“Letter From a Birmingham Jail”

Historical Context 1896: Plessy v. Ferguson—supreme court decision to segregate railroad cars This decision was used to justify segregation in all public facilities, such as schools, hospitals, restrooms and drinking fountains. Civil Rights Movement (mid-1950’s and 60’s) - segregation not allowed in schools - whites and blacks calling for end to discrimination (marches, boycotts, and sit-ins)

Kairos Kairos means “right time” or “opportunity.” (Why in that setting, at the time, in that place?) pronunciation In April of 1963, King was arrested for taking part in nonviolent sit-ins and boycotts against racism in Montgomery, AL. He wrote the letter while sitting in jail, in response to eight white religious leaders of the South who had issued a statement criticizing King (and other “outsiders”) and calling for issues of racism to be handled by the courts.

Rhetorical Situation of King’s Letter

Speaker: pastor of the Dexter Avenue Baptist Church in Montgomery, AL organized a bus boycott in 1956, which led to law against segregation on buses led the Southern Christian Leadership Conference, which valued nonviolent protest

Audience Eight clergymen from Birmingham who were critical of his efforts White moderates African Americans

Purpose To convince readers that, even though he had been arrested, his actions were just and honorable. To convince everyone to stand up against unjust laws

Topic Racial segregation Indifference of moderates Explanation of his actions

Assignment:  Read the letter King is responding to: Clergymen's Letter Clergymen's Letter 2. Find your assigned portion of “Color-coded “Letter From a Birmingham Jail’” in Moodle. (They are divided up according to various claims made within the clergymen’s letter to King.) 3. Follow directions on Annotation Assignment sheet.