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Letter from Birmingham Jail

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Letter from Birmingham Jail

The Letter from Birmingham Jail was written by Martin Luther King, Jr from his

prison cell following his arrest for disobeying the Alabama's law for holding nonviolent

demos. The Birmingham Campaigns had increased on the streets, and the arrest of Martin

Luther was just a week after the commencement of the campaigns. The purpose of Martin

Luther's Letter from Birmingham Jail was intended to respond to local religious leaders that

had a criticism of the campaign. The eight clergymen had composed a criticism of the

campaign and sent it to the Birmingham News and addressed the issue as a direct action

strategy "unwise and untimely (King Jr, 1964)." The clergymen were urging Martin Luther,

white and Negro people, to stop the demonstrations because they were not observing the

principles of law, order, and common sense.

The Letter from Birmingham starts with a nice tone by calling the clergymen as "my

fellow clergymen," and he goes ahead to tell them that "never before have I written so long a

letter. I'm afraid it is much too long to take your precious time (King Jr, 1964)." The reason

for writing a long letter to express his concerns about his upset with some of the local

religious leaders who had criticism on Martin Luther and the Southern Christian Leadership

Conference in their demonstration in city streets. Martin Luther tries to challenge the

Clergymen that their actions are not wise by asking them what else one can do once in a

confined room you only have more time to think long thoughts and pray long prayers. Martin

Luther begins by explaining to the clergymen why he is in Birmingham city. Luther tells the

religious leaders that he was welcomed there, and the other reason is that injustice is in

Birmingham. The King tells the leaders that Birmingham has turned out to be the most

segregated city in the United States because of the unjust treatment of the Negroes.

Martin Luther goes ahead to respond to the criticism of the white leaders calling the

acts as untimely. The King goes ahead to tell them that "We know through painful experience
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that freedom is never voluntarily given by the oppressor (King Jr, 1964).” Martin Luther goes

ahead to change his tone in the letter to express his disappointment "with the white religious

leaders." The Letter argues that the white moderate is responsible for the issue with Negroes

uncertain block in the progress toward freedom. The King tells the clergymen that he is

disappointed in their statement that their activity was extreme because they viewed his

nonviolent effort as those of an extremist. Martin uses successful people to emphasize that

they were also extremists throughout history. Martin tells the leaders that people cannot

remain oppressed forever regardless of is the awareness that injustice is in Birmingham.

Martin assures the leaders that freedom will eventually come though he tells the religious

leaders that the modern church has several weaknesses that need to be addressed.

The King challenges the leaders to address the church's weaknesses because no

commitment was shown as the early Christians who were ready to die for that they believed

in to be true. The Letter shows the King comparing himself to the Apostle Paul, famous for

carrying the gospel message "beyond his own town (King Jr, 1964)." Martin, in his Letter,

wanted to end the discrimination and segregation in Birmingham city though he was from

Atlanta. The clergymen called him an outsider of Birmingham though he claimed to be

invited in the city since he could not sit in Atlanta and see the segregation grow in

Birmingham. The Letter though was addressed to the clergymen condemning their criticism.

The Letter also wanted all Americans to be aware of the injustice in America. The King tells

the clergymen that he has two confessions that he needs to address to his Christians and

Jewish brothers about how injustice in the city is a threat to justice everywhere. The Letter's

whole message is to criticize all people opposing the nonviolent demonstrations in all parts of

America.

Martin's Letter shows his strategy of representing the hopelessness of the people of

color in America who showed huge segregation from the whites in many places such as
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libraries, churches, and public institutions. Martin uses his strategy of responding to the

clergymen's statements to communicate about his painful experience of segregation and how

the colored persons were discriminated against by the whites (King Jr, 1964). King's strategy

to express his opinion can be used in my portfolio project to successfully deliver the message

of the need to end the ongoing racial injustices and segregation in America, such as black

brutality from the police. Therefore, the King's Letter shows the efforts of Martin Luther to

decried the inaction of white moderates who never shown efforts for human progress in the

country and the south, in particular by being among the extremists. The Letter concludes by

King showing his friendship to the clergymen as he tells them he hopes to meet them all who

authored the first Letter.

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References

King Jr, M. L. (1964). Letter from Birmingham jail. Liberating faith: Religious voices for

justice, peace, & ecological wisdom, 177-187.