Summary Of Letter From Birmingham Jail

Martin Luther King’s message “A Letter From A Birmingham Jail,” it rebuttals the empty statements made by the eight Alabama clergymen. In the clergymen’s letter, they try to show their support by mentioning how they know what is best for the citizens, and they are trying their hardest to resolve these problems. However, they fail to give evidence in saying that King’s methods were “untimely and unwise”, and they failed to prove their support against segregation. King wrote this letter during his serving time in jail, in response to the clergymen that said that his action were “unwise and untimely.” This letter raised national awareness to the Civil Rights Movements, it motioned the will power to gain proper rights after three hundred and forty

King mentions how long African Americans have fought as he stated, “ We have waited for more than three hundred and four years for our constitutional and God-given rights” (King 3). Slavery first began in the United States in 1619, and it has been 395 years since then. Not only does he mention how long they have waited, but he also stated, “Before the pen of Jefferson etched across the pages of history the majestic words of the Declaration of Independence, we were here”( King 10). The Declaration of Independence, written by Thomas Jefferson, states the people of U.S. are granted with freedom of life, liberty, and pursuit of happiness. Yet people in the U.S. still do not treat African Americans as citizens and try to weigh them down. Clergymen follow the Bible, and the Bible states that God created every man equal; therefore’ African Americans should be given these rights after fighting for more than three hundred and forty years. The Civil Rights movement was finally organized and supported by numerous neighborhoods instead of rebellions and protest after three centuries. This method gained the attention of the government and caused the movement to further