Gospel of Freedom: Martin Luther King, Jr.’s Letter from Birmingham Jail and the Struggle That Changed a Nation

by Jonathan Rieder

"I am in Birmingham because injustice is here," declared Martin Luther King, Jr. He had come to that city of racist terror convinced that massive protest could topple Jim Crow. But the insurgency faltered. To revive it, King made a sacrificial act on Good Friday, April 12, 1963: he was arrested. Alone in his cell, reading a newspaper, he found a statement from eight "moderate" clergymen who branded the protests extremist and "untimely."

King drafted a furious rebuttal that emerged as the "Letter from Birmingham Jail"-a work that would take its place among the masterpieces of American moral argument alongside those of Thoreau and Lincoln. His insistence on the urgency of "Freedom Now" would inspire not just the marchers of Birmingham and Selma, but peaceful insurgents from Tiananmen to Tahrir Squares.

Scholar Jonathan Rieder delves deeper than anyone before into the Letter-illuminating both its timeless message and its crucial position in the history of civil rights. Rieder has interviewed King's surviving colleagues, and located rare audiotapes of King speaking in the mass meetings of 1963. Gospel of Freedom gives us a startling perspective on the Letter and the man who wrote it: an angry prophet who chastised American whites, found solace in the faith and resilience of the slaves, and knew that moral appeal without struggle never brings justice.

Genres: History, Nonfiction, Politics, Biography, Race, African American, American History

240 pages, Paperback

First published April 2, 2013

Reviews

[Scott · Rating 3 out of 5]

" . . . King's message was that God wanted you to 'deliver yourself.' His gospel of freedom mixed responsibility, spiritual recovery, and racial solidarity in a heady brew." -- the author, on page 31

Gospel of Freedom too often lags into feeling like a college textbook or a reading assignment, taking an absorbing or vital American topic, which had a charismatic and talented writer & orator in King at its forefront, and then rendering it in a dry format. (Note: author Rieder is a university professor.) However, it was in the little details that I found some of the most interesting parts - King possibly sliding into or suffering from undiagnosed depression after spending time in the solitary wing of the jail in April 1963; his sometimes strained relationships with other local clergy and civil rights leaders; the reactions and involvement of Jack and Bobby Kennedy - that helped bring history to life. Also of note is that the entire text of the 'Letter from Birmingham Jail' is included at the book's conclusion.

[robin friedman · Rating 5 out of 5]

Martin Luther King's Letter From Birmingham Jail

This year, 2013, marks the 50th anniversary of several key events from the civil rights era of 1963. The historical events include the March on Washington of August 28, 1963, with Martin Luther King's "I Have a Dream" speech. They include as well the "Letter from Birmingham Jail" which Dr. King wrote in prison in April, 1963, in the middle of demonstrations against segregation in Birmingham, Alabama. Released in April, 2013 to coincide with the anniversary of the "Letter", Jonathan Rieder's book, "Gospel of Freedom: Martin Luther King, Jr.'s Letter from Birmingham Jail and the Struggle that Changed a Nation", consists of a detailed analysis of the "Letter" and a discussion of its significance for King's work, including the Birmingham demonstrations and the later March. Rieder, professor of sociology at Barnard College, has written an earlier book on Dr. King, "The Word of the Lord is upon Me" (2008) together with an earlier book about the decline of political liberalism in the old Brooklyn neighborhood of Canarsie.

Rieder begins by placing the "Letter" in historical context. King had been asked to lead a series of demonstrations in Birmingham, which at the time was among the most violently racist cities in the United States. The demonstrations had as their primary goal ending segregation in the stores. The demonstrations were delayed for negotiations which proved unsuccessful and then delayed further when the notorious "Bull" Connor, the Commissioner of Public Safety ran unsuccessfully for mayor. When the demonstrations were slow in gaining momentum and Connor and the police acted with a degree of restraint, King got himself arrested on Good Friday, April 12, 1963. While he was in jail, a group of eight Birmingham clergymen wrote a public letter critical of King and the Birmingham demonstrations. The letter urged a policy of moderation and gradualism. King wrote his "Letter", dated April 16, 1963, in response to the clergymen. But King clearly had a broader audience in mind. King was released from jail on April 20.

