letter from birmingham jail-mlk

7/31/2019 Letter From Birmingham Jail-MLK

1/12

Martin Luther King's

Letter from Birmingham Jail[ N. B. All typographical errors are from the original source and therefore have not been corrected.

AUTHOR! NOT"# This response to a published statementby eight fello$ clergymen from Alabama %Bishop &. &. '. &arpenter( Bishop

'oseph A. )uric*( Rabbi Hilton +. ,rafman( Bishop -aul Hardin( Bishop Holan B. Harmon( the Reverend ,eorge . urray. the

Reverend "d$ard /. Ramage and the Reverend "arl !tallings0 $as composed under some$hat constricting circumstance. Begun on themargins of the ne$spaper in $hich the statement appeared $hile 1 $as in 2ail( the letter $as continued on scraps of $riting paper supplied

by a friendly Negro trusty( and concluded on a pad my attorneys $ere eventually permitted to leave me. Although the te3t remains in

substance unaltered( 1 have indulged in the authors prerogative of polishing it for publication.

April 45( 4657

8 )"AR 9"++O: &+"R,8"N#

:hile confined here in the Birmingham city 2ail( 1 came across your recent statement

calling my present activities ;un$ise and untimely.; !eldom do 1 pause to ans$er

criticism of my $or* and ideas. 1f 1 sought to ans$er all the criticisms that cross my

des*( my secretaries $ould have little time for anything other than suchcorrespondence in the course of the day( and 1 $ould have no time for constructive

$or*. But since 1 feel that you are men of genuine good $ill and that your criticisms

are sincerely set forth( 1 $ant to try to ans$er your statements in $hat 1 hope $ill be

patient and reasonable terms.

1 thin* 1 should indicate $hy 1 am here 1n Birmingham( since you have been

influenced by the vie$ $hich argues against ;outsiders coming in.; 1 have the honor

of serving as president of the !outhern &hristian +eadership &onference( an

organifive affiliated organi

action program if such $ere deemed necessary. :e readily consented( and $hen the

hour came $e lived up to our promise. !o 1( along $ith several members of my staff(

am here because 1 $as invited here 1 am here because 1 have organiRoman $orld( so am 1. compelled to carry the gospel of freedom beyond my o$n

home to$n. +i*e -aul( 1 must constantly respond to the acedonian call for aid.

oreover( 1 am cogni


2/12

8ou deplore the demonstrations ta*ing place 1n Birmingham. But your statement( 1

am sorry to say( fails to e3press a similar concern for the conditions that brought

about the demonstrations. 1 am sure that none of you $ould $ant to rest content $ith

the superficial *ind of social analysis that deals merely $ith effects and does not

grapple $ith underlying causes. 1t is unfortunate that demonstrations are ta*ing place

in Birmingham( but it is even more unfortunate that the citys $hite po$er structureleft the Negro community $ith no alternative.

1n any nonviolent campaign there are four basic steps# collection of the facts to

determine $hether in2ustices e3ist? negotiation? self>purification? and direct action.

:e have gone through an these steps in Birmingham. There can be no gainsaying the

fact that racial in2ustice engulfs this community. Birmingham is probably the most

thoroughly segregated city in the United !tates. 1ts ugly record of brutality is $idely

*no$n. Negroes have e3perienced grossly un2ust treatment in the courts. There have

been more unsolved bombings of Negro homes and churches in Birmingham than in

any other city in the nation. These are the hard( brutal facts of the case. On the basis

of these conditions( Negro leaders sought to negotiate $ith the city fathers. But thelatter consistently refused to engage in good>faith negotiation.

Then( last !eptember( came the opportunity to tal* $ith leaders of Birminghams

economic community. 1n the course of the negotiations( certain promises $ere made

by the merchants >>> for e3ample( to remove the stores humiliating racial signs. On the

basis of these promises( the Reverend 9red !huttles$orth and the leaders of the

Alabama &hristian ovement for Human Rights agreed to a moratorium on all

demonstrations. As the $ee*s and months $ent by( $e realipurification. :e began

a series of $or*shops on nonviolence( and $e repeatedly as*ed ourselves # ;Are you

able to accept blo$s $ithout retaliating@; ;Are you able to endure the ordeal of 2ail@;

:e decided to schedule our direct>action program for the "aster season( realidra$al program $ould be the by>product of direct action($e felt that this $ould be the best time to bring pressure to bear on the merchants for

the needed change.

