Summary Of How The Birmingham Changed The Civil Rights Movement

According to Merriam Webster, freedom is the power or right to act, speak, think, and take part in any action as one wants without interventions or restrictions. January 1, 1863 the emancipation proclamation was signed declaring freedom to all including African-Americans. Years later in the 1950’s-1960’s African-Americans are still fighting for their freedom in the Civil Rights Movement. Many leaders during the time used the skill of persuasive writing or speaking to make a change. This method is also known as rhetoric. Martin Luther King Jr. was an activist who used words to inspire, calm, and or provoke the audience to make a change during the civil rights movement. Many writers and speakers still use rhetoric today to make a change for not only different races but religions, genders, and sexuality. Words have the power to provoke, calm, and inspire through the author's use of rhetoric.

In the story “How the Children of Birmingham Changed the Civil Rights Movement” by L. Joiner uses pathos to provoke the audience. Joiner writes, “Pictures of the bravery and determination of the Birmingham children as they faced the brutal fire hoses and vicious police dogs were splashed on the front pages of newspapers” (Joiner 3) This quote shows pathos because it makes people feel emotional for the young innocent kids that are being harmed for the color of their skin and standing up for what they feel is right. The author uses pathos to persuade America to change its ways. Since children are being hurt it makes people feel upset and guilty towards themselves. This causes others to become outraged and feel provoked or threatened considering they are not afraid to hurt children shows they will also do worse to