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

On April 16th, 1963, Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. wrote “Letter from Birmingham Jail,” in response to criticism he received from fellow clergymen. They criticized his leading of nonviolent direct action program of protests throughout the city of Birmingham, Alabama, including sit-ins and freedom rides. Dr. King addresses these concerns by first providing the clergymen with his reason for going to Birmingham- to battle injustice. Dr.King asserts that “injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere.” This is a profound statement because it implies that Dr.King is concerned with much more than simply correcting the wrongdoings of the society in Birmingham; he desires to fight for justice everywhere. Dr.King details the process of organizing non-violent protests to the systemic racial prejudice perpetrated in the South. …show more content…
Dr.King explains to the clergymen that steps one through three have been thoroughly completed. The facts of injustice cannot be ignored, multiple attempts to negotiate with leaders- both political and economic- have failed, and everyone that was protesting was prepared to be nonviolent and endure challenges, both mental and physical. Another key point of Dr.King’s work defined the difference between just and unjust laws. He “agrees with Saint Augustine that ‘an unjust law is no law at all.’” Therefore, he continues, because the laws of segregation are unjust, he is compelled to “disobey segregation ordinances because they are morally wrong.” However, he cautions that “one who breaks an unjust law must do it openly, lovingly…expressing the very highest respect for the