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Letters from Birmingham Jail

In: English and Literature

Submitted By tonaj
Words 763
Pages 4
T’ona Jones
Professor Michael Stowell
EH 101-2BA
February 21, 2013
A Word from Dr. King On April 16, 1963, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. wrote “Letters from Birmingham Jail” while incarcerated for his participation in the civil rights protest in Birmingham, Alabama. The letter was a response to “A Call for Unity,” published by the Birmingham clergymen in the Birmingham News, which attempted to end all nonviolent civil rights demonstrations in Birmingham. In the letter, Dr. King described his reasons for having been in Birmingham and his opinions and reasons for protesting. He also explained what actions could have been taken for the demonstrations to cease. By using historical quotes, emotional appeals, an assertive tone, and common sense, Dr. King thoroughly and effectively stated his point on the protest that would get positive feedback, which in turn he had hoped to receive from the audience of strict officials that resisted change. As Dr. King began and ended his letter, he did so with respect to the audience. He acknowledged them as “men of genuine good will” (King 263), and at the end he also stated that he had hoped to meet them one day as Christian equals (King 279); doing this, Dr. King hoped to show that he accepted their criticisms. In return, he hoped that the clergymen would hear what he had to say and give it genuine thought. Had he been disrespectful the clergyman would not have taken what he had to say into consideration. Dr. King used religion to reach the clergymen’s moral thoughts and explain exactly why he was in Birmingham when he wrote, “Just as the eighth century prophets left their little villages and carried their ‘thus saith the Lord’ far beyond the boundaries of their home town ̶ ̶ I am too compelled to carry the gospel of freedom beyond my particular hometown…” Dr. King identified himself as a prophet or missionary (King

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