Letter From Birmingham Jail Flashcards, test questions and answers

Discover flashcards, test exam answers, and assignments to help you learn more about Letter From Birmingham Jail and other subjects. Don’t miss the chance to use them for more effective college education. Use our database of questions and answers on Letter From Birmingham Jail and get quick solutions for your test.

What is Letter From Birmingham Jail?

Martin Luther King Jr.’s Letter from Birmingham Jail is a powerful statement of the civil rights struggle of the 1960s and has been an inspiration to many people since it was written in April 1963. In his letter, King responds to eight white Alabama clergymen who had urged him and other demonstrators to end their protests against segregation. Drawing on Biblical references, logic, and common sense, King defends his civil disobedience campaign by arguing that justice delayed is justice denied. He claims that negotiation without action is pointless and that direct action such as sit-ins are necessary to make tangible progress toward racial equality. King also makes the case that those who criticize him for putting himself in physical danger have failed to understand the contributions of African Americans throughout historyfrom Crispus Attucks at the Boston Massacre through Harriet Tubman’s Underground Railroad workand that these actions were seen as courageous at the time but are now seen as a normal part of American history. Furthermore, he argues against those who accuse him of being an outsider or outside agitator because he does not live in Birmingham; instead, he says it would be irresponsible for any leader of a movement not to make sure it has support from outside its own locality. Finally, King strongly condemns segregation itself as unjust but goes further by suggesting that the white leaders need to look inwardly at their own attitudes and behaviors rather than just condemning others: Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere. By making this argument so persuasively yet humbly, King succeeds in convincing both sides that peaceful protest is possible without compromising one’s principles or giving up basic human rights. In doing so, he sets an example for generations to come about how nonviolent protest can lead to positive change even when faced with seemingly insurmountable odds.