With this background, Rieder presents an exposition of the "Letter". (The text of the "Letter" is included in the book.) Most readers have viewed the letter as primarily a discussion of civil disobedience in the line of Thoreau. Rieder argues that the "Letter" is substantially broader in scope and that it is pivotal in understanding King. Rieder finds the "Letter" falls into roughly two parts and develops two themes. In the first part, the "Letter" shows King as a "diplomat" as he explains politely and eruditely to eight clergymen and to white "moderate" America, the reasons for his activities in Birmingham and their pressing importance. In the second part of the "Letter", King becomes not only a preacher but he also adopts the tone of a "prophet" rather than a "diplomat". This section of the letter is passionate, and emphasizes the need for righteousness, justice, commitment to fight evil, and the deep injustices segregation visited on African Americans. Rieder argues that in the "Letter", King emphasized African American self-help and advocated a position closer to the views of black nationalists, such as Elijah Muhammad, than is sometimes realized. Thus, under Rieder's analysis, the "Letter" and King saw the struggle for civil rights as more outside American culture, rather than as an extension and fulfillment of the American experience. This reading emphasizes the militant character of Dr. King's vision and work.

The analysis of the "Letter" takes up the body of Rieder's book. He follows it with a discussion of how King used, and modified, the "Letter" in a speech to African Americans upon his release from jail. The modified speech emphasizes even more than the "Letter" the need for African Americans to be responsible for their own destinies by nonviolent resistance of injustice. Rieder discusses the subsequent escalation of the Birmingham demonstrations. While King was in jail, his associates had decided to use children in the demonstrations because the commitment of the adults seemed to be waning. With the use of the children, "Bull" Connor lost control and brought out dogs and hoses. The resulting images of violence shocked the nation and the world. King and the city reached an agreement under which the segregation in Birmingham stores ended. There was further violence in the form of rioting from some demonstrators followed by brutality from the Alabama State Police. On September 15, 1963, racists bombed the Sixteenth Street Baptist Church in Birmingham which had been home to much of the planning for the demonstrations. Four young African American girls were killed in the explosion.

In the final part of the book, Rieder argues that the themes of the "Letter", particularly its emphasis on African American self-help and its rejection of American exceptionalism, pervaded Dr. King's latter work, including the "I Have a Dream" speech. Rieder thus revises the frequently accepted interpretation of the "I Have a Dream" speech which sees King as placing his Dream within the American mainstream. Rieder also argues that the "Letter" includes themes that King developed in his later years, including his opposition to the War in Vietnam, and his increasing militance on matters of economics and poverty.

King's "Letter" has become a key document of the Civil Rights Movements as well as one of the most important works of 20th Century history. It is taught in countless high school and college courses. Rieder offers a thoughtful, provocative interpretation of King's "Letter", its history, and its continuing importance.

Robin Friedman

[Clif Hostetler · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book reviews the historical events leading up to the writing of the Letter from Birmingham Jail, describes the context of events within which it was written, parses its text with careful comparison to King’s sermons and speeches, and then reports on the aftermath and responses to the letter. I think the author has done a fine job of illuminating the text and explaining its significance as part of the civil rights movement. The full text of the letter is included in the appendix of the book.

All through the book I was wondering what the reaction was in later years of the eight white pastors to which the Letter was addressed. The Letter was not mailed to them directly, but as the Letter became widely published they all found out about it. The epilog of this book addresses this question and describes the reactions of some of the pastors. The reactions varied from defiant and resentful to apologetic. When they signed their names to the newspaper article they had no idea that their names would forever be associated with a famous work of literature written in reply. The following quote from one of the the pastors gives a taste of what they have experienced.

"Now this letter is studied in English courses and sociology courses, and I get at least one letter a semester asking me if I'm still a bigot."

I learned about this book from the following short description found on my Book Lover’s Calendar for January 19, 2015 (Martin Luther King Day).

Martin Luther King Jr. came to Birmingham, Alabama, in 1963, convinced that massive protests could topple Jim Crow. But the movement failed, and to revive it, King allowed himself to be arrested. While he was in his cell, he read a newspaper article written by eight clergymen who objected to the protests. King drafted an indignant rebuttal that became the "Letter from Birmingham Jail," which would take its place among works by Thoreau and Lincoln as a signpost of moral argument. Scholar Jonathan Rieder provides a fresh and startling perspective on both the letter and the man who wrote it.
GOSPEL OF FREEDOM: MARTIN LUTHER KING, JR.'S LETTER FROM BIRMINGHAM JAIL AND THE STRUGGLE THAT CHANGED A NATION, by Jonathan Rieder (Bloomsbury, 2013)

Many of the quotations attributed to MLK can be found in the Letter. The following are examples:

“Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere. We are caught in an inescapable network of mutuality, tied in a single garment of destiny. Whatever affects one directly, affects all indirectly.”

