...Written by Martin Luther King, Jr. on April 16, 1963 “Letter From Birmingham Jail” was written to eight clergymen responding to their previous letter. Born in 1929, Martin Luther King, Jr. grew up to become one of the most influential civil rights leaders in the 1950’s and 1960’s. He was a preacher who along side with teaching God’s word, was also a leader in civil rights. He founded the Southern Christian Leadership Conference and later led numerous protests against segregation. In 1963, King had led a march in Birmingham, Alabama and got improper treatment and was thrown in jail. While residing in jail, Martin Luther King, Jr. received a letter written by eight clergymen criticizing King’s actions. King responded to the letter with honesty, knowledge, and also a sense of power he had. Martin Luther King, Jr. used ethos, logos, and pathos to show where claims of the clergymen were faulty and to give a sense of understanding to what it is like on the black side of segregation. Ethos is ethical appeal or appeals based on the writer’s authority and credibility. Martin Luther King, Jr. uses ethos to portray that just because he is a colored man, does not mean he is not important. He uses it to show the clergymen that he did belong in Birmingham. He is credible in the sense that he has honor “serving as president of the Southern Christian Leadership Conference” where he leads groups of people for Movement of Human Rights. King cares about the people, he states “injustice anywhere...
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...is my paper from English 101 on MLK Jr.'s letter from Birmingham Jail Tammy Marston Dr. Sychterz ENG 101 27 October 2015 Martin Luther King Jr.’s “Letter from Birmingham Jail” Martin Luther King Jr. composed an open letter “Letter from Birmingham Jail” on April 16, 1963 in response to the statement “A Call for Unity.” This statement was written by eight white Alabama clergymen, which recognize that social in justices were taking place but expressed the belief that the battle against racial segregation should be fought in the courts not in the streets. King reply that “This ‘Wait” has almost always meant ‘Never.” He put out there that direct actions were necessary to achieve true civil rights and, and that not only is civil disobedience justified in the face of unjust laws, but also that “one has a moral responsibility to disobey unjust laws.” Martin Luther King Jr. thought if he could get the middle class on his side that he would have the majority he needed to forward the movement for civil rights and achieve its goals of removing the illegal segregation practices that were still in place in the nineteen sixties. King addressed the white clergymen that were putting him to task for the non-violent protests in what they considered to be “their” city. Even though King was invited as the President of the Southern Christian Leadership Conference to speak to the local affiliate in Birmingham, where he believed that they have basic organizational ties. King then explains...
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...Essay #3 Compare/Contrast Martin Luther King, Jr.’s “Letter from Birmingham Jail” with Aung San Suu Kyi’s excerpts “From In Quest of Democracy.” The Reverend Martin Luther King Jr. is known in today’s society as peaceful civil rights leader. In 1957, he led a boycott against the city’s bus lines due to the segregation laws. The result of this boycott was the desegregation of the bus line. That boycott was a non-violent protest in which the blacks within that city refused to ride the bus until change was made. King’s group held seminar’s teaching nonviolence starting out by saying “Are you able to accept blows without retaliating?” “Are you able to endure the ordeals of jail?” (205 RTW) Reverend King was well versed in philosophy and practiced nonviolent civil disobedience, so much so that when a judge ordered an unconstitutional injunction forbidding King and others from protesting, he defied them and was arrested and jailed. While in jail he wrote “Letter from Birmingham City Jail”, he was unable to send it out himself so he had it smuggled out of the jail. His letter was an eloquently written letter using examples from our past to show that it is not nonviolent protests that should be illegal but those actions of the ones in charge of law and order who us abuse their power by beating, spraying hoses, and arresting the peaceful protesters trying to make positive change in our country. His letter explains that as a man of God he doesn’t understand the white clergy of the city...
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...Augustine “an unjust law is no law at all…” From this we can begin to reflect on the distinction between justice and injustice and justice in laws. Martin Luther King Jr. establishes this distinction based on how a law affects an individuals personality or basic human rights. If they downgrade these things the law is considered unjust, but if they were to boost an individuals personality or soul, this law is considered just. Martin Luther King Jr.’s focus on racial injustice and what makes these laws unjust is supported by his argument that a majority of these laws are established by the “power majority group” (Letter from a Birmingham Jail) which in his case refers to the white clergymen instilling all these prejudice unjust laws. What makes laws like this unjust is that the group establishing them is not affected by these laws but only affects the minority group as well as downgrading their souls and personality. For example, to desegregate bathrooms and have African Americans and Whites share the bathroom would not affect the “power majority group”. Sharing bathrooms with another race has no change on either race’s experience for the short amount of time they will be using the same bathroom. Since, this law only degrades the personality of African Americans, it is unjust. MLK Jr. is enforcing the idea that people in power don’t willingly walk away from high power, even if there is injustice. Changing unjust laws to just laws threaten...
