For us at the Moral Courage Project, the most powerful lesson of the U.S. Civil Rights Movement is this little known fact: Many of the activists went through rigorous training to transform themselves before seeking to transform society.

 

By role-playing scenarios in which they’d be taunted, punched, bitten, spat at, hosed down, or used as ashtrays, activists gained the skills to respond instead of react.

 

In the words of one marcher, “We learned to educate our emotions.” Which, in turn, paved the way for their moral authority.

 

What does this lesson mean for us today? That it’s possible to crush injustice without crushing people.

 

Our founder, Irshad Manji, explains how. In the short video  above, she’s conversing with Dr. Bernice King, MLK’s daughter, at The Beloved Community Global Summit. You’ll love what happens at the end…