Analysis Of Letter From Birmingham Jail By Martin Luther King

During the era of Jim Crow, human rights and equality were ignored, and in their place were dehumanizing laws and restrictions on the rights of black people. In the South, voting rights was the main issue. Whether it was an angry white mob outside a polling place, a literacy test designed to be failed, or an unpayable tax on voting, it was no secret that black people were not welcome at the polls. To protest this unfair treatment, in the people of Selma, Martin Luther King Jr., and many other religious leaders took the streets to march from Selma to Montgomery in 1965. Two years before, Dr. King wrote the famous “Letter from Birmingham Jail” which, amongst other things, outlined the four essential steps of a nonviolent movement. The 1965

King’s first step of initiating a nonviolent movement is the “collection of the facts to determine whether injustices exist.” In Selma in the 1960’s, people didn’t need statistics or facts to know that injustice was everywhere, and it was stripping black people of their rights and freedoms. In 1965, during a peaceful voting rights protest in Selma, 26-year-old Jimmie Lee Jackson was shot and killed by police. This was the event said to have sparked the idea for a voting rights movement in Selma. Identifying the issues that would be the movement’s focus was key to motivating people and gaining support for the cause.

The second step Dr. King listed is negotiation. The message and purpose of the Selma March wouldn’t have been spread if it weren’t for Dr. King’s communication with President Johnson. Eventually, the Civil Rights Act of 1964 was passed as a result of their close collaboration. Although this was an important accomplishment, it was not effective enough in tackling voter discrimination. There was still more that had to be done, and Dr. King believed the best course of action was a march in

King discussed is self-purification. This step often involved simulations of protests, and how the opposers could respond. Most importantly, self-purification was preparing oneself for the dangers of protesting. People had to ask themselves questions like, “will the cause I am fighting for be worth the sacrifice?” or even “can I afford to make these sacrifices right now?”. Participating in a protest, even the nonviolent kind, was a massive risk, and by partaking in one, a person could sacrifice many things. During the second Selma march, police were determined to stop the protestors and armed themselves with tear gas, clubs, and even police dogs. At the sight of the heavily armed police, unafraid to use their weapons against innocent people, Dr. King decided to turn around. He believed that the time was not right, and in the meantime, they should all pray and reflect on the purpose of the march before trying again. But for many, the urge for voting rights and equality was stronger than the desire to be safe. Participating in the Selma march could mean risking one’s life, safety, job, or loved ones, but for many, the risk was worth