Study Tools
Written from a Birmingham, Alabama jail cell in 1963 in response to criticisms from eight white Alabama clergymen, Reverend Martin Luther King, Jr.’s “Letter from the Birmingham Jail” is a key document of the Civil Rights Movement and an important contribution to American history
. Across this powerful work, King details the organizing principles of nonviolent protest and provides intellectual and historical context for its necessity in Alabama and across the United States at a time when racial tensions were at a fever pitch. As powerful now as it was when it was written and published, King’s letter demonstrates the courage, passion, and brilliance that made him a leader in the fight to demand justice and equality for Black Americans.Read a full book summary, a full book analysis, and explanations of important quotes from "Letter from the Birmingham Jail."