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Martin Luther King's 'Letter From Birmingham Jail' And 1963

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Did you know that an average person says 860,341,500 words in a lifetime? Words can have an impactful and significant impact on society. Great leaders like MLK and Rosa Parks and writers Nikki Giovanni used their words to leave an impact on society and their actions and emotions. Words can inspire us to do great things that would benefit society and provoke people to take action against injustice, but also calm us. This essay will explore how Martin Luther King Jr’s ”I have a Dream '' speech and “Letter from Birmingham Jail '' and 1963:The year that changed everything showed how words have the power to provoke, inspire, and calm people. First, words have the power to provoke people. After Mr. King was jailed in Birmingham for protesting racial segregation and he read a newspaper article in which eight white clergymen criticized him for “unwise and untimely” demonstrations and started writing his letter. The following is a quote from his Letter from …show more content…

In 1963 Dr.King went to Washington DC to talk in front of thousands in front of the Lincoln Memorial about protesting against discrimination and to fight for freedom and equality being his most famous speech. The following are quotes from his I have a Dream speech.“Now is the time to rise from the dark and desolate valley of segregation to the sunlit path of racial justice” This quote was meant to inspire people to believe in change and for a brighter future. “One day right there in Alabama little black boys and black girls will be able to join hands with the little white boys and white girls as sisters and brothers” The idea of kids standing together one day no matter of skin color inspired people to take a stance against segregation making everyone seen as equal.“We cannot walk alone. And as we walk we must make the pledge we shall always march ahead, we cannot turn back” The quote inspired people to become loyal to the movement and to move forward and never give

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There was not any room for patience, only for change. Another captivating speaker is reputable Martin Luther King whom enticed a mass public with influential persuasive language. The iconic “I Have a Dream Speech” delivered at the March on Washington—same march John Lewis presented his speech—utilized a somewhat different approach. King’s speech depicted the life that was yearned for by so many.

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Dr. Martin Luther King and Frederick Roosevelt are both strong powered speakers of equal rights. These two amazing people have talked and fought for equal rights of every human being. With that, they’ve both have similarities in their amazing speeches letter from Birmingham Jail by Martin Luther King and four freedoms speech by Roosevelt. In 1963, MLK wrote a remarkable letter to the clergyman following his arrest In Birmingham. Whereas in 1941, Roosevelt published a speech to Congress on the state of the union.

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In 1963, Martin Luther King Jr. led a peaceful movement in Birmingham, Alabama. The purpose of the demonstration was to bring awareness and end to racial disparity in Birmingham. Later that night, King and his followers were detained by city authorities. While in custody, King wrote the famous “Letter from Birmingham Jail.” This letter voiced out his disappointment in the criticisms, and oppositions that the general public and clergy peers obtained.

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Activist, Martin Luther King Jr., in his letter from “Birmingham Jail”, response to the clergymen who requested King to stop his nonviolent protests. King’s purpose is to argue each point from the clergymen, to able to convey a powerful meaning, and for them to see why he is passionate about what he is doing. He conveys a conflicting tone, with mixed emotions about the Civil Rights Movement. Martin Luther King in paragraph thirty-one, begins with questioning what it truly means to be an extremist, and challenge the beliefs of the people. He creates a literal diction, by using anaphora, “Was not Jesus an extremist for love-

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Dr. King was a strong voice for the Negroes and a champion who led them to fight against the unjust laws of segregation. Martin Luther King’s “Letter from Birmingham Jail” was used as a way to ask for support from the church leaders, defend himself against the criticism the church leaders had made of him, to admonish the churches to take a stand just as Christians had done in the past and to point out his reasons for not only standing with the Negro community to fight the good fight but committing to lead the people in their fight. He took his role as if called by God just as much as he was called to be a minister. In conclusion, King was right to go to the church leaders for help. If those leaders had stood with King instead of letting their

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People for centuries have gotten their moving inspirational speeches from impactful writers before their time. Even someone as inspirational as Dr. Martin Luther King Jr, and he got his motivation from Henry David Thoreau who wrote“Civil Disobedience” which was published in 1849. The speech of King’s where “Civil Disobedience” shines through is the famous “I Have a Dream” speech. Both Thoreau’s and King’s pieces were written in a time of racial discrimination and injustice. The similarity in situations and lack of federal government participation gave King the perfect layout for some of the main portions of his speech.

