Essay on Know Thy Reader

On April 16, 1963, from a jail in Birmingham, Alabama, Martin Luther King Jr. composed an extensive letter to eight clergymen who condemned the timing of the civil rights movement. Although the letter was addressed to these eight clergymen, the Letter from Birmingham Jail speaks to a national audience, especially King’s “Christian and Jewish brothers”(King, 29). His peaceful but firm letter serves as a remarkably persuasive voice to an immensely chaotic mess, and is seen as a major turning point in the civil rights movement. King believes that without direct action, the full rights for African Americans could never be achieved. He defends the impatience of people in the civil rights movement, upholding that without forceful

Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. wrote the “Letter from Birmingham Jail” in order to address the biggest issue in Birmingham and the United States at the time (racism) and to also address the critics he received from the clergymen. The letter discusses the great injustices happening toward the Black community in Birmingham and although it is primarily aimed at the clergymen King writes the letter for all to read. In his “Letter from Birmingham Jail,” Martin Luther King Jr. uses logos, alliteration/repetition, and ethos to back up his belief that nonviolent protesting and disobedience is the most effective means to protest

“The Letter From a Birmingham Jail” was written by Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. while incarcerated in response to his fellow preachers telling him to be more patient in the pursuit of civil rights. The purpose of the letter is to explain the reasons that civil rights should be actively pursued through protest. MLK seeks to persuade the recipients of the letter to side with him in terms of pushing for equality as fast as possible. King uses anecdotes, anaphora, and imagery to increase both the emotional impact of the speech by showing the struggle that him and others have gone through, as well as the authority of King himself by showing that his views on the movement are very well thought out and backed by solid reasoning.

On April 12, 1963, eight clergyman wrote an open letter, “A Call for Unity”. In this published letter, the clergyman expressed their strong disapproval of the civil rights demonstrations taking place in Birmingham, Alabama. Consequently, that same day, civil rights leader, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. was arrested for protesting without a permit. In his short eleven day jail sentence, Dr. King directly responded to the clergymen with a letter of his own. In his letter, Dr. King informed his readers about the protests in Birmingham. He explained why the protesters were civilly infringing racist laws and city ordinances; why the protesters had truth and justice; and how he was thwarted with the clergyman and white moderates in the South who said they supported his cause. In his “Letter from Birmingham Jail”, Dr. King incorporates biblical and historical allusions to defend the strategy of nonviolent resistance to racism. Dr. King’s allusions gave him credibility with his target audience, the clergymen. Additionally, Dr. King subtly asks rhetorical questions and logical conclusions to force his audience to consider his purpose.

Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s “A Letter From Birmingham Jail,” depicts the fight for equality by African Americans during the civil rights movement. In this letter, King uses tone, rhetorical questions, and allusions to discuss the racial segregation sweeping the nation. King’s letter is a response to “A Call For Unity,” a condemning message written by eight white clergymen who frowned upon the peaceful protests conducted by many African Americans. Although Dr. King is presently seen as an American hero, during the civil rights movement he was simply seen as just another negro attempting to break the social norm. “A Letter From Birmingham Jail,” counters the arguments made by the clergymen in a very effective way by appealing to their

As an African American growing up in a multi-generational household I appreciated the stories my grandparents told me about the Civil Rights Movement through their eyes. They acknowledged that Martin Luther King was not just for people of color; but all human beings who were being treated unjustly. He is known for many speeches, but The Letter from a Birmingham Jail” written in 1963 was phenomenal in my opinion; this letter, written in response to “A Call for Unity,”(Carpenter et. el, 1963 ) an article written by eight, white, Alabama clergymen, was to serve as a response to those who believed that King acted inappropriately for coming to Birmingham, Alabama, as an outsider, for creating immense tension with his demonstrations, and for the inopportune timing of his marches. Even though, the clergymen agreed that social injustice did exist, it was their opinion that these types of matter should be handled in the judicial system rather than in the streets.

King begs for a civil and peaceful resolution to the unjust laws and unfair treatment of African Americans. But, as history shows, the clergymen were not going to have anything to do with that. King says that he is trying to do this in the best way possible but it will not seem that way, “In no sense do I advocate evading or defying the law… One who breaks an unjust law must do so openly, lovingly, and with a willingness to accept the penalty.”(par. 12)

Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s “Letter from Birmingham Jail,” is a masterpiece that brings up a big issue that took place in Birmingham, Alabama. His letter is an idiomatic, legalistic, emotional, and powerful piece of work that was a great influence at the time as it is today, in which he illustrates the cruel and heartless behavior that the colored people had to face. Throughout the letter to the eight clergymen as well as the white moderates and the church, King explains why he was in Birmingham and why he started civil disobedience. King uses logos, pathos and ethos to build trust and confidence in his readers and uses quotes from famous icons to support his claim. His use of emotional language, persuading detail, and heightened content helps display the injustice he’s working against.