“We know through painful experience that freedom is never voluntarily given by the oppressor; it must be demanded by the oppressed.”

“So I have tried to make it clear that it is wrong to use immoral means to attain moral ends. But now I must affirm that it is just as wrong, or even more so, to use moral means to preserve immoral ends. ”

“One has not only a legal, but a moral responsibility to obey just laws. Conversely, one has a moral responsibility to disobey unjust laws.”

“Let justice roll down like waters and righteousness like a mighty stream.” (Actually a quote from the Old Testament, Amos 5:24)

[Kusaimamekirai · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wonderful analysis of not only the genesis of Martin Luther King’s “Letter From a Birmingham Jail” but also the historical forces that shaped it.
Was also happy to see that in addition to adding some fun and slightly obscure facts about the letter (Bob Marley carried the letter with him on his 1973 American tour!) The author also dedicates the last part of the book to the aftermath of the letter and its seismic impact that reverberated from Montgomery all the way to Krakow and Soweto.
What I appreciated the most is that the author did not, as most chroniclers of the now mythical King tend do, gloss over his more militant positions toward poverty and the Vietnam war toward the end of his life. The author finds consistency with the universal themes of humanity in the letter that transcend black and white in America, and the moral necessity to speak up against crimes against humanity like the Vietnam War.
King of course found himself isolated between both friends and enemies for his stand against the war and his biting criticism of an America that he felt rarely lived up to its ideals:

“Oh the press was so noble in its applause and so noble in its praise that I was saying be nonviolent toward Bull Connor. The same people will curse you and damn you when you say be nonviolent toward little brown Vietnamese children...I can’t equivocate when we’re bombing innocent women and children...you should know I’m a minister of God before I’m a civil rights leader”

“We will have to repent in this generation not merry for the hateful words of bad people but for the appalling silence of the good people”

As much as injustice exasperated and disappointed King, he rejected the criticism that he “hated” America despite criticizing it. He rightly pointed out in the letter that:

“There can be no deep disappointment where there is not deep love”

The Letter’s themes hold up remarkably well more than 60 years after its publication and I can’t help but think that if became required reading for every citizen that the world would, even in some small way, become a better place for all of us

[Alan Marr · Rating 5 out of 5]

I am a sucker for anything about Martin Luther King but I reckon if the New Testament were being compiled today his “Letter from the Birmingham Jail” would be included. This book tells the story of the drama that birthed it and what happened after it. It deals with the troubled courageous soul of MLK as well as those around him. I was left wondering about the 8 clergy to whom the letter was addressed. The book gives a little information about them but I would like to know more. I feel the same about Bull Connor. Did he die a happy man? This book is a well-written exegesis of the letter. I found it deeply moving.

[Brad Peters · Rating 5 out of 5]

In an accessible and relatively short book, Professor of sociology Jonathan Rieder gives a contextualized and textual treatment of ML King's famous Letter from a Birmingham Jail. While it isn't long, he does a good job teasing out the tension, the nuances of both King and his epistle of '63.

The book is organized neatly into sections; how he became a prisoner, analysis of the letter, and finally it's aftermath. Rieder writes clearly and while not overwhelmingly provocative in his analysis, he nonetheless sheds light on the circumstances and legacy of King's jailing, writing and marching.

I appreciated his treatment of the text itself, of how Rieder analyzed the letter. He carefully walks the reader through each section of the letter, often one paragraph at a time. And like a skilled teacher would do, he helps the reader appreciate what King wrote by giving ample context to the ideas or issues that King was addressing. As a result, the book moves swiftly between the letter and concurrent issues in Birmingham, Alabama and the nation. It's woven well. One isn't lost as he pivots between the lines of King's writing and the lines of history, the story line of the Civil Rights movement.

Rieder also notes with frequency the complexity of King as it's on display in the letter and in other parts of the historic record. In the Letter, King used the language bandied about today (2021) in American discourse on race and Critical Race Theory, using "oppressor" to describe Whites and "oppressed" to describe Blacks. "We know through painful experience that freedom is never voluntarily given by the oppressor; it must be demanded by the oppressed." King writes. Later, King scribed: "I suppose I should have realized that few members of the oppressor race can understand the deep groans and passionate yearnings of the oppressed race, and still fewer have the vision to see that injustice must be rooted out by strong, persistent and determined action."

And while this is true, Rieder points out just as King did, that he doesn't linger there, it's not his philosophical bedrock upon which to build the house of revolution.

