letter from a birmingham jail rhetorical analysis essay

A Summary and Analysis of Martin Luther King’s ‘Letter from Birmingham Jail’

By Dr Oliver Tearle (Loughborough University)

‘Letter from Birmingham Jail’ is Martin Luther King’s most famous written text, and rivals his most celebrated speech, ‘ I Have a Dream ’, for its political importance and rhetorical power.

King wrote this open letter in April 1963 while he was imprisoned in the city jail in Birmingham, Alabama. When he read a statement issued in the newspaper by eight of his fellow clergymen, King began to compose his response, initially writing it in the margins of the newspaper article itself.

In ‘Letter from Birmingham Jail’, King answers some of the criticisms he had received from the clergymen in their statement, and makes the case for nonviolent action to bring about an end to racial segregation in the South. You can read the letter in full here if you would like to read King’s words before reading on to our summary of his argument, and analysis of the letter’s meaning and significance.

‘Letter from Birmingham Jail’: summary

The letter is dated 16 April 1963. King begins by addressing his ‘fellow clergymen’ who wrote the statement published in the newspaper. In this statement, they had criticised King’s political activities ‘unwise and untimely’. King announces that he will respond to their criticisms because he believes they are ‘men of genuine good will’.

King outlines why he is in Birmingham: as president of the Southern Christian Leadership Conference, he was invited by an affiliate group in Birmingham to engage in a non-violent direct-action program: he accepted. When the time came, he honoured his promise and came to Birmingham to support the action.

But there is a bigger reason for his travelling to Birmingham: because injustice is found there, and, in a famous line, King asserts: ‘Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere.’ The kind of direction action King and others have engaged in around Birmingham is a last resort because negotiations have broken down and promises have been broken.

When there is no alternative, direct action – such as sit-ins and marches – can create what King calls a ‘tension’ which will mean that a community which previously refused to negotiate will be forced to come to the negotiating table. King likens this to the ‘tension’ in the individual human mind which Socrates, the great classical philosopher, fostered through his teachings.

Next, King addresses the accusation that the action he and others are taking in Birmingham is ‘untimely’. King points out that the newly elected mayor of the city, like the previous incumbent, is in favour of racial segregation and thus wishes to preserve the political status quo so far as race is concerned. As King observes, privileged people seldom give up their privileges voluntarily: hence the need for nonviolent pressure.

King now turns to the question of law-breaking. How can he and others justify breaking the law? He quotes St. Augustine, who said that ‘an unjust law is no law at all.’ A just law uplifts human personality and is consistent with the moral law and God’s law. An unjust law degrades human personality and contradicts the moral law (and God’s law). Because segregation encourages one group of people to view themselves as superior to another group, it is unjust.

He also asserts that he believes the greatest stumbling-block to progress is not the far-right white supremacist but the ‘white moderate’ who are wedded to the idea of ‘order’ in the belief that order is inherently right. King points out both in the Bible (the story of Shadrach and the fiery furnace ) and in America’s own colonial history (the Boston Tea Party ) people have practised a form of ‘civil disobedience’, breaking one set of laws because a higher law was at stake.

King addresses the objection that his actions, whilst nonviolent themselves, may encourage others to commit violence in his name. He rejects this argument, pointing out that this kind of logic (if such it can be called) can be extended to all sorts of scenarios. Do we blame a man who is robbed because his possession of wealth led the robber to steal from him?

The next criticism which King addresses is the notion that he is an extremist. He contrasts his nonviolent approach with that of other African-American movements in the US, namely the black nationalist movements which view the white man as the devil. King points out that he has tried to steer a path between extremists on either side, but he is still labelled an ‘extremist’.

He decides to own the label, and points out that Jesus could be regarded as an ‘extremist’ because, out of step with the worldview of his time, he championed love of one’s enemies.

Other religious figures, as well as American political figures such as Abraham Lincoln and Thomas Jefferson, might be called ‘extremists’ for their unorthodox views (for their time). Jefferson, for example, was considered an extremist for arguing, in the opening words to the Declaration of Independence, that all men are created equal. ‘Extremism’ doesn’t have to mean one is a violent revolutionary: it can simply denote extreme views that one holds.

