Letter from Birmingham Jail

During the 20th century, racial segregation was a social injustice that affected every person in the United States. Martin Luther King Jr. was an activist for the civil-rights movement and was jailed multiple times in his efforts to demolish the unjust rights that plagued the south at that time period. While in the Birmingham Jail, King wrote Letter from Birmingham Jail, as a response to his fellow white clergymen who wrote criticism on his activities that ultimately put him in jail. King discusses not only the reasoning behind his protests - blatant racism - but also gives insight behind what it is like to be black in the 20th century. He writes about his hopes for the future and why he is against segregation. Although he writes to his fellow clergymen, the audience is more than that. The audience outside of the clergymen include “the white moderate” (273) that he hoped would see the letter. King wants the white people who have not been oppressed to understand “the deep groans and passionate yearnings of those that have been oppressed” (274). King writes using metaphors and imagery that effectively give examples to support his claims. On the bottom of 267 and top of 268 King describes why colored people have “legitimate and unavoidable impatience” (268). These reasons include “when you have seen hate filled policemen curse, kick, brutalize, and even kill your black brothers and sisters with impunity” (267). That powerful image helps readers who have not experienced the pain of being black understand the reasoning behind their actions. Martin Luther King Jr. simply explains his purpose of the essay with his signature following the statement, “Yours for the cause of Peace and Brotherhood” (279). His well written essay effectively accomplishes his purpose. He uses many quotes and examples that make it hard to argue against his reasoning for committing the acts of protest that put him in jail.

Picture:

Caption: The picture encompasses the racist tendencies that the majority had against the minority when they treated African-Americans and Mexicans as dogs.

Picture source: http://atlantablackstar.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/11/images1.jpg