The sentence that follows the latter excerpt of MLK's hastens to modify a wholly "us vs. them" dynamic. "I am thankful, however, that some of our white brothers in the South have grasped the meaning of this social revolution and committed themselves to it. They are still all too few in quantity, but they are big in quality." Then Rieder interprets: "The icon of universal love flirts with the determinism of race. The oppressors are whites in general and they are incapacitated by their whiteness: They do not understand black suffering, cannot see what justice requires. 'I suppose', King reflects, 'I should have realized that few members of the oppressor race can understand the deep groans and passionate yearnings of the oppressed race, and still fewer have the vision to see that injustice must be rooted out by strong and persistent action.'" page 86

To the growing militancy King could say emphatically, "I get it!" (much of the speech is a diatribe against the clergy's and white America's demand that King "wait" on taking action when "wait", for African Americans, always meant "never."). There is also a warning to whites of the fire that's coming as "waiting" has run its course.

Splicing textual analysis with words or actions King wrote or did in other places, Rieder articulates well the complexity of King. No person, certainly not King, is a one-dimensional cardboard cutout. The letter is on one hand full of polite pragmatism, and yet is on the other hand the work of an angered and impatient prophet calling out for the people to repent -- clergy, blacks, whites, anyone who isn't engaged in the battle to redeem the Gospel of Freedom and restore the soul of America.

It's this tension within King that I find compelling ... his recognition that many African Americans saw it in "black and white" terms with no gray. He could and often did step into that lived experience and spoke in the vocabulary of the oppressed.

King is not just angry - though he has every right to be singularly that. King refuses to give up hope on white America and on America itself. Black Nationalism (and violence) was an alluring elixir to disenchanted blacks who were worn out from the wait and weight of segregation. Rieder writes: Black nationalism as always tended to wax and wane with the virulence of racism, the responsiveness of the larger white political order to black suffering and the degree of pessimism at White indifference and callousness inspired. But instead of becoming despondent about it, right after he had indicted the white church, King struck a note of confident optimism “But even if the church does not come to the aid of justice, I have no despair about the future. I have no fear about the outcome of our struggle in Birmingham.” page 94.

The Gospel of Freedom ultimately lands here: "The gospel of freedom mirrors the gospel of Jesus Christ with which it is allied. As we prepare to close out the Chronicle of our encounters with King the diplomat, it helps to stand back and take a measure of the man who has revealed himself in the first half of the letter. He is alternatively gracious, logical, patient, reasonable, generous, dignified, and forgiving. Clearly, he is a virtuoso of the rights and rituals of decorum. That doesn’t mean he is a saint who has conquered every unchristian impulse. He can be furious; he is not above sticking it to his critics with a passive aggressive attack. At times, his manners seem disingenuous, maybe even manipulative he can be patronizing and pedantic too. He has a bit of a show off. Now and then he appears to be somewhat pious, verging on the grandiose he thinks he is like Amos and the apostle Paul."

So what are we to make of all of this? Much, and Rieder leaves enough out of the manuscript of his work to allow for room so the reader can make his or her own conclusions. King is a complex man, as is the seminal written work of his hand. Diplomat and prophet. Radical and street fighter. King was all of these things and more.

[Debbie Jacob · Rating 5 out of 5]

Letter from Birmingham Jail is such an important Civil Rights proclamation, which is not nearly talked about as much as King's speeches. Rieder's book provides a social and historical context for the letter, which is included in the book making this an important history of the Civil Right's movement.

[Rob · Rating 4 out of 5]

Solid study of the Birmingham letter and its historical context. Balanced approach, not heavy on the hero worship. Structured very well so that when you go through the letter itself, you understand the references to contemporaneous events. Very much worth a read.

[Barbara Mayer · Rating 5 out of 5]

Words for everyone and every day.

I think we need to be reminded of Dr Kings message more today than ever. I am so grateful his words are available to read today and tomorrow,again and again.

[Christine · Rating 4 out of 5]

It would have been amazing to have really known MLKJ. The more I learn about him, the more I think that to be true!

[Jen · Rating 3 out of 5]

My favorite part of the book was reading King's letter from Birmingham. The rest of the analysis and history was interesting, but I would probably just suggest reading one of King's books instead.

[Brittany Dorrington · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was part of my research and reading for my dissertation and man, did this book not disappoint!!

