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Martin Luther King Jr. And The Civil Rights Movement

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During 1954 to 1968, the Civil Rights Movement took place. These years were very shaping for America. Many years prior to the movement, all races, especially blacks had been discriminated against and a lot of this took place through the Jim Crow Laws. Martin Luther King Jr. fought to bring justice and equal rights for all races. The Radical King is a letter about Martin Luther King Jr. personal experience with the Civil Rights Movement; this letter primarily focuses on civil disobedience, moderation, and race. Martin Luther King Jr. and some of his staff went to Birmingham Alabama. They went there seeking to bring peace and justice among all races. Birmingham Alabama, at the time was one of the most segregated cities in the United States …show more content…

King believed that if they were to refuse unjust laws, then it would give the people no other option then to confront the issues of injustice and inequality (King 130). King said, “One has not only a legal but a moral responsibility to obey just laws. Conversely, one has a moral responsibility to disobey unjust laws” (King 133). King and his staff stood by this, they disobeyed the law in respectful ways in hopes to make a difference. Any law that defiles a human is considered unjust and segregation damages and is demeaning to humans (King 133). Martin Luther King Jr. and many African Americans, and few whites participated in peacefully disobeying the law through a variety of ways. They demonstrated this through sit-ins, freedom rides and freedom marches (Schmidt 140). One of the most remembered ways this group spoke out was by the, March on Washington. The March on Washington focused on jobs and freedom. These people were speaking out for political and social justice …show more content…

King is disappointed in three main ways, they value order over justice, they believe time will bring freedom and equality and lastly, has an overall disappointment with the white church and its leadership (King 136-139). King hoped that the white moderates would see the need for justice and equality (King 135). Instead, the white moderates wanted peace and hoped that overtime the African American population would gain back freedom. King was optimistic in the white church and believed that they would support him, but they did the opposite. King used the bus boycott in Montgomery, Alabama as an example of the lack of support. He had hoped that they would advocate the him and the black population instead, he said, “some have been outright opponents, refusing to understand the freedom movement and misrepresenting its leaders” (King 140). King had hoped that the white leadership would see the need for justice and would help them achieve equality, but it was the opposite. The white church remained silent, and therefore promoting

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“I must admit that I was initially disappointed in being so categorized” (Paragraph 23). King showed multiple times how disheartened he felt, which is something most people who have authority would say. He goes on and states several times how disappointed he was. “I have been disappointed with the church” (Paragraph 27). This indicates that the clergymen and white people with power, as well as the church, have failed him.

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King also points out the morality of such laws. He points out that they have waited for over 340 years for constitutional and God given rights. He continues giving his audience an insight when he mentions how countries like Africa and Asia are moving with “jet like speed toward political independence, but we still creep at horse-and buggy pace toward getting a cup of coffee at a lunch counter”(King, 1963, p.3, para.1). He continues to argue about unjust laws. Pointing out that laws were made for that exact justice.

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King holds his greatest disappointment for the white leaders of the church. His own personal love of the gospel and what it stands for certainly makes his sense of utter bewilderment at his fellow clergyman all the more painful and mesmerizing. With an obvious complete and solid foundation in his ideas on just and moral law, Dr. King surmised that the white church would stand for the moral high ground over the legality of a man made law. He felt the white church would stand together as moral leaders and stick to their edict to “obey God as ruler rather than man”. He was sadly mistaken.

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Having served as a minister, King deeply understood Christianity, which he used to address the white clergy in his open letter. King aimed to highlight the immorality of discrimination, especially to those in powerful or religious positions who could bring about change. Further, these individuals should be aware of the unjust and unchristian nature of allowing such bigotries. It did not matter to King whether others ignored or condoned the situation. Social change was necessary to eradicate racial injustices, and King’s mission was to convey that change.

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“…the ultimate weakness of violence… It doesn’t solve any problems” (Document J) King raised as a Christian believed that violence was the root of all the problems and if they fought with violence nothing would be achieved. He wanted his followers to protest peacefully to the white’s unruly actions for of his faith violence was never the answer. “…we cannot in all good conscience obey your unjust laws” (Document H) Stated by Martin Luther King in Stride toward Freedom, he wanted told the whites that the black community will revolt against the laws.

