Criticism Of Dr. Martin Luther King's Letter From Birmingham Jail

Improved Essays
Danny Milam
October 23, 2017
Professor Nair
ENGL-103
Letter from Birmingham Jail
After being thrown in jail for non-violently protesting, Dr. Martin Luther King felt obligated write letter in response to the critics of his tactics. In Dr. King’s “Letter from Birmingham Jail”, he makes a well stated and very thought out attempt to justify his civil disobedience. In doing so King expressed a certain moderate and casual tone. His casual and respectful tone allowed him to better cast out constructive criticism to the many people he addresses in his letter.
One group he addresses with criticism is his fellow clergymen. This is one of the aspects of his letter that I admire and the reason I praise Dr. King and this literary work. Dr. King could

Related Documents

  • Improved Essays

    Analysis of Letter From a Birmingham Jail In 1963 Martin Luther King Jr. was asked to go to Birmingham to engage in a nonviolent direct-action program and was arrested as a result of this protest. A letter from several clergymen arrived to him during his incarceration criticizing his work as untimely and unwise. Martin Luther King responded to their critique in a “Letter from a Birmingham Jail” and explained the necessity of his presence. He explains that his actions were thoroughly planned out.…

    • 855 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Improved Essays

    Martin Luther King’s letter from the Birmingham jail was a detailed letter explaining the motives and emotion behind the non-violent protests that took place in the South. As a result of these protests, a few white religious leaders criticized the actions of Dr. King and those encouraging the non-violent campaigns. The purpose of this letter was to respond to criticism made by these leaders. In the letter Dr. King expounded on four of the leaders’ comments. He responded to the comments regarding the untimeliness of the campaigns, the willingness of the campaigners to break laws, the allegation that the campaigns triggered violence, and the description of the campaigns as extreme.…

    • 1004 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Improved Essays

    In April 1963, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. wrote a Letter from Birmingham Jail, in response to a statement that detailed concerns of a few white religious leaders from the South. In his letter King addresses not just the religious leaders who wrote the statement but also avid segregationist all throughout the south. Martin Luther King uses rhetorical strategies such as: ethos, logos, and pathos, to refute the letter issued by his fellow clergymen. In addition to refuting the letter, Kings second purpose is to guide his fellow clergymen to the point where they are able to “…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.…

    • 124 Words
    • 1 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Improved Essays

    In Martin Luther King Jr.’s Letter from the Birmingham Jail, Martin Luther King was writing a response to a group of clergymen that had written an open letter in the paper about his unlawful protests. He was in jail for protesting in Birmingham without the proper permits. In the open letter, the clergymen, “called for the community to renounce protest tactics that caused unrest in the community, to do so in court and "not in the streets. ”(Rothman). King’s response, which he wrote while in jail, was 20 pages long.…

    • 719 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Improved Essays

    In his letter, “Letter from Birmingham Jail”, leader in the civil rights movement, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., powerfully replies to criticisms regarding his cause and his actions. King’s purpose is to prove to his criticizers that his cause is right and just. He adopts a condemnatory tone in order to convey his disapproval with the clergymen’s criticisms and excuses. It’s Dr. King’s strong use of diction that has the greatest impact on making this piece so powerful and effective.…

    • 824 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Improved Essays

    While the letter itself was a direct response to those clergymen, I believe the arguments it contained applied to a much wider audience. I think King’s work on this letter was rightfully influential. One reason for this was how articulately and precisely he took on each charge. An example of…

    • 601 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Improved Essays

    When incommunicado time passed, he was permitted to contact and received a copy of a letter written by eight local clergymen from Birmingham Post-Herald. In that open letter, clergymen called the protest “unwise and untimely” that Dr. King opposed in his letter. Though the name of the king was not directly mentioned in the letter, he thought to reply to it. He used the approach of ethos, pathos, and logos to address his concerns. To solve the biggest issue Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. wrote the “Letter from Birmingham Jail” addressing to “Clergyman.”…

