Author: Martin Luther King, Jr.

PRIMARY DOCUMENT

Letter from Birmingham Jail

In this letter, written on April 16, 1963, Martin Luther King Jr. writes of his need to carry the “gospel of freedom” to places of injustice and shares his desire to make the United States an equitable place for all races. He explores the nature of non-violent protest, racism, and social imbalance. This letter is an emblem of the civil rights era and a blueprint for nonviolent protest.