Martin Luther King Jr.’s Letter from Birmingham Jail was a plea for justice, a call for unity, and a proclamation for the American people to look past the color of one’s skin. It was on the same day that 8 local clergymen published an open letter in a local newspaper entitled “A call for Unity.” In the letter, they had criticized King saying that the event was “unwise and untimely.” King wrote “Letter from Birmingham Jail” in response to the letter of 8 clergymen defending his actions. Soon after, eight clergymen wrote a letter entitled, “A Call for Unity,” which was addressed to King. Fifty years ago today, April 12, 1963, eight clergy wrote a letter urging the Rev. On April 12, 1963, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. was arrested in Birmingham, Alabama for protesting without a permit. Several were, in fact, anti-racist activists. "Letter from Birmingham Jail" A Call For Unity Lyrics. The major theme of this letter is justification for the efforts of liberations and a call for unity in combating human injustices. King’s initial words are a call for unity and to take a united stand against discrimination. Read More. We clergymen are among those who, in January, issued "an Appeal for Law and Order and Common Sense," in dealing with racial problems in Alabama. We the undersigned clergymen are among those who, in January, issued "An Appeal for Law and Order and Common Sense," in dealing with racial problems in Alabama. These appeals that were evident throughout the letter all led to a simple demand for a two-syllable word that our country so proudly proclaims, freedom. It is a letter written by Martin Luther King in response to a previous letter published in local newspapers by the all white Alabama Churches on April 12, 1963, titled "A Call For Unity". They were, they believed, allies of the anti-racist cause. The "Letter from Birmingham Jail", also known as the "Letter from Birmingham City Jail" and "The Negro Is Your Brother", is an open letter written on April 16, 1963, by Martin Luther King Jr.It says that people have a moral responsibility to break unjust laws and to take direct action rather than waiting potentially forever for justice to come through the courts. Their letter was a call for caution, not capitulation, for slow progress, not retreat. “I say it … This clergymen asked the black population for "patience" in spite of the rampant social injustice of … With these words, he sets the background and foundation of his speech and his vision of the future that includes freedom, non-discrimination, and long-lasting happiness. Throughout this writing, king tells his story from an abstract point then to a concrete aim as the letter progresses. Summary of Mlk Jr's. 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