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...Two Influential and Morally Different African Americans Malcolm X and Martin Luther King Jr. are both household names of men who fought diligently for African American rights in the postmodernism 1960’s. The 1954 Supreme Court ruling favored that segregated educational structure left blacks at a disadvantage. This was the spark that triggered uprising in the following years. Malcolm X and King Jr’s emphasis on their beliefs is evident in the works and actions that they have done through their lives. Their philosophies do differ from one another, as we will see in “The Autobiography of Malcolm X” and with “Letter from Birmingham Jail”. Both men had different approaches and desires for the black community as well as different upbringings that influenced them. We will see how such differences are reflected throughout their work to get a better understanding on how they compare and contrast. Known as Malcolm Little, the Omaha-born future activist suffered an impoverished start in life due to his father’s early demise. Prior to his death, Malcolm’s father was a “follower of Marcus Garvey, who instilled racial pride among the masses of African Americans” (Lauter 3088). To make end’s meet, Malcolm became a drug dealer and thief while living in Harlem, which landed him time in jail. His experience in jail and childhood shaped him and encouraged him in to becoming the activists that he was known for. Malcolm “replaced his own last name with “X” which stands for the African name...
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...because of their color; the brutal denunciations deprived these people from numerous rights, practically everything that makes a man a free human being. During the time of racial segregation African Americans could be divested of housing, partaking at eateries, voting, and practically even citizenship. This treatment went on for one hundred years after Abraham Lincoln signed the Emancipation Proclamation, which freed all slaves. These people could not be heard until a preacher from Atlanta, GA expressed his ideals on the issue of unfair racial discrimination. This man was named Martin Luther King Jr. During his life he addressed the cruelty of discrimination by leading nonviolent protests throughout the South; he was the leader of the civil rights movement for African Americans, and he had led Congress to pass the Civil Rights Act of 1964. Letter from Birmingham Jail," powerfully written by Martin Luther King Jr. with convincing and influential language, inspired countless individuals towards contesting for the equality of mankind....
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...Rhetorical Analysis of The Letter from Birmingham Jail Influential leader of the Civil Rights Movement and active agitator for justice, Dr Martin Luther King, Jr. in his letter, “Letter from Birmingham Jail”, argues passionately that injustice anywhere automatically creates the timely situation for organized retaliation in seeking freedom for the oppressed. King was arrested and placed in Birmingham Jail after a peaceful protest in downtown Birmingham. King was “the foremost civil rights leader in America in the 1950s and 1960s” (Kirszner and Mandell 799). “An ordained minister who held a doctorate in theology, King was the head of the Southern Christian Leadership Conference” (799). “King and his followers met opposition not only from white moderates but also from some African-American clergymen who thought King was a troublemaker.” King’s opposition labeled his demonstrations and acts against segregation as “untimely”, “unwise”, and...
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...Comparative Religious Ethics April 1, 2015 King’s Letter from Birmingham Jail Martin Luther King Jr.’s letter from Birmingham jail is known to be an influential piece as it brings so many issues to light. Sitting at a desk in his jail cell in Birmingham, King shares his thoughts and ideas of his nonviolent direct actions because “whatever affects one directly, affects all indirectly” (King). King addresses his opposition of clergymen with strategic points and explains his four basic process of nonviolence towards equality with collecting facts to determine whether injustice exists, negotiation, self-purification, and direct action. Knowing that much of the white population would not respond to the appeals to conscience, King realized that even though love and respect was the goal, justice would have to come first because “one might not be able to legislate love but justice could be legislated” (Fasching 249). Injustice existed in Birmingham because “racial injustice [engulfed] this community” with an “ugly record of brutality” and “unjust treatment in the courts” (King), as it was known to be one of the most segregated cities in the United States. More unsolved bombing of African American homes and churches were in Birmingham than in any other city in the state. More injustice is shown with police “dogs sinking their teeth into unarmed, nonviolent Negroes” (King). More unjust and inhumane treatment are shown by the pushing, cursing, slapping, and kicking of old and young...
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...Reflective Assignment The Political Nonviolent Activism of Martin Luther King Jr. I will focus on the life and the nonviolent political activism of Martin Luther King Jr. King Jr. is a world-renowned figure for his nonviolent pursuit of justice, equality, liberty and freedom for all, he worked tirelessly for racial equality and civil rights within the United States of America and his values of beliefs have been referenced the world over in similar pursuits. He is most well known for a speech he gave on the steps of Washington D.C.’s Lincoln memorial in 1963 entitles “I Have a Dream …” at the “March on Washington”. Section 1 (a) Montgomery Bus Boycott In the city of Montgomery Alabama 1955, it would not be surprising to see buses segregated by race; in fact city law to enforce it. When entering buses whites entered and sat at the front filling towards the rear, blacks entered and sat at the rear filling toward the front. If there were no more seats the next black person onto the bus was to stand, when the next white person got on the closest row of black people to the front were required to stand (Clayborne 224). The boycott began after a number of black women had been arrested for not vacating seats, the most recent before the boycott being Mrs. Rosa Parks (Phibbs). The boycott was organized and led by a number of now prominent civil rights activists along with Martin Luther King Jr., including but limited to: Ralph Abernathy, a leader of the American Civil Rights...
