Letter From Birmingham Jail Summary

Thoughts on Letter from a Birmingham Jail by Martin Luther King Jr.

During the first quarter of 1963, a series of correspondence from white clergymen in Alabama, directed at both White and Black citizens of Alabama and Birmingham in particular were circulated. The culmination of this dialogue resulted in Dr. Martin Luther King’s Letter from a Birmingham Jail. To summarize the possible thoughts of Dr. King, it’s relevant to review some events that led up to the authoring of the letter.

The first of the “Law and Order Statement”, was authored and signed in January of 1963 by the following clergymen: Bishop Nolan B. Harmon, Rabbi Milton L. Grafman, Bishop Paul Hardin, Rev. Edward V. Ramage, Bishop C. C. J. Carpenter, Rev. Soterios D.Gouvellis,

King next admits his growing and continued frustration and disappointment with white moderates (and this would appear to include the clergy who wrote the letter). He now feels he needs to address them as what they profess to be “Brothers in Christ”. He points out the glaring disconnect (moderation) in their lack of acknowledgment that the “Negro is your brother”. All arguments and calls for acceptance from the clergy have centered on the made law and addressed in the manner of compliance to desegregation because it is now the law, but Dr. King states he had yet to hear anyone say, follow the law because it is the right and moral thing to do and because the Negro is your brother. This puts the argument squarely where it should be, on biblical terms. Dr. King closes with no malice, but an acknowledgement of the shared faith when he says “I hope this letter finds you strong in the faith” and that he hopes to someday meet with them as a fellow clergyman and a Christian brother. The “Letter from Birmingham Jail”, was a classic case of broken promises which lead Dr. King to apply pressure to a point of the other party so much so that they had no option but to sit down and come to a binding agreement. If this would have been violent instead of nonviolent, the outcome and the willingness to come together more than likely would not have