In 1963, Martin Luther King, Jr. was thrown into jail due to participating in non-violent protests against racism and segregation in the city of Birmingham. There, he wrote the famous “Letter from the Birmingham Jail,” which became one of the most important letters in history of the American civil rights movement (Colaiaco 1). The open letter covered many points to King’s arguments for why the marches, protests, and other non-violent actions were necessary and justifiable. James Colaiaco analyzes the key components to the letter and the different ways Martin Luther King, Jr. used literary devices to form a well written argument.

In the “Letter From Birmingham Jail”, Martin Luther King demonstrates his mastery of the written word as he describes the plight of the civil rights movement and his actions to dismantle segregation. The letter was his persoanl response to his fellow clergymen’s criticisms regarding the current civil disobedience. White clergymen, strongly opposed to Dr. Kings position on nonviolent passive resistance. They issued a statement urging African Americans not to support the demonstrations. Dr. King’s letter is an extremely powerful and a persuasive piece of historic literature. The letter details lessons in intelligent, communitive writing that results in powerful written communication. Dr. King states his perspectives without apology and builds his case for his fellow clergymen to encompass his passion and enable them to see his roots of his perspective and philosophies. A great example of persuasive writing.

Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. was a protester and leader in the African-American Civil Rights Movement, greatly known for his use of nonviolent forms of demonstration. On a specific occasion, King was arrested for leading a peaceful protest as part of the Birmingham Campaign, which attempted to bring national awareness to the gruesome treatment endured by blacks. While in jail, King replies to the clergyman’s remarks of him being a foreign agitator in his “Letter from a Birmingham jail,” passionately defending the actions he took. The clergymen accused King of being an extremist, as they saw his relentless protesting and civil disobedience as a threat to a stable political and social system. In paragraphs 27-32, King attempts to persuade the

King combines the use of ethos and pathos as he compares himself and the rights of men to religious backgrounds. His first comparison is with the Apostle Paul, where Paul had “carried the gospel of Jesus Christ,” as to Kings carrying of “the gospel of freedom.” King addresses this similarity to show why he felt committed to go to Birmingham, because like Paul, he needed to respond as an aid to his people. Towards the end of Kings letter; he exemplifies courageousness in the Negro demonstrations by relating them to the actions of Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego when they refused to follow what they believed to be unjust laws. Saying that if they are supposed heroes by going against unjust laws, why shouldn't the people see Negro demonstrators the same way? They are also God's children and by those disobedience’s, they were really showing the grace of God. These connections to religion supports their fighting against unjust laws as a divine cause.

Expressing disappointment towards the church leaders, he states that they should do more, to help the minority stand on their two feet, and not feel discriminated against. This is because following the teachings of God, every human being is equal. Therefore, the church must help structure society closest to how The Bible shows. King fought for this same equality. However, being verbally reprimanded and going to jail for voicing his rights, he shows what happens when you go against the norm of society. The church is there to break those norms, and construct new ideals in accordance with the word of God.

On April 16, 1963, Martin Luther King, Jr. found himself writing a letter to a group of clergymen in Alabama while sitting in a Birmingham jail for parading without a permit. These clergymen wrote a statement in a local paper questioning King’s presence in Birmingham. They called his presence “unwise and untimely” and they questioned why he was there and leading the protests (Clergymen 1). In their eyes, the matter of “racial problems” should be handled by the courts (Clergymen 1). King refutes the claims of the clergymen with elegance and grandeur. He effectively uses pathos, ethos and has a clear representation of his audience throughout his letter.

In 1963, Martin Luther King Jr. was arrested and placed in jail for his protests against the maltreatment of African-Americans in Birmingham, Alabama. Eight clergymen wrote in response an open letter criticizing civil rights leaders and King for their “untimeliness” in protests and suggested waiting for court orders peacefully. King wrote in response, explaining his disappointment with the White moderate for their position on the civil rights movement. He appealed to his credibility as a church leader himself and as an American citizen to balance between the appeals of religion and patriotism throughout his “Letter from Birmingham Jail.” By doing this, he justifies the civil rights movement as a subject of importance in the lives of Americans.