During the civil rights movement, Martin Luther King Jr. captured the attention of the nation with his philosophy and commitment to the method of nonviolent resistance. According to Dr. King, this was the only solution that could cure society’s evil

In stark contrast to Martin Luther King’s advocacy of nonviolent resistance, the Black Panther Party believed in arming for self-defense against police brutality. While arming provided protection, it also led to incidents that ended in violent stand

The Black Panthers

Seeking a more radical direction for the civil rights movement, activist Stokely Carmichael popularized the term "black power," advocated black unity, and promoted a more militant stance than Martin Luther King’s nonviolent resistance.