Mlk Birmingham Jail Letter

Decent Essays
From the letter that Martin Luther King Jr. wrote while in Birmingham Jail were very deep in there meaning and strength in regards to the segregation between the White American and the African American community in America.
From these letters the most shocking realization is how although there was no laws regarding the demonstrations that were happening at the time the Black community were still being jailed and mistreated. The police were not treating them as if they were humans, they would set the police dogs on the men and let them sink their teeth into as if they were another animal. As for the young and elderly members of the African American community they would be slapped, kicked and beat. Martin Luther King Jr. in his actions of not being afraid and standing up for his beliefs set a strong foot hold in society that eventually, helped create the freedom that his people have today.
Not only were they treated as if they were animals they were also treated as if they were non-existent. In his letters Martin Luther King Jr. stated that even in communities were the majority of the population were African American, they were still not legally allowed to vote. This makes absolutely no sense what so ever. Why in a community dominated by one race should they not be allowed to vote and let
…show more content…
would take into account all of the problems that he was facing not only for himself but also his community, and he would go into an in depth response explanation. He would use a ‘they say, I say’ format in order for him to really access the emotions of the people who he was fighting for and against. An excellent example of this is when they were saying that, for Christianity to have the position it does in today’s society they had to wait around 2000 years. At the same time they also said that time will eventually fix the issues, in which he replied that time can be either destructive or constructive and it is not a certain fix for

Related Documents

  • Improved Essays

    Within the letter from birmingham jail, it's clear that King was attempting to connect with the audience using Ethos, Logos, and Pathos. A discernible example of ethos would be evident in paragraph 11 as King states “One has not a legal but moral responsibility to obey just laws. Conversely, one has a moral responsibility to disobey unjust laws.” This demonstrates that breaking the law is right as long as it's an unjust law; explaining why he’s in prison while also providing an ethical appeal. King goes on to further state “Any law that uplifts human personality is just.…

    • 152 Words
    • 1 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Superior Essays

    Local clergymen issued a statement towards King, denouncing his actions. In a crucial response, Martin Luther King, Jr., uses a powerful pattern of logos, ethos, and pathos, to persuade his readers to take action in his cause, and uses a specific order of topics to guide those actions. In his first response, King logically establishes the basis for why he is responding. Says King, “I came across your recent statement calling my present activities "unwise and untimely."…

    • 1241 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Superior Essays
  • Improved Essays

    Martin Luther King Jr.’s Use of Persuasion Martin Luther King Jr. was one of the most important people fighting the injustices in racism in the civil rights movement. He defends his rights and shows how hurtful it can be to have these rights taken away. He describes hurtful situations vividly “...when you have hate-filled policeman curse, kick, brutalize, and even kill your black brothers and sisters with impunity...”(King 2) In the “Letter from Birmingham Jail”, Martin Luther King Jr. used ethos, pathos, and logos effectively to get his point across to his audience. This letter got his point across exceptionally well using these persuasive methods.…

    • 316 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Decent Essays

    After reading the "Letter From Birmingham Jail" I found the quote "My Dear Fellow Clergymen" very effective. Martin Luther King uses the rhetorical situation of Aristotelian appeals, appealing to passion or pathos. By King saying this, he is relating to the clergymen on a personal basis and connecting with them. He is sending a message that he is no better then these men and they or no better than him.…

    • 70 Words
    • 1 Pages
    Decent 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

    King’s letter was not an innocent appeal, it was designed for manipulation. First, he defended his very presence in Birmingham by taking advantage of the patriotism that brought citizens from every state together to be American. He then listed in vibrant detail the injustices, past and present, heaped upon the backs of the African American race. King stood behind the civil disobedience that his group practiced with an explanation of his meaning of “unjust laws.” He refuted the claim that he and his followers were extremists by twisting the definition favorably in his direction.…

    • 1298 Words
    • 6 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Improved Essays

    The fight over whether or not segregation should be allowed was a long and hard battle that was led by many people, including Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. He organized and participated in many nonviolent protests to act against segregation in America. King stated that the reason he was in Birmingham jail was because “injustice was here” (King). After being arrested, he wrote a response to a public statement issued by eight white religious southern leaders. The letter King wrote used imagery, diction, and metaphors to give people insight on the way that African Americans were actually treated by police officers.…

    • 756 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Improved 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

    Throughout history, people have been treated differently based on what they choose, or are forced, to do in life. Whether it’s a career they enjoy or not, civilians need jobs in order to ensure safety and prosperity for their family. Unfortunately, it has been repeatedly shown that society and governments often set rules that restrict certain workers from acquiring as much as they need or deserve for the work they do. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., is one of the many fought for a cause such as this. He was a leader of the Civil Rights movement who argued for total equality between all races in the United States, with an ultimate goal of eliminating segregation.…

    • 1341 Words
    • 6 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Improved Essays

    He finally jumped. On September 22, 2010, Tyler Clementi, an eighteen year old student at Rutgers University, committed suicide after jumping to his death from the George Washington Bridge in New York City. John Ruskin asserts, “What we think, or what we know, or what we believe is, in the end, of little consequence. The only consequence is what we do.” According to his view, Ruskin believes in the importance of not only lifting people up with thoughts, knowledge, or beliefs, but also acting upon them.…

    • 612 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Improved Essays

    In Letter from Birmingham City Jail, the attempts to assert the direct action of a peaceful civil rights demonstration in Birmingham, Alabama was wholly necessary, justified and long overdue. This is a response to an open letter written by “eight prominent ‘liberal’ Alabama clergymen” (46). The clergymen argued that the decision was badly timed and that the participants should let the fight for integration continue only in the federal courts. Martin Luther King JR’s defense begins with his admission that he rarely ever takes the time to defend himself against his opponents. King then transitions into his argument for “direct action”.…

    • 1047 Words
    • 5 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

    Martin Luther King, Jr. tries to convince people against unjust law as to what he encourages. In “Letter from Birmingham Jail”, he states, “Oppressed people cannot remain oppressed forever. The urge for freedom will eventually come. This is what has happened to the American Negro” (Page X). This means he tried using the facts to convince African American to stand up and achieve their goal together.…

    • 823 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Improved Essays

    Jonathan Edwards, one of the most influential leaders for the puritan religion, delivered a speech on July 8th, 1741 titled “Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God” which informed his audience that God is the only thing holding them up over the pits of Hell. While on the other hand, Martin Luther King Jr, an American civil rights activist and author, writes a letter, “Letter from Birmingham Jail,” while held prisoner in Birmingham City Jail addressing eight Clergyman who condemned his protests throughout the city. Both Edwards and King use different variations of rhetorical devices to convey their messages to each of their audiences. Edwards uses negative imagery and metaphors to convince his audience that God is the only thing holding them up over the pits of Hell, and King uses metaphors and allusions to convey his message that the clergymen need to get on board with the civil rights movements or they will be…

    • 875 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • 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