Martin Luther King Letter From Birmingham Jail

Dr. Martin Luther King wrote a letter from Birmingham jail on April 16, 1963. The letter was written in response to his “fellow clergymen,” stating that Dr. King’s present activities was “unwise and untimely.” The peaceful protest in Birmingham was perceived as being extreme. The letter from Birmingham Jail was a letter of grievance to the white clergy, and their lack of support in the civil rights movement. Dr. King explained in his letter the difference between what is just and what is unjust and his reasons being in jail at Birmingham. He believed clergymen are men of genuine good will and that they deserve a response, so Martin Luther king wrote a letter from Birmingham Jail.

The similarities between these two are most evident in their desire for freedom. Martin Luther King Jr. wanted freedom from segregation and Plato wanted freedom from ignorance. They both wanted justice, and knew that it was immoral to take deny another being justice. For example, Plato has said,

Martin Luther King, Jr.’s, “Letter from Birmingham Jail,” emphasizes the need for civil disobedience when faced with unjust laws. This idea contradicts Socrates’ claim made in Crito, that one must follow the law under all circumstances. In this paper, I will argue that Socrates is not a proponent of civil disobedience based on King’s definition of civil disobedience and Socrates’ charges. Moreover, I will argue that both Socrates and King disagree with one another based on the concept of civil disobedience—breaking the law and rejecting certain ideals.

Meanwhile, in 1963 King and the Southern Christian Leadership Conference (SCLC), continued to fight for civil rights but this time they marched to Birmingham, Alabama. Birmingham was the worst city for the blacks in the south. King went to the city’s leaders and demanded that they change the laws about public places being segregated, but the leaders of Birmingham refused to change. Many blacks were afraid to protest because they were scared that they would end up in jail. King responded with, “If the road to freedom leader through the jailhouse … then, turnkey, swing wide the gates!” (Hakim 18). On April 12, 1963 King led a march down the streets of Birmingham. They headed towards City Hall, but never made it because the police stopped the

In “Letter from Birmingham Jail”, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr extensively establishes his ethos and proves his authority on the matter of racial injustice. “I have the honor of serving as president of the Southern Christian Leadership Conference, an organization operating in every southern state, with headquarters in Atlanta, Georgia. We have some eighty-five affiliated organizations across the South, and one of them is the Alabama Christian Movement for Human Rights” (King 1). King was the focal point of the Civil Rights movement and continues to symbolize the equality of all races to this very day. His authority to advocate on the

Martin Luther King, Jr’s “Letter from Birmingham Jail” was written during 1963, when African Americans were fighting for black and white equality. During the civil rights movement Martin Luther King Jr fought triumphantly for African Americans and their freedom. He was often subjected to imprisonment from those who opposed the purpose of the civil rights movement. Martin Luther king Jr took a lot of time to write and document his thoughts about how his people were being treated. “Letter to Birmingham” documented king’s experience while attending the protest in Birmingham Alabama. Here we’ll explore king’s thoughts and how he was able to inform his people of the injustice in Birmingham.

Martin Luther King's letter from Birmingham jail was addressed to some clergymen who had penned an open letter criticizing the actions of Martin Luther King and the Southern Christian Leadership Conference (SCLC). King and the group had protested in Birmingham in opposition to racism and black oppression. In his letter, Martin Luther let the clergymen know that he was disappointed about their criticism and that he wanted to address their concerns (MLK Letter par 1).

In his letter, “Letter From Birmingham Jail”, Dr. Martin Luther King Junior uses a didactic tone to inform his audience, eight critical clergy members, that direct action and peaceful protests are the only solution to racial segregation-a moral dilemma. This letter comes after Martin Luther was apprehended by police and confined in a jail cell due to an “extreme” peaceful protest against racist ideals. The didactic tone utilized in the letter can be characterized by Luther’s diction, language, and imagery.

Dr. King’s earnest “Letter from Birmingham Jail” seeks to both justify the past and forthcoming actions being taken within the Civil Rights Movement as well as create an understanding of the importance and urgency of what was considered to most at the time a disruption of the public peace.

When the Eight Alabama Clergymen published “The Public Statement” calling Martin Luther King Jr’s activities “unwise and untimely”, instead of choosing violence he choose direct action to respond to the clergymen. King decided to respond to their statement by writing a letter from Birmingham jail arguing each point that the clergymen made in their “Public Statement.” The letter is intended for the Birmingham clergymen who published an open letter speaking upon Dr. King’s and the SCLC actions; but as you read the letter it, it becomes very clear that he intends this statement for a much larger audience. In the “Letter from Birmingham Jail,” King states that he is not an outsider and the people of Birmingham invited him and they all live within the United States boundaries. No one should be considered an outsider under any circumstances.

This turns the situation back to the clergymen – implying that they should think about what they would have done in that situation. It’s assumed that as Christians they would help, but the question is why they aren’t doing that with African Americans. Dr. King’s use of multiple traditions for his allusions reinforces his argument. By directing the text to people of so many backgrounds and using their most notable figures to support his case, he makes it hard for any person to view his overall argument as separate from their own culture or background. He draws a relationship between the brutalities committed against the Jews and the brutalities committed against African Americans in America with prejudiced laws bringing about violence and death. King then justifies his fight for an “extremist” cause by providing specific examples of other historical “extremist” causes that brought about changes for the

If one hears the name, Martin Luther King Jr., they often associate this well-known man to his well-known “I Had A Dream” speech. Martin Luther King Jr. was the leader of the African-American civil rights movement. While to many he is most known as just a ‘dreamer’, in Gospel of Freedom, Jonathan Rieder enlightens all on how Martin Luther King Jr. was much more than his “I Had A Dream” speech. It is a surprising thing that nowadays, when being taught throughout primary and secondary school, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr’s “Letter” from Birmingham jail was hardly talked about in historical contexts, or at the very least mentioned. Was it deemed not as important to show all sides of this famous activist? Martin Luther King Jr. has always been seen as this peaceful yet passionate leader fighting for justice. His “Letter” that he drafted shows a more furious, but still passionate side to him. A side that this “Letter” also helped show how the civil rights movement really worked.

In 1963, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr disregarded an order against all protests and led more than 1,000 people on a nonviolent protest which led to his arrest. While in jail, a couple of Clergymen made negative remarks about his demonstration in Birmingham and King responded with the “Letter from a Birmingham Jail.” King denounces the Clergymen’s argument by dissecting it and airing its invalidity with airtight unarguable reasoning.

The Civil Rights Movement, created with the intent to end racial segregation and discrimination against African Americans and to secure legal recognition and federal protection of the citizenship rights stated in the Constitution. The movement emerged in the 1954, with the Brown v. Board of Education, when the Supreme Court ruled that school segregation was unconstitutional. Continuing, the Civil Rights Movement picked up speed as well as national attention. From the Montgomery Bus Boycotts to the desegregation of Little Rock Elementary school. The Freedom Rides in 1961 illustrated the rapid speed of the Movement.

Martin Luther King, Jr. was imprisoned in Birmingham jail because of his contribution and participation in nonviolent demonstrations opposing the segregation championed by the southern leaders. The essay explores his longhand letter in response to civic statement of alarm and threats from the letter written by white religious leaders.