Martin Luther King’s Message in The Letter from Birmingham Jail

Introduction: Historical Context of Racial Injustice

George Stinney, the Scottsboro boys, James Hanover Thompson, and David Simpson; these are just the names of a few little Black boys ranging from 6 to preteens that were jailed and even murdered because of the color of their skin. The Black communities were treated like criminals and lesser than humans by the hands of the white people’s discrimination. Black children were barred from schools that had white kids, barred from food markets, barred from restaurants; the Black community faced inequality every single day. Being tired of being treated as if they weren’t humans, the Black community initiated the Civil Rights Movement, whereas white racist individuals didn’t take too kindly to their protests. In the “Letter from Birmingham Jail,” the author Martin Luther King Jr. responds to his criticizers, asserting that he won’t back down from his protests as it is just to break laws when those laws are unjust. To support his position, he uses the recurring themes of racism and justice (King, 1963).

Martin Luther King’s Message in The Letter from Birmingham Jail

Martin Luther King Jr. addresses his critics’ concerns about him only going to Birmingham to cause trouble when he was fulfilling a promise to a local affiliation of his organization; which was to go down to Birmingham and engage in a nonviolent direct-action program if it were needed. However, although his attendance was based on a promise, he also provides a moral reason for his visitation. Dr. King calls out his critics’ ignorance towards the racism and discrimination causing their protest, claiming he is compelled to fight injustice wherever it is located, therefore his moral justification is to combat the injustice being practiced in Birmingham. He establishes a rational tone to refute the protest’s image as lawbreakers (King, 1963).

The Necessity of Protest

Dr. King goes on to emphasize the justification for protests as they are necessary to combat injustice and racism, turning the critics' words on themselves; his critics claim to express concern about Dr. King’s behavior yet they are so openly okay with the systematic racism being placed in Birmingham. Addressing what the Black community had faced in Birmingham’s community segregation, he points out the effect it can have on his community, deeming it “humiliating.” He highlights that the effect has a psychological impact on Black individuals as white merchants add “no blacks” signs to take them down but then put them back up. Therefore, the psychological effect of discrimination is justification to take direct action (King, 1963).

The Goal of Protests: Creating Discomfort for Change

Dr. King clarifies the goal of his protests; which was to force a situation that’ll make the white folks uncomfortable as only then, they will be willing to make negotiations. In this case, with his critics calling out his protests, it appears to be working. Dr. King’s approach is not only about the present struggle but also about creating a future where such protests would no longer be necessary. His commitment to nonviolence and his insistence on the moral imperative of his actions underscore the depth of his dedication to justice (King, 1963).

References:

• King, M. L. (1963). Letter from Birmingham Jail.