King expresses his disappointment with the white church for failing to stand with him and other nonviolent activists campaigning for an end to racial segregation. People in the church have made a variety of excuses for not supporting racial integration.

The early Christian church was much more prepared to fight for what it believed to be right, but it has grown weak and complacent. Rather than being disturbers of the peace, many Christians are now upholders of the status quo.

Martin Luther King concludes his letter by arguing that he and his fellow civil rights activists will achieve their freedom, because the goal of America as a nation has always been freedom, going back to the founding of the United States almost two centuries earlier. He provides several examples of the quiet courage shown by those who had engaged in nonviolent protest in the South.

‘Letter from Birmingham Jail’: analysis

Martin Luther King’s open letter written from Birmingham Jail is one of the most famous open letters in the world. It is also a well-known defence of the notion of civil disobedience, or refusing to obey laws which are immoral or unjust, often through peaceful protest and collective action.

King answers each of the clergymen’s objections in turn, laying out his argument in calm, rational, but rhetorically brilliant prose. The emphasis throughout is non nonviolent action, or peaceful protest, which King favours rather than violent acts such as rioting (which, he points out, will alienate many Americans who might otherwise support the cause for racial integration).

In this, Martin Luther King was greatly influenced by the example of Mahatma Gandhi , who had led the Indian struggle for independence earlier in the twentieth century, advocating for nonviolent resistance to British rule in India. Another inspiration for King was Henry David Thoreau, whose 1849 essay ‘ Civil Disobedience ’ called for ordinary citizens to refuse to obey laws which they consider unjust.

This question of what is a ‘just’ law and what is an ‘unjust’ law is central to King’s defence of his political approach as laid out in the letter from Birmingham Jail. He points out that everything Hitler did in Germany in the 1930s and 1940s was ‘legal’, because the Nazis changed the laws to suit their ideology and political aims. But this does not mean that what they did was moral : quite the opposite.

Similarly, it would have been ‘illegal’ to come to the aid of a Jew in Nazi Germany, but King states that he would have done so, even though, by helping and comforting a Jewish person, he would have been breaking the law. So instead of the view that ‘law’ and ‘justice’ are synonymous, ‘Letter from Birmingham Jail’ is a powerful argument for obeying a higher moral law rather than manmade laws which suit those in power.

But ‘Letter from Birmingham Jail’ is also notable for the thoughtful and often surprising things King does with his detractors’ arguments. For instance, where we might expect him to object to being called an ‘extremist’, he embraces the label, observing that some of the most pious and peaceful figures in history have been ‘extremists’ of one kind of another. But they have called for extreme love, justice, and tolerance, rather than extreme hate, division, or violence.

Similarly, King identifies white moderates as being more dangerous to progress than white nationalists, because they believe in ‘order’ rather than ‘justice’ and thus they can sound rational and sympathetic even as they stand in the way of racial integration and civil rights. As with the ‘extremist’ label, King’s position here may take us by surprise, but he backs up his argument carefully and provides clear reasons for his stance.

There are two main frames of reference in the letter. One is Christian examples: Jesus, St. Paul, and Amos, the Old Testament prophet , are all mentioned, with King drawing parallels between their actions and those of the civil rights activists participating in direct action.

The other is examples from American history: Abraham Lincoln (who issued the Emancipation Proclamation during the American Civil War, a century before King was writing) and Thomas Jefferson (who drafted the words to the Declaration of Independence, including the statement that all men are created equal).

Both Christianity and America have personal significance for King, who was a reverend as well as a political campaigner and activist. But these frames of reference also establish a common ground between both him and the clergymen he addresses, and, more widely, with many other Americans who will read the open letter.

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Letter from Birmingham Jail

Martin luther king, jr., ask litcharts ai: the answer to your questions.

Martin Luther King’s “Letter From a Birmingham Jail” Analytical Essay

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Introduction

Reasons for being in birmingham, reason for breaking laws, “letter from a birmingham jail”: analysis of historical figures, “letter from birmingham jail”: conclusion.

In 1963, Martin Luther King Jr (MLK), one of the United States’ most famous civil rights activists in Birmingham, was imprisoned for his participation in a civil rights demonstration in the city. While in prison, Dr. King wrote a letter seeking to address some criticism brought against him by the clergy. This letter from Birmingham Jail analysis essay shall highlight some of the issues discussed in the historic letter including King’s reason for being in Birmingham and why he felt compelled to break the law.

