Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. In 1965, during the civil rights movement there were many organizations which fought for the rights of African-Americans. The Southern Christian Leadership Committee and the Student Non-violent Coordinating Committee were two of the major organizations, which focused on fighting for black people's rights. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. was the President of the Southern Christian Leadership Committee. He believed in non-violence, which was the form of resistance in which he used against the white people. By Dr. King using this form of non-violence this helped to save the lives of many black people. Many of the black people wanted to go up and fight against the white people, but Dr. King knew that violence wouldn't get them anywhere. He tried to instill this form of non-violence in all of his fellow black citizens. While in the Birmingham jail on April 16, 1963, Dr. King sat and responded to a recent statement, which called his activities "unwise and untimely". In this letter, Dr. King stated how rarely he responded back to all of the criticism in which he received about his work and ideas. Due to the fact, that if he did always respond to all of the criticisms, then he would never have any time to do constructive work. Dr. King proceeded on in the letter and stated the reasons why he was affiliated with Birmingham. Which was because he was asked to be on call to engage in a non-violent direct action program, if it was necessary. The major reason Dr. King was in Birmingham was due to injustice. Birmingham was one of the most segregated cities in the United States, during this time. In this letter Dr. King made a significant statement about why he felt that it was his duty to see to it that freedom for every race was carried out. He said: "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, so am I. compelled to carry the gospel of freedom beyond my home town. Like Paul, I must constantly respond to the Macedonian call for aid."(Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., In a letter from Birmingham jail.
Martin Luther King's "Letter from Birmingham Jail", was written to answer a critical "Call For Unity" by a group of clergymen in Birmingham. The clergymen were critical of King for "interloping" in the activities of their city. Dr. King said that he had every right to fight unfairness in the country that he lived in. The letter he wrote, in response to the "Call for Unity", and a statement that he would battle racial inequality wherever it was. The "Letter from Birmingham Jail" was the main point in his life. In this letter, he perfectly described his reasons why he felt this way, appealing to logic, emotion, and ethics.
Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. was arrested on April 12, 1963, in Birmingham, for having a protest without a proper permit. On the exact day King was arrested, eight clergymen from Alabama wrote a letter called “A Call for Unity.” The letter called for termination of civil activities and demonstrations and designated King an “outsider” and saying that outsiders were the problems in Birmingham and not the blacks that are from there. On April 16 King wrote “Letter from Birmingham Jail”, which was his responds to his fellow clergymen. He wrote the letter as a means to convince the clergymen and the white moderate that the nonviolent demonstrations that had got him arrested, were a necessity and to enlighten them on why the segregation laws in the southern states needed to be changed. In “Letter from Birmingham Jail” King uses logos, pathos, and ethos to persuade the clergymen and convince them in assisting him in putting an end to segregation laws of blacks in Birmingham, Alabama.
He accomplishes in this statement, “We will reach the goal of freedom in Birmingham, here and all over the nation, because the goal in America is Freedom. Abused and scorned though we may be, our destiny is tied up with America’s destiny.” (Martin Luther King 35) This statement also reassured the reader that the black people are not from another country, but from America, and people who are from America gain freedom. Throughout his letter he continually reminds the reader about everything the black people have gone through. Whether tortured, segregated, or discriminated against, the black people continue to thrive and develop. This shows the reader black people are strong-minded people just like the white people, and having them on the same side will be
The letter’s purpose is that King wants to persuade the clergymen what he together with his people were demonstrating since it was extremely necessary during that period. In achieving this, King utilizes persuasive and condemnatory tones so that the reader can consent with him. King Luther King, the author of Letter from Birmingham
Martin Luther King, Jr., born on January 15, 1929, was well known for his nonviolent movement to bring justice and to an end to the segregation of the people in the United States back in the 1950s. With King being the leader of a peaceful protest, it failed to bring equally to the colored people. Martin Luther King, Jr. was labeled as an “outsider” who was “hatred and violence” and that his actions were “unwise and untimely” from the Public Statement by Eight Alabama Clergymen (clergymen). In response, on the day of April 16, 1963, he wrote the Letter from Birmingham Jail to declare and defense his movement was not “unwise and untimely” at all. To analyze his points, King used the powerful literary devices of pathos- use of an emotional appeal.ethos-
History is indeed made up of significant events which shape our future and outstanding leaders who influence our destiny.
