ipl-logo

Summary Of Letter From Birmingham Jail

917 Words4 Pages
bulb-icon

Recommended: Analysis of martin luther king jail letter

When Dr. King composed his "Letter from Birmingham Jail," he was attempting to clarify the circumstances of black citizens to the white clergymen. Rather than showing what isolates King from them, he calls them "fellow clergymen," which expresses a feeling of brotherhood. "Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere ()" legitimizes King's and the SCLC's (Southern Christian Leadership Conference) presence in Birmingham. King recognizes that SCLC activity is "untimely," and insisted that Albert Boutwell was not different enough for change (). King asserts that "privileged groups" will constantly challenge activity that threatens the status quo (). In Martin Luther King Jr.’s “Letter from Birmingham,” he claims that peacefully protesting segregation is justified. The “Letter from Birmingham Jail” was King’s response from his jail cell to eight white clergymen, who had condemned the protests roiling the city and branded King an extremist. Defending the protests and contending for the urgency of now, he parsed …show more content…

Dr. King demands that the black man has waited three centuries for justice. He then dispatches into a reiteration of wrongdoing that his kin have endured both 300 years ago and today. Among this abuse is his experience explaining to his young daughter why she cannot go to the local amusement park because of her skin color. Since the black man has been pushed "into the abyss of despair," Dr. King trusts that the clergymen will pardon his and his brethren's desire for change. King discusses the clergymen’s response that SCLC activity is "untimely." After insisting that Albert Boutwell was not different enough to warrant patience, he launches into an expanded claim that "privileged groups" will always restrict action that undermines the status quo. They will always consider attacks on their benefit as "untimely," especially because groups have a tendency towards allowing immorality that individuals might

Show More
Related
696 Words | 3 Pages

While imprisoned, Martin Luther King Jr. wrote, ‘A letter from Birmingham Jail’ as a response to eight clergymen who published a statement that emphatically disagreed with King’s methods of protest towards racism. Dr. King’s reply is demonstrated in a writing style that could be described as ‘efficient’ as he balanced different aspects of organization of his thoughts and passion through use of rhetorical devices to achieve an effective argument. Dr. King, possibly from his pastoral background, wrote his letter in an eloquent, sermon-like matter, yet it was his use of rhetorical devices that effectively stitched his argument together and gave it an interesting flow, either by reminding the reader of his purpose in writing, or to progress through his reasons in an impactful way.

Read More
361 Words | 2 Pages

During Martin Luther King Jr.’s fight for civil rights, he received criticism and was accused of using “violent” protests that were viewed as harmful and disrespectful. In the “Letter from Birmingham Jail,” written by Martin Luther King Jr., he expresses his purpose for writing the letter: to show his disappointment with the white moderate. In the letter, Dr. King directs his use of words toward his “Jewish and Christian brothers”. p. 23) to help progress the civil rights movement. In the letter, Dr. King also responds to the criticism that was directed at him during the civil rights movement for their methods of nonviolent protest and marches.

Read More
1152 Words | 5 Pages

" If Dr. King and his followers submitted to unjust laws, they wouldn't know what to stand up for. If you have to fight for change, you have to be ambitious and willing to go through pain. Using logical reasoning and historical events, King justified his actions in Birmingham. In paragraph 26, Dr. King talks about time and references a letter someone wrote to him. To summarize the letter," "All Christians know that the colored people will receive equal rights eventually...has taken Christianity almost two thousand years to accomplish what it has.

Read More
789 Words | 4 Pages

Dr. Martin Luther King, Junior’s “Letter from Birmingham Jail” is an impassioned, eloquent piece of argumentation against racial injustice; his letter being the distillation of a lifetime as well as centuries of oppression. Through a careful balance of logic versus brevity, King weaves a tapestry that illuminates not only the personal struggle of African Americans in the United States, but connect their struggle to mans’ struggle for decency in the face of injustice. King begins by flattering his “dear fellow Clergymen” (King, 502) while at the same time making it clear that he is imprisoned—with sarcasm King makes it clear that with his free time, he found their letter, and thought it fitting to address them accordingly. Appearing to pathos,

Read More
950 Words | 4 Pages

.Historical Context of Martin Luther King Jr. Letter from the Birmingham Jail and Summary of Dr King’s arguments for social justice Martin Luther King Jr. used a policy which was linked with the nonviolent resistance in order to campaign for change. Despite of countering the violence against the aggressions, he adopted fair laws and later call for the collective social based reforms by highlighting all the nonviolent means and ways for instance boycotting.

Read More
544 Words | 3 Pages

Thesis Martin Luther King, Jr., through the use of eloquent writing and appeals to emotion, refutes several local religious leaders' criticisms of the his and the SCLC's outside involvement and nonviolent direct action taken to draw attention to and build support for the end of segregation, not only in Birmingham, but all of the United States. Main Points First King refutes idea that he is an outside agitator that doesn’t belong in Birmingham, as he and several members of his staff were invited to the city by a local affiliate organization of the Southern Christian Leadership Conference (SCLC). He also asserts that his involvement there is valid, as “injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere” as communities are connected and affect each other indirectly.