The analysis of “Letter from Birmingham Jail” will help to answer the first question that Dr. King addresses in the letter which is the reason why he is in Birmingham city. This was in light of the fact that he was from Atlanta, and some of his critics, therefore, considered him an outsider to Birmingham. Dr. King asserts that his presence in Birmingham is as a result of a direct invitation by some affiliated organizations across the South.

As the president of the Southern Christian Leadership Conference, Dr. King feels that it is his duty to work together with his organization’s affiliates . King further states that his presence in the city is due to the injustices and tension that exist therein. He is compelled to be there to offer aid to those who he feels have been wronged by the system for as he declares, “injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere.”

Martin Luther King’s “Letter from Birmingham Jail” analysis will also help to define the reasons for breaking laws. Dr. King comes under attack for violating the laws of the land. His critics condemn the demonstration that King is involved in since they violate Birmingham’s laws and cause unrest. Dr. King admonishes his critics for failing to consider the social realities that have necessitated the demonstrations by the Negro community.

While acknowledging that negotiations are more suitable, King illustrates that past negotiations have failed to yield any fruitful results. Direct action is, therefore, seen as the only way through which the nation’s conscience to the racial realities of America can be awakened. Dr. King also points out that most of the laws in place, such as segregation and denial of rights to votes for some groups, are unjust.

These laws are immoral, and King affirms that he can, with a clean conscience, urge people to disobey such requirements. As such, King’s main point advocates for the obedience of the law as he acknowledges that lack of law would lead to anarchy. However, he encourages the public breaking of unjust laws to arouse the conscience of the community over the particular injustices.

In order to analyze “Letter from Birmingham Jail” substantially, historical figures should be reviewed. Dr. King mentions a number of historical figures to support his line of action. In the letter, King points to Jesus, who was branded as an “extremist for love” and subsequently crucified for the same. Paul, an avid follower of Jesus who is credited with the early spreading of the Christian gospel, is also mentioned in the letter. Martin Luther, the German priest who played the main role in standing up against the ancient Roman Catholic Church practices, is also referenced.

Mr. King also refers to John Bunyan, who was imprisoned for his beliefs and willingly stayed in jail other than perverting his conscience. The United States president Abraham Lincoln, whose administration led to the abolishment of slavery, is also referenced in King’s letter. The letter also cites Thomas Jefferson, whose words in the declaration of independence asserted that all men are created equal.

The summary of the letter shows that all of the historical figures that Dr. King refers to were branded as extremists in their time, but as history demonstrates, they were all men of integrity, and their “extremism” brought about necessary change and inspiration to the people.

This paper is set out to analyze the letter to highlight some of significant issues that Dr. King sets out to address. This essay has explained the reasons why King was in Birmingham city, his reasons for advocating the breaking of the law, and the various historical figures with whom Dr. King related. From the critical analysis of Martin Luther King’s “Letter from Birmingham Jail” provided in this paper, a better understanding of Dr. King’s motives and his reasoning can be reached.

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IvyPanda. (2018, May 18). Martin Luther King's “Letter From a Birmingham Jail”. https://ivypanda.com/essays/an-analysis-of-martin-luther-kings-letter-from-a-birmingham-jail/

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1. IvyPanda . "Martin Luther King's “Letter From a Birmingham Jail”." May 18, 2018. https://ivypanda.com/essays/an-analysis-of-martin-luther-kings-letter-from-a-birmingham-jail/.

Bibliography

IvyPanda . "Martin Luther King's “Letter From a Birmingham Jail”." May 18, 2018. https://ivypanda.com/essays/an-analysis-of-martin-luther-kings-letter-from-a-birmingham-jail/.

