ipl-logo

The Letter From Birmingham Jail By Martin Luther King Jr.

649 Words3 Pages

The Letter from Birmingham Jail is a letter written by Martin Luther King Jr. on April 16, 1963 while he was incarcerated in Birmingham jail for taking part in outlawed demonstrations. The letter states the importance of nonviolent resistance to segregation, and the difference between just and unjust laws. In response to King being an outsider, King responded by saying, that the residents of Birmingham had invited him to Birmingham. He took to nonviolent demonstrations since blacks including himself were discriminated in public schools, buses, and washrooms. The letter was as a response to "A Call for Unity" letter written by eight white clergymen, who stated that a fight against segregation ought to be taken to the courts rather than to the streets. The clergymen’s letter urged blacks not to support Martin Luther’s demonstrations. Whereas King believed people should negotiate with local leaders and take their cases to courts, this path failed due to unjust laws and the community’s indifference to criminalizing segregation. …show more content…

In response to the clergymen’s statement, King Jr. stated that the demonstrators are not outsiders. King was in Birmingham because he was invited to Birmingham, According to Openheimmer (1992): Several months ago, the affiliate here in Birmingham asked us to be on call to engage in a nonviolent direct-action program if such were deemed necessary. So I, along with several members of my staff, am here because I was invited here I am here because I have organizational ties here.” But more basically, I am in Birmingham because injustice is here. The clergymen commended the local media, law enforcers, and the community for the way in which they handled the demonstrations-with calm. However, in response to this claim, Martin Luther argues that he doubts the clergy would go praise the police if they had seen the police committing atrocities against Negroes. Colaiaco (1984)

Show More
Related

Rhetorical Analysis Of Letter From Birmingham Jail

492 Words | 2 Pages

Segregationist, Martin Luther King, Jr., in his letter “Letter from Birmingham Jail” emphasizes the need for integration and racial equality. After reading text written by clergymen, King felt the responsibility to explain his cause. He adapts a diplomatic tone in order to convince society to integrate and end racial injustice. King begins his letter by introducing the reason for being in Birmingham.

Read More

Summary Of Letter From Birmingham Jail

466 Words | 2 Pages

Letter from the Birmingham Jail, a letter created by the one and only Martin Luther King Jr.(MLK). This letter was inscribed April 16, 1963 within the walls of MLK's cell at the Birmingham jail. The contents of his writing defends the strategy of nonviolent resistance to racism. Martin Luther King Jr states a commonly asked question “Why direct action? Why sit-ins, marches and so forth?

Read More

Summary Of Martin Luther King Letter From Birmingham Jail

1112 Words | 5 Pages

Martin Luther King Jr. wrote a letter to eight white clergymen in response to their public statement where they stated their concerns about the actions of the demonstrators in their city. The clergymen called King’s actions “unwise and untimely,” they considered him an outsider and an extremist; this is what grabbed King’s attention when he went to jail and saw the statement made by these clergymen, he decided that these religious men were “genuine good [willed and their] criticisms [were] sincerely set forth” (King) therefore King chose to answer their concerns in his letter. In Martin Luther King’s Letter from Birmingham Jail he fights for the right of civil rights by effectively using Aristotle’s rhetorical triangle and fallacies such as

Read More

Rhetorical Analysis Of Letter From Birmingham Jail

611 Words | 3 Pages

An orator from Atlanta, Georgia, Martin Luther King – coincidentally achieving similar standards as his predecessor, Martin Luther, in the Civil Rights World – once wrote a letter, which is at times presented as a masterpiece of rhetoric and development. “Letter from a Birmingham City Jail’ was recognized as a genius retort to Alabama Clergymen, who wished for Martin Luther to leave Birmingham due to his “outsider” title and the “hatred and violence” his peaceful conventions have caused. Throughout his letter, Martin Luther develops a tone that redefines his argument, stabilizing it even, for his purpose – to challenge the ideas of the Clergymen who found his being in Birmingham nonbeneficial to the city’s already stretched-out line of racial tension – of refuting the Clergymen.

Read More

Summary Of Letter From Birmingham Jail

781 Words | 4 Pages

The “Letter from Birmingham Jail”, written by Martin Luther King, Jr. from a lonely imprisonment cell in Birmingham, Alabama; was Mainly addressed to numerous ministers and priests, who at that time had written an exposed letter negatively analyzing the things King Jr. among with the Southern Christian Leadership Conference were doing during their protests in Birmingham. In this letter he expresses to the clergymen how upset he was about their disapprovals and that he would like to understand and address their worries. The first disapproval they make, states that he is an “outsider” to Birmingham, and that he has only caused trouble to the city. King Jr. replies to this disapproval by defending his freedom rights, and saying in a sincere

Read More

Summary Of Letter From Birmingham Jail

685 Words | 3 Pages

The clergymen described that hatred and violence were unnecessary to their government’s religious and political traditions. Regardless of their religious beliefs, there should have been no oppositions anyways. They believed these actions “have not contributed to the resolution of [their] local problems.”, which was implying that the clergymen were looking down upon their actions and attempts to placate the situation. King makes an effort to address this point in his “Letter from Birmingham Jail.”, and counters the clergymen’s statement through the explanation of the four basic steps in a nonviolent campaign. Through this essay in response to the clergymen’s letter, King was able to fully support his and the other demonstrators actions and that their intentions were pure and for the better of society.

