Racism In Dr. Martin Luther King's Letter From Birmingham Jail

Throughout history, racism has been known as a strong negative force that dominated the United States even till this day. Many famous African American historical figures have highlighted this issue through their literature. These pieces of literature include Martin Luther King’s “Letter from Birmingham Jail” and Obama’s “A More Perfect Union” speech.
William Faulkner’s quote states that “the past isn’t dead and buried. In fact it isn’t even past”. To Faulkner, there is always past and no present. In that sense, we are always living in the past. Our experiences form our memories and influence our actions . The past is quiet, eternally subject to interpretation. Not only by us, but by those whose telling of the past we filter through our

own minds.
William Faulkner’s quote applies to both of these readings because both leaders reference the past in order to substantiate their main objective. Equality is long overdue. The “Letter from Birmingham Jail” describes the intense hardships that King himself and others have endured through that difficult time. King illustrates his inmost feelings of how the black Americans were challenged with discrimination on a daily basis for acting out without exerting any violence. He believed that non-violent protests were the best approach in getting white americans attention regarding immediate change. He states that african americans have waited for over 340 years for their constitutional and God-given rights. MLK had high expectations for the American White leaders of the church but ended up being disappointed. He states that he felt his race would be supported by the white church and that the white ministers, rabbis and priests of the South would be among their strongest allies. Faulkner’s quote about the “past never being dead” can be percieved through King’s letter as he clearly mentions the last 340 years of African American hardship.
“A More Perfect Union” is an official speech given to the public. Obama writes about how he comes from interracial parents and how his grandparents endured segregation problems back then. His childhood involved attending the best schools but living in a “poor nation”. Obama was not raised in the period where most of the racism occured but it lingered throughout his life. He encountered one occasion during his campaign by commenters stating he was too black or not black enough. The main point in his speech was about the comments made by Reverend Wright regarding racial issues. Wright generated arguments to arise instead of bringing people together because of his opinions. Obama doesn’t believe that was the correct form of action. Throughout reading Obama’s past, you come to realize that these events have shaped and created who he is. In that sense without the past, he wouldnt have strived to where he is now. “The past is never dead.”
President Obama 2008 speech is similar to that of Dr Martin Luther King Jr’s letter.

Both writers reflect from personal experience to shape who they came to be. The concept from both of the excerpts explain how African Americans faced hostility and cruelty because they were treated inferior from the Whites. The readings also include how each individual is trying to alter the world’s perception of discrimination. Both are striving for the same reason. They are trying to move onward and provide future generations greater lifestyle then in the past or modern era. Obama and MLK shared the same opinion on how religion influenced racism. They were both disappointed with the church leaders for not encouraging unity. Instead, some said negative things that possibly induced more chaos or didn’t even acknowledge racial problems. Violence wasn’t the solution. King and Obama both agreed with the idea that causing violence wasn’t going to solve anything. Violence just increases the problem. Racism is not something to move aside and let it develop on its on. Society needs to strive for change if they want

change.
In Modern time, race is still a subject of issue regarding economic, political and social aspects of society. In terms of social aspects, many African Americans are still targets of unnecessary hate crime, convictions, sentencing, killings, etc. African Americans make up a majority of prisoners, and often when actually convicted of crime through accurate evidence, receive harsher punishments than offenders of other races. In terms of economics, its harder to tell as employment is based off private processes, however, it can be assumed that African Americans make up a majority of the unemployment rate, which definetely comes hand in hand with social injustice. When it comes down to Political aspects of society, blacks have significantly improved in receiving political justice but are still victims to some type of discrimination. This can be portrayed when Obama states on multiple occasions on how his race kind of gave him a disadvantage.