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In a land that promises life, liberty, and prosperity, the spirit of the African American people had been ridiculed and relentlessly robbed of these freedoms as exposed in Martin Luther King Jr.’s Letter From Birmingham Jail. Even though our Founding Fathers established these rights to all of the people in 1787 and slavery had been abolished in 1865, a negro’s life did not fall under this covenant of freedom. Hostility and intolerance plagued these times, and someone needed to put an end to the oppression. Too much scarlet red had oozed out of the lives of innocent negro men, women, and children. Martin Luther King Jr. was one of those individuals who rose up and fought for justice and freedom. His letter, Letter From Birmingham Jail, paints…
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The pressure of racial segregation was reaching a boiling point in 1963 in Birmingham, Alabama. After being arrested for his part in the Birmingham Campaign, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. wrote an open letter in response to “A Call for Unity”, written by eight white clergymen from Birmingham. King's "Letter from Birmingham Jail" is a true call for unity, as he clearly states and points out facts that the clergymen have omitted from their letter. King is clearly not looking to stoke the fire of segregation; he was merely looking to solve the situation at hand and trying to peacefully end racial segregation in the United States. “A Call for Unity”, written in early April 1963 (Jonathan, 12-18).…
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Martin Luther King Jr.'s brilliant dissertation, 'Letter from Birmingham Jail', details injustice, segregation, and inequality in Birmingham, Alabama, 'probably the most thoroughly segregated city in the United States' (6.344). King's argumentative passages persuade the reader, and add credibility to his vehement and vivid discourse. Schemes and tropes are among the oratorical devices which King uses to communicate with his audience, and stir emotional response. The numerous figures of speech augment the clarity, liveliness, and passion of King's rhetoric.…
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Letter from a Birmingham Jail, written by Martin Luther King Jr., is a poignant reflection on how racial inequality was in the 1960s and the matters of handling it. Many aspects used in the letter to make it strongly written lead to the cause as to why it is so powerful for the reader. There are many considerations that are taken when reading a piece such as Letter from a Birmingham Jail in order to analyze the effectiveness of his argument. King is able to use rhetoric and other literary figures throughout the letter, ranging from the strong use of pathos to gaining the credibility from his specified audience with the reoccurring biblical references. Martin Luther King delivers a strong argument in the Letter from a Birmingham Jail with his use of rhetoric and magniloquence.…
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Dr. King’s Letter from Birmingham Jail was written in response to the violent racist terrorist attacks toward the African Americans in Birmingham, Alabama, as well as to respond to the criticism he received about his work in a respectful, yet powerful way. He was arrested and sent to jail while participating in a non-violent anti-segregation march because he had no permit. Treatment of African Americans were unfair and un-American and Dr. King had enough of the way African American’s were treated and in his letter wrote: “Injustice anywhere is a threat to injustice everywhere.” In order to spread freedom throughout Birmingham, Dr. King followed through with a plan built on facts, negotiation, and non-violent direct action mainly in the form…
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1. The reason King was in Birmingham is because he was invited there as the president of the Southern Christian Leadership Conference, and it was his duty to protest injustice and spread freedom through a nonviolent program. As King was invited by one of his affiliates at an official organization, he is not an outside, but more akin to an important guest. Even if the invitation had not occurred, it was still his duty, as the prophet of the “gospel of freedom” just as it was Paul’s duty to spread the gospel of Jesus Christ.…
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In the Letter From Birmingham Jail by Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. tells the story of injustice in Alabama during the civil rights movement. He presents this story in the form of a letter in which he shares his arguments and analysis as the leader. This paper will review Dr. King’s criticism he got from other people as well as his structure of the letter, and will evaluate the quality of Dr. King’s letter and focus on the goals he wanted to accomplish.…
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In the excerpt of ¨Letter from Birmingham Jail¨ Martin Luther King Jr uses many rhetorical devices that help make his letter emphasis more on the problem that many African-Americans were facing before and during the civil rights movements. In the the letter King uses techniques like repetition to bring more focus and meanings to his ideas, allusion to relate to an event that explains King's motivation, and pathos to bring the reader to feel what he feels through what he has written. An example of repetition that King uses is on paragraph 7 in“Letter from Birmingham Jail” it states “When you take a cross country drive… when you are humiliated day in and day out… when your first name becomes “nigger” your middle name becomes “boy”... and your…
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Martin Luther King Jr.'s letter from Birmingham Jail was written on April 16, 1963 while he was incarcerated in the Birmingham City Jail. This letter addresses the criticism that a group of white men had thrown at him and his pro-black American organization about their non-violent actions against racial discrimination and injustice among black Americans in Birmingham. He notes that he doesn’t usually respond to letters of criticism but he thought that they were “good willed people and their criticism was sincerely set forth.” King writes this letter to defend his organization's actions. King's letter talks about…
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In Letter From Birmingham Jail by Martin Luther King, he enhances his argument through the use of logos and allusion. MLK uses logos on page 6 when he states "Birmingham is the most thoroughly segregated city in the U.S." He is comparing Birminghams segregation to every other city in the U.S. He supports his argument with factual evidence. These facts make his argument more believable and reliable. MLK also uses allusion on page 8 when he states " We can never forget that everything that Hitler did in Germany was legal." He mentions Hitler to help support him in his argument by hoping that you will compare it to the segregation that was happening at the time and realize that the people participating in the acts believe it is moral or okay.…
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Martin Luther King Jr.’s “Letter from Birmingham Jail” uses emotional and logical appeals in response to criticism from white clergymen of his actions, and though in jail King explains in an open, personal, diplomatic, heartfelt and completely inoffensive manner why he believes in the validity for civil disobedience and for nonviolent action.…
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Martin Luther King Jr.'s revealing, 'Letter from Birmingham Jail', delves into the segregation, injustice and violence of Birmingham, Alabama, "probably the most thoroughly segregated city in the United States"(Inquiry, p.#391, paragraph 6) In response to criticism from eight clergymen of Birmingham, King details the process of preparation for the nonviolent protest that took place in Birmingham. Imprisoned for protesting without a license, Dr. King's words continue to reach far beyond the bars of his prison in his letter from Birmingham jail.…
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In a, “ Letter from Birmingham Jail,”(1963) Martin Luther King Jr. proves that his position in the Birmingham Jail is necessary due to the fact that racial issues affect the nation as a whole, not just one particular place. His purpose is to nationalize racial issues in order for all African Americans to achieve equality. With his persuasive tone and the serious topic, he provides a solid argument by using pathos, allusions, and an antithesis. In doing so he outreaches his messages to all United States citizens, and clergymen to bring light to the darkness of racial issues.…
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The letter written by Dr. King from the Birmingham Jail was addressed to his fellow clergyman, however when taken as a whole this writer beings to understand his audience is not limited to such a small ecclesiastic circle. In the letter from Birmingham Jail, Dr. King addressed multiple groups he felt contributed to the racial divide in Birmingham, namely the white majority, the Religious groups and the Moderate whites. Each group contributed to the racist climate through direct action, inaction or quiet consent.…
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Martin Luther King wrote "A letter from Birmingham jail" in response to a published statement by eight fellow ministers from Alabama who violently critiqued King for association and involvement in the protest march against discrimination in Birmingham. King's letter was an effort to defend himself from allegations and to criticize white moderates and church.…
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