Then it occurred to us that Birminghams mayoralty election $as coming up in arch(

and $e speedily decided to postpone action until after election day. :hen $e

discovered that the &ommissioner of -ublic !afety( "ugene ;Bull; &onnor( had piled

up enough votes to be in the run>oat $e decided again to postpone action until the day

after the run>off so that the demonstrations could not be used to cloud the issues. +i*e

many others( $e $aited to see r. &onnor defeated( and to this end $e endured

postponement after postponement. Having aided in this community need( $e felt that

our direct>action program could be delayed no longer.


3/12

8ou may $ell as*# ;:hy direct action@ :hy sit>ins( marches and so forth@ 1snt

negotiation a better path@; 8ou are =uite right in calling( for negotiation. 1ndeed( this

is the very purpose of direct action. Nonviolent direct action see*s to create such a

crisis and foster such a tension that a community $hich has constantly refused to

negotiate is forced to confront the issue. 1t see*s so to dramatiresister may sound rather shoc*ing. But 1 must confess that 1 am not afraid

of the $ord ;tension.; 1 have earnestly opposed violent tension( but there is a type of

constructive( nonviolent tension $hich is necessary for gro$th. 'ust as !ocrates felt

that it $as necessary to create a tension in the mind so that individuals could rise from

the bondage of myths and half>truths to the unfettered realm of creative analysis and

ob2ective appraisal( $e must $e see the need for nonviolent gadflies to create the *ind

of tension in society that $ill help men rise from the dar* depths of pre2udice and

racism to the ma2estic heights of understanding and brotherhood.

The purpose of our direct>action program is to create a situation so crisis>pac*ed that

it $ill inevitably open the door to negotiation. 1 therefore concur $ith you in your callfor negotiation. Too long has our beloved !outhland been bogged do$n in a tragic

effort to live in monologue rather than dialogue.

One of the basic points in your statement is that the action that 1 and my associates

have ta*en in Birmingham is untimely. !ome have as*ed# ;:hy didnt you give the

ne$ city administration time to act@; The only ans$er that 1 can give to this =uery is

that the ne$ Birmingham administration must be prodded about as much as the

outgoing one( before it $ill act. :e are sadly mista*en if $e feel that the election of

Albert Bout$ell as mayor $ill bring the millennium to Birmingham. :hile r.

Bout$ell is a much more gentle person than r. &onnor( they are both

segregationists( dedicated to maintenance of the status =uo. 1 have hope that r.

Bout$ell $ill be reasonable enough to see the futility of massive resistance to

desegregation. But he $ill not see this $ithout pressure from devotees of civil rights.

y friends( 1 must say to you that $e have not made a single gain civil rights $ithout

determined legal and nonviolent pressure. +amentably( it is an historical fact that

privileged groups seldom give up their privileges voluntarily. 1ndividuals may see the

moral light and voluntarily give up their un2ust posture? but( as Reinhold Niebuhr has

reminded us( groups tend to be more immoral than individuals.

:e *no$ through painful e3perience that freedom is never voluntarily given by the

oppressor? it must be demanded by the oppressed. 9ran*ly( 1 have yet to engage in adirect>action campaign that $as ;$ell timed; in the vie$ of those $ho have not

suffered unduly from the disease of segregation. 9or years no$ 1 have heard the $ord

;:aitC; 1t rings in the ear of every Negro $ith piercing familiarity. This ;:ait; has

almost al$ays meant Never.; :e must come to see( $ith one of our distinguished

2urists( that ;2ustice too long delayed is 2ustice denied.;

:e have $aited for more than 7DE years for our constitutional and ,od>given rights.

