Abraham
Johannes Muste was one of the most important nonviolent social activists in the
first half of the 20th century. A Dutch reformed minister, he was a well-respected
but controversial leader in many movements for social change such as war resistance,
civil rights and nuclear disarmament. He was a close friend and mentor to Martin
Luther King, Jr. and worked with many different organizations over his lifetime,
including the Fellowship of Reconciliation, War Resisters League, the Congress
of Racial Equality (CORE) and the Committee for Nonviolent Action. He devoted
his life to working for social change but struggled with finding a balance between
his reverence for life and belief in nonviolence with the struggle for social
justice against institutions he believed created injustice and inequality. The
A.J. Muste Memorial Institute continues his legacy of supporting nonviolence and
social justice.
