Question

Throughout ”Letter from Birmingham Jail,” King returns to the idea of tension as a necessary and positive component of the civil rights movement. How does King develop this theme? Select each correct answer. MORE THAN ONE ANSWER
A. King argues that protestors do not cause tension; they merely expose tensions that already existed.
B. King claims, with some notable exceptions, most protests face no tension, violence, or problems with law enforcement.
C. King claims that tension can be a beneficial, creative force for change and improvement in society.
D. King insists that protestors are not the source of the tension; inherently racist attitudes and reactions are.

Answer 1

The correct answers are A and C. Throughout ”Letter from Birmingham Jail,” King returns to the idea of tension as a necessary and positive component of the Civil Rights Movement, arguing that protestors do not cause tension, as they merely expose tensions that already existed; and claiming that tension can be a beneficial, creative force for change and improvement in society.

The Letter from Birmingham Jail was an open letter written on April 16, 1963 by Martin Luther King, Jr., one of the leaders of the Civil Rights Movement in the United States. King wrote the letter from the prison in the city of Birmingham in Alabama, where he was being held after a non-violent protest against racial segregation. The letter is a response to a statement issued by eight white clergy members of Alabama on April 12, 1963 entitled "A Call to Unity." In it, they declared the existence of social injustices but expressed the belief that the battle against racial segregation should be carried out only in the courts and not carried to the streets, as it provoked tension between citizens. King responded that without strong direct action, true civil rights could never be achieved.