Peace is a powerful force. It can melt away even the angriest opposition — or it can incite a riot.

It’s hard to even think peaceful thoughts when others are lashing out in anger. It can be challenging to adhere to nonviolence when you, your family, or friends become targets of another person’s wrath. And it’s especially difficult to promote harmony when you feel like striking back.

But for centuries, men and women have done just that — they’ve met hate head-on, and they’ve stood nose-to-nose with degradation without retaliating.

How have they done it, and why? Who are some of history’s most notable nonviolent activists, and which individuals are the peace warriors of modern times?

Through the life stories of six extraordinary people, we can discover why peace has been a guiding presence in an often violent world. Their actions have impacted millions; affected history, government systems, and religious movements; and have set the stage for a peaceful world future.

Even when their own personal safety was threatened, Mahatma Gandhi and Martin Luther King, Jr., clung to nonviolence as a driving force under the most violent circumstances.

Archbishop Desmond Tutu and the 14th Dalai Lama demonstrated that when a nation is torn apart by the scourge of racism, peace can be sought through spiritual strength.

Dorothy Day and Ellen Johnson Sirleaf proved that women can serve as influential leaders in the struggle for justice.

Through strong, brave actions, each of the women and men in this book has achieved great things. Above all, their triumphs serve as inspiration for everyone to seek peace, always.