Martin Luther King, Jr. was heavily influenced at a young age by Howard Thurman, who was a theologian, educator, and civil rights leader himself. Later, he was influenced by Ghandi and Bayard Rustin, and identified himself with the populist tradition.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Martin_Luther_King,_Jr.#Influences

Populism is a term when one claims to support the minority over the elitists - an example would be Robin Hood, stealing from the rich and giving to the poor. Robin Hood is a prime example of a populist. For more information on populism, check here:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Populism
Source(s):
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Martin_Luther_King,_Jr.#Influences
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Populism

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