Martin Luther King Jr.’S Persuasion in “Letter from...

Martin Luther King Jr.’s Persuasion in â€Å"Letter From Birmingham Jail† After being arrested and imprisoned in Birmingham Jail, Martin Luther King Jr. wrote one of his most famous works to the people of Birmingham, titled â€Å"Letter From Birmingham Jail on April 16, 1963. This piece speaks of the evils of the segregation laws and how the blacks had been treated unfairly in Birmingham, in an attempt to get the white people to support the desegregation of Birmingham. He had been imprisoned because of his participation in a civil disobedience protest, and he is arguing that, even though the white people of Birmingham see the black’s way of protesting as wrong, it is a justified way to fight back against the unjust laws. In â€Å"Letter From Birmingham†¦show more content†¦In these sessions of negotiation, the merchants had agreed to take down their â€Å"humiliating racial signs† if the â€Å"leaders of the Alabama Movement agreed to call a mo ratorium on any type of demonstrations† (King 233). Though after they had negotiated this, they realized after months went by that they had been lied to, and the merchants had no intention of taking down their signs. By showing that he understands the people of Birmingham’s call for negotiation, King is bringing more credibility to himself. King is also furthering his own argument by showing them that he had already tried to resolve the racial discrimination their way, and that is why more drastic measures are justified. Martin Luther King Jr. also seeks to further his point logically by explaining to the people of Birmingham that most places in the United States aren’t segregated to the extent that Birmingham is. He also makes a point to say Birmingham’s â€Å"ugly record of police brutality is known in every section of the country† and that â€Å"it’s unjust treatment of Negroes in the courts is a notorious realityâ€Å" (King 233). King also states â€Å"there have been more unsolved bombings in Negro homes and churches in Birmingham than any city in this nation† (King 233). By making the statements that no other city treats African Americans as badly as Birmingham and that the injustice that is taking place in Birmingham is a reality that everyone throughout the country is aware of, KingShow MoreRelatedLetter From Birmingham Jail Analysis1617 Words   |  7 Pages1960’s faced solely due to the melanin in their skin (King 2). Among these African Americ ans was the reverend, doctor, humanist, husband, and Civil Rights activist, Mr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Dr. King was a middle class, black man with a life-long devotion of implementing ethnic equality to African Americans nationwide. Following one of Rev. King’s peaceful protests in Birmingham, Alabama, he was jailed on accounts of â€Å"parading without a permit† (King 3). While in jail, Martin Luther King, JrRead Moreâ€Å"a Comparison of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.’S ‘I Have a Dream’ Speech and ‘Letter from a Birmingham Jail’†.1444 Words   |  6 Pagesâ€Å"A Comparison of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.’s ‘I Have a Dream’ speech and ‘Letter from a Birmingham Jail’†. 9% Similarity Born in Atlanta Georgia in 1929, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., conceivably lived as one of the greatest social and religious leaders in a country where a group of its citizens had to endure excruciating conditions of disenfranchisement, inferiority and degradation of a second class citizenship by reasons of race, color or origin. In effort to condemn allRead MoreCivil Disobedience By Henry David Thoreaus Letter From A Birmingham Jail1605 Words   |  7 Pagesand The Letter from a Birmingham Jail by Dr. Martin Luther King Jr and taking a closer look at their rhetorical devices and strategy’s. In Civil disobedience by Henry David Thoreau shows us the need to prioritize some one’s wellbeing over what the law says. American laws are criticized mostly over slavery and the Mexican-American war. In Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s â€Å"Letter from a Birmingham Jail† was written in response to a letter written by clergymen criticizing the actions of Dr. King and theR ead More Martin Luther King Jr.s Letter from Birmingham Jail Essay1149 Words   |  5 PagesMartin Luther King Jr.s Letter from Birmingham Jail   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Martin Luther King Jr. writes the Clergymen that have written him a letter disputing his actions in Birmingham. King is disturbed and offended by the Clergymen disagreeing with his purpose in Birmingham. King say he normally does not respond to criticism because it would waste to much precious time, but since these were men of good will he wanted to give his answers to their statements. In Kings letter he appeals to many emotions asRead MoreAnalysis Of Martin Luther King Jr. Essay1420 Words   |  6 Pagesfight long and hard for, and Martin Luther King Jr. was one of them. King, the author of â€Å"Letters from Birmingham Jail†, was an ordained Baptist minister with a Ph.D. in theology from Boston University. He was an activist for racial equality and led many protest for desegregation. in the mid 1950’s and in the 1960’s. The letter, was composed while he and hundreds of other demonstrators were imprisoned for protesting against the treatmen t of African Americans in Birmingham, Alabama. It was written inRead MoreThe Rhetorical Triangle : Ethos, Pathos, Logos1696 Words   |  7 PagesTriangle: Ethos, Pathos, and Logos. The strongest area of the Triangle based off the letter from Birmingham Jail by Martin Luther King Jr in one’s opinion is Pathos. Although King uses all three repeatedly in his letter, Pathos is the most expressed area throughout this letter. Through his use of ethos in the way of fairness yet with authority to his audience, logos through facts and statistic, it it the emotional persuasion that most captivates a reader interest. Ethos, Greek for character, referringRead MoreMartin Luther King Jr. And Henry David Thoreau1311 Words   |  6 Pagesphilosophy. American citizens expect the authority to work â€Å"for the good of the people† and â€Å"follow in everything the general will†, however, it was not always the case, according to influential American authors and civil rights activists Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and Henry David Thoreau. Although both of their works were written over a century apart, one cannot deny the fact that both of them successfully and nonviolently converted their ideology into action using different methods of civil disobedienceRead MoreCritical Analysis: Letter from Birmingham Jail1191 Words   |  5 PagesCritical Analysis Essay â€Å"Letter from Birmingham Jail† In arguing, writers use different techniques to effectively convey their message to their intended audience. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.s Letter from Birmingham Jail was a response to A Call for Unity by eight white clergymen in which King’s presence in Birmingham and his methods of public demonstration were questioned. King’s letter was not only a response to his presence in Birmingham, but he also used the opportunity to address theRead MoreMartin Luther King Jr.: An Innovator of Change2438 Words   |  10 Pagesï » ¿Martin Luther King Jr.: An Innovator of Change Martin Luther King Jr. was a peaceful and courageous man who used a non-violent manner to stand up for all that he believed in. King Jr. sought for equal rights for African Americans during his life. He not only participated but led many of the acts to push equal rights such as the bus boycott, antisegregation campaigns, the March on Washington, and civil rights rallies throughout the United States. Due to his strenuous work for equal rights, KingRead MoreDr. Martin Luther King Jr. Essay1626 Words   |  7 Pagesineffective based on the way they’re handled. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. was an advocate for a type of protesting that called for patience and steadfastness over anger and violence. There are many others that have used nonviolence to promote their ideology, such as Henry David Thoreau, Mohandas Gandhi, and Rosa Parks. All their protests worked because they could create sentiment from their argument using nonviolent means. The nonviolent protests used by Dr. King woul d be effective in these times because