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An Analysis Of Martin Luther King's Letter From Birmingham Jail

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Whitney Murphy Ms. Knox English 1 Honors, Period 2 10 May 2023 Essay On King’s Words There were more than 200,000 people present when Martin Luther King Jr gave his I Have A Dream Speech on the steps of the Lincoln Memorial. King’s Letter From Birmingham Jail was first published in the national press on May 19, 1963, and rapidly spread throughout the country. Since then, King’s words have touched hundreds of thousands, if not millions, of lives. One of the leaders of the civil rights movement, King both wrote and spoke about his beliefs, stirring the hearts of many in an already unrestful country. Throughout King’s writing, he demonstrates the power of words in his ability to provoke, calm, and inspire his audience. King’s words have the power …show more content…

This is evident in his Letter from Birmingham Jail. King begins his letter by directly addressing the white clergymen. King says “I am sure that none of you would want to rest content with the superficial kind of social analysis that deals merely with effects and does not grapple with underlying causes” (King, 272). King is assuring the white clergymen that he does not think of them as ignorant men. King is assuring the white clergymen of his confidence in their intentions. By doing this, King is showing the white clergymen respect. As King was himself a leader in many roles, such as a minister, husband, and civil rights activist, he understands the importance of respect. King understands that respect is earned and not given freely. So to show the clergymen respect in a public letter was a pretty big deal. King also is showing that he knows that without respect going both ways, negotiation is impossible. King is showing that he knows that criticism must come from a place of respect and never from a place of anger or frustration. King is appeasing the white clergymen by telling them that he understands where they are coming from. King again uses his words to calm in his I Have A Dream speech. King speaks of the future of their country. Kings says “I have a dream that one day on the red hills of Georgia, the sons of former slaves and the sons of former slave owners will be able to sit down together at the table of brotherhood” (King, 263). King paints a picture in our minds of brotherhood and equality. Though an everyday occurrence, sitting down together at a table is surprisingly significant. Sitting together is a sign of equality. The Bible illustrates this very well. Jesus was known to sit with people from all backgrounds, whether they be pharisees or prostitutes, fishermen or tax collectors. Many looked down upon him because of this, while others thought he was too far above to be eating

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