In commons one, full of bright flyers, posters and a pair T.V. screens, a banner hangs under the mezzanine with words from Martin Luther King, Jr. that captures the spirit of South. “Intelligence plus character, that is the goal of education.”
February marks the celebration of Black History Month. This month honors prominent leaders such as Dr. King for their work
in shaping American democracy. Dr. King’s leadership during the Civil Rights Movement, and the lasting moral principles that he followed– nonviolence, equality and justice–are honored this month.
Mr. Adam Afonso, who teaches AP African American Studies, said,“Martin Luther King didn’t create civil rights, but he was able
to unify people and market that vision to such a giant audience. And because of that, he was able to do really great things.”
History teacher Joseph Porter added, “If you believe in a cause enough, you can have an impact.”
While Dr. King is remembered for leading acts of civil disobedience, like the Montgomery bus boycott, many don’t know the people who shaped his thinking and approach to fighting segregation and racism in America. Two people who influenced King are Indian independence leader Mohandas K.Gandhi and American rabbi Abraham Joshua Heschel.
Dr. King was inspired by Gandhi’s philosophy of satyagraha (or truth-force). Satyagraha directly influenced King’s nonviolent approach to the 1955-56 Montgomery Bus Boycott. Dr. King showed his admiration for Gandhi in his essay “Pilgrimage to Nonvio-
lence” where he wrote “the Gandhian method of nonviolence was one of the most potent weapons available to oppressed people in their struggle for freedom.”
During the campaign in Birmingham, Alabama in 1963, King was imprisoned for his acts of civil disobedience. While in prison, Dr. King wrote a response to an article by White clergymen who criticized his campaign in Birmingham. King explained that nonviolent tension is “necessary for growth.” That article became his essay “Letter from Birmingham Jail,” which is studied in the AP Language and Composition classes at South.
Dr. King developed a friendship with Rabbi Heschel, a leading Jewish theologian and philosopher. “Heschel believed that when one understands the spark of the divine that exists within each person, he or she cannot harbor hatred for fellow human beings,” according to Stanford University’s Martin Luther King, Jr. Research and Education Institute online. Heschel joined King in 1965 when he organized the march from Selma to Montgomery for voting rights. According to the website, Heschel inspired King to view the struggle for justice as a sacred duty.
Reflecting on the lessons of Dr. King’s philosophy, Mr. Porter said that nonviolence takes incredible
restraint. “Even if you’re justified, nonviolence takes strength to resist the urge to fight back.”
South’s Black Student Union (BSU) president Aiden Edwards (‘26) said, “Martin Luther King
means a lot to me. He fought for our freedom and equality. His work continues to influence and inspire Black youth and adults
today.” Black History Month and the civil rights struggles “reminds us of the progress made and the progress we still need to work to-
ward together,” said Edwards.
Dr. King’s legacy is a part of Pirate pride everyday.
