A review by jenmachin_
Letter from Birmingham Jail by Martin Luther King Jr.

challenging emotional hopeful informative inspiring reflective fast-paced

4.75

This letter written by Martin Luther King Jr after his imprisonment in Birmingham jail is an incredibly poignant discussion on the lack of black civil rights in the USA.

Although I knew that MLK was a vital and intelligent figure in campaigning for human rights, I was surprised at his beautiful writing style. He weaves metaphors and quotes philosophers. He says:

"We are caught in an inescapable network of mutuality, tied in a single garment of destiny"

Besides his stunning articulation, he draws on ideas of morality to encourage people (particularly white clergymen) to voice their support for the cause, saying:

"We will have to repent in this generation, not merely for the hateful words and actions of the bad people but for the appalling silence of the good people"

Alongside this he defends his method of direct action which was critiqued for "inciting violence". He is a voice of peace and gentle protest in the face of horrific racism, and merely hopes to create negotiation to improve the lives of black Americans. Reminding us that:

"It is an historical fact that privileged groups seldom give up their privileges voluntarily"

It was not lost on me that MLK's orchestration of sit ins and peaceful protests were seen as inciting violence, when the hate of white people across the states was not condemned, ultimately leading to his assassination. 

Alongside this, he received much criticism for his peaceful methods, yet he poignantly discusses the horrors black people face: 

"When you have seen vicious mobs lynch your mothers and fathers at will and drown your sisters and brothers at whim; when you have seen hate-filled policeman curse, kick and even kill your black brothers and sisters; when you see the vast majority of your twenty million Negro brothers smothering in an airtight cage of poverty in the midst of an affluent society; when you suddenly find your tongue twisted and your speech stammering as you seek to explain to your 6-year-old daughter why she can't go to the public amusement park that has just been advertised on the television, and see tears welling up in her eyes when she is told that Funtown is closed to coloured children, and see ominous clouds of inferiority beginning to form in her little mental sky, and see her beginning to distort her personality by developing an unconscious bitterness towards white people..."

This hauntingly sad, and the reference to his daughter is gut-wrenchingly sad. A child who is innocently oblivious to the world and it's hatred must suffer at the hands of those who hate her merely for her skin, and this is just the start of her understanding of racism. 

The only thing that bothered me is MLK's constant reference to brotherhood and helping "men rise", with no mention for the suffering of black women and their intersectional repression. I felt disappointed regarding this, but I suppose MLK can only fight so many battles. 

One quote I took from this, and will keep with me forever is:

" Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere"