The "Letter from Birmingham Jail” was written by martin Luther King Jr., one of greatest leaders of civil rights in the United States of America. This was an open letter that was written on 16th April 1963 by the King from Birmingham jail. This paper intends to discuss the letter from Birmingham jail.
Martin Luther king Jr. was arrested and sent to Birmingham jail while participating in Birmingham campaign that was against racial discrimination and racism in American society. King, in jail, came to know about “A call for unity” that was a proclamation by eight white clergymen of Alabama. These clergymen raised questions about king’s intention as well as his methods. It was suggested by these clergymen that racial or social evils should be opposed but not on the roads but in the courts only. They alleged King to create disorder in the society for some vested interests (Martin Luther King).
This call by the white clergymen motivated King to write the “Letter from Birmingham jail”. King responded their concerns as well as allegations in a logical manner. King wrote in his letter that since white people are not directly affected by these injustices, it is not possible for them to understand the pain and sufferings of black people. King, through his letter, addressed the Americans and tried to attract the attention of different segments of society towards the racism and racial discrimination. King argued that if any problem affects one segment of the society directly, it affects others indirectly.
King succeeded in his purpose of getting a wide attention of all Americans and especially black people who were subjected to various sufferings. King’s arguments compelled everybody to rethink over this issue with a new thinking. His movement was strengthened further as thousands of people supported his movement ad cause. The movement became so strong that black people were given their civil rights in coming years and the issue of racial discrimination was decreased in the American society (Martin Luther King).
This letter proved to be a very powerful and purposeful instrument in the civil rights movement. The words, used in this letter are so powerful that they quivered Americans. The arguments, which were presented by the king in his letter, appear to be very logical, reasonable and genuine. Ethos, pathos and locos were extensively used by the king in his letter in order to make it more effective and to convey his pain in more effective manner. King, through his letter, appears to convince every American to fight racial discriminations.
King, through, his words, ethos, pathos and locos, appears to be justifying his credibility as well as stand that was questioned by the eight clergymen. He justifies his way of fighting for his cause and says that fighting is not always unjust and Christianity teaches to fight against any kind of oppression. Addressing clergymen, King says that he is aware what Christianity teaches and presents arguments to prove his actions and the way of running his movement against racism as well as racial discrimination.
King described the sufferings of African Americans and also detailed out how harshly he was treated by the jail authorities. King described that he was subjected to a lot of sufferings just because he was fighting for this cause. He also appears to give this issue an emotional color and writes that African Americans were deprived of the basic rights that they deserved as human beings. Through this letter, king expresses his concerns, anger about the silence of white people in the matter of the sufferings and discrimination of African Americans.
King, in his letter, made appeals to white Americans to pay attention towards the sufferings of black people. He appealed every American to fight together and eradicate racial discrimination. At some places, king appears to be angry and frustrated and calls every black to give his best to fight for his rights. King justifies his action and says that there was no other way except the direct action and he is fighting for this cause in the most appropriate way. King reiterates that he respects the opinion of others but fails to understand that why white people did never consider about the racial discrimination against the African Americans and tried to solve the problem (Martin Luther King).
Having observed the abovementioned analysis of “Letter from Birmingham jail” it appears that Martin Luther King Jr. succeeded in conveying what he wanted to convey in an effective and impressive manner. King gave a new dimension to this issue and a new debate was started in America on this issue. Black people were energized to fight or their sufferings and against racial discrimination while white Americans also started thinking about this issue with a new point of view. This letter was relevant in those times and now it reminds about the tough struggle of king Jr. that was fought by him for African Americans and their civil rights. The “Letter from Birmingham Jail” reminds us about the hope and invincible spirit of human beings through hard work and struggle.
Work Cited
Martin Luther King, Jr. "The Negro Is Your Brother." The Atlantic Monthly, 212 (2) (August 1963): 78 - 88.
