In 1963, Dr. King wrote a letter to eight white clergymen while he incarcerated in Birmingham Jail. This letters, which widely known as an important text of the civil rights movement, was Dr. King’s response to clergymen's criticism and accusation, in which he answered why he came to Birmingham fought for civil right and explained the indecency of racial injustice. He utilized several kinds of rhetorical strategies in his letter to establish pathos, ethos, and logos, which makes his argument more persuasive. The rigorous logical structure he established makes his letter more convincing.…
In April 1963, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. wrote a Letter from Birmingham Jail, in response to a statement that detailed concerns of a few white religious leaders from the South. In his letter King addresses not just the religious leaders who wrote the statement but also avid segregationist all throughout the south. Martin Luther King uses rhetorical strategies such as: ethos, logos, and pathos, to refute the letter issued by his fellow clergymen. In addition to refuting the letter, Kings second purpose is to guide his fellow clergymen to the point where they are able to “…see the justice of our cause and with deep moral concern serve as the channel through which our just grievances could get to the power structure.…
Patterns persuade. 1963, the United States of America was in turmoil. The tension was rising between black and white, bond and free, north and south. Turmoil was building up for the eventual Civil War, one of the most crucial events in the nation’s history. Martin Luther King, Jr., a pinnacle leader in the race for freedom of the Negro people and a key icon of the Civil War, had been arrested and imprisoned in Birmingham, Alabama for certain demonstrations.…
"Justice too long delayed is justice denied." “Letter From Birmingham Jail” was written to religious authorities. MLK is writing this letter to explain his reason for civil disobedience. He justifies his acts by explaining how the oppressed can not stay oppressed. Martin Luther King incorporates a medley of syntax and figurative language in order to justify the non-violent protests against racism.…
Auliq Ice, a singer, songwriter, poet, and author, wrote, “Becoming conscious of racism does not mean you are a racist.” Martin Luther King Jr.’s purpose in writing “Letter from Birmingham Jail”, is to convince the church leaders to take action against racism. In those years racism was at its peak; the most heightened time of racial discrimination. King was determined to convince the leaders to take action and that it won’t mean they are racist. King uses metaphors and allusions in his “Letter from Birmingham Jail” to convince the Church leaders that taking immediate action against the discrimination and immorality against people of color, is crucial.…
Humans are stubborn creatures, and take comfort in familiarity. Any threat to such comfort causes an outrage amongst the people. Martin Luther King Jr.’s civil rights movement threatened the status-quo, causing fear of racial equality. While his fellow clergymen should support human welfare, they choose to criticize King. In the Birmingham city jail letter, King explained his intentions to the clergy by delicately balancing both pathos and logos.…
In one paragraph, he proves his point that intolerance for a proper cause isn’t something to destroy and should not be looked upon as a negative thing, “Was not Jesus an extremist for Love, Was not Amos and Extremist of justice, was not Paul an extremist for the Christian gospel, and Abraham Lincoln, and Thomas Jefferson. The Question is not whether we will be extremists, but what kind of extremists we will be” (“A Letter from Birmingham Jail” 330). After thoroughly tying in many influential figures in history, King then goes on to question the argument of the Clergymen stating that the demonstrations are at fault in Birmingham and not the social situation already simmering. “Throughout Alabama all sorts of methods are used to prevent Negroes from becoming registered voters, and there are some counties in which not a single Negro is registered” (“Letter from Birmingham Jail”325 ) This attack on the blacks of Alabama in this time brings a harsher insight to what happened to many of the others in this time that nobody cared to see or they just over looked it because they weren’t the same color as them.…
In Martin Luther King’s, Jr.’s “Letter from Birmingham Jail,” the majority of the text is persuasive using rhetoric appeals. The main purpose of this letter was to address the critiques of the eight ministers and one rabbi that targeted the peaceful demonstrations as well as argue his perspective about the demonstration as well as bring up existing issues that needs to be subjected to change. This section revolves around the harsh treatment of the African American community which had the strongest argument because it mainly focused on describing the cruel acts that were committed during this time due to racism and segregation. The strongest rhetoric appeal used in this letter was pathos because it changed the perspective of others because it affects their emotions which make paragraph fourteen the most persuasive.…
The letter emphasis on discussing the discrimination that was happing in the Birmingham. In his letter, Martin Luther King, Jr. uses ethical appeals, logical appeals and appeals to emotion to represent his aspiration for racial equality and justice. The letter was written to various clergymen who previously written an open letter to disapprove the actions of SCLC (Southern Christian…
Moreover, White moderates to whom King refers throughout the text are white Americans who say they agree with the notion of desegregation but criticize the way civil rights activists go about achieving it. Thus, these are Dr. King’s main argument mention in the letter from Birmingham…
Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. fought for freedom and equality of African American people and is now a well known historical person for what he did for people all around the nation. Segregation and discrimination have been going on for quite some time now. Negroes didn’t have their rights, there are separate places for white people and colored people, white people feel superior to African Americans, and nothing is changing. This is until Martin Luther King Jr., a minister of Dexter Avenue Baptist Church, gave his powerful “I Have a Dream” speech and wrote his cogent letter directed to the Clergymen, “Letter From Birmingham Jail.” King was a leader of the African American civil rights movement, lead nonviolent protest, and spoke out against poverty…
On the contrary, Malcolm X, filled with resent for the white American and the unjust treatment African Americans received, used an indignant tone. He bluntly called out the oppression of whites by saying, “have the racists in it [the American government] exposed and condemned as the criminals that they are” (Malcolm X 305). The discrimination exasperated Malcolm X and he impatiently awaited a drastic change in America. He used the enraged energy he felt to empower his fellow African Americans to stand up for their rights. Similarly, Martin Luther King Jr. appealed to emotions, but to those of the clergymen.…
Martin Luther King’s “Letter from Birmingham Jail” is an excellent example of an effective argument; it was written in response to an editorial addressing the issue of Negro demonstrations and segregation in Alabama at the time.…
From 1954 to 1968 the Civil Rights Movement took place in the United States. During this time, strategies and social movements occurred with the goal of eliminating racial segregation and discrimination laws. The movement consisted of many civil resistance campaigns. These operations were led by civil rights activists who wanted to help secure rights and equal opportunities for African Americans. One of the most visible and well known of such activists was Martin Luther King Jr.…