Read More
333 Words | 2 Pages

In his “Letter from Birmingham Jail”, Martin Luther King, Jr. is responding to criticism of the peaceful protests and sit-in’s that were taking place in Birmingham, which led to his being arrested and the reason that he was in jail. He first responds to the accusation of being an “outsider” by setting the stage for his being in Birmingham due to being invited because of his ties to the Alabama Christian Movement for Human Rights organization and due to the fact that he is president of the Southern Christian Leadership Conference. Next, Martin Luther King expands on his moral beliefs that there is “injustice” in the way that Birmingham is “the most thoroughly segregated city in the United States”.

Read More
828 Words | 4 Pages

Dr. King’s “Letter from Birmingham Jail”: Just and Unjust Laws Martin Luther King’s “Letter from Birmingham Jail” is a letter to eight white clergymen while he’s sitting in a jail cell, the result of a protest in Birmingham, Alabama that King, a Georgian, traveled to attend. Due to the criticisms of the clergymen, he commences his letter by explaining why he needed to come to Birmingham. King states that he was there for a multitude of reasons, the first being that he had organizational ties to Birmingham, the second being that he was there because there was injustice in Birmingham. He states that as a citizen of America, injustice in Birmingham is not removed from justice anywhere else because everything is interrelated, and that injustice

Read More
239 Words | 1 Pages

Summary of King’s Letter from Birmingham Jail In his seminal work, "Letter from Birmingham Jail," Martin Luther King Jr. passionately advocates for immediate action against racial injustice. Published in 1963, his letter serves as a compelling response to critics who opposed his methods of protest and urged patience in the pursuit of racial equality. King emphasizes the urgency of the civil rights movement and the indispensability of nonviolent resistance in addressing segregation and discrimination. The core of King's argument lies in his firm belief that justice cannot be postponed.

Read More
351 Words | 2 Pages

In Martin Luther King Jr.’s “Letter from Birmingham Jail” he is addressing the Clergymen, more specifically the white church and its leadership who criticized his efforts in the civil rights movement, by calling his demonstrations unwise and untimely. He is also simultaneously addressing the national audience as well in letting them know of the injustices of the time. It was 1963, and Martin Luther King Jr. wrote this letter from inside a jail cell. He had been arrested during an anti-segregation march for not having a valid parading permit in Birmingham, Alabama. In this letter he addresses the criticisms that were brought forth to him.

Read More
199 Words | 1 Pages

In his writing, “Letter from Birmingham Jail”, Martin Luther King Jr. asserts that corrupt segregation laws throughout the United States need to be reformed. King supports his argument by employing analogies, anaphoras and pathetic appeal. The author’s purpose is to highlight the injustices and oppression which black Americans face in everyday America in order to reform segregation laws in the southern United States. He writes to an audience of white church leaders, supporters of segregation and American society. Martin Luther King Jr.’s argument is a reflection of decades of work pursuing social justice as a civil rights activist.

Read More
580 Words | 3 Pages

Letter from a Birmingham Jail Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. wrote an argumentative letter in response to an editorial written by the moderate white clergymen of Birmingham, Alabama. “The Letter from a Birmingham Jail”. MLK use Dr. King or his full name. argues about the injustices going on in Birmingham and how it’s his business to be involved.

Read More
1114 Words | 5 Pages

Dr King wrote a direct response to the eight clergymen from Alabama in a confinement cell in Birmingham, Alabama which is now known as “Letter from Birmingham Jail.” It addresses the wrong-doings and injustices going on in Birmingham. King was arrested for being part of a peaceful protest against segregation that had not been approved to be marched in that area. King argues that publicly showing that people including him are against segregation is better than just negotiating and having the “Negro community” patiently wait around for society to move toward civil rights and that demanding social justice provokes individuals and groups to act out, regardless of how peaceful the method may be. Dr King explains why it is okay for him to be a part

Read More
740 Words | 3 Pages

The criticism made by the these eight clergyman epitomize the idea of whiteness and white privilege. Rather than to offer assistance and guidance for King and his efforts to diminish racial injustices prevalent in the South, they, instead, offer criticism in an attempt to depreciate King’s fight for racial equity. This rhetoric has occurred often throughout American history, where we see white individuals devaluing and hindering the progress made by individuals of color. For example, one of the critiques that King received was that The Negro community should be more patient and wait for society to move gradually toward civil rights. What white individuals fail to understand is that there is no such thing

Read More
726 Words | 3 Pages

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

Read More

More about Summary Of Letter From Birmingham Jail

Related Topics

Open Document