---

         In Martin Luther King’s renown “Letter from a Birmingham Jail,” King argued that everybody has an obligation to fight for justice. Throughout his letter, King portrays himself and fellow activists as rabble-rousers, simply attempting to initiate conversation and action by stating, “Justice too long delayed is justice denied.” (King, 2) “Wait” had become a piercing word to the African American ear. Dr. King is calling for immediate action, yet heading the advice of peaceful protests, “..it is wrong to use immoral means to attain moral ends.”(King, 6)  King utilizes his logos, pathos, and religious allusions in order to appeal to the white audience, and to highlight the hypocrisies of the whites who continue to turn a blind eye to the cruel injustices faced by the African American community.  

            King paints a vivid picture of the injustices faced by the African American community in order to appeal to utilize pathos. Although many of Kings speeches are known to be emotional and inspirational, this letter differs because he utilizes pathos in his thorough explanation of this unjust situation. King describes in detail the harsh experiences of blacks within the south in order to evoke an emotional response. “When you suddenly find your tongue twisted and your speech stammering as you seek to explain to your six-year-old daughter why she cannot go to the public amusement park that has just been advertised on television, and see tears welling up in her little eyes when she is told that Funtown is closed to colored children…” (King, 2), King uses this example because he knows that many people can relate to being a parent, and anyone who loves their children will feel heartbroken and empathize with it. His repetition of “when” throughout the paragraph further reiterates the dozens of heartbreaking realizations a black parent and child have to come to as a result of segregation. By appealing to pathos, King is able to be relatable, and is granting white people insight into the hardships faced by blacks. This further allows readers to listen and relate to his words, find validity in his argument that change is essential, and cannot be avoided any longer. 

            Although King’s other speeches specifically relied on appeals of emotion and inspiration, inside each letter is a logical argument. “An unjust law is a code that a numerical or power majority group compels a minority group to obey but does not make binding on itself. This is difference made legal.” (King, 4) King provides a very precise definition of what is a just and unjust law, which is emphasized by the obvious argument that Black Africans were denied the right to vote. Through his speech of “sameness” and “difference made legal” the reader understands his point of necessary equality.

            King further alludes to religious figures and “extremists” in order to highlight the hypocrisy which exists within the white community. King argues that the main obstacle in blacks gaining justice is not the Ku Klux Klan, but is in fact the “white moderate.” The white moderate is the one who encourages blacks to keep their head down, and who places emphasis on the inevitability of justice without taking any action towards it. King juxtaposes this concept of moderation with extremism and attempts to prove that “extremists” should be embraced. He responds to the backlash of being called an extremist by turning it around and stating, “Was Jesus not an extremist for love?” King purposely alludes to the Christian religion because he is aware of the demographics of his audience, and that the white people who oppose blacks’ justice are the ones who also preach the word of god. By alluding to religion and redefining what it means to be an extremist, King further proves that reflection and change are essential. 

            Through King’s powerful use of logos, pathos, religious allusions, repetition, and imagery, he is able to inspire an audience who has been waiting for their social liberation, and to appeal to the whites who have demonstrated indifference. King’s fundamental letter is now seen as a piece of literature which has shaped an entire movement and has allowed progress to grow throughout society.