Rhetorical Analysis Example: King’s “Letter From a Birmingham Jail”

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Martin Luther King Jr. wrote the letter in a persuasive tone, which appealed to stand against racial inequality in the United States (US). The target audience consists of racist white supremacists and those who are victims. King uses various instances of ethos to show his credibility to readers. He introduces himself formally and links himself to historical figures. King also makes good use of pathos to trigger the emotions of readers. He shows some prevalent forms of racism and presents possible consequences in case of failure to reform the system. In turn, King uses logos to justify his actions, and he gives multiple reasons that demystify the real meaning of just and unjust laws. Finally, King covers kairos and explains to the audience that there is the right and opportune time to address the problem, while his allusions only support his claims. He questions the rules made by the white majority because Black people can no longer be outsiders. In particular, the overview of rhetoric appeals, along with King’s ability to pursue the crowd, makes this rhetorical analysis example of MLK’s “Letter From a Birmingham Jail” stand out among others.

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Introduction

“Letter From a Birmingham Jail,” written by Martin Luther King Jr. in 1963, describes a protest against his arrest for non-violent resistance to racism. The audience of the letter is not only clergymen but also another part of American society. In the letter, King appeals for unity against racism in society, while he wants to fight for human rights using ethos. Similarly, King uses pathos to trigger the emotional aspect of readers and encourages his audience to take real action. Moreover, King provides various logical explanations to make his position clear and the reasons for fighting against white supremacy. The letter is reflective in tone and serves to catch both suppressed people and those who are exploiting them. In turn, King’s use of kairos and allusions places his actions in the historical context of not only his time but also the past. Thus, this essay, in the form of the rhetorical analysis example of “Letter From a Birmingham Jail,” reveals King’s literary skills and his passion for perceiving equality, which he accomplishes by using ethos, pathos, logos, and kairos, avoiding logical fallacies above all.

Historical Context

The problem of racial inequality and segregation existed in American society for hundreds of years since its development. Before writing the letter, the first critical point was between 1954 and 1955 years, when there was a decision made by the Supreme Court in the Brown v. Board of Education case, which postulated that the existence of segregated public schools violated the Fourteenth Amendment’s rule of equal protection of the laws (Sturm, 1984). Moreover, in 1955, there was an accident when Rosa Parks, a Black woman and seamstress, rejected the conductor’s request to leave a bus and make room for white passengers. The result was the “Montgomery Bus Boycott” and other Civil Rights movements, which were led by King and other Black activists. They were concerned about their roles in American society and racial discrimination against them.

Peaceful Protest

In 1962, King and his followers decided to focus on the conditions that existed in the city and consider an active confrontation with the powers of segregation, issuing the “Birmingham Manifesto.” During a peaceful demonstration march of 1963 held on Good Friday, the police arrested and jailed King. As a result, Bishop C. C. J. Carpenter, Bishop Joseph A. Durick, Rabbi Hilton L. Grafman, Bishop Paul Hardin, Bishop Nolan B. Harmon, Bishop George M. Murray, Moderator Edward V. Ramage, and Pastor Earl Stallings (1963) signed their statement called “A Call for Unity” to condemn King’s actions, providing their own visions on segregation and race relations in Birmingham, Alabama. They used their authority to force King to stop the protest of the Black community.

King’s Response

The main purpose of King’s “Letter From a Birmingham Jail” was to explain himself to the public, defend the rights of Black people, and use his strategy of non-violent resistance as a way to fight racism and segregation. By responding to the arguments made by eight white clergymen, King wrote his public letter as a rhetorical form to defend himself and the rights of Black people (Fulkerson, 1979). In turn, the peaceful protest intends to create a non-violent direct action that leads to a crisis, establishes tension, opens the door to negotiation, and confronts the issue of the unremitting perseverance of racism in American society. King justifies the issue of civil disobedience, uses his example of rhetorical analysis, and emphasizes the urgency of fighting injustice and people’s moral responsibility to oppose unjust laws, making the letter a historical document in the Black struggle for civil rights.

