Martin L King Letter From Birmingham Jail

In the 1950s and 1960s, it was evident that racism was at its all time high with African Americans being lynched, segregated, and most of their rights taken away. According to the Washington Post, Researchers concluded that 3,959 black people were killed in multiple Southern states between 1877 and 1950. The injustice that was occurring in the United States is what fueled Martin L. King Jr to prevail and expose the issues. In his letter from Birmingham jail, he argued about many of the issues one specifically was the christian churches. In order for him to get his point across, he highly expressed upon nonviolent direct action, he used many profound examples of the injustice, and he showed anger towards his religion. Because of the discrimination

King Illustrated many of the discrimination and cruelty that was taking place in the South. For instances, he wrote about how the cruel mobs were lynching mothers and fathers, drowning brothers and sisters. Also, Policemen, who are the law, kicking and killing black people. It was also evident that African Americans were poor in the society. He then writes about how can a parent explain to his/her child the discrimination that is taking place. How can a parent tell his/her child he/she cannot go to an amusement park or how white people hate them because of their color of their skin. In addition, he writes about how embarrassing it is to see signs that say “white” and “colored” and how black people are told “boy” “nigger” instead of their name or Mr/Mrs.. He argues that they don't understand because they do not have to face this type of discrimination and cruelty. His argument is, essentially, tapering in into their inner sensitivity. He wants them to imagine them self in the shoes of an African American and feel, hear, and sense the injustice, so they can understand why it is time to stop waiting and to take action. He gave them examples of different laws that he says are either just laws or unjust. He argues that he will follow the just laws but he will not follow the unjust laws. His meaning for an unjust law was immoral and humiliating laws. He claimed that segregation was just an additional away to keep a superiority over another race and that it damages the personality of a human being. He argued that a just law was a law that uplifts the human personality. He wanted to address to them that what types of laws that he absolutely opposes. He wanted them to know he will follow the law but that he will protest them in a non-violent way. In addition, his strongest argument to back up just and unjust law was that he wrote about how everything Adolf Hitler did was “legal” and how it was illegal to help the jewish people in Germany. He said that even if he