Letter from a Birmingham Jail
“Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere.” Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.
Dr. King wrote the aforementioned quote during his time spent in a Birmingham jail. He was involved in non violent protests that still resulted in his imprisonment along with many other African American’s. While imprisoned, clergymen call him and outside agitator and call his actions extreme, untimely, and unwise. Sensing the sincerity in their criticism, Dr. King responded with this famous letter.
Dr. King is often characterized as having a dream founded on non-violent and peaceful principles; however, the unrelenting and unyielding requirement for the direct action necessary to make the dream a reality are often omitted from historical references. The context of his message is rarely captured, even by the most popular and well known quotes. Ultimately, I encourage you to listen to the Letter from a Birmingham Jail in its entirety. This message encapsulates the true message of Dr. King and is an excellent point of reference to compare the system today to the system in 1963 that imprisoned Dr. King for breaking the law during a non-violent protest.
Critical Points:
“No one gives up privilege voluntarily. Freedom does not come willingly from the oppressor. It must be demanded by the oppressed.”
There are two types of laws, just and unjust. It is morally wrong to break a just law and it is morally wrong to obey and unjust law.
Listen to Dr. King explain the difference between just and unjust laws!
The people of ill-will have used time more effectively than people of good-will
The steps before taking direct action are:
Collection of the facts to determine whether any injustice exists
Negotiation
Self-Purification
Direct Action (non-violent)
What two confessions did Dr. King make in this letter?
Please read, listen, learn, grow, and comment!