Rhetoric & Public Affairs

Examining King's "Letter" in juxtaposition with the two preceding statements by the Birmingham clergy, this essay explores the tension in values between King and his clergy peers. While the clergy focused on the immediate situation in Birmingham, King insisted on viewing the struggle there on a larger canvas. The clergy's efforts were to prevent civil unrest, to protect the fragile peace in the city. In contrast, King argued that justice was more important than civil tranquillity. The clergy's statements provided King the ideal opportunity to articulate his views. King's "Letter" endures because it speaks to deep chords in the American psyche.