While sitting in a Birmingham jail, Martin Luther King Jr wrote to his fellow clergyman. Through this letter, King answered the clergyman's complaints of how the demonstration of nonviolent civil disobedience was unwise and untimely in Birmingham. King defended the actions of the protestors and himself by addressing the concerns of those clergymen. He attempted this task by using scripture, history, and appealing to the intellect of his audience. King disrupted societal norms by nonviolent direct action to demand justice for African Americans. Through this letter, King explained the reason for his presence in Birmingham and why the actions of the protestors are justified. Even though, expressing their First Amendment right resulted in violence. Also, King pontificated claims that his protest are extreme.
King opened up this letter with a clear intent to validate his authority among his fellow clergyman. “I have the honor of serving as president of the Southern Christian Leadership Conference, an organization operating in every southern state with …show more content…
"Birmingham is probably the most thoroughly segregated city in the United States." Despite the African American communities' endeavors to meet with the white power structure to demand equality. However, the communities' petitions for change went ignored or led to broken promises. After African American community deliberated, they understood without pressure there could be no change in the white power structure. They would continue to endure the harshness of segregation and be inferior to their White brothers and sisters. "Because freedom is never voluntarily given by the oppressor; it must be demanded." The city was notorious for lynching people of color, bombing churches, and police brutality. There was no regard for black and brown bodies. The goal of the nonviolent direct-action demonstration was to create a healthy dialogue between the colored and white
King opened up this letter with a clear intent to validate his authority among his fellow clergyman. “I have the honor of serving as president of the Southern Christian Leadership Conference, an organization operating in every southern state with …show more content…
"Birmingham is probably the most thoroughly segregated city in the United States." Despite the African American communities' endeavors to meet with the white power structure to demand equality. However, the communities' petitions for change went ignored or led to broken promises. After African American community deliberated, they understood without pressure there could be no change in the white power structure. They would continue to endure the harshness of segregation and be inferior to their White brothers and sisters. "Because freedom is never voluntarily given by the oppressor; it must be demanded." The city was notorious for lynching people of color, bombing churches, and police brutality. There was no regard for black and brown bodies. The goal of the nonviolent direct-action demonstration was to create a healthy dialogue between the colored and white