Nonviolence has its roots deep and far back in history. In 494 BC, the plebians of Rome refused to work for days in order to address their grievances against the Roman consuls. In 1765-1775, the American colonists nonviolently opposed the British Rule and its unjust laws such as the Stamp Acts of 1765, the Townshend Act of 1767 and the Coercive Act of 1774. This resulted in the defacto independance of nine colonies of 1775. In 1905-1906, nonviolent demonstrations in Russia forced the Czar to accept the creation of an elected legislature. In 1913-1919 the demonstrations by the woman's suffrage in United States led to the Constitutional amendment guaranteeing women the right to vote. In India Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi led India to gain her independance from British rule through the use of  nonviolent means. In the United States Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. became a champion of nonviolence and the U.S. civil rights movement won passage of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and the Voting Rights Act of 1965.

In this century Mahatma Gandhi and Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr are the foremost  leaders of the Nonviolent movement. Gandhi said "My Life is My Message". It is with these words that he conveyed the essence of nonviolence as an active, practical living force, which has to be incorporated into the very fabric of our being and in our society.

This page contains many links to the lives and philosophies of these Great Thinkers of Nonviolence and Nobel Peace Prize winners.

Mahatma Gandhi Resources

A Brief History of Mohandas K. Gandhi

Catalog of Gandhi photographs

Gandhi's Words (researched by Sunanda Gandhi)

Gandhi Virtual Ashram

M.K. Gandhi Institute for Nonviolence

Mohandas K. Gandhi Web Resources

Mahatma Gandhi, A Retrospective

Mahatma Gandhi: The complete information

Nonviolence in the 21st Century: Challenges and Choices           by Arun Gandhi

The Mind of Mahatma Gandhi: Neither Saint nor Sinner

Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Resources

The King Library and Archives

Martin Luther King, Jr.  A LIFE Tribute

Martin Luther King, Jr. by Seattle Times Newspaper

The Martin Luther King, Jr. Center for Nonviolent Social Action

The Martin Luther King, Jr . Papers Project at Stanford University

 Martin Luther King, Jr. Peace and Human Rights

Martin Luther King, Jr. Resources

Martin Luther King, Jr. Timeline (includes artwork by children)

Martin Luther King Day

National Civil Rights Museum

A Tribute to Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.(includes chronology and bibliography)

World History Archives: Martin Luther King

Peace & Peace Prize Winners

Alfred Nobel instituted the Nobel Prize and the first Prize for Peace  was awarded in 1901. This prize has been the most important as well as controversial of all the prizes awarded. Through the years the mandate of this prize has been broadened to include, not only peace activists, international lawyers, humanitarians and statemen, but also religious figures, labour leaders and scientists. Both private and official organizations have been honored. Today the Nobel Peace Prize symbolizes the struggle to prevent the extinction of man as a species.

Life of Alfred Nobel

Nobel Peace Laureates

Please note this site does not contain a listing of all of the Great Thinkers of Nonviolence. Please connect to other sites to obtain information .