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King uses strong, powerful language in his letter to analyze how protesting is right in the eyes of him and his fellow men because of the way they are being treated. King says, “All Christians know that the colored people will receive equal rights eventually” (paragraph 25). By using the word “Christians” it points out and focuses on the priests because they are Christians. Therefore, they will feel a personal connection between what King is writing and their lives. King explains what is happening to African Americans during this time and the struggles they are going through in their day-to-day life, unlike these fellow clergymen.

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King, who served as a minister, had a deep understanding of Christianity, which he used in his letter to the white clergy. King sought to highlight the immorality of discrimination, especially against those in powerful or religious positions who could assist him in bringing about change. In their capacities as churchmen, these individuals should be aware of the unchristian nature of allowing such bigotry. Social change was necessary regardless of if one ignored inequities or actively condoned segregation. In the absence of other options, King became more visible and vocal in his protests in a non-violent manner (King, 1963, p.5, para. 3).

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King describes he is disappointed in the church. “All Christianity know that the colored people will receive equal rights eventually, but it is possible that you are in too great a religious hurry” (King 26) This appeal of pathos proves that white preachers were racist even though they are men of God. King let his readers know that even though he does not have the churches approval he will succeed without their

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King also takes great length t0 distinguish between just and unjust laws. He describes “ Any law that degrades human personality is unjust. All segregation statutes are unjust because segregation distorts the soul and damages the personality ” (par. 16). He shares all this in hopes that the clergymen and others will understand that it is morally incorrect for segregation to be practiced because everyone should be treated equally. Finally, King tells them “I had also hoped that the white moderate would reject the myth concerning time in relation to the struggle for freedom” (par. 26).

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Perhaps I must turn my faith to the inner spiritual church, the church within the church, as the true ekklesia18 and the hope of the world. " This solidifies King's stance towards violence. In addition to remaining determined, King also held onto hope and spread said hope to his community by reassuring them that they weren't alone in the battle of segregation by listing the names of various white people that supported the black community as shown in “Letter From Birmingham Jail” paragraph 32 where he states "I suppose I should have realized that few members of the oppressor race can understand the deep groans and passionate yearnings of the oppressed race, and still fewer have the vision to see that injustice must be rooted out by strong, persistent and determined action. " I am thankful, however, that some of our white brothers in the South have grasped the meaning of this social revolution and committed themselves to it. They are still all too few in quantity, but they are big in quality."

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An unjust law is a mode that is out of harmony with the moral law” (King). Dr. King emphasized that there are certain laws that people should follow, while there are others that people should not follow because they are morally wrong. For example, Americans should follow the Brown v. Board of Education ruling because it is morally right. However, the country should not follow segregation because it is morally wrong.

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King uses biblical allusions to appeal to the eight white clergymen and their religious affiliation when he states his duty to carry the “gospel of freedom beyond his home town... Like Paul.” His final point of this section is the clergymen’s failure to recognize the underlying causes of the demonstrations they so harshly condemn, a failure causing further ignorance and confusion on racial

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King says there are two types of laws one that is just which is a law that you have a legal and moral responsibility to follow. But then there are unjust laws and he says that a person has a moral responsibility to disobey those because they are no law at all. And he agrees with St Augustine when he states that "an unjust law is no law at all"(Augustine). Then King says that just laws uplifts human personality and unjust laws are a law that degrades human personality. And then he cleverly states that "segregation statutes are unjust because segregation distorts the soul and damages the personality.

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Most people can agree that laws are made to be followed. However, one of the main points of King’s “Letter From Birmingham Jail” was that it was essential to defy unmerited statues. “ A just

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The Civil Rights movement in America was one of the biggest social issues this country has had to face. It was about the rights of African-Americans, who were being discriminated against, prejudiced against, and experiencing racist violence against them for no reason, other than they were black. Many leaders came up during this movement to help the cause of civil rights, and many people became prominent figures, such as Martin Luther King Jr., Malcolm X, and Angela Davis. Such figures had a lot of power over the public, and designed speeches, marches, riots, etc., for the movement. While many speeches were written and performed, Martin Luther King Jr., considered one of the most influential people of the Civil Rights Movement, made a speech

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