Picture this. On Good Friday, April 12, 1963, protester against inequality, Martin Luther King Jr., was arrested for parading without a permit. It is now April 16, 1963 and he sits alone in a Birmingham City Jail cell with nothing but a pen, some paper, and a solemn look on his face. In scraggly, but intent words, he writes a letter. He was writing to the church clergymen, determined to make them change their ways.
Martin Luther King uses many different types of appeal to prove his credibility to the clergyman. One of the types of appeals he uses to convince his audience is ethos. Ethos appeals a person through credibility. So in this letter, Martin Luther King Jr. has to establish his credibility in order for the argument to be convinced by his argument. In the “Letter from Birmingham Jail”, Martin Luther King Jr. uses allusions and first person plural pronouns in order to convince the clergyman of his credibility.
In the letter, Dr. King defended the necessity of using protests and demonstrations
In Dr. King’s letter from Birmingham Jail (1963), King strongly implies that American society has a moral responsibility to break laws that are unjust because Americans cannot wait forever for justice to come through the courts. King opens with a tone that is assertive, yet respectful, with formality in mind, King makes his letter sophisticated, and finally reminds the nine religious leaders what he is really doing with logic. The reason for King’s letter is to persuade people to invoke the much-needed change to the justice system. Dr. King adopts a stern, yet respectful tone when addressing the nine religious leaders' ideas throughout the letter. Throughout his letter, Dr. King urges the audience to act on the unjust laws that are against
In the letter from the Birmingham jail, King was visiting Birmingham, Alabama back in April 1963. Dr. King went to jail for a non-violent protest. He was protesting for change because Birmingham was filled with injustices, and was the most segregated city in the US. Even though Dr. Kings actions were "unwise" and untimely, they couldn't continue to postpone such historical events. A time for change is never timely.
His response to the letter was him defending the nonviolent protesters and explaining the need for direct action in the fight against racism and segregation. I found King’s letter to have powerful imagery and good arguments to make his case. King starts off by acknowledging the criticism by explaining his reasons for being in Birmingham. He then begins to disprove their arguments one by one, using logic and emotion to help solidify his case. He argues that the demonstrations are necessary since the government and courts failed to address the injustices faced by African American.
No more waiting around to get equal rights, Martin Luther King Jr knew exactly that. He was tired of waiting. When King stopped waiting he was sentenced to Birmingham jail. Instead of waiting to get out of jail he wrote a letter, King wrote, ‘’ Letter In Birmingham Jail.
After reading Martin Luther King Jr.’s famous “Letter from a Birmingham Jail,” I was able to realise Dr. King’s stance on issues of peace, direct action, oppression and working class rights. In Dr. King’s letter he explicitly explains that peace can be a powerful weapon and should be a right. This is shown when Dr. King writes, “Such an ordinance becomes unjust when it is used to maintain segregation and to deny citizens the First-Amendment privilege of peaceful assembly and protest” (4). The topic of direct action is also mentioned when Dr. King states the most important aspects of campaigning. This is shown when he states, “In any nonviolent campaign there are four basic steps… determine whether injustice exist, negotiation, self purification,
Arianna Diep Carver 3:45 Political science Martin Luther King's "Letter From Birmingham Jail" and Civil Rights in America Martin Luther King wrote this essay not to pick a fight but to explain as a responds the criticism he received. In the beginning of the essay he said "Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere. " This is what brought him to Birmingham so he could help the injustice of his race. He persuades his reader that his actions are just and that the law is unjust. He stood up for what he believed was moral and explained and provides facts of why he stands for his actions.
Key Idea(s) from the Readings. In the reading “Letter from a Birmingham Jail” by activist Martin Luther King Jr, he challenges the idea of his protest occurring at an inappropriate time. King begins by stating that Birmingham had injustice, and it was up to him to help fight against it. He explains that fighting the discrimination in Birmingham would bring justice to other cities that were facing the same circumstances.
Martin Luther King Jr.’s “Letter from Birmingham Jail” in 1964 was in response to an open letter by eight white clergymen in the Birmingham News called “Call to Unity”. Kings rebuttal letter describes his clear purpose working to ensure that equal rights for all were accomplished. King writes about how it is his life’s mission to not sit idly by and watch injustice happen in the world. King was determined to change laws and ensure that all men and women were treated equally and fairly. He did this through many avenues like speeches, meetings, and writings like the "Letter from Birmingham Jail".
King, Martin Luther, Jr. “Letter from Birmingham Jail.” The Norton Reader: An Anthology of Nonfiction, edited by Melissa A. Goldthwaite et al., 15th ed., W. W. Norton, 2020, pp. 739-51
It is the year 1963 and Martin Luther King Jr. was left to sit in the jail of Birmingham, to ponder more about the state of the nation regarding social justice or lack thereof. King traveled to Birmingham for a nonviolent protest against racial segregation, but it was seen as extremist, the result was King being put behind bars. Eight white religious leaders located in the south issued a public statement in relation to the nonviolent protest and their concerns. Their concerns are that the King should negotiate for a difference instead of acting upon it. Martin Luther King Jr’s response is an open letter titled “Letter from the Birmingham Jail”.
“Letter from Birmingham Jail” written by Martin Luther King JR. is a concise letter that addresses the overall situation and challenges that black community faced during the segregation period. In his letter of response to the eight clergymen who doubt his “non-violent direct-action program” in Birmingham, Alabama, Dr. King emphasizes the consequences of injustice for the justice system that presents anywhere (800). In his letter, Dr. King informs the clergymen about the cruel treatment and the injustice that has been practiced in the black community. In addition to informing, Dr. King reflects that his nonviolent protest to end segregation in Birmingham is wise and timely by pointing out how much black people suffered from the racial injustice.
The Civil Rights Era was one of great courage and bravery, as many people of color were taught how to fight in terms of silence and nonviolent protest such as sit-ins, marches, and boycotts. MLK became a powerful leader during this movement and was locked in Birmingham Jail for protesting, yet, instead of fighting this jailing, he wrote a letter to the government by making a nonviolent effort to end the segregation and injustice by joining with his organization and fighting for his beliefs. By composing this letter, King writes that he will create a “constructive, nonviolent tension” by means of communicating in terms of displaying his beliefs in a way that creates tension and, thus, a basic building block for future movements. This letter impacted the Civil Rights Movement due to the fact that it was the beginning of all unity between people of color and allowed the community to create goals together and work towards equality in an impactful way. American individuals who ignored and looked past MLK and Birmingham were, in a sense, ignoring their lives and their duties because they didn’t want to face the ugly truth that is racism.
