Alabama Clergymen In Mlk's Letter

Great Essays
“We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness” (Thomas Jefferson, Declaration of Independence). When Thomas Jefferson first wrote the Declaration of Independence on July 4, 1776, this historic quote was believed to be true, but only to an extent. After the British started raising taxes and harming the American colonist society, the Americans believed that they no longer needed to be ruled by someone who lived across an entire ocean. Rebellion grew, and soon the Declaration of Independence was written and signed by the members of the Congress. A war ensued, and after years of …show more content…
He strengthened the importance and intelligence of the Clergymen in their minds by giving them a feeling of superiority. His letter wrote of how they were worthy of his attention and were in need of his reply, which also included ideas of the harm segregation was causing the African American society. For a reason that not many could understand, let alone explain, which only added to how powerful his examples of pathos were. MLK’s letter as a whole is one of the most amazing pieces of literature in history. He uses language and rhetorical devices at every turn to appeal to the Clergymen, but his persuasive power doesn’t stop there. Persuasive writing directed toward the Clergymen wouldn’t necessarily have made it into the history books, but MLK’s “Letter from Birmingham Jail” has crossed the gaps of time and space to become a prominent piece of writing in many aspect of life today. In history, MLK’s letter shows people the importance of equality, and the damage that segregation had caused the African American communities. It brings back a time that was an integral part of American society that remains today. Also, his letter has become an important part of literature too, with all of the rhetorical devices making it a brilliant learning tool. It is filled to the brim with examples that combine to make and incredible piece of persuasion. Even as the years have passed, MLK’s letter has never lost its persuasive power. People can read his letter today, and still feel the profound impact that is has. It shows the struggle of not just a group of people, but of an entire nation as it grew to become what it is today. If his letter had just been discarded by society and left behind by history, I believe that our nation would be a different place from what it has become

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