Final answer:
The phrase 'no justice, no peace' emphasizes that peace cannot exist without justice, reflecting the belief among protestors in Nashville and leaders of the Civil Rights Movement that enduring peace is contingent on the manifestation of fair and equal treatment under the law.
Step-by-step explanation:
The phrase 'no justice, no peace' in the context of the protestors in Nashville, particularly in the civil rights context, signifies a deeply-held conviction that without genuine justice—fair treatment, equality, and accountability under the law—there can be no true peace or social harmony. The author implies that protestors, leaders like Martin Luther King Jr., and poets like Block, all strive for a society where 'justice rolls down like waters and righteousness like a mighty stream,' as King famously quoted. The phrase encapsulates the underlying dissatisfaction and unrest when people experience systemic injustice, inequality, and oppression. These conditions often lead to nonviolent protests, and sometimes to more militant expressions of frustration, as seen after the assassination of Dr. King and throughout the Civil Rights Movement when the pursuit of political justice was vital. The statement stands as a reminder that peace is the fruit of justice and that activists would not stand idly by while experiencing discrimination and inequality.