Summary Of Letter From Birmingham Jail

Martin Luther King was a phenomenal speaker and a strong figure throughout the Civil Rights Movement. In “Letter from Birmingham Jail” he captured his audience and stated his thoughts very clearly. This particular letter started due to the non-violent protest in Birmingham that lead to the arrest of many innocent African Americans. Although this was not a spoken letter from Martin Luther King it did target several individuals such as, the clergymen who wrote “A Call for Unity”, also targeted the average white American who was not on either side but chose to keep quit and keep things the way they were. Finally Martin Luther King targeted black men and women across the nation to stand up for their rights that they deserved. Martin Luther King

King was able to draw from historical references in order to formulate an educated argument against the violent, racist practices elicited in those times. Arranged in the letter, are the four steps taken for successful non-violent action; “…collection of the facts to determine where injustices exist; negotiation; self purification; and direct action”. At this juncture, the reader can logically follow the speaker and come to the same conclusion; that nowhere in the preparation or the delivery, is there meant to be any form of physical damage to persons or property. Moreover, Dr. King blatantly argues that their “…actions, even though peaceful, must be condemned because they precipitate violence. But is this a logical assertion?”. By inquiring into the very foundation that the average white American and the clergymen share, he is advocating against the ludicrous assumption that all “action” in opposition to segregation is an “extremist”. Additionally, the audience walks through King’s thought process, “’ Why direct action? Why sit-ins, marches and so forth? Isn’t negotiation a better path?’ You are quite right in calling for negotiation. Indeed this is the very purpose of direct action”. The rhetorical questions induce a train of thought that connects the reader with the text. King answers their questions with a definite answer to discontinue procrastinating with the negotiations. There would not be a need for direct action, if there was not such cavernous

Through illustrating the sadness brought to his young daughter as he saw “the tears welling up in her eyes when she is told that Funtown is closed to colored children, and see the ominous clouds of inferiority beginning to form in her little mental sky”, he is equipped with the ammunition of parenthood. Calling on other parents in the community to envision their child coming to that realization; having to face the world at large when they are barely competent enough to tie their own shoes. Shifting focus on to formalities and the usage of the meaning in a name,”when your first name becomes ‘nigger’, your middle name becomes ‘boy’ (however old you are) and your last name becomes ‘John’”. Here, much emphasis is placed on the suggestion that African-Americans are nameless, faceless, and do not deserve acknowledgement of being productive citizens. Dr. King fashions a tension between the extremists who use these lexicons, and the ‘average’ American who feels slightly uncomfortable with the terms, yet takes no action to aid blacks. Yet, the idea of non-violent retaliation and the excessive violence used by white racists was also thrown into mainstream media through the publication of this