King drew inspiration for his words from a long line of religious and political philosophers, quoting everyone from St. Over the course of the letter's 7,000 words, he turned the criticism back upon both the nation's religious leaders and more moderate-minded white Americans, castigating them for sitting passively on the sidelines while King and others risked everything agitating for change. Without notes or research materials, King drafted an impassioned defense of his use of nonviolent, but direct, actions. Isolated in his cell, King began working on a response. Shortly after King's arrest, a friend smuggled in a copy of an April 12 Birmingham newspaper which included an open letter, written by eight local Christian and Jewish religious leaders, which criticized both the demonstrations and King himself, whom they considered an outside agitator. As previously agreed upon, King was not immediately bailed out of jail by his supporters, having instead agreed to a longer stay in jail to draw additional attention to the plight of black Americans. Kennedy was urged to intervene on his behalf. Thrown into solitary confinement, King was initially denied access to his lawyers or allowed to contact his wife, until President John F. For King, this arrest- his 13th- would become one of the most important of his career. and nearly 50 other protestors and civil rights leaders were arrested after leading a Good Friday demonstration as part of the Birmingham Campaign, designed to bring national attention to the brutal, racist treatment suffered by blacks in one of the most segregated cities in America- Birmingham, Alabama. The lightest bit of toning to edges on back wrapper. The first separate printing, third issue of King's famous letter written during his time in the Birmingham City jail. "Letter From Birmingham City Jail." Philadelphia: American Friends Service Committee, 1963. "Injustice Anywhere is a Threat to Justice Everywhere." First Edition Third Printing of the First Separate Edition of MLK's Famous "Letter From Birmingham City Jail" KING, Martin Luther King Jr.
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