The nations of Asia and Africa are moving $ith 2etli*e speed to$ard gaining political

independence( but $e stiff creep at horse>and>buggy pace to$ard gaining a cup of

coffee at a lunch counter. -erhaps it is easy for those $ho have never felt the stinging

dar* of segregation to say( ;:ait.; But $hen you have seen vicious mobs lynch yourmothers and fathers at $ill and dro$n your sisters and brothers at $him? $hen you

7


4/12

have seen hate>filled policemen curse( *ic* and even *ill your blac* brothers and

sisters? $hen you see the vast ma2ority of your t$enty million Negro brothers

smothering in an airtight cage of poverty in the midst of an affluent society? $hen you

suddenly find your tongue t$isted and your speech stammering as you see* to e3plain

to your si3>year>old daughter $hy she cant go to the public amusement par* that has

2ust been advertised on television( and see tears $elling up in her eyes $hen she istold that 9unto$n is closed to colored children( and see ominous clouds of inferiority

beginning to form in her little mental s*y( and see her beginning to distort her

personality by developing an unconscious bitterness to$ard $hite people? $hen you

have to concoct an ans$er for a five>year>old son $ho is as*ing# ;)addy( $hy do

$hite people treat colored people so mean@;? $hen you ta*e a cross>county drive and

find it necessary to sleep night after night in the uncomfortable corners of your

automobile because no motel $ill accept you? $hen you are humiliated day in and day

out by nagging signs reading ;$hite; and ;colored;? $hen your first name becomes

;nigger(; your middle name becomes ;boy; %ho$ever old you are0 and your last name

becomes ;'ohn(; and your $ife and mother are never given the respected title ;rs.;?

$hen you are harried by day and haunted by night by the fact that you are a Negro(living constantly at tiptoe stance( never =uite *no$ing $hat to e3pect ne3t( and are

plagued $ith inner fears and outer resentments? $hen you no forever fighting a

degenerating sense of ;nobodiness; then you $ill understand $hy $e find it difficult

to $ait. There comes a time $hen the cup of endurance runs over( and men are no

longer $illing to be plunged into the abyss of despair. 1 hope( sirs( you can understand

our legitimate and unavoidable impatience.

8ou e3press a great deal of an3iety over our $illingness to brea* la$s. This is

certainly a legitimate concern. !ince $e so diligently urge people to obey the

!upreme &ourts decision of 46FD outla$ing segregation in the public schools( at first

glance it may seem rather parado3ical for us consciously to brea* la$s. One may $on

as*# ;Ho$ can you advocate brea*ing some la$s and obeying others@; The ans$er

lies in the fact that there fire t$o types of la$s# 2ust and un2ust. 1 $ould be the Brat to

advocate obeying 2ust la$s. One has not only a legal but a moral responsibility to

obey 2ust la$s. &onversely( one has a moral responsibility to disobey un2ust la$s. 1

$ould agree $ith !t. Augustine that ;an un2ust la$ is no la$ at all;

No$( $hat is the difference bet$een the t$o@ Ho$ does one determine $hether a la$

is 2ust or un2ust@ A 2ust la$ is a man>made code that s=uares $ith the moral la$ or the

la$ of ,od. An un2ust la$ is a code that is out of harmony $ith the moral la$. To put

it in the terms of !t. Thomas A=uinas# An un2ust la$ is a human la$ that is not rootedin eternal la$ and natural la$. Any la$ that uplifts human personality is 2ust. Any la$

that degrades human personality is un2ust. All segregation statutes are un2ust because

segregation distort the soul and damages the personality. 1t gives the segregator a false

sense of superiority and the segregated a false sense of inferiority. !egregation( to use

the terminology of the 'e$ish philosopher artin Buber( substitutes an ;1>it;

relationship for an ;1>thou; relationship and ends up relegating persons to the status of

things. Hence segregation is not only politically( economically and sociologically

unsound( it is morally $rong and a$ful. -aul Tillich said that sin is separation. 1s not

segregation an e3istential e3pression of mans tragic separation( his a$ful

estrangement( his terrible sinfulness@ Thus it is that 1 can urge men to obey the 46FD

decision of the !upreme &ourt( for it is morally right? and 1 can urge them to disobeysegregation ordinances( for they are morally $rong.

D


5/12

+et us consider a more concrete e3ample of 2ust and un2ust la$s. An un2ust la$ is a

code that a numerical or po$er ma2ority group compels a minority group to obey but

does not ma*e binding on itself. This is difference made legal. By the same to*en( a

2ust la$ is a code that a ma2ority compels a minority to follo$ and that it is $illing to

follo$ itself. This is sameness made legal.

+et me give another e3planation. A la$ is un2ust if it is inflicted on a minority that( as

a result of being denied the right to vote( had no part in enacting or devising the la$.