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...were needed. Brave people who wanted change and were willing to do whatever was necessary to get it, to fight for the belief that all men were created equal and that they should be treated that way. Some of these key figures in the Civil Rights Movement were Jackie Robinson, Martin Luther King Jr., and John F. Kennedy. Jackie Robinson helped shape and influence the Civil Rights Movement. In the 1940’s, baseball was considered America’s game, and baseball was right at the heart of all Americans. Baseball at this time had an...
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...nationalities and religions are supposed to have the same opportunities for education, better life and happiness. When we do not receive those civil rights, we start to think to protest. Historically, the "Civil Rights Movement" refers to African- Americans in their struggle for freedom and racial justice. Martin Luther King, Jr., emerged during the Montgomery Bus Boycott movement and became the most effective non-violent leader. He brings his nation to freedom on the basis...
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...Martin Luther King Jr.’s “Letter from Birmingham Jail” was written in Birmingham Jail in 1963 as a response to the Clergymen to explain his actions and also to answer their questions on why he did not call off the demonstrations. King was a civil rights activist who organized a campaign against segregation in Birmingham, Alabama in 1963. In his letter, King uses anaphora and allusions frequently. He also appeals to ethos, logos, and pathos to make his letter a paradigm of effective rhetoric. King uses allusions frequently throughout his letter. “Just as the prophets of the eighth century B.C. left their villages and carried their "thus saith the Lord" far beyond the boundaries of their home towns, and just as the Apostle Paul left his village of Tarsus and carried the gospel of Jesus Christ to the far corners of the Greco-Roman world” (King Paragraph 3). Here King is paralleling his actions to the Apostle’s actions. By king alluding to the Apostles he appeals to the audience ethically. Rhetorical questions are also used in the letter to appeal to ethos. “Now, what is the difference between the two” (Paragraph 16)? King uses rhetorical questions to make the audience think about what he is asking them. Along with rhetorical questions, King uses syllogism, where he constructs a conclusion from statements he stated earlier in the letter. The syllogism in paragraph sixteen, King states, “Any law that uplifts human personality is just. Any law that degrades human...
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...for valid reasons. However, when using disobedience for invalid reasons, it promotes wrongdoings instead of social progress. Humans must differentiate between progress and ignorance to positively impact a free society. In Martin Luther King Jr.’s “Letter from a Birmingham Jail”, he argued that peaceful debates and arguments would put an end to segregation. King was a devout Christian member of the Ebenezer Baptist Church, and a...
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...of leaderships which, rather than relying upon command and control, is structured from the bottom-up. That is, servant leaders approach the organizational goals by establishing the organization’s norms to help people who is in need.(Tiaki, 2014). Servant leadership is of 3 core elements: listening, conceptualization and stewardship. This essay will discuss these three elements and demonstrate how they work in action by examining the life and exploits of Martin Luther King. When discussing about the servant leaders, the ability of listening can be emphasized at the very beginning. That is more than just listening. This is where making conscious efforts to hear not only the words that another person is saying but, more importantly, try to understand the complete message being sent. According to Nichols(2009),good listeners try to understand and realize what speakers say to them and no judgment will be delivered. So good listeners not only make speakers perceive that what they are talking about is interesting to the listeners but also to get information, understand and learn at the same time. For examples, If students can pay more attention and patience to listen to what teachers say in the lectures obviously their knowledge and understanding must be better than otherwise. Further, speakers are willing to give more ideas since they feel they are regarded through listeners’ attention and respect. Nierenberg ( 2009) asserts that “when people sense genuine open-mindedness, they offer...
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...A Rhetorical Analysis of “Letter From Birmingham Jail” The Constitution of the United States of America states, “We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.” The First Amendment of the constitution goes on further to state, “Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise there-of; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press, or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances.” In light of these, “Truths” that our country was founded on it is unimaginable that at the time “Letter From Birmingham Jail” was written by Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. he was, in fact, serving time in a narrow jail cell for his participation in non violent demonstrations. These demonstrations were an attempt to win these previously proclaimed “Rights” for the Negro populace not only in his time but for all time to come. King, in his response to the criticisms of eight white religious leaders of the south’s statement calling his actions, “unwise and untimely,” has the well designed approach of appealing to his audience on all levels engaging their logic, emotions and most importantly the very ethical nature of the issues facing the Negros in the 1960’s. An Example of King’s logic at work comes almost immediately as he details...
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