Pathos In Letter From Birmingham Jail

Dr martin Luther king jr is an influential figure in civil rights. While in jail for peacefully protesting he received a letter telling him that protests are "unwise and untimely." In response to this, he wrote a letter from jail. He uses ethos pathos and allusion to establish himself as a credible leader.

First Dr king uses ethos to establish himself as a credible leader. In his letter, he writes "I have the honor of serving as president of the Southern Christian Leadership Conference, an organization serving in every southern state."(paragraph 2 of Letter From Birmingham jail). Showing his status in this big organization proves his credibility. He has experience with leading and is the face of the civil rights movement meaning he is a credible leader. Furthermore, he states "We have some eighty-five affiliate organizations all across the south."(paragraph 2 of Letter from Birmingham jail). This means he is not the leader of just one organization but the face of all 86. Having this status as a leader proves his credibility as one.

In his letter, he states "injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere."(paragraph 4). This shows Dr. kings credibility because he understands the emotions behind this statement. He understands the hardships that African Americans have to face. This statement is a perfect example of what is happening to African American people in the u.s. He also states "anyone who lives inside the United States can never be considered an outsider."(paragraph 4). This statement also shows what is happening to African American people. They are being treated as if they were outsiders in their own country. Knowing and living through these hardships helps him become a credible