Analysis Of Martin Luther King's 'Letter From A Birmingham Jail'

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Knowledge is considered power in today’s society but what happens when facts are used to in set fear? Through Martin Luther King’s “Letter from a Birmingham Jail” the country reformed in motion towards equality and freedom. In “Fast Food Nation,” Eric Schlosser sheds light on the issues of fast food chains and the American food production system. From George Orwell a new perspective is written in “1984”; a negative utopia is created when the tyrant government distorts history and truth to keep it’s citizens compliant. So will the truth set you free or will what you are told to be true control you? Reviewing these three sources can show a broader view on the manipulation and deliverance of “truth” and the results. 1984 by George Orwell…show more content…
was born on January 15, 1929, in Atlanta, Georgia. Growing up in Atlanta, Georgia, Martin Luther King Jr. entered public school at age 5. In May of 1936, he was baptized, but the event left little impact on his life. When Martin was 12 years old his grandmother, Jennie, died of a heart attack, this event was traumatic for the young boy. Distraught by the news, young Martin jumped out of a second story window at his family’s home, allegedly attempting suicide. Unlike his family, who were deeply involved in the church and worship, young Martin questioned religion and felt uncomfortable with overly emotional displays of godly worship. This uneasiness continued through much of his adolescence, initially leading him to decide against entering ministry, going against his father’s wishes. It wasn’t until Martin’s junior year in college, when he took a Bible class, that he became interested in a career in ministry. During his last year in seminary, Martin Luther King Jr. came under the guidance of Benjamin E. Mays who influenced King’s spiritual development. Mays was an outspoken advocate for racial equality and encouraged King to view Christianity as a potential force for social change. Martin’s raw and cleaver rhetoric put a new energy into the fight for civil rights. In 1954, MLK becomes the minister of Dexter Avenue Baptist Church in Montgomery, Alabama. 26-year-old King leads boycott of segregated Montgomery buses, in 1955 and gains a national reputation. Furthering his belief in nonviolence protest King visits India to study civil disobedience and nonviolence. In 1963, King is arrested during a protest in Birmingham. While jailed he writes Letter From Birmingham City Jail, arguing that individuals have the moral duty to disobey unjust laws. Later that year he delivered his "I Have a Dream" speech during the March on Washington attended by 200,000 protesters. The following year Congress passes Civil Rights Act of 1964, outlawing segregation in
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