:ho can say that the legislature of Alabama $hich set up that states segregation la$s

$as democratically elected@ Throughout Alabama all sorts of devious methods are

used to prevent Negroes from becoming registered voters( and there are some counties

in $hich( even though Negroes constitute a ma2ority of the population( not a single

Negro is registered. &an any la$ enacted under such circumstances be considered

democratically structured@

!ometimes a la$ is 2ust on its face and un2ust in its application. 9or instance( 1 have

been arrested on a charge of parading $ithout a permit. No$( there is nothing $rongin having an ordinance $hich re=uires a permit for a parade. But such an ordinance

becomes un2ust $hen it is used to maintain segregation and to deny citi


6/12

&ounciler or the u lu3 lanner( but the $hite moderate( $ho is more devoted to

;order; than to 2ustice? $ho prefers a negative peace $hich is the absence of tension

to a positive peace $hich is the presence of 2ustice? $ho constantly says# ;1 agree $ith

you in the goal you see*( but 1 cannot agree $ith your methods of direct action;? $ho

paternalistically believes he can set the timetable for another mans freedom? $ho

lives by a mythical concept of time and $ho constantly advises the Negro to $ait for a;more convenient season.; !hallo$ understanding from people of good $ill is more

frustrating than absolute misunderstanding from people of ill $ill. +u*e$arm

acceptance is much more be$ildering than outright re2ection.

1 had hoped that the $hite moderate $ould understand that la$ and order e3ist for the

purpose of establishing 2ustice and that $hen they fan in this purpose they become the

dangerously structured dams that bloc* the flo$ of social progress. 1 had hoped that

the $hite moderate $ould understand that the present tension in the !outh is a

necessary phase of the transition from an obno3ious negative peace( in $hich the

Negro passively accepted his un2ust plight( to a substantive and positive peace( in

$hich all men $ill respect the dignity and $orth of human personality. Actually( $e$ho engage in nonviolent direct action are not the creators of tension. :e merely

bring to the surface the hidden tension that is already alive. :e bring it out in the

open( $here it can be seen and dealt $ith. +i*e a boil that can never be cured so long

as it is covered up but must be opened $ith an its ugliness to the natural medicines of

air and light( in2ustice must be e3posed( $ith all the tension its e3posure creates( to the

light of human conscience and the air of national opinion before it can be cured.

1n your statement you assert that our actions( even though peaceful( must be

condemned because they precipitate violence. But is this a logical assertion@ 1snt this

li*e condemning a robbed man because his possession of money precipitated the evil

act of robbery@ 1snt this li*e condemning !ocrates because his uns$erving

commitment to truth and his philosophical in=uiries precipitated the act by the

misguided populace in $hich they made him drin* hemloc*@ 1snt this li*e

condemning 'esus because his uni=ue ,od>consciousness and never>ceasing devotion

to ,ods $ill precipitated the evil act of crucifi3ion@ :e must come to see that( as the

federal courts have consistently affirmed( it is $rong to urge an individual to cease his

efforts to gain his basic constitutional rights because the =uest may precipitate

violence. !ociety must protect the robbed and punish the robber.

1 had also hoped that the $hite moderate $ould re2ect the myth concerning time in

relation to the struggle for freedom. 1 have 2ust received a letter from a $hite brotherin Te3as. He $rites# ;An &hristians *no$ that the colored people $ill receive e=ual

rights eventually( but it is possible that you are in too great a religious hurry. 1t has

ta*en &hristianity almost t$o thousand years to accomplish $hat it has. The teachings

of &hrist ta*e time to come to earth.; !uch an attitude stems from a tragic

misconception of time( from the strangely rational notion that there is something in

the very flo$ of time that $ill inevitably cure all ills. Actually( time itself is neutral? it

can be used either destructively or constructively. ore and more 1 feel that the

people of ill $ill have used time much more effectively than have the people of good

$ill. :e $ill have to repent in this generation not merely for the hateful $ords and

actions of the bad people but for the appalling silence of the good people. Human

progress never rolls in on $heels of inevitability? it comes through the tireless effortsof men $illing to be co>$or*ers $ith ,od( and $ithout this hard $or*( time itself

5


7/12

becomes an ally of the forces of social stagnation. :e must use time creatively( in the

*no$ledge that the time is al$ays ripe to do right. No$ is the time to ma*e real the

promise of democracy and transform our pending national elegy into a creative psalm

of brotherhood. No$ is the time to lift our national policy from the =uic*sand of racial

in2ustice to 5e solid roc* of human dignity.

