Martin Luther King Jr. was very integrated into the Civil Rights Movement and organized several events to push the boundaries on racial equality at this time. Though all of his acts were heavily monitored and received major feedback his letter written to eight clergymen was among the top most influential. The letter called out many people and the issues behind the prevalent racial tension, and it was so popular that it was released to the press and never made it to the clergymen it was addressed to. By Martin Luther King Jr.’s involvement in the Alabama Christian Movement, as well as his history as an activist for racial equality, we are able to understand the reasoning behind his involvement in the Civil Rights Movement, nonviolent protests and, desegregation as a whole because of the injustices done to black people in Southern America during this time period as discussed in his “Letter from a Birmingham Jail.”

Martin Luther King was an avid activist for civil rights. He held several activist movements, such as sit ins, boycotts, speeches, and peaceful protest. He led many people across the nation toward racial equality through his ideals of nonviolent protests. He was involved in several activist groups regarding racial reform such as the Alabama Christian Movement for Human Rights. His involvement in these groups shows how passionate he was regarding racial equality. Through his numerous sit ins, silent protests, along with his speeches we can better understand how close this issue was to his heart and why he felt the need to write this piece to the clergymen questioning his reasoning for being in Birmingham, Alabama. 

The Civil Rights Movement occurred from 1954-1968. During this time period, there were many actions taken by people all of the country but mostly in the south to desegregate schools and public places. The purpose of desegregation is to bring people of all races together in one place. That does not just mean just literally either, this is also in regards to mental equality. Black people were tired of being treated as if they were inferior to white people so they began the Civil Rights Movement to prove that they should be treated as equals. Though some laws were implemented for equal rights, southerners were stuck in their old ways and were not willing to accept the change and evolution of society. Therefore, the people who believed that this change should be made, took it upon themselves to push this change on the south. 

The Alabama Christian Movement for Human Rights was a group created in favor of civil rights and it originated in Birmingham Alabama. It was a Christian organization that was affiliated with the Southern Leadership Conference in which King was president of. The Southern Leadership Conference has organizations in every southern state and the Alabama Christian Movement for Human Rights was one of the organizations for Alabama. They organized boycotts as well as sponsored federal lawsuits aimed at dismantling segregation in Birmingham. The president, Fred Shuttlesworth, was the pastor of Bethel Baptist Church and served as president from 1956-1969. King’s involvement in this organization limited his words and actions to a certain extent because of its Christian background. King still managed to argue his point regardless of the limitations because he was a preacher himself and also agreed with nonviolent actions to argue his point. Many of the actions that this organization participated in were things that King was already doing just not specifically in Birmingham where this organization took place. 

Reverend Fred Shuttlesworth, along with Dr. King staged demonstrations together in an attempt to end the racism and segregation in Birmingham, while also making sure they did not “cloud the issues” during the election of mayors in the city during this time (King 381). They were very civil in all of their actions together although they did not get the same respect in return in Birmingham. King was perceived as an ‘outside agitator’ by these clergymen when he was asked to come into that city to advocate for change (381). 

This book provides significant information regarding the movements in Birmingham Alabama to stop racism and segregation from spreading. We as readers, by looking at this article are able to better understand Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s motivations for fighting against racism. He does not want to live in a nation where we claim that there are equal rights to all human beings, yet we still get separated and one group of people get privileges over the other groups. King grew up in a segregated school in Georgia and he did not enjoy it. He couldn’t fathom the reasoning behind the fact that people of different races couldn’t go to the same school equally because of the color of their skin. He dreamed of a nation and a world that would treat individuals by their character and their morals and their values and not according to the color of their skin. King believed in his own dream so much that he went out and preached it to the nation. When people questioned his reasons for traveling to cities that had high racism and segregation such as Birmingham, Alabama, he was quick to tell them the reasons.

King explains in his letter that being segregated does nothing but hurt black people and make them feel as if they are less than others just because of the color of their skin. Being discriminated again because of the color of someone’s skin, King expressed was something that white people would not understand but it was also something that they shouldn’t condone in. It was necessary to ensure that black people were treated fairly and King exercised that view through civil disobedience as well as protests. In his letter, he ensures the clergymen that although the attempt to act as though they can continue living without change in the world, it will not continue to be that way which was the point behind the Civil Rights Movement. This movement pushed change and so did King. He also stated that they would not stop pressing the issue until they saw change in their situation and they didn’t. The Civil Rights Movement continued until change was implemented and King pushed for change until the day he died because he wanted to see change and wouldn’t stop until his dream came true.

In “Letter from a Birmingham Jail,” King expressed his desires for all people to be treated equally, the difference between just and unjust laws, as well as stating that even though people called him an extremist, that wasn’t necessarily a bad thing. One of his most influential points I believe is that “oppressed people cannot remain oppressed forever” (387). This is a direct call to action and he is letting all of the people in power know that even if they try their hardest to oppress black people, it will never remain that way. He knew that eventually all people would be treated equally and he just helped push the change along.

King addresses the criticism of the clergymen in this letter by explaining to them several reasons why his “present activities” are not ‘unwise and untimely’ (380). He uses his skills as an orator to appeal to his audience on an emotional level as well as a logical one. He explains the reasoning behind their nonviolent act and how it “seeks to dramatize the issue that it can no longer be ignored” (382). This is important so that the audience that read this letter would better understand his reasoning behind being in Birmingham and working with the Alabama Christian Movement. He also expresses his surprise at the fact that other countries are so far ahead in reaching political independence whereas America was creeping “at horse and buggy pace toward gaining a cup of coffee at a lunch counter” (King 383). His disgust and disbelief is obvious though his tone seems to remain relaxed throughout. King also calls attention to the fact that maybe the reason that these clergymen (and much of the rest of the white south) do not understand why the Alabama Christian Movement and the Civil Rights Movement along with other organizations and leaders are pushing for change so quickly is because they have “never felt the stinging darts of segregation” (383). His powerful examples following that require the reader to take a step back and evaluate what life is like in the shoes of black people in the south at this time. 

Many of the speeches that King gave had a huge impact on this movement as a whole as well as his actions. He was persistent and when people saw the drive, motivation, and strength he dedicated to this movement, it influenced them to also continue to persevere when it seemed as if no progress was being made in their favor. 

Many of the principles that King taught on and fought for during the 50’s and 60’s in the country are still prevalent today in our country. The dream that King fought for, we are still fighting for today. The fight has expanded past just white people and black people, but it is still a fight for equality all around. It is important when reading this text to understand the background behind King himself and what he mentions in the text so that we fully understand where his motives originate from. And even in today’s society, the principles that he preached can still be used to preach that message to people all around the nation.
