Dr. Martin Luther King’s Letter from Birmingham Jail is one of the most widely recognized symbols of the Civil Rights Movement, along with his “I Have A Dream” speech and the Freedom Riders. In the letter, King described the hardships faced by African Americans and why he is leading a nonviolent protest against segregation. The Letter is an example of direct action, and is important to study in order to understand methods leaders can use to influence change at any level. My initial reaction to reading Letter from Birmingham Jail was eye opening. The first time I read the Letter was last June during my activist certification, and it was an excellent example of the power of direct action and grassroots activism. As an activist student, I was
…show more content…
With modern print media in the forms of books, magazines and newspapers, printed letters and publications are seen by millions of readers each day. These sources also have low costs of production, making their reproduction simple and affordable. Most importantly, when written well, letters and printed publications have the power to evoke strong emotions from readers and move them to take action upon those emotions. If I were a Southern clergyman reading Letter from Birmingham Jail I would feel ashamed, and take action to change the hardships described by King. As a community member, I would feel personally connected to those hardships and take action with King to create change. As a result of these emotions, Letter from Birmingham Jail was an effective method of communication to attract community members and gain support for racial …show more content…
Iowa is one of the nation’s most diverse universities, and this diversity may be conflicting for some students. The message of Dr. King’s Letter was that segregation and discrimination were unjust, and this is a message we must continue to remember today. As Iowa and other universities continue to diversify, it is crucial to accept all people as equals and not discriminate based on race or other discriminatory factors. By accepting all people as equals, students at Iowa can enhance the educational environment and stretch their experiences to prepare for a successful
With modern print media in the forms of books, magazines and newspapers, printed letters and publications are seen by millions of readers each day. These sources also have low costs of production, making their reproduction simple and affordable. Most importantly, when written well, letters and printed publications have the power to evoke strong emotions from readers and move them to take action upon those emotions. If I were a Southern clergyman reading Letter from Birmingham Jail I would feel ashamed, and take action to change the hardships described by King. As a community member, I would feel personally connected to those hardships and take action with King to create change. As a result of these emotions, Letter from Birmingham Jail was an effective method of communication to attract community members and gain support for racial …show more content…
Iowa is one of the nation’s most diverse universities, and this diversity may be conflicting for some students. The message of Dr. King’s Letter was that segregation and discrimination were unjust, and this is a message we must continue to remember today. As Iowa and other universities continue to diversify, it is crucial to accept all people as equals and not discriminate based on race or other discriminatory factors. By accepting all people as equals, students at Iowa can enhance the educational environment and stretch their experiences to prepare for a successful