He begins the letter by explaining why he has come to Birmingham, by simply stating, “I am in Birmingham because injustice is here.” He feels compelled, like the Apostle Paul, to carry the “gospel” of justice to all corners of the South. was understandably dismayed by the attitude of the clergymen, even though he acknowledges that their intentions came from a good place. They claimed that these protests were “untimely”, and they urged the “Negro community” to practice restraint. The clergymen argued for patience for disputes and issues to be decided in the courts, and that protests were a disruption, not a means to an end.

King was arrested on April 12th, and while in the jail, he penned his harsh, but wisely-worded response to the clergymen’s dissent. criticizing King’s role in the nonviolent protests of the Birmingham Campaign which began on April 3, 1963.

Where do the elements of Transcendental thought appear in King’s letter?Ī Quick Synopsis of 'Letter from Birmingham Jail'Įight clergy leaders from the city of Birmingham, Alabama wrote an open letter to Martin Luther King, Jr.

What rhetorical strategies does King use that are particularly effective in communicating his primary points?.

Should we rebel against laws that are unjust?.

What responsibility does an individual have when he or she witnesses injustice?.

Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere.” As for his incitements, King said, the confrontation is the point: “The purpose of the direct action is to create a situation so crisis-packed that it will inevitably open the door to negotiation.Essential Questions for 'Letter from Birmingham Jail' I cannot sit idly by in Atlanta and not be concerned about what happens in Birmingham. “I am cognizant of the interrelatedness of all communities and states. “I am in Birmingham because injustice is here” he said. King’s response to the wrong-time, wrong-place accusation was succinct.

On this day, April 16, in 1963 Martin Luther King wrote his famous “Letter from Birmingham Jail.” He composed it over the course of day, writing on a legal pad provided by his lawyers, margins of a newspaper, and, after running out of both of the above, toilet paper. King’s response was one of the most eloquent treatises on civil rights in the 20th century. A group of eight white clergymen wrote an open letter to King in Birmingham, accusing him of creating civil unrest, and calling his act of civil disobedience “unwise and untimely” - not allowing time for the political system to change. Meanwhile, the politically moderate whites he hoped to persuade to his cause questioned his tactics. The campaign he organized was in tatters, with King and other leaders arrested. Locked up in a jail in Birmingham, Alabama, after leading an illegal protest in Albany, Georgia, Martin Luther King was facing his darkest hour.

Martin luther king jail letter