Social Injustice

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The primary sources selected relate to the African-American Civil Rights Movement in the 1960 's. From these documents, the social injustices perpetrated on the Black community are made known through their fearless leader, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and acknowledge by Senator Robert F. Kennedy. Through these documents social and political injustices are discussed with the hope that justice will prevail.
The first primary source evaluated was the “I Have a Dream speech” delivered on August 28, 1963, by Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. during the March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom. Dr. King began his speech by making it known to the public that the Emancipation Proclamation was issued by Abraham Lincoln 100 years prior to this demonstration.
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King was arrested in Birmingham, Alabama after a court order was issued that King could not hold protests in the city. During Dr. Kings stay in jail, he wrote the famous “Letter from Birmingham Jail” on April 16, 1963. This letter was born after Dr. King was criticized for being an “extremist” and told that movement needed "wait" by eight white religious leaders of the Southern states. In response to their concern over the non-violent demonstration led by Dr. King, he writes a long letter about the direct action, disappointments, injustices and concerns of …show more content…
King addresses their claim of him being an "outsiders coming in" who caused agitation within Birmingham. He defends his presence by letting his position known as sitting president of the Southern Christian Leadership Conference. Because the SCLC operates throughout the south, Dr. King, and his members were invited to Birmingham for this demonstration and "Like Paul, I must constantly respond to the Macedonian call for aid." In all his examples of injustice in this letter, Dr. King back it up with a pivotal example of historical injustice. Furthermore, Dr. King stated his moral reason for being in Birmingham was because "Injustice is here." He believed that "all communities and states" are like a union, and he will always be drawn to serve along those who are being

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