On April 12, 1963, eight clergymen released a letter addressing the recent events in Birmingham, Alabama concerning the civil rights movement. They first acknowledge the positive, yet slow steps being taken by citizens through the court system. This is followed by them discouraging citizens participation in recent demonstrations “directed and led in part by outsiders” condemning them as “unwise and untimely.” The letter also expressed their shared belief that all racial issues in their city could be handled by it’s white and Negro citizens without the help of outsiders. The people of Birmingham are encouraged to avoid such “extreme measures” and instead “observe the principles of law and order and common sense.”
In reply, Martin Luther King
In reply, Martin Luther King