Hi, welcome to Primary
Source Essentials.
In this episode,
we will briefly discuss
"Letter from Birmingham Jail."
Now, the central question is:
How does Martin Luther King, Jr,
support justice
and equality in "Letter
from Birmingham Jail"?
Let's find out King's
answer to this question.
(Describer) Two police officers arrest Martin Luther King, Jr.
[gentle music]
Black Americans lived under
legal segregation in the South
during the first half
of the 20th century
because of the decision
in Plessy v. Ferguson
in 1896 and local law.
The Civil Rights
Movements sought
to use popular demonstrations
and political action
to overturn segregation laws
and achieve justice and
equality for Black Americans.
In 1963, King led
nonviolent demonstrations
of hundreds of people
in Birmingham, Alabama,
and he was jailed
for his participation
along with many others,
and composed a public
letter explaining why
he thought protesting unjust
segregation laws was justified.
King defends the nonviolent
direct action campaign
by explaining why
Black Americans
cannot wait any longer,
as he says,
for, "Our constitutional
and God-given rights,
which have been denied
for more than 340 years."
Now, King distinguishes between
a just and an unjust law.
A just law squares
with the natural law.
It uplifts the human
person and dignity,
and it is based upon consent
and applies equally to all.
The unjust law,
on the other hand,
is out of harmony
with the natural law.
It degrades the human person,
distorts the soul,
creates inequality,
and is imposed on others.
That is why he calls
segregation laws "immoral."
In King's view,
one has a responsibility
to follow just laws
as well as a duty to
break unjust laws,
but to do so openly, lovingly,
and with a willingness
to accept punishment
in order to arouse
the conscience of the community
by exposing injustice
and making the laws just.
He says that oppression
cannot live forever,
and that he seeks a moderate
course between the extremes
of segregation and
injustice on one hand
and more radical violent
solutions on the other.
So the answer in "Letter
from Birmingham Jail"
is that King supports
nonviolent demonstrations
to achieve justice and equality.
Thanks for watching, and
check out our other videos
in Primary Source essentials.
Accessibility provided by the
U.S. Department of Education.
(Describer) Accessibility provided by the US Department of Education.
[gentle music]
