Martin Luther King Jr. was a man who was very much against injustice. In Birmingham Alabama is where he found to the most injustice. The white community showed no feelings towards the black community, therefore there were many demonstrations which he found to be unfortunate, but felt that the white community had left the black community without any alternatives “It is unfortunate that demonstrations are taking place in Birmingham, but it is even more unfortunate that the city’s white power structure left the Negro community with no alternative” (King 175). At the time that Martin Luther King Jr. wrote this he thought that Birmingham Alabama was one of the most segregated cities in the United States “Birmingham is probably the most thoroughly segregated city in the United States” (King 175). I think what he found the most unjust in this city was the fact that it was so segregated and that no one seemed to pay any attention to the black community that they had to have sit-ins and rallies in order for people to notice them. Blacks were also unfairly tried in the courts and were treated unjustly. There were also many attacks on the homes and churches of black people that were pushed aside and not paid attention to. Blacks were brutalized and then ignored, as if their lives were not important “Negroes have experienced grossly unjust treatment in the courts. There have been more unsolved bombings of Negro homes and churches in Birmingham than in an other city in the nation” (King 175). Leaders of the black community tried to fight for their justice by negotiating however the leaders of the white community found no reason to negotiate “On the basis of these conditions, Negro leaders sought to negotiate with the city fathers. But the latter consistently refused to engage in good-faith negotiation” (King 175). It seems that there were several injustices in Birmingham that Martin Luther King Jr. sought to repair.
Martin Luther King Jr. “The Letter from Birmingham Jail”
A World of Ideas: Essential Readings for College Writers. Ed. Lee A. Jacobus. 7th ed. New York: Bedford St. Martins,2006 pp 102-110.
2 comments:
I liked what you wrote on your blog. I agree with you about how Birmingham was one of the most segregated cities in the Country and how King wanted to change it. I cannot imagine living at a time like that, but when you think about it some of this type of hate is still going on today. Of course we do not live segregated, but in a way our government is still trying to keep minorities in the lowest level of society. Unfortunatley we will probably never be able to change this type of mentallity. But at least King got his wishes about segregaton.
I agree, segregation was very strong, and unfortunately alot of disputes still occur today. King fought against a solid group of people and the church was of no help.
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