Summary of King’s “Letter From a Birmingham Jail”

In his rhetorical piece “Letter From a Birmingham Jail,” King writes to clergymen representing Roman Catholic, Protestant, and Jewish faith traditions and shares his counterarguments to their claims concerning racial issues in society. Basically, King (1963) is in jail because of his vision of how people should live to develop a normal community. However, clergymen provided their criticism of King’s actions and methods of achieving a common good, stating that he was wrong. King (1963) responds to clergymen’s claims by providing many counterarguments that support his side. He focuses on moral, emotional, logical, valid, timely, and credible reasons for a justification of his actions and goals. King (1963) does not write that clergymen are wrong, but he thinks that the government should be more active in forming positive conditions for people of all races. As a result, he ends his letter claiming that he is just a human, like everyone, who wants to develop a better society for all. By considering this summary of “Letter From a Birmingham Jail” to be annotated for all and the main messages that King wanted to deliver to his audience, he is a legendary person since his arguments on racial segregation touch not only clergymen but also others who want to live in a peaceful and equal society.

The use of ethos in the letter is very influential for all readers, and King’s introduction paragraph is the first instance of this rhetorical device. For example, King (1963) states that he earned the title of the Southern Christian Leadership Conference’s President and could operate in every Southern State of the US country. Here, King creates a moral connection with readers and establishes himself as a man with authority. Even more, the use of words, like ‘president’ and ‘every,’ describes the status of the organization as trustworthy and credible, making his ethos appeal stronger in this rhetorical analysis example.

How to Pursue Credibility

King was a remarkable speaker of his time and knew the perfect combination of various rhetorical devices to use in his argumentative structure to persuade his audience. In the letter, he references many notable and historical personalities in order to set a basis for the aim of his writing. For instance, King (1963) compares himself to Apostle Paul, who set out on a journey to convey the message of Christianity all over Greece and Rome. However, the story of Paul is not the only influencing factor that King uses in his letter. King (1963) also specifies various prominent personalities, like St. Thomas Aquinas, St. Augustine, John Bunyan, Martin Luther, and even Jesus Christ, in his letter. He distinctively pursues his audience into believing that he wants to create a revolutionary change. This anticipated change is big enough to make it into history books and influencing enough to become recognized by many people.

Validity of Claims

References to instantly recognizable and respected characters are excellent examples of ethos in King’s literary work. Basically, it seems that he understands that his whole argument and appeal are weaker. If King (1963) is not able to provide a substantial threshold for the revolution, he is conjuring. So, he uses such historical elements in order to create a comparable point for his credibility. His intention is very exquisite, while obvious appeals can serve as good rhetorical analysis examples because they can draw an analogy, and other people can analyze how they work much better too.

King makes the situation of human rights clear. He was jailed on the grounds of the ‘violation of court injunction’ during his 1963 protest against racism in Birmingham. Moreover, he was put in solitary confinement by different authorities. He even denied his right to the phone call (Snyder, 2013). Additionally, King provokes serious emotions in readers. For example, as a protest against this direct abduction of basic human rights by clergymen in Birmingham, King (1963) writes about such manipulative issues with law enforcement using pathos. He acknowledges that the requirement of the permit is not a real issue. In turn, King expected the intervention of authorities, given that he knew about the law.

Violation of Human Rights

King argues that the detention of members of the protest and the treatment given to them by the police and the government are against basic human rights. His statement was justifiable as the protest was non-violent, and the police violated his human rights (Snyder, 2013). This statement is an important message for the target audience because anyone can be put in his place. Furthermore, King (1963) states that African Americans have waited for long to gain their human rights. The actions and the situation of racism were a direct violation of the law of a nation as well as the law of God. King (1963) also clarifies that the lack of rights is against democracy and the US Constitution, while Blacks deserve the ‘God-given’ rights. Every democratic country provides its citizens with the freedom of speech, given that the actions do not violate legal limits. Nevertheless, King argues that the situation of human rights is contrary to the definition provided in the US Constitution.

Threat to Equality

King tries to persuade readers to know the extent of this situation of human rights. According to King (1963), his presence in Birmingham meant that the situation of human rights was miserable there, and his arrest by local authorities proved his point. In the same way, he has also made extensive use of pathos against white supremacy. When King (1963) appeals to Blacks to fight against racism, he writes about the life of African Americans, highlighting poverty and mistreatment. Blacks are not given the most privileges and state the backwardness of them as a consequence. Hence, this statement exclusively appeals to Blacks in an emotional aspect. The use of pathos in the rhetorical analysis example can easily help people to understand the concept of emotional appeals and use them in their essays.