8ou spea* of our activity in Birmingham as e3treme. At fist 1 $as rather disappointed

that fello$ clergymen $ould see my nonviolent efforts as those of an e3tremist. 1

began thin*ing about the fact that stand in the middle of t$o opposing forces in the

Negro community. One is a force of complacency( made up in part of Negroes $ho(

as a result of long years of oppression( are so drained of self>respect and a sense of

;somebodiness; that they have ad2usted to segregation? and in part of a fe$ middle

class Negroes $ho( because of a degree of academic and economic security and

because in some $ays they profit by segregation( have become insensitive to the

problems of the masses. The other force is one of bitterness and hatred( and it comes

perilously close to advocating violence. 1t is e3pressed in the various blac* nationalist

groups that are springing up across the nation( the largest and best>*no$n being "li2ahuhammads uslim movement. Nourished by the Negros frustration over the

continued e3istence of racial discrimination( this movement is made up of people $ho

have lost faith in America( $ho have absolutely repudiated &hristianity( and $ho have

concluded that the $hite man is an incorrigible ;devil.;

1 have tried to stand bet$een these t$o forces( saying that $e need emulate neither the

;do>nothingism; of the complacent nor the hatred and despair of the blac* nationalist.

9or there is the more e3cellent $ay of love and nonviolent protest. 1 am grateful to

,od that( through the influence of the Negro church( the $ay of nonviolence became

an integral part of our struggle.

1f this philosophy had not emerged( by no$ many streets of the !outh $ould( 1 am

convinced( be flo$ing $ith blood. And 1 am further convinced that if our $hite

brothers dismiss as ;rabble>rousers; and ;outside agitators; those of us $ho employ

nonviolent direct action( and if they refuse to support our nonviolent efforts( millions

of Negroes $ill( out of frustration and despair( see* solace and security in blac*>

nationalist ideologies a development that $ould inevitably lead to a frightening racial

nightmare.

Oppressed people cannot remain oppressed forever. The yearning for freedom

eventually manifests itself( and that is $hat has happened to the American Negro.!omething $ithin has reminded him of his birthright of freedom( and something

$ithout has reminded him that it can be gained. &onsciously or unconsciously( he has

been caught up by the Geitgeist( and $ith his blac* brothers of Africa and his bro$n

and yello$ brothers of Asia( !outh America and the &aribbean( the United !tates

Negro is moving $ith a sense of great urgency to$ard the promised land of racial

2ustice. 1f one recogniup resentments and latent frustrations( and he must release them. !o let

him march? let him ma*e prayer pilgrimages to the city hall? let him go on freedom

rides>and try to understand $hy he must do so. 1f his repressed emotions are not

released in nonviolent $ays( they $ill see* e3pression through violence? this is not athreat but a fact of history. !o 1 have not said to my people# ;,et rid of your


8/12

discontent.; Rather( 1 have tried to say that this normal and healthy discontent can be

channeled into the creative outlet of nonviolent direct action. And no$ this approach

is being termed e3tremist.

But though 1 $as initially disappointed at being categorievident(

that an men are created e=ual ...; !o the =uestion is not $hether $e $ill be e3tremists(

but $hat *ind of e3tremists $e viii be. :e $e be e3tremists for hate or for love@ :ill$e be e3tremist for the preservation of in2ustice or for the e3tension of 2ustice@ 1n that

dramatic scene on &alvarys hill three men $ere crucified. :e must never forget that

all three $ere crucified for the same crime>>>the crime of e3tremism. T$o $ere

e3tremists for immorality( and thus fell belo$ their environment. The other( 'eans

&hrist( $as an e3tremist for love( truth and goodness( and thereby rose above his

environment. -erhaps the !outh( the nation and the $orld are in dire need of creative

e3tremists.

