Author Archives: brendbead

Let’s Bring Back Nonviolence (excerpt)

Martin Luther King was a UNITER, speaking to great crowds of newly inspired black people, about nonviolence and Christian love. He declared, “Our struggle is not of black against white but of justice against injustice”’ He said, “our only weapon is love.” And declared, “No hooded Negro mob [blacks called themselves Negros in the 50s and early 60s], will ever show up at a white person’s door at midnight, drag him out and lynch him, because ‘We will not do to the white people what they have done to us.’”’ King’s program of UNEARNED SUFFERING, WAS BASED ON THE STRATEGIES AND TACTICS OF NONVIOLENCE – THE Judeo-Christian principles of the Bible.

From a recent speech by Brenda Beadenkopf

Available Soon Through Ingram

In January, I signed a contract with my publisher, EABooks Publishing, to be listed with Ingram Distribution through EABooks. I am listed with Amazon, but Amazon is a public distributor (allows the general public to purchase) books listed with them. Ingram, however, is a private distributor of books to booksellers and private bookstores. In a month or so, my A Quaker Behind the Dream will be available, not only through Amazon, but also through formerly unavailable sources such as Barnes and Noble and Friends General Conference, or FGC Books.
I am excited that additionally, local bookstores will soon be able to sell my books! For example, at first, the large, local Barnes and Noble Store in South Bend wanted to have my books on their shelves and include me in their author book-signings, etc. But when they found I was affiliated with Amazon, their fierce and hated competitor, they said they could not help me! So disappointing! But soon they will be!!
Another example of this new service being available is that last year, FGC Books could only take a few books on consignment, because without Ingram, they could not get the usual booksellers’ discount of 55%. The best discount my publisher could offer was too low for them to make a profit. With Ingram they can!
I am now in the process of setting up my account with Ingram and will let you know when this great opportunity will be available!

A Force for Healing of Nations

“Atomic energy is not the only basic force in the universe. Behind the fuss and fanfare, the wars and rumors of wars, something incredibly real and active works silently, indefatigably. For those who have met its conditions, it is more than a belief; it is an experience. ..
It is my task, and the task of the pacifist, to demonstrate convincingly, in life and actions, that this power of the spirit is real, that it is an alternative to violence, and that it can work for the healing of nations.”
(Charles C. Walker, Captive of the Spirit, article in Motive magazine January, 1946)   Also featured in A Quaker Behind the Dream, due out soon!

 

Letter from Martin Luther King Jr.

In a letter to my father, Charlie Walker, on July 10, 1956, Martin Luther King Jr. wrote:

We were very happy to have you visit Montgomery. I count it a real personal privilege of having the opportunity of meeting you. I hope that we will be able to renew this fellowship at some early date, and that I will see you again when I am not so busy with other things. Please give my best regards to all of my friends along the Philadelphia area.

Sincerely yours,

M.L. King, Jr.,

Look for more in my upcoming book, A Quaker Behind the Dream, next month.

Photo of Charlie working for the Fellowship of Reconciliation in the 1940s

The Five Steps to Nonviolence – Step Five

Step Five is Direct Action. Only as a last resort, should direct action be launched. Too often people charge ahead, without laying the groundwork, and act based on rumors. They fail to negotiate based on specifics learned from investigation. Charlie Walker stressed, “Direct action must be launched only when all attempts at persuasion have failed, repeated offers of negotiation are refused and no area of compromise can be found.” He wrote, “the effort is not to overcome or humiliate the opponents, but rather … to seek reconciliation, understanding and friendship.”

Dr. Martin Luther King at the 1963 March on Washington

The Five Steps to Nonviolence – Step Four

Step Four is Spiritual Preparation/Training. Achieve spiritual discipline and moral strength by asking your leaders and participants to examine their motives, work at forgiveness, and use prayer to accomplish these things.
Rigorous training during the civil rights movement made it possible for demonstrators to protest in a loving and positive way by changing their attitudes and working at forgiveness beforehand. Using extensive role-playing enabled them to deal with bitterness and hatred, emotions which can alienate potential allies.

“Eternal God… Help us to seek that which is high, noble and Good.”   Martin Luther King Jr.

The Five Strategic Steps to Nonviolence; Step Two

Step two is “negotiate.”
Make sure you negotiate with those who have power to make the changes you seek. In Montgomery, Martin Luther King and other black leaders were very specific in their demands. They met with city officials in March of 1955 to negotiate seating on city buses and gave the city the chance to correct wrongs. The boycott did not begin until Rosa Parks’ arrest nine months later.
(Below: Martin Luther King speaking with President Johnson)

President Lyndon B Johnson (1908 – 1973) discusses the Voting Rights Act with civil rights campaigner Martin Luther King Jr. (1929 – 1968). The act, part of President Johnson’s ‘Great Society’ program trebled the number of black voters in the south, who had previously been hindered by racially inspired laws, 1965. (Photo by Hulton Archive/Getty Images)

The Five Strategic Steps to Nonviolence according to Martin Luther King and Charlie Walker:

VARIOUS…No Merchandising. Editorial Use Only. No Book Cover Usage
Mandatory Credit: Photo by REX/Everett Collection (415272cc)
Dr Martin Luther King Jnr, Washington DC – 1963
VARIOUS

The first Step is “Investigate.” Martin Luther King investigated thoroughly a situation before going in and trying to make changes — sometimes for a year. He investigated and learned the facts, the laws, and the personalities on both sides. He knew what he was dealing with, knew what he was talking about, and had a plan when he approached the leadership of a city or nation.

Next week: Step two

The Story behind my Logo

I have a brand-new logo, courtesy of my wonderful husband William. The idea of this logo (and my mission) came about when Mom took me to visit Coretta Scott King’s sister, Edythe Bagley, in Cheyney, PA, who dedicated and signed the inside of a new book about Dr. King with, “To Brenda, who shares the Dream!”