In 1963, Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. wrote the “Letter Birmingham Jail” from jail in Birmingham, Alabama in the response to public statements issued by eight white clergy calling his actions “ unwise and untimely”. “ That this wait has almost always meant never”. Dr.King wrote this letter to demonstrate the battle against racial segregation. He was asking in this letter to make admins to stop segregation, and to become equally as one. Dr.King achieved his goals by taking action by four steps, which are gathering facts, negotiation, self-purification, and direct action.
Martin Luther King Jr. was an American baptist minister and activist who became the most visible spokesperson and leader in the Civil Rights Movement in 1954. He had a great impact on race relations in the U.S. and he made a great impact on many lives. He died in 1968. Dr. King wrote 2 famous works, “Dream” and “Birmingham” and each had a different audience and purpose. Both works utilizes the persuasive techniques of pathos in “Dream” and logos in “Birmingham.”
Civil rights leader and social activist Martin Luther King Jr. wrote a world renown correspondence, Letter From Birmingham Jail, in April of 1963, during a time when segregation was at it’s peak in the South. When King was making his mark in American history, the United States was experiencing great social unrest due to the injustice towards their colored citizens, which would lead to social rights rallies and unnecessary violence. In response to King’s peaceful protesting, the white community viewed “[his] nonviolent efforts as those of an extremist,” and subsequently imprisoned the pastor (para 27). King specifically wrote to the white clergymen who had earlier addressed a letter to him as to why he was apprehended, in which they argued that his actions were untimely and unconstitutional. In response, King emphasized that justice is never timely, and the refusal to acknowledge equal rights was inhumane and regressive.
In the “letter from Birmingham Jail” by Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., he uses pathos, logos and rhetorical devices such as imagery, sarcasm and biblical allusions to show how his work of nonviolent protests are smart and how Birmingham has violated their civil rights. He expresses himself in his letter by explaining why he can not wait any longer because of the countless murders, the unsolved bombing, lynching, and violence towards the black community. MLK Jr. came across a statement which was a call for unity by eight Clergymen while being in the Birmingham city jail because of him not having a license to protest. In response to the eight Clergymen, Dr. king decided to write a historical letter letting them know that freedom was not an option because of the false promise and the continued violence. The letter is written to inform the people who are against, neutral and with segregation that it is time to take action and prove to the clergymen why he will stand up for what is right.
Civil rights leader, Martin Luther King Jr, in his Letter from Birmingham City Jail, argues against criticism from eight Alabama clergymen, and addresses their concerns. He defends his position, and the Southern Christian Leadership Conference (SCLC), against accusations of disturbing the peace in Birmingham, as well as explaining his values and opinions. Throughout the letter, King adopts a strong logical and credible tone, and reinforces his position through the use of strong emotional justifications, in order to appeal to the clergymen and defend his public image. Martin Luther King opens up his Letter from Birmingham City Jail by appealing to the clergymen's emotions, and assuring his peaceful response, which he describes in "patient and
Looking at society today you might notice any racism or discrimination, but there were people that had to fight for the rights of people today. One of those people was Ralph Abernathy. He was Martin Luther King Jr.’s right hand man and helped with many of the non-violent civil right acts. One of these acts was the Bus boycott. After Martin Luther King Jr. died Ralph took over the SCLC, which was one of the organizations MLK and Ralph started.
Have you ever been punished so harshly to the point where it makes you rethink what life is really about? Or even question the law as well as the people in the world about their point of view on society? In the story “Letter From Birmingham Jail”, Martin Luther King Jr. criticizes the law & society by enlightening his audience with his letter from jail on how he as well as others was placed in jail due to his nonviolent protest on racism. His brief descriptions on his experience allows his intended readers African Americans, whites, as well as the press to understand the hardships in order to gain the right to freedom. Mr. King specifically indicates the understanding of African Americans, right/reason for equality, and the necessities for acceptance.
Mohandas Gandhi and Martin Luther King Jr “You must not lose faith in humanity. Humanity is an ocean; if a few drops of the ocean are dirty, the ocean does not become dirty,” Mohandas Gandhi quoted. I have extremely admired Gandhi because his whole life be worked and fought for India’s Independence from the British Empire. Also another important person whom I have respected is Martin Luther King .Jr who attracted many people to his cause by delivering his speech “I have a dream.”
Martin Luther King struggle can be construed as an advocacy for a good society. I say this because according to Merriam Webster dictionary, advocacy means the act or process of supporting a cause or proposal (Merriam Webster). During Martin Luther King’s life, he supported a major cause in the African American society which was the Civil Rights movement. Dr. Martin Luther King made many recommendations for a policy to be passed to stop institutionalized racism. Martin Luther King goal was to raise the public consciousness of racism.
In today’s society, it is rare to find a person who possesses even a few qualities of a true hero. The definition of a true hero is a person who is admired for their courage, achievements, or noble qualities. Having people in the world that are willingly prepared to be a hero in any situation is crucial to society. Imagine what 9/11 would have been like without average everyday people who chose to take heroic actions and save other lives while risking their own. Many people think that acting heroically comes naturally and can not be taught, on contrary others think that acting heroically is a quality that can be acquired.
Throughout time, people have always fought for freedom and the chance to express what they believe regardless of who or what stands in their way. Both Martin Luther King Jr. and Antigone symbolize key figures who stood up for what they believed in, fighting for the good life for both themselves and the community around them. Although both cause conflict, protest unjust laws to achieve change, and approach a comparable situation of fighting injustice in society similarly, they had different stakes had they failed. The magnitude of the stakes differ from one another but in both cases, their stakes and what they stand to lose justify the actions they take, as they are not only trying to prevent further conflict but also trying to teach future
“I have a dream.” Almost every man, woman, and child knows those iconic four words. Martin Luther King Jr’s “I have a Dream” speech spoke to millions and is remembered as a pivotal point for African American’s civil rights. Perhaps his second most persuasive work is his “Letter from a Birmingham Jail.” Yet, what makes these works so memorable?