“In spite of my shattered dreams of the past, I came to Birmingham with the hope that the white religious leadership of this community would see the justice of our cause and with deep moral concern serve as the channel through which our just grievances could get to the power structure.” This appeal seems logical enough, the church is typically the first to offer aid and is usually quick to join a cause that benefits mankind. However in the case of Birmingham King said, “But again I have been disappointed.” This is because of the inaction of the southern white church who stood passively as their Christian brethren struggled, this is perhaps the greatest cause of King’s frustration. The idea that Christians would ignore the suffering of those around them was, perhaps, novel to King, who strongly believed in loving thy neighbor as thyself. For him this inaction was possibly similar to a slap in the face, to be ignored by other Christians whom he should have been able to rely on based on principle. King does mention a few noble white churches whom helped in the struggle such as “Reverend Stallings, for your Christian stand this past Sunday in welcoming Negroes to your Baptist Church worship service on a
non-violent actions against the racial discrimination and hatred among the black community residing in Birmingham. The letter was also aimed towards the freedom and equality to not just the black community but also to the white community, to the social, religious and political community. King wanted to stand up for his thoughts and ideas that everyone should have freedom and equality.
The Civil Rights Movement is one of the most important events of the history of the United States. Although many people contributed to this movement, Martin Luther King, Jr., is widely regarded as the leader of the movement for racial equality. Growing up in the Deep South, King saw the injustices of segregation first hand. King’s studies of Mahatma Ghandi teachings influenced his views on effective ways of protesting and achieving equality. Martin Luther King’s view on nonviolence and equality and his enormous effect on the citizens of America makes him the most influential person of the twentieth century.
King writes the letter to defend his organization's actions and the letter is also an appeal to the people, both the white and black American society, the social, political, and religious community, and the whole of American society to encourage desegregation and encourage solidarity and equality among all Americans, with no stratifications according to racial differences. King's letter from Birmingham Jail addresses the American society, particularly the political and religious community of the American society.
Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. was one of the greatest civil rights leaders to ever live. Through his empowering speeches, he made a huge impact on the world for the equality of all races. Throughout King’s life, he showed everyone how he believed equality should be acquired. With his peaceful protests and amazing speeches, he influenced people both during his time and after he passed. Many believe that King’s work in the Civil Rights Movement was the final push that America needed to finally respect people no matter their skin color.
“But more basically, I am in Birmingham because injustice is here” (King) this quote from the letter is an example of an appeal to logic or logos. There is no question that racial injustice was most definitely taking place in Alabama, and throughout America. Dr. King uses many other examples like this one. Dr. King explains that they had no other alternatives than to demonstrate and protest against the serious injustices taking place in the United States, especially in the south. In the letter Dr. King states that the white people of Birmingham have left the African Americans with no other alternative. He also states that the city of Birmingham is one of the most segregated cities in the entire United Sta...
The tone set by Dr. King in the part of the letter where he describes “pent-up resentments and latent frustrations,” and where he recognizes the “vital urge” being suppressed, is very passionate. His passion shines through loud and clear. The way Dr. King feels is, in fact, quite clear throughout the entire letter, yet the overriding sense of reason and logic that anyone can relate to is ever apparent. As he describes the unrest he finds in his community, the community as a whole really; he explains that he did not encourage them to “get rid of your [their] discontent” he instead encouraged them to, “make prayer pilgrimages to city hall;… go on freedom rides,… and try to understand why he [they] must do so”; these quotes from the letter point out the ways Dr....
The famous speech of Martin Luther King The famous speech, “ I Have a Dream”, was held in 1963 by a powerful leader of the Civil Rights Movement of the 1950s and 60s. He was born January 15, 1929, the son of an Atlanta Pastor. Martin Luther King Jr. always insisted on nonviolent resistance and always tried to persuade others with his nonviolent beliefs. In 1963, King spoke from the steps of the Lincoln Memorial and almost 200,000 people attended his speech. All his listeners were Civil Rights supporters who rallied behind him and the people who watched his appearance on television.
Sending a letter to Martin Luther King Jr. was potentially the largest mistake the Eight White Clergymen could have made if they wanted to sustain segregation. They probably did not expect such an eloquent response from an African-American. The letter to King asks him to give up his demonstrations because it only hurts his cause by instigating further hatred and violence. The letter continues on and asks for “...our own Negro community to withdraw support from these demonstrations...” and to instead keep the fight for their rights to the court system and out of the streets. When King replies to this “Call for Unity” he strips the entire letter down and turns it against the authors, making his response over six times longer than the letter. The letter King wrote from Birmingham Jail was a vital turning point in the desegregation movement. If King wasn't arrested then perhaps the letter from the clergymen would have never been authored; however that would also prevent his reply written 24 days prior to the May 10th Birmingham agreement which ended segregation within the city.