Martin Luther King Jr. strongly believed in nonviolence, and this idea had a big impact on the Southern Christian Leadership Conference (SCLC) and what they did.

1. Main Idea: Nonviolence was the heart of King’s message. He taught about love, fairness, and fighting for change without using violence.

2. Important Events:

   • The SCLC held over 200 peaceful protests. One important protest was the Birmingham Campaign in 1963. It got a lot of attention from across the country and led to more than 3,500 people getting arrested.
   • Another major event was the Selma to Montgomery marches in 1965, which included a day known as "Bloody Sunday." This helped lead to the Voting Rights Act of 1965, which allowed many more Black people in Alabama to register to vote—an increase of 262%!

3. Effect: Sticking to nonviolent methods not only gained support from many people but also helped the SCLC become a key part of the Civil Rights Movement. This made their efforts much more effective.