Effects Of Martin Luther King Letter From Birmingham Jail

On April 12th, Dr. Martin Luther King was arrested during in Birmingham, four days later he wrote his famous “Letter from a Birmingham Jail.” Originally penciled in the margins of a contraband newspaper, this letter is now an iconic part of the the civil rights movement. King wrote this a letter in response to another letter published a few days earlier by white religious leaders who were criticizing the movement. Martin Luther King’s “A Letter From a Birmingham Jail” helped to bring light to the segregation in the city of Birmingham and eased some of it, but tension was still high between races in the city. The “Letter From a Birmingham Jail” Was written shortly after King was arrested in Birmingham. Those involved in the civil rights movement

The “Letter From a Birmingham Jail” was written in reply to another letter written which called King’s protests “unwise and untimely” (Engelbert 39). It was written by eight, white religious leaders and published as a whole page advertisement. King’s letter was able to help find and enlist lots of people who were willing to join King and his follower in the civil rights effort. With the help of Martin Luther King’s “Letter from a Birmingham Jail”, the movement gained support from the president to get control over Birmingham (Karson 96). Eventually, after being published, the letter caught President Kennedy, who finally sent in military troops to watch the city and make sure they follow the anti-segregation laws. Before the protests, people believed that if they could “crack” Birmingham, they could take the whole movement in the direction they wanted. Thankfully, with the help of Kennedy, those in the movement “cracked” Birmingham. Kennedy’s attention also helped to bring a lot of needed attention to the movement, after all, when the president talks, most people listen. The added support of Kennedy and the government played a big role in moving along the movement. The “Letter From a Birmingham Jail” helped to bring light to the issue of racism in Birmingham by calling out the racist actions of white religious leaders and obtaining

King’s arrest and letter helped to inspire people which made it easier for him to recruit people to help him in the civil rights effort (Birmingham 3). It was published in a newspaper, so right off the bat, it was able to reach all of those in the cities that the paper reached. It touched on topics that meant a lot to different people. The “Letter from a Birmingham Jail” talked of how all people need to be treated equally and of the racism in the south, with all African Americans and others in support of them, could agree were very important. It even helped them to get children involved as well. They could leave class and join the protests, and they helped parents and friends with their efforts. King’s letter even inspires people today, remaining an iconic piece from the American civil rights movement. The “Letter From a Birmingham Jail” has has a huge impact on the country, and around the world. Many schools even have included it in their curriculums, making it required for students to learn about it (Maranzani 5). It is a symbol for those who are oppressed and discriminated against everywhere and remains an inspiration for people in other movements. It even continues to reach new people every day, as children learn about it in school, and civil rights activists all over find its words inspiring and relatable to their cause as it was to King. The letter continues to reach more