Read More

Martin Luther King Jr.'s Letter From Birmingham Jail

466 Words | 2 Pages

Activist, Martin Luther King Jr., in his letter from “Birmingham Jail”, response to the clergymen who requested King to stop his nonviolent protests. King’s purpose is to argue each point from the clergymen, to able to convey a powerful meaning, and for them to see why he is passionate about what he is doing. He conveys a conflicting tone, with mixed emotions about the Civil Rights Movement. Martin Luther King in paragraph thirty-one, begins with questioning what it truly means to be an extremist, and challenge the beliefs of the people. He creates a literal diction, by using anaphora, “Was not Jesus an extremist for love-

Read More

How Is Martin Luther King Justified In Letter From Birmingham Jail

756 Words | 4 Pages

The clergymen state that the demonstrations were unnecessary. They argued that they incite hatred and violence (although they were peaceful) and do not contribute to a resolution. They

Read More

Pathos In Letter From Birmingham Jail

858 Words | 4 Pages

Martin Luther King Jr., a man that led a movement of peace and equality for all walks of life, faced much criticism during his time in Birmingham, Alabama. He was jailed for participating and leading a peaceful protest after a judge ordered that he could not hold a protest in Birmingham. King called Birmingham, “the most thoroughly segregated city in the country”, and that led him to reach out and to bring out the flaws of racial injustice to national attention. These events led up to King composing the historic 1963 essay, Letter from Birmingham City Jail, King’s essay was written on all sorts of paper from the margins of newspaper all the way to paper scraps; however, that letter was a humble response to the eight clergymen who condemned

Read More

Letter From Birmingham Jail By Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.

631 Words | 3 Pages

There is but one race, and that is the human race.” In 500 words or less define what this quote means, describe how it epitomizes Dr. Martin Luther King Jr’s vision, and explain how you personally incorporate these ideals into your everyday life.” “There is but one race, and that is the human race” This implies that all people should be treated the same no matter what color you are. King didn’t believe that humans were classified into groups based on physical traits, social groups, genetics etc. His vision shows that he wanted all of us to feel like we mattered.

Read More

Summary Of Letter From Birmingham Jail

1114 Words | 5 Pages

Dr King wrote a direct response to the eight clergymen from Alabama in a confinement cell in Birmingham, Alabama which is now known as “Letter from Birmingham Jail.” It addresses the wrong-doings and injustices going on in Birmingham. King was arrested for being part of a peaceful protest against segregation that had not been approved to be marched in that area. King argues that publicly showing that people including him are against segregation is better than just negotiating and having the “Negro community” patiently wait around for society to move toward civil rights and that demanding social justice provokes individuals and groups to act out, regardless of how peaceful the method may be. Dr King explains why it is okay for him to be a part

Read More

The Letter From Birmingham Jail By Martin Luther King Jr.

1766 Words | 8 Pages

The civil rights movement was the answer to a call for justice that transformed the world. Though in the seemingly distant past, the social and economic implications of Jim Crow era racism once deep-rooted in the nation were only a few decades ago. “The Letter from Birmingham Jail” stands as one of the most influential and potent historical documents of the civil rights movement. In his response to the “Public Statement” written by the eight white clergymen from Birmingham who criticized the demonstrations led by King. Martin Luther King Jr. not only addresses the concerns raised in the clergy's letter regarding Birmingham but also highlights the larger issues of institutionalized segregation facing the nation at large by appealing to an American

Read More

What Is King's Argument In Letter From Birmingham Jail

530 Words | 3 Pages

Dr. King's, "Letter from a Birmingham Jail" is poignant in many ways in regard to a "big picture" viewpoint of our society. Overall, it speaks to the viewpoint that we all have a social responsibility to each other to work against injustice irrespective of where that injustice takes place. "Martin Luther King Jr.'s letter from Birmingham Jail, which was written in April 16, 1963, is a passionate letter that addresses and responds to the issue and criticism that a group of white clergymen had thrown at him and his pro- black American organization about his and his organization's non- violent demonstrative actions against racial prejudice and injustice among black Americans in Birmingham. Dr. King told the local clergy in Birmingham that he understood he was an outsider and he realized that his presence in Birmingham would cause trouble. However, he also felt that he had a moral

Read More

What Are The Arguments In Letter From Birmingham Jail

827 Words | 4 Pages

Letter from Birmingham Jail Martin Luther King wrote Letter from Birmingham Jail on April 16, 1963 while being confined in Birmingham City Jail. The letter was addressed to Kings Fellow Clergymen who had written an open letter. Letter from Birmingham criticizes King and Southern Leadership conference while protesting in Birmingham. Dr. King told the clergymen he was upset and wanted to address the concerns and criticisms they had.

Read More

Summary Of Martin Luther King's Letter From Birmingham Jail

895 Words | 4 Pages

With the help of these four steps, he justifies the need for the demonstration. King illustrates the city of Birmingham as “the most thoroughly segregated city in the United States,” (King 2). Here King is able to show that injustices are present in Birmingham, which further justifies his reason for a peaceful demonstration. King proceeds to speak about his method of protesting. He states that negotiation was not met, and that “[their] hopes had been blasted,” that like “victims of a broken promise,” their wishes had been disregarded, (King 2).

Read More

More about The Letter From Birmingham Jail By Martin Luther King Jr.

Related Topics

Open Document