Page 58 - Paths to Change

About the Text Martin Luther King, Jr. was a Baptist minister and a leader of the American civil rights movement. In 1963, King was arrested and jailed for protesting the treatment of Blacks in Birmingham, Alabama. At the time of King’s arrest, Birmingham was segregated, and Blacks residents faced persistent discrimination and lived in constant fear of violence against them. While in jail King penned this, now famous, “Letter from Birmingham Jail” revealing his motivations for protesting and why he was willing to be jailed in defense of it. Included here are the first three pages of his letter (the link to the full letter can be found in the Works Cited section of this document). Student Questions & Sample Responses 1. To whom was Dr. King’s letter written? Why did he write the letter? King’s letter was written to fellow clergymen (ministers and church leaders) in Birmingham. King chose to respond because he believed the clergymen were being sincere in suggesting the protests were ill- timed and not the correct approach, versus simply stating Blacks did not deserve the freedoms that inspired the protests. 2. What is the overall message of Dr. King’s letter? Dr. King’s message outlines to the clergymen why he is present in Birmingham, the various steps taken in an effort to address the injustices faced by Blacks in Birmingham before arriving at “direct action”, and what he hopes to accomplish with his presence in Birmingham. 3. Summarize the Birmingham clergyman’s position on the Birmingham protests. The clergymen felt the protests were unwise and untimely. King states they “deplore the demonstrations,” yet do not deplore the circumstances (racism) that caused the demonstrations. 4. How does this document help you to decide if protesting successfully transforms society? This document shows protesting as just one component of the fight for equality. Based on Dr. King’s letter, protests were the last resort of Birmingham’s Black residents in their quest for justice. This document is helpful in determining why people often turn to protesting to accomplish their goals and could be used to show how effective it is because it results in attention and dialogue that may not have otherwise happened. Text 12: Letter From Birmingham Jail Educator Guide The Black Inquiry Project 57