MLK's 'Letter from Birmingham Jail': Summary and Analysis
Stephanie Ford
Professor Nelson
English 100
October 15, 2012
“Letter From Birmingham Jail” Summary Response In "Letter from Birmingham Jail" Martin Luther King strives to justify the need for nonviolent direct action in order to end all forms of segregation and helping the civil rights movement. He wrote there are unjust laws and just laws. He believes segregation laws were unjust because it damages the personality and makes African American lives below the standards given to them by the Constitution. He believes just laws to be laws that are for everybody and it positively affects the group. He wrote this in response to his fellow clergyman's assertion that breaking the law is not how to achieve equality. King countered that one has a moral responsibility to disobey unjust laws. King writes this letter to persuade his clergymen to remain strong and keep fighting to end racism and prejudice. Martin Luther King was sent to prison for having a direct action parade and protest in order to advance the Civil Rights Movement. He wrote this letter to his clergymen in order to make them understand that they were breaking unjust laws that needed to be changed, especially after the Supreme Court decision that ended segregation. He wanted everybody to understand that this decision had to be upheld. This letter does not have to be applied to issues of civil rights; it can be applied to any injustice or issue within the government or in the nation in general. If you, as a citizen, notice that something is wrong within the government or if there are laws in place you don’t believe are right, you cannot just let others deal with it. I believe Luther's actions truly reflect his belief that all people should be equal. His actions also shows his commitment to the movement and the fact that he was a
Professor Nelson
English 100
October 15, 2012
“Letter From Birmingham Jail” Summary Response In "Letter from Birmingham Jail" Martin Luther King strives to justify the need for nonviolent direct action in order to end all forms of segregation and helping the civil rights movement. He wrote there are unjust laws and just laws. He believes segregation laws were unjust because it damages the personality and makes African American lives below the standards given to them by the Constitution. He believes just laws to be laws that are for everybody and it positively affects the group. He wrote this in response to his fellow clergyman's assertion that breaking the law is not how to achieve equality. King countered that one has a moral responsibility to disobey unjust laws. King writes this letter to persuade his clergymen to remain strong and keep fighting to end racism and prejudice. Martin Luther King was sent to prison for having a direct action parade and protest in order to advance the Civil Rights Movement. He wrote this letter to his clergymen in order to make them understand that they were breaking unjust laws that needed to be changed, especially after the Supreme Court decision that ended segregation. He wanted everybody to understand that this decision had to be upheld. This letter does not have to be applied to issues of civil rights; it can be applied to any injustice or issue within the government or in the nation in general. If you, as a citizen, notice that something is wrong within the government or if there are laws in place you don’t believe are right, you cannot just let others deal with it. I believe Luther's actions truly reflect his belief that all people should be equal. His actions also shows his commitment to the movement and the fact that he was a