Summary Of Letter From Birmingham Jail

Respected Martin Luther King Jr,

After reading your “Letter From Birmingham Jail”, which us a deeper look into the reality of the racial equality that existed in the 1960’s. I see that you wrote this letter to your fellow clergymen since you too are a church man, and aimed it towards addressing their concerns regarding the timing of the nonviolent actions in Birmingham, Alabama that you along with other leaders orchestrated and carried out in 1963.

My first reaction to this reading was a sense of insecurity acknowledging the fact that people in the 1960’s were what you, Mr. King, described as the “oppressor race” (par 31). But after giving myself time to analyze my reaction and to take into to consideration the time era, I‘ve come to accept

King. As you said, “I have been arrested on a charge of parading without a permit. Now, there is nothing wrong in having an ordinance which requires a permit for a parade. But such an ordinance becomes unjust when it is used to maintain segregation and deny citizens their First Amendment privilege of peaceful assembly and protest,” (par 19). As I read this again I can’t help but think about how a just law can become unjust just through malicious application, I find myself astonished by the situation at hand. African American citizens are struggling for the equality America was founded on, and these people are being arrested for improper parading, that is just not right. After being shut down at every turn the Colored people proceed to a peaceful protest and even that was shut down. I find myself asking where else were they to turn, how else could they effect change, and where is their justice? Dr. King, your letter is crafted to express the inequality back then and teach lessons for all human beings who aren’t knowledgeable on the topic. This piece inspires me to demonstrate empathy to those who know about the struggle, to be part of the fight for justice, and to recognize the good in our world and fight for it. I recall, when I read this piece the first time and being overwhelmed by all the emotions that filled me. This letter from you Mr. King is truly an amazing gift to read for a letter written to someone else, from