Writer

The text “Letter from Birmingham Jail” was written by African-American civil rights activist Martin Luther King Jr. The writer became a leader of the civil rights movement in 1955 when he was involved in the Montgomery bus boycott which lasted over a year, something the King also mentions in the letter: “When I was suddenly catapulted into the leadership of the bus protest in Montgomery, Alabama, a few years ago…” (ll. 547-549).

King was dedicated to the cause of racial justice: “Let us all hope that the dark clouds of racial prejudice will soon pass away and the deep fog of misunderstanding will be lifted…” (ll. 758-760). However, he was a strong nonviolence advocate, believing change can be achieved through peaceful means.

King became a prominent spokesperson for the movement, and the leader of “Southern Christian Leadership Conference”, an organization that campaigned for African-American rights. King also mentions ...