Mohandas Gandhi

Lived: 1869-1948
Born: Porbandar, India
Known for: Leader of the Indian
independence
movement

Mohandas Gandhi’s non-violent resistance helped topple an empire and inspired future
generations of protest.

1. He never took the easy option

After experiencing racism whilst working in South Africa as a lawyer, rather than go
home, Gandhi stood up for his rights. He formulated the principles behind the non-violent
resistance that became the basis of all his protests and put them into action. After forcing
authorities to abandon unfair taxes, Gandhi returned home in 1915 poised to spearhead
‘Swaraj’ – complete Indian independence

2. His peaceful protest proved more persuasive than violence

Gandhi inspired India-wide boycotts of anything British and tried to encourage the
country’s various communities – Hindus, Muslims Christians, Jains, Sikhs etc – to work
together. It was a huge undertaking and the journey to independence was far from smooth.
Gandhi’s early calls for non-violence when taking on the might of the British Empire
proved difficult in practice, leading to deaths, reprisals and arrests.
Yet his steady, peaceful approach slowly swayed international public opinion, forcing
British authorities to negotiate.

3. He helped topple an empire without raising a weapon

As World War Two weakened Britain’s hold on the Empire, Gandhi’s aims were
realised… in 1947 independence came to his beloved country. But his hopes that Hindu
and Muslim communities could live together in one state were dashed when the country
was split into two: India and Pakistan. The resulting violence cost Gandhi his life a year
later when he was assassinated by a Hindu extremist. Yet his model for peaceful
resistance and inclusive values not only freed his country – it has guided activists across
the globe ever since.
Nelson Mandela
Lived: 1918-2013
Born: Mvezo, South Africa
Known for: Freedom fighter who
became South Africa’s
first black president

His body was abused but his mind remained free, Nelson Mandela’s sacrifice helped
defeat apartheid.

1. He made difficult decisions

In 1952 Mandela was the deputy president of the African National Congress – a party
determined to overthrow the racist apartheid regime in South Africa. Initially its policies
were non-violent, but this changed after state police killed 69 black activists in 1960. Now
the ANC, and Mandela with it, agreed to attacks on the state. Railway tracks, power lines
and government buildings were all targeted and though the intention was never to kill,
lives were lost.

2. His resilience inspired the world

After his arrest in 1962 Mandela was sentenced to life in prison and he was held on the
remote Robben Island. He endured long stints of solitary confinement, often going
without sleeping or toilet facilities – treatment designed to reinforce Mandela’s sense of
powerlessness. Yet the opposite happened. Mandela became the focal point for a global
campaign against apartheid which eventually forced the South African government to
change its mind. He was finally released in 1990.

3. He was president for a whole nation

Once Mandela was elected president in South Africa’s first free elections in 1994 he did
not seek retribution, despite his brutal prison treatment. Instead, he governed for the
whole country, arguably preventing a civil war. The Truth and Reconciliation
Commission, which aimed to heal South Africa through confession and forgiveness rather
than revenge, was established during his time in office. It has since been used as a model
for other countries.
Dr Martin Luther
King Jr
Lived: 1929-1968
Born: Atlanta, USA
Known for: American civil rights
leader who
campaigned for black
rights

Martin Luther King, Jr had a dream of an equal America, free from racial discrimination.

1. He made sure it was the end of the line for segregation in America
In 1955 Rosa Parks refused to give up her seat on a segregated bus in Montgomery,
Alabama. This sparked a 13-month mass protest boycotting the public buses led by Dr
King. He had been inspired by Gandhi’s use of non-violent resistance – and it paid
dividends. The boycott was a defining moment in the emerging civil rights movement in
the United States and it ended segregation on buses just over a year later.

2. He forced a country to be honest with itself

King showed how local discrimination was a stain on the USA as a whole. In 1963 he
highlighted how Birmingham, Alabama was “the most segregated city in America”,
leading to television cameras capturing brutal images of police repression. King’s
sentiments and campaigning found expression in a rally attended by over 250,000 people
in Washington D.C. Here the pastor-turned-activist delivered his I Have A Dream speech;
one of the greatest pieces of oratory of all time. It’s no coincidence that the US Congress
outlawed segregation in public spaces just a year later in 1964.

3. His dream inspired a world he didn’t live to see

King’s activism wasn’t without its costs. Arrested and spied on, in 1968 he was
assassinated in Memphis by a far-right gunman. Yet the forces of change that King ignited
could not be stopped. The US has continued to take strides towards equality, with progress
on segregation, voting rights, the election of America’s first black president in 2008…
and the dedication of an annual federal holiday to Martin Luther King Jr’s memory. In
the 21st century, there remain significant battles to be fought, but King’s dream continues
to inspire. Movements like Black Lives Matter, #MeToo and March for Our Lives all
draw on and continue his fundamental message of nonviolence and equality.