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I believe that paragraphs 9 and 12 from Martin Luther King Jr.’s “Letter from Birmingham Jail” are the strongest paragraphs in this letter of his. These paragraph is so profound and truly explain why segregation is unjust in two short paragraphs. They don’t go into a lot of detail on why segregation is unjust, because they don’t need to. They’re argument is strong enough with how short they are. Since these paragraphs give an easy to understand and short reasoning as to why segregation is unjust, explains what makes a law just or unjust, and show that just laws can be unjust when applied to situations such as segregation, I believe they are the strongest paragraphs in this letter.

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Civil rights leader, Martin Luther King Jr, in his Letter from Birmingham City Jail, argues against criticism from eight Alabama clergymen, and addresses their concerns. He defends his position, and the Southern Christian Leadership Conference (SCLC), against accusations of disturbing the peace in Birmingham, as well as explaining his values and opinions. Throughout the letter, King adopts a strong logical and credible tone, and reinforces his position through the use of strong emotional justifications, in order to appeal to the clergymen and defend his public image. Martin Luther King opens up his Letter from Birmingham City Jail by appealing to the clergymen's emotions, and assuring his peaceful response, which he describes in "patient and

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Civil disobedience has been a topic of discussion throughout the last two articles we have read in class. Martin Luther King Jr’s, Letter from a Birmingham Jail, and Plato’s, Crito, start with MLK and Socrates in jail. King tells of how he is an extremist to end oppression and gain freedom for African Americans. He did what he believed was right and protested in response. Socrates, on the other hand, is arguing as to why he will accept his punishment of death because he disobeyed the government.

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In “The Year that Changed everything” text, it says that “On the seventh day of the Children’s Crusade, city officials agreed to negotiate with the African American community. A few days later, the two sides reached an agreement to end local segregation.” The brave children's protest calmed tensions between city officials and the African American community and allowed negotiations that ended local segregation. This shows that actions can both provoke and calm, but what about words? Martin Luther Kings “I have a Dream” Speech calmed black communities, as much as the children's crusade.

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While imprisoned in Jail Dr. Martin Luther King wrote a letter which is known today as the “Letter from Birmingham Jail” in which he responds to a public statement of “concern and caution” issued by religious leaders. Which therefore prompts Dr. Martin Luther King to write a letter that defends nonviolent resistance to racism. In a tangible way that was different because in this era of mid 1900’s racism was enforced with action and spoken word, so therefore this was a more peaceful way others who were or against racism could see Dr. Martin Luther King’s point of view which he enforces in his letter by saying. How people were promised a change by the local merchants but it never happened. Which was one of the many things that helped to kick-start protest?

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On August 28th, 1963, Martin Luther King Jr gave us one of one of the most rhetorically moving speeches ever given. Titled as the “I Have a Dream Speech,” he read this speech to the “March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom”. As a civil right mover he gave this great speech to all Americans (black and white) so that he could give off the idea of equality on the same level. Because of his crowd of mix races King made sure to make his speech imploring to all no matter what the race that they may be. He uses metaphorical imagery, powerful diction,and symbolism to create an impact on the audience.

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In Martin Luther King, Jr.’s “A Letter From a Birmingham Jail,” he provides answers to fundamental metaphysical questions regarding the nature of the human soul. Though his letter is addressed to a group of eight clergymen criticizing his direct action campaign in Birmingham, his ultimate aim is the uplifting of human personhood. Underlying King’s letter is a philosophical, hylemorphic anthropology which puts an anchor deep into a certain conception of personhood, and binds all people who are to read it. He looks deeply at the nature of human beings, as rational creatures who are made to love and be loved, and from thence, deliberates that there is a universal Gospel of Freedom and Justice. Martin Luther King, Jr. asserts that there are universal principles justifying what actions are morally right and wrong, just and unjust.

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Words can change the world in many ways. Many of those ways can really make an impact on a person’s life or mind set. In the speech “I Have A Dream” by Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., it proved to solidify the peace and fairness that he aimed to gain in this country by ending segregation between black and white people. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. vividly painted his vision of a better future for people of all colors in America.

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