Skip to main content

Letter from Birmingham Jail - Martin Luther King, Jr.

718,066 Views

986 Questions Answered

Best of Web

Let’s Begin…

Written April 16th, 1963 by Martin Luther King Jr, the Letter from Birmingham Jail was a response to the “A Call for Unity” open letter written by 8 white clergymen criticizing the protests of King and the SCLC. King’s letter asserted that people have a moral responsibility to break unjust laws and take direct action, and became an important text in the American Civil Rights Movement.

The clergymen expressed disapproval over the timing of the protests and asserted African Americans should wait for progress on equal rights. How did Dr King respond to this criticism?

Sign in to answer question

About TED-Ed Best of Web

TED-Ed Best of Web are exceptional, user-created lessons that are carefully selected by volunteer teachers and TED-Ed staff.

Meet The Creators

More from Everyone Has a Story