Jesus was the most active resister known to history. His was nonviolence par excellence.

Nonviolence is not sterile passivity, but a powerful moral force which makes for social transformation.

History supplied numerous instances to prove that brute force is as nothing before soul-force.

Non-violence is the first article of my faith. It is also the last article of my creed.

We are moving up a mighty highway toward the city of Freedom. There will be meandering points. There will be curves and difficult moments, and we will be tempted to retaliate with the same kind of force that the opposition will use. But I'm going to say to you, 'Wait a minute, Birmingham. Somebody's got to have some sense in Birmingham.

Nonviolence in the civil rights struggle has meant not relying on arms and weapons of struggle. It has meant noncooperation with customs and laws which are institutional aspects of a regime of discrimination and enslavement.