    • 1059 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Improved Essays

    In Martin Luther King Jr’s “Letter from a Birmingham Jail” King responds to the criticism written by a group of clergymen about the work that King is pursuing in Birmingham. Although King directly addresses his fellow clergymen he also expresses his strong disappointment in the white churches of the south and the wide range of white moderates. Making it clear that these groups are not in favor of king and the work that he is doing, King explains the flaws of how those who fight against him are not solely fighting against their own brothers and sisters, but are also damaging themselves. Kings followers are the many oppressed people in the black community in need of secured civil rights, as well as select individuals of white churches, businesses,…

    • 926 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Improved Essays

    Letter from a Birmingham Jail Analysis Essay In this letter, King uses various tones to respond to a group of white clergymen who argue that his way of fighting social injustice is improper and to justify his means to try to achieve his purpose. King is a true civil rights activist and believes in only acting respectfully and nonviolently, but at the same time, the white clergymen, advocates of civil rights, condemn his nonviolent protest. King is “not unmindful of the difficulties involved” so he and his fellow activists have “decided to go through a process of self-purification” to be able to “accept blows” and to endure the “ordeals of jail” (King 1, 2). King uses his calm, explanatory tone to establish his creditability to his critics.…

    • 1063 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Improved Essays

    The emotion he did apply to the letter was a wide range. Martin Luther King Jr. knew who his main focus was and knew how to bring out the most emotion in them. He wrote a very persuasive…

    • 1284 Words
    • 6 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Improved Essays

    1. In the first few paragraphs of Martin Luther King Jr.’s, “Letter from Birmingham Jail,” he specifically addresses the local clergymen, lays out his purpose for the letter, and creates an authoritative and well-organized tone. He makes his goal of wanting to prove he does belong in Birmingham to create racial equality clear by stating, “injustice anywhere is a threat to justice anywhere” (800). Throughout this entire article King addresses the local clergymen and the white moderates; however, in this particular portion, he speaks directly to the clergymen. King establishes credibility with them when he states that he is “serving as president of the Southern Christian Leadership Conference” (800).…

    • 750 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Improved Essays

    and Malcolm X used similar religious aspects in their style of writing, the tone of both men varies greatly. Throughout his letter, Martin Luther King Jr. conveyed his opinion in an impassioned but deferential manner. He expressed his cordiality when he signed his letter, “yours for the cause of Peace and Brotherhood” (King 904). He wanted to have an amicable tone to negotiate the adjustment that was necessary for the advancement of American society. Martin Luther King was not looking for a dispute, but rather a friendly agreement.…

    • 1463 Words
    • 6 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Superior Essays

    Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. fought for freedom and equality of African American people and is now a well known historical person for what he did for people all around the nation. Segregation and discrimination have been going on for quite some time now. Negroes didn’t have their rights, there are separate places for white people and colored people, white people feel superior to African Americans, and nothing is changing. This is until Martin Luther King Jr., a minister of Dexter Avenue Baptist Church, gave his powerful “I Have a Dream” speech and wrote his cogent letter directed to the Clergymen, “Letter From Birmingham Jail.” King was a leader of the African American civil rights movement, lead nonviolent protest, and spoke out against poverty…

    • 1081 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Superior Essays
  • Improved Essays

    Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., in his Letter from Birmingham Jail, argued to his equality supporting peers that non-violent and instigative protests, while not as dignified as court battles, were fundamentally more potent and provocative. King successfully produced an appealing and effective message by integrating pathos and logos, utilizing faith based ethos, suitable literary devices, and a unique subtle tone that allowed him to maintain even-tempered and reasonable appeal in subject he was passionate and infuriated about. King wins the credibility of his peers by, firstly establishing they are his peers. He reminds them of his position as a reverend by citing the Alabama clergymen as “fellow clergymen”. Referring to his position as president of the Southern Christian Leadership Conference and his invitation not Birmingham, he further established credibility by highlighting he is not merely a reverend creating social upheaval but a revered civic and religious leader whose presence is desired by the people of the city.…

    • 608 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Improved Essays

    From 1954 to 1968 the Civil Rights Movement took place in the United States. During this time, strategies and social movements occurred with the goal of eliminating racial segregation and discrimination laws. The movement consisted of many civil resistance campaigns. These operations were led by civil rights activists who wanted to help secure rights and equal opportunities for African Americans. One of the most visible and well known of such activists was Martin Luther King Jr.…

    • 783 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Improved Essays