Arguments In Letter From Birmingham Jail

“I have a dream today!” That dream of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s was to bring about racial equality. That dream of his was the reason that he was imprisoned in Birmingham, and a reason why he wrote his letter. In his “Letter from Birmingham Jail”, King argues that Christians need to stand together against racial discrimination. He uses authoritative quotes, logical examples, and emotional language to make his point.

Authoritative quotes are an important part of King’s argument because his audience likely admired the figures he quoted. As Christian ministers, they had experience with the ideas of the figures. By referencing Paul the Apostle, although he doesn’t directly quote him, King explains that by being in Alabama, he is helping

He first tells his readers that “Birmingham is probably the most thoroughly segregated city in the United States. Its ugly record of brutality is widely known. Negroes have experienced grossly unjust treatment in the courts. There have been more unsolved bombings of Negro homes and churches in Birmingham than in any other city in the nation.”. This logical example defines in concrete terms how African-Americans are treated in the same city that King is jailed. Later in the essay, King speaks of how long African-Americans have been denied fair treatment. Towards the end of the essay, King shows that he is a logical and reasonable person by saying “If I have said anything in this letter that overstates the truth and indicates an unreasonable impatience, I beg you to forgive me.”. He acknowledges that he might have faults in his letter, and is willing to make amends for them. By using logical appeals, he adds a practical side to his argument that is not completely based on

The line “As the weeks and months went by, we realized that we were the victims of a broken promise.” connects with the audience by causing them to sympathize with the feeling of being let down. King best creates an emotional connection with his audience when he describes how they have been treated in society. The African-Americans were assaulted, cursed at, segregated, given degrading names, and hopeless. The line “…when you suddenly find your tongue twisted and your speech stammering as you seek to explain to your six year old daughter why she can't go to the public amusement park that has just been advertised on television, and see tears welling up in her eyes when she is told that Funtown is closed to colored children,…” particularly creates an emotional impact. Most of the Christian preachers in King’s audience were likely fathers, so this line might have made them think of their own emotions when their children faced rejection. Much of the latter portion of King’s essay focuses on these emotional appeals to connect the audience with the African-Americans lacking