1 had hoped that the $hite moderate $ould see this need. -erhaps 1 $as too optimistic?

perhaps 1 e3pected too much. 1 suppose 1 should have realisuch as Ralph c,ill( +illian !mith( Harry ,olden( 'ames cBride

)abbs( Ann Braden and !arah -atton Boyle>>>have $ritten about our struggle in

elo=uent and prophetic terms. Others have marched $ith us do$n nameless streets of

the !outh. They have languished in filthy( roach>infested 2ails( suffering the abuse and

brutality of policemen $ho vie$ them as ;dirty nigger lovers.; Unli*e so many of

their moderate brothers and sisters( they have recogni


9/12

But despite these notable e3ceptions( 1 must honestly reiterate that 1 have been

disappointed $ith the church. 1 do not say this as one of those negative critics $ho

can al$ays find something $rong $ith the church. 1 say this as a minister of the

gospel( $ho loves the church? $ho $as nurtured in its bosom? $ho has been sustained

by its spiritual blessings and $ho $ill remain true to it as long as the cord of Rio shall

lengthen.

:hen 1 $as suddenly catapulted into the leadership of the bus protest in ontgomery(

Alabama( a fe$ years ago( 1 felt $e $ould be supported by the $hite church felt that

the $hite ministers( priests and rabbis of the !outh $ould be among our strongest

allies. 1nstead( some have been outright opponents( refusing to understand the

freedom movement and misrepresenting its leader era? an too many others have been

more cautious than courageous and have remained silent behind the anesthetiglass $indo$s.

1n spite of my shattered dreams( 1 came to Birmingham $ith the hope that the $hite

religious leadership of this community $ould see the 2ustice of our cause and( $ithdeep moral concern( $ould serve as the channel through $hich our 2ust grievances

could reach the po$er structure. 1 had hoped that each of you $ould understand. But

again 1 have been disappointed.

1 have heard numerous southern religious leaders admonish their $orshipers to

comply $ith a desegregation decision because it is the la$( but 1 have longed to hear

$hite ministers declare# ;9ollo$ this decree because integration is morally right and

because the Negro is your brother.; 1n the midst of blatant in2ustices inflicted upon the

Negro( 1 have $atched $hite churchmen stand on the sideline and mouth pious

irrelevancies and sanctimonious trivialities. 1n the midst of a mighty struggle to rid

our nation of racial and economic in2ustice( 1 have heard many ministers say# ;Those

are social issues( $ith $hich the gospel has no real concern.; And 1 have $atched

many churches commit themselves to a completely other $orldly religion $hich

ma*es a strange( on Biblical distinction bet$een body and soul( bet$een the sacred

and the secular.

1 have traveled the length and breadth of Alabama( ississippi and all the other

southern states. On s$eltering summer days and crisp autumn mornings 1 have loo*ed

at the !ouths beautiful churches $ith their lofty spires pointing heaven$ard. 1 have

beheld the impressive outlines of her massive religious>education buildings. Over and

over 1 have found myself as*ing# ;:hat *ind of people $orship here@ :ho is their,od@ :here $ere their voices $hen the lips of ,overnor Barnett dripped $ith $ords

of interposition and nullification@ :here $ere they $hen ,overnor :alleye gave a

clarion call for defiance and hatred@ :here $ere their voices of support $hen bruised

and $eary Negro men and $omen decided to rise from the dar* dungeons of

complacency to the bright hills of creative protest@;

8es( these =uestions are still in my mind. 1n deep disappointment 1 have $ept over the

la3ity of the church. But be assured that my tears have been tears of love. There can

be no deep disappointment $here there is not deep love. 8es( 1 love the church. Ho$

could 1 do other$ise@ l am in the rather uni=ue position of being the son( the grandson

and the great>grandson of preachers. 8es( 1 see the church as the body of &hrist. But(

6


10/12

ohC Ho$ $e have blemished and scarred that body through social neglect and through

fear of being nonconformists.

There $as a time $hen the church $as very po$erful in the time $hen the early

&hristians re2oiced at being deemed $orthy to suffer for $hat they believed. 1n those

days the church $as not merely a thermometer that recorded the ideas and principlesof popular opinion? it $as a thermostat that transformed the mores of society.

:henever the early &hristians entered a to$n( the people in po$er became disturbed

and immediately sought to convict the &hristians for being ;disturbers of the peace;

and ;outside agitators; But the &hristians pressed on( in the conviction that they $ere

;a colony of heaven(; called to obey ,od rather than man. !mall in number( they $ere

big in commitment. They $ere too ,od into3icated to be ;astronomically

intimidated.; By their effort and e3ample they brought an end to such ancient evils as

infanticide. and gladiatorial contests.