The letter includes different logical explanations. King, being an influential speaker, has added a lot of rational appeals to his work. One of the logical aspects of his letter is his argument on the definition of ‘unjust’ law. King (1963) provides a definition of such laws and examples of how they are enforced, using common logic to decipher how discrimination exists in society without encountering any logical fallacies. To achieve this purpose, he uses the examples of just and unjust laws. According to him, the law that people must follow and the law that is used to arrest him are different, and it is simply a form of ‘unjust law’ in action.

White Supremacy

The majority of white supremacist can define the law with their advantage in mind. In this case, King (1963) states that it is a bad thing that white supremacists leave Negroes with no other choice but to stand against them. In turn, the white majority discriminates against African Americans, treats them as the minority, and denies their basic rights granted by the US Constitution and by God himself. King (1963) justifies his presence in Birmingham by writing that he and his friends are “invited” to the prison, satirically highlighting the concept of injustice. Moreover, King is very reflective in his letter, adding emotional appeals after logical ones to deliver needed messages, and he makes it clear that resistance appeared. From the perspective of an oppressed person, there was no other way to eliminate the problem, and the rhetorical analysis example proved that the use of rhetorical appeals could help in delivering such a message.

“Letter From a Birmingham Jail” is a timely response to the oppressive institutional and cultural practices of the white population because of the struggle faced by the Black community in the mid-20th century. For example, King (1963) justified to the clergy his presence in Birmingham and stated that he was in the city because of injustice, being a threat to justice, while Black people could not live as “outsiders” anymore. Moreover, his protest of civil rights and the will of the Black community cannot be ignored by the white majority since it is the time to open the eyes and solve the problem of racial injustice. King (1963) also mentions that he followed the requirements of a legal, non-violent protest at that time, and they included the facts of injustices, negotiation, self-purification, and direct action. Hence, King’s letter and his protest of civil rights were presented at the right and opportune time.

To strengthen the timely response to clergymen, King provides his examples of rhetorical analysis and uses allusions to historical events to make his arguments bigger in terms of context. King (1963) states that, in the past, the early Christians were ready to face hungry lions and defend themselves against unjust laws of the Roman Empire, and even Socrates believed in just civil disobedience. He does not mean that Black people should be extremists in their actions, but this allusion suggests that he moves the discussion beyond what happens in Birmingham to the larger historical and philosophical contexts. Although clergymen position themselves as the Birmingham community, King’s allusions mean that he is a member of the entire human civilization in terms of history (Watson, 2004). He perceives the fierce urgency of now for the whole nation because of the highest value of justice. Hence, the most likely reason why King uses allusions is that justice and peace are the most important values for a civil and democratic society.

Summing Up on MLK’s “Letter From a Birmingham Jail”

In conclusion, this essay shows that the proper use of rhetorical devices, such as ethos, pathos, logos, and kairos, in “Letter From a Birmingham Jail,” combined with a reflective tone and King’s passion, makes his work stand out as an excellent piece of literature as well as a motivational message. Firstly, King establishes himself as a man with trustworthiness using ethos. He wants readers to know that he wants a real change that is big enough for history. Then, King uses emotional appeals to reflect the miserable situation of human rights and states that his presence in jail is desperation. Likewise, King makes excellent use of logos to justify the rogue status of the government. Furthermore, the use of kairos in the form of the right and opportune response to white clergymen and American society in general allows him to talk about the larger historical and philosophical contexts. So, the letter is an appeal for those who want change and a warning for those who oppose it. In turn, this essay presented as the rhetorical analysis example analyzes King’s “Letter From a Birmingham Jail” and explains how one can use different rhetorical devices and strategies to enhance the message to people on the national level, bringing social change to life.

