Letter from Birmingham City Jail

King's allusions to both the Bible and American history are meant to give his civil disobedience historical precedents, thus defending himself from critics who argue he is being unwise in breaking...

The historical and social context is all-important in understanding King's reply to his critics. His words are a direct response to the criticism that the civil rights movement was undermining the...

King criticizes the clergy for not joining him in the fight for equality and justice for African Americans.

This letter, written by Martin Luther King Jr. during a sentence he was serving in Birmingham Jail, Alabama, was a response to a public statement released by eight white Southern religious leaders....

The point of view in Martin Luther King's "Letter from Birmingham City Jail" enhances its impact by presenting King as both a civil rights leader and a man of faith. This dual perspective allows him...

The context of Dr. King's "Letter From Birmingham City Jail" was the complaints of white pastors supposedly in support of the civil rights movement that his non-violent street protests were going too...

King's letter from Birmingham City Jail is addressed to a group of white Southern clergymen who criticized the civil rights movement for using unlawful protests. They argued for change through legal...