Final answer:
Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. supports his claim about nonviolent tension by quoting historical figures and providing examples of nonviolent actions like sit-ins, which were designed to provoke thought and foster negotiation in the Civil Rights Movement.
Step-by-step explanation:
In his "Letter from Birmingham Jail," Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. supports his claim that constructive, nonviolent tension is necessary for growth by quoting Socrates to establish a historical precedent for civil disobedience and nonviolent protests. Additionally, he provides examples of recent nonviolent sit-ins and other forms of peaceful protests, like boycotts and marches, that were central to the Civil Rights Movement's strategy and under his leadership with the Southern Christian Leadership Conference (SCLC). King also emphasizes how these nonviolent actions were intended to provoke thought and foster negotiation rather than violence, thereby effecting positive change and challenging unjust systems without resorting to aggression.