For writing a rhetorical analysis essay, use this outline:

Carpenter, C. C. J., Durick, J. A., Grafman, H. L., Hardin, P., Harmon, N. B., Murray, G. M., Ramage, E. V., & Stallings, E. (1963). White clergymen urge local Negroes to withdraw from demonstrations. The Birmingham News . https://bplonline.contentdm.oclc.org/digital/collection/p4017coll2/id/746/

Fulkerson, R. P. (1979). The public letter as a rhetorical form: Structure, logic, and style in King’s “Letter From Birmingham Jail.” Quarterly Journal of Speech , 65 (2), 121-136. https://doi.org/10.1080/00335637909383465

King, M. L., Jr. (1963). The Negro is your brother. The Atlantic Monthly , 212 (2), 78-88. https://www.theatlantic.com/magazine/archive/1963/08/the-negro-is-your-brother/658583

Snyder, J. A. (2013). Fifty years later: Letter From Birmingham Jail. The News Republic . https://newrepublic.com/article/112952/martin-luther-king-jrs-letter-birmingham-jail-fifty-years-later

Sturm, D. (1984). Crisis in the American republic: The legal and political significance of Martin Luther King’s “Letter From a Birmingham Jail.” Journal of Law and Religion , 2 (2), 309-324. https://www.jstor.org/stable/1051093

Watson, M. S. (2004). The issue is justice: Martin Luther King Jr.’s response to the Birmingham clergy. Rhetoric and Public Affairs , 7 (1), 1-22. https://www.jstor.org/stable/41939887

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"Letter from Birmingham jail" - rhetorical analysis

FredParisFrance 61 / 7   May 2, 2007   #1 Hello, could you please read my essay and give me some feedback? the prompt is: what elements of "Letter from Birmingham jail in response to public statement by eight Alabama clergymen" (written by Martin Luther King Jr.) make it persuasive? thank you in advance. Frederic From time immemorial, the promoters of social justice utilize rhetorical strategies to persuade theirs opponents of theirs claims. The proponents of the movement for civil rights for African Americans have made an intensive use of those strategies to advocate their cause. On April 16, 1963, from the jail of Birmingham, Martin Luther King, Jr. wrote an extensive missive to eight clergymen who had attacked his work for civil rights in a public statement released on April 12, 1963. Martin Luther King, Jr. primarily aimed this letter at those eight leaders of the white Church of the South. However, the eight clergymen's letter and the response from Martin Luther King, Jr. were publicly published. Martin Luther King, Jr. wanted to convince of the utility of his commitment in this particular area at this specific moment. To persuade his readers, Martin Luther King, Jr. predominantly employs Aristotle's three types of persuasion that are appeals to ethos, pathos, and logos. First, he appeals to his own reputation and wisdom. Second, he tries to arouse emotions or sympathy in the readers. Finally, he appeals to logic, supported with evidence and citations from influential thinkers. Martin Luther King, Jr. wants to be the spokesperson of the African American community in the United States of America. His intention is to prove his opponents he has sufficient authority to promote the civil rights cause on behalf of his community. The first example that illustrates Martin Luther King, Jr.'s use of this strategy is present in the second paragraph of his letter: "I have the honor of serving as president of the Southern Christian Leadership Conference". Thus, he reminds his interlocutors of his position of leadership in the religious community. This allows him to stand in the case of equal qualifications with the eight clergymen. Furthermore, in the third paragraph, he states, "Like Paul, I must constantly respond to the Macedonian call for aid." Consequently, he contends he is a prophet for freedom like Paul, but also like Jesus in the same paragraph. This provides him with the highest level of authority in the religious field. He suggests he has the support of God to wage his war against injustice. Therefore, since God has chosen him, it implies he is of higher moral standards. Finally, in the fourth paragraph, he advances "Moreover, I am cognizant of the interrelatedness of all communities and states." Martin Luther King, Jr. wants to remind his readers of his belonging to the assembly of the enlightened citizens. Consequently, he has the necessary wisdom to voice his opinions. Martin Luther King, Jr. intends to create a feeling of proximity and sympathy for the civil rights cause. His purpose is to arouse emotion in his readers, both WASP and African American communities, to abate the aggressiveness coming from the WASP citizens and revive the fire of nonviolent contestation in the African American minds. Martin Luther King, Jr. emphasizes the injustice in the daily life of the members of the African American community in the fourteenth paragraph. Thus, he intends to give the WASP reader an insight into the abject situation in which the African Americans are. He wants to sprinkle sparks of rejection against immoral behaviors. Moreover, in the forty-fifth paragraph, he exemplifies the police evil repression on protesters. Martin Luther King, Jr. wants his interlocutors to imagine the pain and the humiliation of ill-treatments. Likewise, he desires to provoke a moral rebellion against hatred and condescendence exerted towards the demonstrators. Lastly, in the forty-seventh paragraph, he stresses the heroism performed in minute contestations against the oppression. Martin Luther King, Jr. aims at commending those achievements and encourages their proliferation through the African American community. He wants to stimulate a feeling of pride in anti-establishment actions. Martin Luther King, Jr. is a fervent user of logic, notably to justify why each of his contemporaries should compel with the authority of God. The sixteenth paragraph is a conspicuous illustration of appeals to evidence from prominent philosophers. His demonstration commences with the explanation of the fairness of a law. To support his affirmation, he quotes St Thomas Aquinas who reached the same conclusions several centuries earlier. Subsequently, he cites Martin Buber, a Jewish philosopher, to explain why unfair laws abase the segregationists. Finally, Martin Luther King, Jr. mentions Paul Tillich, an illustrious Protestant theologian, to corroborate his contention that segregation is not only morally detestable but also sinful. Martin Luther King, Jr.'s purpose is to buttress his argumentation with quotations from esteemed personages in the religious and philosophic fields. He searches to prove that every citizen must abide by the American laws enacted by the Supreme Court. Nevertheless, he maintains a firm position for yielding to a higher authority: morality. In his "Letter from Birmingham Jail in Response to Public Statement by Eight Alabama Clergymen", Martin Luther King, Jr. desires to justify the importance and especially the legitimacy of his participation in the events in Alabama to erect his ethos as respectable to his audience. Indeed, he must establish his authority as both a minister and a representative for African Americans to establish equality between him and the eight clergymen to be credible to his audience and erase all potential condescendence. Furthermore, he plays with emotions to abate oppositions and reinforce his vision of the fight for Civil Rights. Martin Luther King, Jr.'s aim is to create a feeling of identification with the civil rights' cause in the mind of his readers in order to expunge any Manichean thinking. Finally, his audience is in a spirit of conciliation and therefore is ready to listen to his discourse. Henceforward, Martin Luther King, Jr. demonstrates the veracity of his claims and the legitimacy of his fight thanks to evidence and logic. In this way, he discloses his personal ability for debating but also the African Americans' capacity for defending positions in forthcoming discussions. Martin Luther King, Jr. utilizes reason to construct a rapprochement with the WASP community as well. Actually, he reminds the WASP community of its anterior fights against both the British oppression and the Nazi regime. Thus, he intends to illustrate with analogies that the fight for African Americans' civil rights is not so far from the WASP community prior demands. Consequently, he obliterates the false dichotomy that runs rampant in the WASP community, namely the requirements for civil rights are not as justifiable and moral as the independence of the thirteen colonies or the suppression of the Nazi anti-Semitism. An important element of this Letter from Birmingham Jail is that Martin Luther King, Jr. concludes his missive with an appeal to peace and unity. With those words, if the readers have just forgotten the entire discourse, the readers keep in minds his motivation for appeasement and concord.

