The Limits of Non-Violence

Non-violent protests are tactics that have been used for centuries to make a stand against the government. During the 1960’s the Civil Rights Movement began to take a radical change and became a national issue. Although there was a lot of violence in the movement, the non-violence spoke louder than guns and beatings. In 1962 the limits of non-violence tactics were tested. In Albany Georgia, organizers from the SNCC (Student Non-Violent Coordinating Committee) arrived in 1961 to help African-Americans fight segregation without violence. After many non-violent protests such as school walk outs, sitting in at white restaurants and doing anything to desegregate the south, more than 500 had been put in jail. Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. was called down to help get them out and help fight segregation. After police investigations on the tactics of non-violence King and others were jailed as well. In July of 1962 the court orders a restraining order against the jailed protesters, when the SNCC and SCLC leave there is still segregation but the non-violent fight to end segregation continues. Non-violent protest was a new way in dealing with the segregation and changed the movement to become stronger and have more of an impact with a new tactic. Although some limits were reached, it only drove protestors more and the Civil Rights Movement took changed for the duration.