Letter From Birmingham Jail

Letter From Birmingham Jail

The American civil rights movement through the 1950's and 60's was a

turning point for our country as a whole. Probably the most influential leader of

that time was Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. King became a leader because of his

ability to captivate crowds with his powerful speeches. One of the most important

letters he wrote was while he was incarcerated in Birmingham, Alabama. The

letter was to eight fellow clergymen that were from Alabama. The "Letter From

Birmingham Jail" was in response to some criticism from the clergymen. King

calmly tries to state his purpose for his crusade for civil rights in the south. He

uses three rhetorical strategies in his letter like: facts, allusions, and questions to

inform the clergymen about what he and his people are dealing with as a whole

"Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere" said King in his

letter (page 317). King asks his readers questions about him and his people's

actions and then answers them in an intelligent and strong willed manner. He

asks, "Why direct action? Why sit-ins, marches, and so forth? Isn't negotiation a

better path?" (page 318). King asked the questions that the clergymen would have

asked him. By asking those questions, then he can answer the questions that are

main points in his letter that clarify some of the actions that have been enforced

in the south. This was a strong rhetorical strategy for King to persuade ...

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...tegies such as facts, allusions, and questions

almost as perfectly as can be used in a letter. He made his reasons concise and

straight to the point. Do I think he could have written a better letter? Not at all,

that was the best letter I have ever seen in my life. Martin Luther King Jr. was

a well educated man of great promise a couple more years. This letter was an

excellent account of his powerful words that he can produce and a good example

of his extreme intelligence. I am going to leave you a question to think about.

How could the country as a whole have been different with Martin Luther King

Jr. around this world a couple years longer?

Bibliography:

The Dolphin Reader- Lee Sulton 1997