EF_Team2 1 / 1708   May 2, 2007   #2 Salut! As usual, you have written a fine, well-reasoned essay! I have just a few editing tips: the promoters of social justice utilize rhetorical strategies to persuade their opponents of their claims. Martin Luther King, Jr. wanted to convince them of the utility of his commitment in this particular area at this specific moment. His intention is to prove to his opponents he has sufficient authority Moreover, in the forty-fifth paragraph, he exemplifies the police evil repression on protesters. - I don't think "exemplifies" is the word you mean here. It could be taken to mean that Dr. King was himself an example of police repression. A better word might be "exposes." the readers keep in mind his motivation for appeasement and concord. You might want to use a few more quotes, especially when you are saying "he said this in the forty-fifth paragraph" and so on; let your reader know what it is you are referencing. The only other thing I would point out is that you don't need to refer to him every time as "Martin Luther King, Jr." It is perfectly acceptable to refer to him as "King" or "Dr. King" and, in fact, using his full name every time is cumbersome. I'd recommend using a shorter version except for the first and last times you use his name. Excellent work! Thanks, Sarah, EssayForum.com

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Rhetorical Analysis of King's 'Letter from Birmingham Jail'

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Published: Jul 3, 2023

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'Letter from Birmingham Jail' - a Rhetorical Analysis

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