Martin Luther King Jr.’s Letter from Birmingham Jail Essay

Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. one of many great influential speakers wrote a life changing letter after being arrested for peacefully protesting African American rights. While sitting in jail Dr. King received a letter from clergymen questioning his motives and timings for being in Birmingham. In a response Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. writes a “Letter from Birmingham Jail” vividly expressing physical and emotional purposes for his presence in Birmingham, AL.

On April 16, 1963, from a jail in Birmingham, Alabama, Martin Luther King Jr. composed an extensive letter to eight clergymen who condemned the timing of the civil rights movement. Although the letter was addressed to these eight clergymen, the Letter from Birmingham Jail speaks to a national audience, especially King’s “Christian and Jewish brothers”(King, 29). His peaceful but firm letter serves as a remarkably persuasive voice to an immensely chaotic mess, and is seen as a major turning point in the civil rights movement. King believes that without direct action, the full rights for African Americans could never be achieved. He defends the impatience of people in the civil rights movement, upholding that without forceful

King compels his readers to make the connection between the two events by associating Hitler with the people that are segregating America. He also states how he would fight for any injustice by saying "Even so, I am sure that, had I lived in Germany at the time, I would have aided and comforted my Jewish Brothers" (223). By making these strong statements he forces his audience to think logically about the treatment of African American's during the civil rights movement, regardless of which cause they supported.

In “Letter from Birmingham Jail,” Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. resolutely responds to eight clergymen who question his methods of protest against segregation in Birmingham, Alabama. Specifically, in paragraphs 12-14, Dr. King explains why his protests are indeed being done in a timely manner to obtain the “constitutional and God-given rights” (A Portable Anthology, page 207) that Africans have been restricted of for over 340 years. Dr. King’s argument, combined with his strategic use of rhetorical devices to enhance it, helps create a palpable feeling of understanding that captivates the audience into seeing America through his vision.

King exposes the institutionalized racism in Birmingham by informing his audience on the immorality of the church. King exposes the cowardice that white churches promotes that

The purpose for Martin Luther king to write “Letter from Birmingham Jail” was to respond to white Alabama clergymen who before this had criticized his action saying they were “unwise and untimely.” These clergymen had published a criticism directed towards King’s organization and participation in his protest march against segregation in Birmingham. This letter is not intended to persuade these men towards supporting civil rights, but rather to demonstrate that there is an immediate need towards direct action, and also that they need to open their eyes and see the African American community’s suffering. King withal expounds the need for tension, though only through nonviolent means, a tension that will coerce society to confront the present convivial iniquity head on. King disapproves being called an outsider because of his belief that humanity is part an "inescapable network of mutuality, tied in a single garment of destiny."

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 very persuasive to a wide variety of audiences. Not only did he directly address the writers of the newspaper article, but included fellow African Americans with their struggle to gain acceptance. What makes this letter persuasive, is the amount of examples and situations described by Martin Luther King Jr. King also gains credibility by citing these sources without a history book, using only his own intellect that shows that he is not just your average man.

     Martin Luther King Jr. writes the Clergymen that have written him a letter disputing his actions in Birmingham. King is disturbed and offended by the Clergymen disagreeing with his purpose in Birmingham. King say he normally does not respond to criticism because it would waste to much precious time, but since these were men of good will he wanted to give his answers to their statements. In King's letter he appeals to many emotions as pathos, ethos, and logos to appeal to his audience.

In King’s essay, “Letter From Birmingham Jail”, King brilliantly employs the use of several rhetorical strategies that are pivotal in successfully influencing critics of his philosophical views on civil disobedience. King’s eloquent appeal to the logical, emotional, and most notably, moral and spiritual side of his audience, serves to make “Letter From Birmingham Jail” one of the most moving and persuasive literary pieces of the 20th century.

One of the most skillfully written compositions was done in a jail cell in Birmingham, Alabama in 1963. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. who was heading a national political movement for the recognizable equal treatment of colored people wrote a letter to his fellow clergy men while being imprisoned. In one article, he was able to address not only the clergy, but a wide, diverse audience, send his message across thoroughly, and affect millions of lives because of his purpose and the different personas he assumed. Dr. King's letter was a success because of his ability to incorporate and involve everyone in his writing.

Martin Luther King” letter from Birmingham Jail” is about a letter King wrote to his opponents about why he is taking a nonviolent action against the unjust rule that blacks had to follow. His opponent argued that now is not the time to protest even though they agreed with what he is doing. His opponents said the timing is not right, he should wait a little bit longer. Dr. King addresses his critics by telling them he disagrees with them, what he is doing is right he can no longer wait. He wrote this letter while in jail for protesting without permit. He told them why he disagrees with them by explaining in this letter. He said they have been waiting for 340 years, their patience is running out. King believed nonviolent protest is the only way to go. He understood that by protesting they will break some laws that were there to prevent blacks from doing things in public. But he believed the law that makes illegal for his to protest is unjust law and it’s okay to break unjust laws. To make his point he talked about how civil disobedience was done in the past; how it was illegal for anybody to help the Jews escaped the Nazis and how it was legal to do what the Nazi regime did to the Jewish people. How everything the Hungarian freedom fighters were illegal. He talked about how civil disobedience was used in the past by Christians when they were being forced to follow unjust laws by the Romans.

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.

“The Letter from Birmingham Jail” was written by Jr. Martin Luther King to Fellow Clergymen because he joined the nonviolent campaign in Birmingham, Alabama, to fight for justice. His letter answered to the “A Call for Unity” clergymen, who said that the fight for social injustices should only be in the courts. However, the court does not only never solve the racial segregation, but also ignore the problem for decades. King Jr. believes in some principles that will be discussed in this paper

Before discussing the events that led to the “Letter from a Birmingham Jail,” it is important to understand the life of an African American in the pre-1950’s in America, leading up to the Civil Rights movements that shaped our country. In many parts of the country, Americans were treated as equals, but not in the Southern United States. White people viewed African Americans as something less than white people, as blacks were forced to drink from separate water fountains, eat at different restaurants, shop at different stores, sit in the backs of buses, use different bathrooms, and play in different sports leagues, among many other abuses by our society at that time. Although laws were passed in the 1950’s to dismantle the behaviors of the white-ruled society, the complicity with these laws was avoided, and violence ensued in the process. When Dr. Martin Luther King wrote his “Letter from a Birmingham Jail,” tensions and violence were at all-time highs in the South, and something had to change. This essay will discuss the actions leading up to Dr. King’s important letter, and the events that resulted following his brave address to the clergymen in Birmingham, Alabama in April 1963.