Letter from Birmingham

Letter from Birmingham

what was the main reason for writing this letter

he wanted to address the criticism from eight white religious leaders of the south

paragraph three compares what

the southern Christian leadership conference to 8th century prophets who carried the word of Jesus, saying he wants to carry "the gospel of freedom"

pharaoh six describes what steps

four basic steps in nonviolent campaign

King held workshops to ensure what

they were prepared to proceed nonviolently and suffer arrest without allowing rage to consume them

king uses what attitude

Challenging not threatening

king argues that nonviolent direct actin is designed to

force negotiation

paragraph eleven is

one of the most powerful ones in the letter

what does king believe politicians must do? What does he believe moral leaders must do?

politicians: be aware of moral concerns

moral leaders: interfere in legal concerns

unjust laws don't follow what

Democratic process

King justifies his breaking laws by

citing historical examples of civil disobedience like the Old Testament and Socrates

king expresses disappointment with who

white moderates who aren't supportive

later in the letter, kings tone becomes more

confrontational and direct

kings philosophy stands between

two extreme forces he disagrees with which are apathy vs violence

king recognizes and praises who

white who have helped his cause

he expresses disappointment with whose reactions

the church's reaction at the time but he has faith in individual members that have worked with him

in paragraph 35, he refutes what

any praise for the police's actions in Birmingham

I'm paragraph 37, he redirects what to who

praise to "true heroes" which are civil rights demonstrators

king offers a final unifying vision of

hope by asserting his humility and unity with the white clergy

"Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere"

injustice needs to be settled and fixed

"Justice too long delayed in justice denied"

we cannot wait for justice that should've been given to us from the start

"If the inexpressible cruelties of slavery could not stop us, the opposition we now face will surely fail"

African Americans survived and continued fight for freedom, despite slavery and suffering

"An unjust law is no law at all"

said by St Agustine and means of a law is unjust it doesn't deserve to be followed or respected