Martin Luther King Jr. organized many protests and delivered several speeches, but possibly his most important entity was The Letter from Birmingham Jail. Martin Luther King Jr. was arrested in 1963 regarding his protest activities in Birmingham. Birmingham, Alabama at the time was completely segregated, meaning that African-Americans were not allowed to certain areas and it was accepted to refuse to give African-Americans service altogether. Martin Luther King Jr. was different from most civil activists as he used more of nonviolent protests to bring peace and freedom to those of color. King Jr. wrote this letter in response to eight white male clergymen falsely accusing King Jr. for his actions and involvement in Birmingham. The overall message of The Letter from Birmingham Jail, written by Martin Luther King Jr., was to bring change for African-Americans, and equality for all.

Martin Luther King Jr.’s overall intention of coming to Birmingham was to bring justice to an unjust town. This prestigious leader could have stayed in Atlanta, but he felt that “injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere” (King). King Jr. thoroughly believed that all Americans should be treated equally no matter of their skin color, and he believed that changed needed to happen in a much faster process. King Jr., as well as the rest of the African American population were sick and tired of being treated with such disrespect. People of color were growing increasingly more irritated day after day seeing no change in a country based on its freedom. African Americans had to live their everyday life being called “Nigger Boy,” seeing distressing signs of “Whites” and “Colored,” and heartbrokenly having to explain to your children why white people are treated some much differently than those of color. (King) Within the Letter from Birmingham Jail, Martin Luther King Jr. writes, “There comes a time when the cup of endurance runs over and men are no longer willing to be plunged into an abyss of injustice where they experience the bleakness of corroding despair” (King). This activist emphasized his reasoning for immediate change, and the United States of America should become a place with no segregation. Ultimately, this influential leader illustrated his prospective on these issues as he stated, “Anyone who lives inside the US can never be considered an outsider anywhere in the country” (King). He fights for more than just eradicating segregation, but more for the basic rights of the United States to be given to those both of color and not. People of color should not have to wake up day in and day out and worry for their safety of their families, and be provided the same rights as the rest of the citizens of the United States.

Martin Luther King Jr. believed heavily on non-violent ways of protest; however, within the Letter from Birmingham Jail, he develops a point based on the hypocrisy of laws within the United States of America heavily favoring the white population. King Jr. makes a very relevant point within the letter regarding the Supreme Court’s decision in 1954. (9 years earlier) This decision was made to end segregation in public schools across the country, but clearly in 1963, this law failed to exist in Birmingham. King Jr. ponders the idea within the latter saying, “One may well ask, "How can you advocate breaking some laws and obeying others?" (King) His answer is quite simple, there were types of laws at the same: Just and unjust laws. As the definition of just-laws versus unjust-laws could be argued differently based on prospective, King Jr., as all Americans, believed that unjust-laws were ones that degrade human personality. The reasoning behind King Jr. imprisonment at the Birmingham jails was because of protesting without a permit. King Jr. understands the laws of the United States, and recognizes that his actions were illegal. However, King Jr. releases this statement within the letter, “Now, there is nothing wrong with an ordinance which requires a permit for a parade, but when the ordinance is used to preserve segregation and to deny citizens the First Amendment privilege of peaceful assembly and peaceful protest, then it becomes unjust” (King). King Jr. believes that not all laws are legitimate for the fairness of all the people in the United States. Martin Luther King Jr. was angered, not because of the segregation in the United States, but that his non-violent protests resulted in his arrest because he was speaking his opinion on the situation.

 Martin Luther King Jr. was different from many other civil rights activist as he methods consisted of strictly non-violent protests. While other leaders, like Malcom X, tried to develop their point of view and demonstrate their message of racism through violent actions, Martin Luther King Jr. stood out for his responsibility and uniqueness. This powerful leader organized non-violent protests like sit-ins, parades, speeches, etc. to get the people’s attention. Thousands of people of color joined Martin Luther King Jr. in his protests; however, he also attracted the attention of the white population. Within the Letter from Birmingham Jail, Dr. King addressed the white clergymen of Birmingham and wanted to defend his point of view on the laws of the United States and the validity of non-violent protests to end racism and segregation. Towards the end of the letter, Martin Luther King Jr. states that he has “no fear” for the outcomes of the Letter from Birmingham. He is confident that justice will prevail and that all African Americans will have equal rights and privileges to the white population. Within the letter, Dr. King declares, “We will win our freedom because the sacred heritage of our nation and the eternal will of God are embodied in our echoing demands” (King). Martin Luther King Jr.’s confidence to bring justice to those of color is what ultimately brought the black population together to defeat segregation.

While segregation between the black population and white population has changed dramatically since the times of Martin Luther King Jr., racism is still alive today. Segregation then was described as certain places designated for different races, and with Martin Luther King Jr.’s ideas and the following of the black population ended that type of segregation. Nevertheless, in modern society a different type of segregation is prevalent. A separation of black and whites form an early age, brain washing children to take an absent-minded approach on judging people and believing that people of color are “bad” for no apparent reason. As terrible this sounds, it has some value of truth. People should not be treated and judged based on their color, but instead of their internal self. A change to the United States must come in order for this country to move in a path moving forward. 
