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Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. was a very important, persuasive, influential, historical figure during the 1960’s. There were two instances during the ‘60s where King persuaded many with a letter and a speech. The first was when King was put in Birmingham jail for “parading without a permit” and eight white clergymen wrote a newspaper article where they criticized him for “unwise and untimely” demonstrations. When King was in jail, he eventually found and read the article and proceeded to respond with a letter in the margins of the newspaper. This letter will then become the “Letter From Birmingham Jail.”
In 1963 Martin Luther king Jr. guided a peaceful mass demonstration that white police men quickly intervened. Where he was also arrested, and sent to the Birmingham City jail. Martin in jail wrote was is now known as the Birmingham letter that defends the strategy of the nonviolence resistance to racism. The letter was written to respond to several criticism made by the “A Call for Unity” clergymen. These men believed that the battle of racial segregation should be fought in the courts and not be protested in the streets.
Letter from Birmingham Jail “I am in Birmingham because injustice is here” Martin Luther King, Jr states. He admits that he feels forced to support and maintain freedom in Birmingham (prg. 4). Martin Luther King, Jr. holds that he is aware of the corruption occurring in communities and states. He cannot avoid worrying about the situation in Birmingham, King explains. The author claims, “Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere” (par. 5).
In his letter to the clergymen, he claimed, “In your statement you assert that our actions, even though peaceful, must be condemned because they precipitate violence.” (Paragraph 8). The law enforcement was completely aware that their actions were 100% peaceful, but yet he was still put into jail. During the civil rights movement, King did not participate in any violent behavior, despite being jailed for “violent behavior”. Even at the end of the letter, King wrote, “Yours for the cause of Peace and Brotherhood, Martin Luther King, Jr.” (Paragraph 10).
Martin Luther King Jr wrote The letter from Birmingham Jail because the white clergymen through him and his pro black American organization in jail. They were demonstrating non-violent actions against racial justice and injustice of black Americans in Birmingham. Kings thesis was "Reasonable refutations of the white clergyman's criticism of his direct action – nonviolent resistance campaign was "unwise and untimely”. His reasonings are that direct action is the only way for a compromise when the white people fail to negotiate with him and his group.
In 1963, King was arrested and sent to jail after protesting blacks’ rights in Birmingham, Alabama. In jail, King wrote “Letter from Birmingham Jail” which was towards the clergymen that believed that blacks should not be allowed to protest for their rights. This letter was filled with reasons why the blacks should not be told to wait for their change, which is why the strongest paragraph in King’s letter would be on page 6 when King mentioned that the blacks are always told by white leaders that if they wait, they will finally gain their rights. The blacks had believed them when they said this and yet, nothing happened after waiting. They tried their best to keep it professional by not bringing any violence which led them to protesting, however,
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
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.
Martin Luther King Jr. was merely a man. Dr. King was arrested for demonstrating without permits in Birmingham, Alabama. After the arrest of Dr. King people questioned his actions, stating that his actions were unwise and untimely. In response to this Dr. King wrote “Letter from Birmingham Jail.”
The writer, Martin Luther King Jr., was a leader of the Southern Christian Leadership Conference and was in favor to equality. Moreover, he believed in nonviolence protest to obtain discrimination in America. On April 16, 1963, when King was in jail, he wrote the “Letter from Birmingham Jail” to justify his actions and to response the eight clergymen who called him “unwise, untimely and extreme” in the article, “A Call for Unity.” In his letter, he declares that he is in Birmingham because there is injustice. King’s appeal to pathos and his use of evidence combine to create an argument that achieves its purpose of providing that his nonviolence actions are just, and that the laws are unjust.
“Letter from Jail” On April 16, 1963, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. wrote a letter to the eight clergymen while he was incarcerated. Dr. King wrote this letter to address one of the biggest issues in Birmingham, Alabama and other areas within the United States. The “Letter from Birmingham Jail” discussed the great injustices that were happening during that time towards the black community. Dr. King wanted everyone to have the same equal rights as the white community, he also went into further details about the struggles that African Americans were going through for so many years, which he felt like it could change. Martin Luther King Jr’s “Letter from Birmingham Jail”, expressed his beliefs and his actions about the Human Rights Movement.
King believed that if he could just go to Birmingham, and protest non-violently, that he could make a difference. On April 16, 1963, Martin Luther King Jr. was imprisoned, in Birmingham, for protesting the civil rights of Black Americans. While in jail, he began writing a letter addressing the clergymen. His main audience in writing this letter was to the eight clergymen who criticized his actions and also the majority of the population as well. Martin Luther King Jr.’s “Letter From Birmingham Jail”, argues that injustice
The Letter from Birmingham Jail was a letter written in April of 1963 by Martin Luther King Jr. to discuss civil disobedience and the reasoning for resistance to racism. The letter covers how people have the right to break unjust laws and do something about it rather than waiting for justice to come, if it will ever come. Dr. King’s letter was a response to local, white religious leaders’ criticisms of the Birmingham Campaign. The purpose of the letter was to defend the strategy of nonviolent opposition to racial injustice and to defend that the people have the right to oppose such unjust laws. Birmingham was known for being one of the worst cities for racism in America during this time period.
In 1963 Martin Luther King Jr. was sent to jail because of a peaceful protest, protesting treatments of blacks in Birmingham. Before the protest a court ordered that protests couldn’t be held in Birmingham. While being held in Birmingham, King wrote what came to be known as the “Letter from Birmingham Jail” Not even King himself could predict how much of an impact this letter would have on the Civil Rights Movement. In the letter kind defended Kings beliefs on Nonviolent Protests, King also counters the accusations of him breaking laws by categorizing segregation laws into just and unjust laws. King uses this principle to help persuade others to join him in his acts of civil disobedience.
In “A Letter From A Birmingham Jail” Martin Luther King Jr defends his use of nonviolent protest in order to accomplish racial equality. In the letter, Dr. King uses ethos, diction, and allusions when defending nonviolent protest which makes his argument really strong. His goal is to make the clergymen help him fight racial equality. He uses ethos to build up credibility.
