Gandhi and King on the March:
The Power of Nonviolence 

Webinar Leader

Sumathi Ramaswamy
Professor of History
Duke University

Webinar Details

What accounts for the mysterious power of the nonviolent march? To address that question, this webinar will focus on two of the twentieth century’s most iconic — and spectacular — marches: the “Salt March” led by “Mahatma” Gandhi in the spring of 1930 and the March on Washington led by, among others, Martin Luther King, Jr. in August 1963. The Salt March catapulted Gandhi, already well known in many parts of the world, into a global symbol of anticolonial nonviolence, and the March on Washington was critical for transforming King, hitherto largely a hero of Southern blacks, into the nationally recognized face of the US Civil Rights Movement. These are well-known facts. But what is less understood are the precise mechanisms and devices, including the use of the media, by which both men pulled off such feats which, indeed, drew upon “the power” and “mystery” of nonviolent feet marching in a purposeful and orderly manner. This webinar will explore why and how “walking” and “marching” became so critical to the display of the sovereign body in motion and action for both Gandhi and King.