Things are different no$. !o often the contemporary church is a $ea*( ineffectual

voice $ith an uncertain sound. !o often it is an archdefender of the status =uo. -arfrom being disturbed by the presence of the church( the po$er structure of the average

community is consoled by the churchs silent and often even vocal sanction of things

as they are.

But the 2udgment of ,od is upon the church as never before. 1f todays church does

not recapture the sacrificial spirit of the early church( it vi lose its authenticity( forfeit

the loyalty of millions( and be dismissed as an irrelevant social club $ith no meaning

for the t$entieth century. "very day 1 meet young people $hose disappointment $ith

the church has turned into outright disgust.

-erhaps 1 have once again been too optimistic. 1s organi


11/12

made cotton *ing? they built the homes of their masters $hile suffering gross in2ustice

and shameful humiliation>and yet out of a bottomless vitality they continued to thrive

and develop. 1f the ine3pressible cruelties of slavery could not stop us( the opposition

$e no$ face $ill surely fail. :e $ill $in our freedom because the sacred heritage of

our nation and the eternal $ill of ,od are embodied in our echoing demands.

Before closing 1 feel impelled to mention one other point in your statement that has

troubled me profoundly. 8ou $armly commended the Birmingham police force for

*eeping ;order; and ;preventing violence.; 1 doubt that you $ould have so $armly

commended the police force if you had seen its dogs sin*ing their teeth into unarmed(

nonviolent Negroes. 1 doubt that you $ould so =uic*ly commend the policemen if

.you $ere to observe their ugly and inhumane treatment of Negroes here in the city

2ail? if you $ere to $atch them push and curse old Negro $omen and young Negro

girls? if you $ere to see them slap and *ic* old Negro men and young boys? if you

$ere to observe them( as they did on t$o occasions( refuse to give us food because $e

$anted to sing our grace together. 1 cannot 2oin you in your praise of the Birmingham

police department.

1t is true that the police have e3ercised a degree of discipline in handing the

demonstrators. 1n this sense they have conducted themselves rather ;nonviolently; in

pubic. But for $hat purpose@ To preserve the evil system of segregation. Over the

past fe$ years 1 have consistently preached that nonviolence demands that the means

$e use must be as pure as the ends $e see*. 1 have tried to ma*e clear that it is $rong

to use immoral means to attain moral ends. But no$ 1 must affirm that it is 2ust as

$rong( or perhaps even more so( to use moral means to preserve immoral ends.

-erhaps r. &onnor and his policemen have been rather nonviolent in public( as $as

&hief -ritchett in Albany( ,eorgia but they have used the moral means of nonviolence

to maintain the immoral end of racial in2ustice. As T. !. "liot has said# ;The last

temptation is the greatest treason# To do the right deed for the $rong reason.;

1 $ish you had commended the Negro sit>inners and demonstrators of Birmingham

for their sublime courage( their $illingness to suffer and their ama


12/12

Never before have 1 $ritten so long a letter. 1m afraid it is much too long to ta*e your

precious time. 1 can assure you that it $ould have been much shorter if 1 had been

$riting from a comfortable des*( but $hat else can one do $hen he * alone in a

narro$ 2ail cell( other than $rite long letters( thin* long thoughts and pray long

prayers@

1f 1 have said anything in this letter that overstates the truth and indicates an

unreasonable impatience( 1 beg you to forgive me. 1f 1 have said anything that

understates the truth and indicates my having a patience that allo$s me to settle for

anything less than brotherhood( 1 beg ,od to forgive me.

1 hope this letter finds you strong in the faith. 1 also hope that circumstances $ill soon

ma*e it possible for me to meet each of you( not as an integrationist or a civil rights

leader but as a fello$ clergyman and a &hristian brother. +et us all hope that the dar*

clouds of racial pre2udice $ill soon pass a$ay and the deep fog of misunderstanding

$ill be lifted from our fear>drenched communities( and in some not too distant

tomorro$ the radiant stars of love and brotherhood $ill shine over our great nation$ith all their scintillating beauty.

8ours for the cause of -eace and Brotherhood(

ART1N +UTH"R 1N,( 'R.

4

letter from birmingham jail-mlk

Documents