MLK's Letter from Birmingham Jail

Earlier this semester, my English class analyzed and discussed Martin Luther King, Jr's Letter from Birmingham Jail as part of our persuasion unit. It was during that unit when I read his Letter for the first time, and it was the most important document of the Black Civil Rights Movement. Coming back to it a few weeks later raised my interest in it once again.

King wrote his letter about the inequality and unfair treatment of African Americans in the United States, as a reply to another letter that eight clergymen had originally written to him. The targeted audience of his letter is clearly the clergymen, as well as anyone else against equal rights for African Americans. King's letter is written in a way that speaks to the public, and his supporters and enemies.

One thing King did particularly well was that he narrowed the rifts between himself and his audience. Unlike King, these clergymen were clearly against equal rights for people of all races, as can be inferred from their original letter. However, one thing King and the clergymen shared was their religion, faith, and the Bible. This is why King begins his letter with the phrase “My dear fellow clergymen,” as a reminder that he is on the same level as the clergymen despite them having addressed him in their letter as if he was below them. In addition, King makes many historical, philosophical, and Biblical references to especially appeal to these clergymen. After stating that he “would agree with St. Augustine that ‘an unjust law is no law at all’”, King goes on to “put [this situation] in terms of St. Thomas Aquinas: An unjust law is a human law that is not rooted in eternal law and natural law…” as the clergymen would recognize as a famous priest. It is clear that these clergymen would not be likely to challenge the word of such a well-known religious figure; thus, King makes these allusions to build bridges between himself and the clergymen, as well as refute their reasons to be anxious over his "willingness to break laws".

I believe that writing his Letter to the eight clergymen was a great way for MLK to express his disappointment towards the Black Civil Rights situation at the time, and to stand up to some of the people who perpetuated racism in his society. One lesson we can take away from King's letter is that we should face our opponents directly when speaking up for what we believe in.