Written in sitting in jail in 1963 following a protest of segregation and racism by the city government and retailers, Dr. King wrote a letter to some clergymen in Alabama in response to a letter that they published criticizing Dr. King’s actions (Letter from Clergy (7 hits)).

Here is Dr. King’s note regarding the text of the letter:

AUTHOR’S NOTE: This response to a published statement by eight fellow clergymen from Alabama (Bishop C. C. J. Carpenter, Bishop Joseph A. Durick, Rabbi Hilton L. Grafman, Bishop Paul Hardin, Bishop Holan B. Harmon, the Reverend George M. Murray. the Reverend Edward V. Ramage and the Reverend Earl Stallings) was composed under somewhat constricting circumstance. Begun on the margins of the newspaper in which the statement appeared while I was in jail, the letter was continued on scraps of writing paper supplied by a friendly Negro trusty, and concluded on a pad my attorneys were eventually permitted to leave me. Although the text remains in substance unaltered, I have indulged in the author’s prerogative of polishing it for publication.

In response to recent violence, they stated:

  • Demonstrations led by “outsiders” are “unwise and untimely”
  • Negotiation is the best way to solve racial injustice
  • Demonstrations “incite hatred and violence”
  • The police should be commended for the calm manner in which they have handled everything.

Here is short video with some background.

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Dr. King uses expertly uses logos, ethos and pathos in his response as well as a variety of rhetorical techniques, including the use of aphorisms.

Here is the portion of his letter that we read in class: Letter from Birmingham Jail (3 hits)

“Letter from Birmingham Jail” Questions
Answer the following on a separate sheet of paper.

  1. Why will Dr. King respond to the clergymen?
  2. There are two aphorisms in the 3rd paragraph.  List and explain the meaning of one.
  3. How are the steps in a nonviolent campaign similar to the Declaration of Independence?
  4. Give an example of a failed negotiation.
  5. What is the purpose of “direct-action?”
  6. According to Dr. King, what is the difference between a just law and an unjust law?
  7. Does Dr. King support evading or defying the law? Explain his reasoning.
  8. Dr. King counters the claim “that our actions, even though peaceful, must be condemned because they precipitate violence.”  What type argument does King demonstrate in his counter?
  9. In your own words, describe who Dr. King describes as real heroes. What type of argument is he demonstrating?
  10. In one sentence, state what you think is the main message of Dr. King’s letter.