NOTES
Tyler Shields
May 3, 2014 Analysis: “A Letter From Birmingham Jail”
On April 16th, 1963, Martin Luther King Junior wrote one of the most memorable letters in the history of Civil Rights movement. He did so while being imprisoned in Alabama. On the fourth day of his incarceration, he produced the most beautiful prose I have ever read, in order to deliver a convincing and righteous message. Four days before the letter was written, King, and many other civil rights protestors, were arrested for failing to obtain a permit for a parade. They were arrested while participating in a peaceful demonstration referred to as the “Birmingham Campaign.” In his letter, King states that he was compelled to “bring the gospel of freedom” wherever injustice exists. The campaign was mainly designed to bring attention to the awful treatment blacks were experiencing within the city of Birmingham, Alabama. This was Martin Luther King’s thirteenth arrest and probably most “important” one, as well.
After serving four days in jail, one of Martin Luther King’s friends, who was also a fellow protestor, was able to smuggle a single copy of the local newspaper to King. He did so because he wanted to make King aware of an “open letter” appearing in the newspaper, which was written by eight local “clergy men”, consisting of Christian and Jewish religious leaders. The “open letter” condemned King as an outsider, and the demonstration as the cause of violent reaction in the community. On this fourth day of his imprisonment, Martin Luther King penned his now famous “Letter from Birmingham Jail.” For my formal paper I decided to analyze his beautiful, and well thought out response to the local clergy.
Although King appeals to the common Judeo- Christian beliefs that he and the local clergy share, he points out that their actions belie their words. He accuses the clergy of dealing with the effects of the demonstration, but failing to address the underlying causes. He
May 3, 2014 Analysis: “A Letter From Birmingham Jail”
On April 16th, 1963, Martin Luther King Junior wrote one of the most memorable letters in the history of Civil Rights movement. He did so while being imprisoned in Alabama. On the fourth day of his incarceration, he produced the most beautiful prose I have ever read, in order to deliver a convincing and righteous message. Four days before the letter was written, King, and many other civil rights protestors, were arrested for failing to obtain a permit for a parade. They were arrested while participating in a peaceful demonstration referred to as the “Birmingham Campaign.” In his letter, King states that he was compelled to “bring the gospel of freedom” wherever injustice exists. The campaign was mainly designed to bring attention to the awful treatment blacks were experiencing within the city of Birmingham, Alabama. This was Martin Luther King’s thirteenth arrest and probably most “important” one, as well.
After serving four days in jail, one of Martin Luther King’s friends, who was also a fellow protestor, was able to smuggle a single copy of the local newspaper to King. He did so because he wanted to make King aware of an “open letter” appearing in the newspaper, which was written by eight local “clergy men”, consisting of Christian and Jewish religious leaders. The “open letter” condemned King as an outsider, and the demonstration as the cause of violent reaction in the community. On this fourth day of his imprisonment, Martin Luther King penned his now famous “Letter from Birmingham Jail.” For my formal paper I decided to analyze his beautiful, and well thought out response to the local clergy.
Although King appeals to the common Judeo- Christian beliefs that he and the local clergy share, he points out that their actions belie their words. He accuses the clergy of dealing with the effects of the demonstration, but failing to address the underlying causes. He