nonviolent persuasion. Dr. King was determined to use Satyagraha as his main instrument of social protest."

Answer 3

Martin Luther King could have adopted the non-violent movement of Gandhi prompting him to express his thoughts to lead people rather than staging a revolution.