Mahatma Gandhi – India
Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi (October 02, 1869 – January 30, 1948) was the preeminent leader of the Indian independence movement in British-ruled India. Employing nonviolent civil disobedience, Gandhi led India to independence and inspired movements for civil rights and freedom across the world. The honorific Mahatma (Sanskrit: “high-souled”, “venerable”)—applied to him first in 1914 in South Africa,—is now used worldwide.
Mahatma Gandhi was an amazing leader who fought for India’s independence from British rule. He was a great speaker and had a way of getting people to follow him. He also believed in non-violent protest and civil disobedience. This made him very popular with the people of India.
Gandhi was born in 1869 in India. His father was a wealthy lawyer. Gandhi was educated in England and then returned to India to practice law. He soon became involved in politics and worked to improve the condition of the people of India. He was jailed many times by the British government for his protests, but he always continued his fight for independence.
In 1947, Gandhi finally achieved his goal of independence for India. He is now considered one of the most important leaders in history. Gandhi was assassinated in 1948 by a Hindu fanatic. Even though he is gone, his ideas and principles continue to inspire people all over the world.
Martin Luther King Jr. – United States
King was a Baptist minister and civil rights activist, who led the Civil Rights Movement in the United States from the mid-1950s until his assassination in 1968. He is best known for his role in the advancement of civil rights using nonviolent civil disobedience based on his Christian beliefs.
King became a civil rights activist early in his career. He led the 1955 Montgomery Bus Boycott and helped found the Southern Christian Leadership Conference (SCLC) in 1957, serving as its first president. With the SCLC, King popularized the strategy of nonviolent protest, which he called “passive resistance”.
In 1963, King led the Birmingham campaign, a successful effort to break down racial segregation in Birmingham, Alabama. King also helped to organize the 1963 March on Washington, where he delivered his famous “I Have a Dream” speech.
On October 14, 1964, King received the Nobel Peace Prize for combating racial inequality through nonviolent civil disobedience.
After years of declining health, Martin Luther King Jr. was assassinated on April 04, 1968, in Memphis, Tennessee.