This compelling biography traces the evolution of Mohandas K. Gandhi as he forged the philosophy of Satyagraha—from Indian words for "truth" and "firmness"—amid the brutal racism of South Africa and helped lead the struggle for Indian independence. But Satyagraha was a bigger concept even than the Indian subcontinent and the mighty British Empire. Readers will learn about the Mahatma—"Great soul in peasant’s garb"—often in his own words, as well as the philosophy of truth and nonviolence that would later inspire Nelson Mandela, Martin Luther King Jr., and other rebels with a cause for ages to come. Students will be guided through their reading with a glossary of important words, a timeline, and references for further reading on the topic.