I found this book to be very insightful about not only the "Letter from Birmingham Jail" but also the social and political events that were taking place during this period. I appreciated the in-depth analysis that Rieder did on the letter itself. You really got the sense of the multiple sides and feelings that were boiling away in Martin Luther King Jr.'s mind not only during his imprisonment but prior to it. I found that you could clearly see the inner turmoil that King had over being upset, full of hatred and disappointment in what was taking place in Birmingham and the rest of America, but also the love, the hope and the patience that he embodied as well. I also appreciated the fact that through the analysis of the letter you got the sense of the slight sarcasm that King's response had to the eight white ministers.

In terms of the social and political events discussed in the book, I felt that Rieder did an amazing job of outlining some of the key events that took place during this time. These were events such as D-Day/The Children's Crusade and the Sixteenth Street Baptist Church bombing that killed four innocent African American girls. In this book, you got the real sense of how important these events were for not only the argument that King and his associates were advocating but how they are important in the wider sense of the civil rights movement and its legacies afterwards.

My only criticism (and it is a tiny one) is that I wish that the author could have talked more about how black people that weren't church ministers or young people were taking in King's message and implementing it through their actions of protest, whether it be nonviolent or violent. I felt that it was only briefly mentioned. However, as I said, this is only a small criticism and I do understand that this book is more about what King and his associates did and the "Letter" itself. Therefore this little criticism of mine is really only minor.

Either way, I thoroughly enjoyed this book and recommend it to anyone who wants to know more about the events that took place in Birmingham during the civil rights period, the "Letter from Birmingham Jail" and the thoughts, feelings and actions of Martin Luther King Jr.

[Sarah · Rating 4 out of 5]

Book Riot Read Harder Challenge Task #20: A book written in prison. So this was an interesting challenge for as far as I could tell, it needed to actually be written in prison and not written by someone who had been incarcerated and then released, and later wrote the book.

As a result, much of this book was an analysis of the letter itself (since that is what was written in prison) with only some of it talking about the lead up to the incarceration (how Martin Luther King Jr came to be in a Birmingham Jail and what was going on at the time in terms of segregation and politics). And though the book isn't long, I will honestly admit I did find it a bit challenging to stay focused on the narrative (don't worry I was reflecting on what was being discussed!) as it isn't so much a book with a story to tell, more a book that analysis a critical letter at a pivotal point of time. There are times where you loop back over key points in the letter in order to better understand his message and its meaning.

And what a letter! It is so beautifully articulated despite the horrendous treatment he must have been suffering; extreme isolation, starvation and abuse. There were times when you were reading it, where you can't believe anyone endured such violations of basic human rights, while at the same time, thinking some of this is still happening today.

I would very much like to read more on the life of Martin Luther King Jr and the other men and women who suffered to bring an end to segregation.

[David Campton · Rating 5 out of 5]

Until last year I had never actually read, in its entirety, MLK's letter from Birmingham jail, which is the focus of this book, and is included in full in the appendix. As such I read the back of the book first, and in my first reading I constantly flicked back and forward from commentary to text. I re-read the whole book again this year at a faster pace, in the wake of the 50th anniversary of MLK's assassination, the post Obama Trump era race politics in the US and the 50th anniversary of the Civil Rights marches here in NI that claimed their inspiration from MLK etc, and yet ironically lead to a prolonged period in this province that was anything but non-violent. As such it made me long for leaders of MLK's stature in America and here in the present day... and believe that this book should be compulsory reading for anyone going into public office or engaging in the public square in the arena of rights and social justice. The author clearly identifies the complex strands of reason, rhetoric and raw emotion in this letter, and makes me want to read more in a similar vein.

[Jimgosailing · Rating 4 out of 5]

So I’d listened to the audiobook narration of Letter From Birmingham Jail read by Dion Graham and needed to know more about the letter and how it came to be. I think we hear about MLK’s “I have a dream” speech these days than the Letter, probably due to King’s oratory skills and the speech, clips from it at least being easily accessible.

So the book doesn’t disappoint; know the letter was a response to other ministers is critical knowledge for context. And Rieder does an excellent job of dissecting the Letter passage by passage and providing insights.

“The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to do nothing” is at the core of King’s message when he addresses the complacency of liberal whites and when he addresses that waiting won’t do; they’ve been waiting.

And interesting to read how the Letter has reverberated world wide to be used by others in many nations in addressing oppression.

[Hunter · Rating 4 out of 5]

A spectacular book that situates King's "Letter" in the wider context of the civil rights movement. The pre- and post- history of the Letter were splendid, and the close reading of the text further illuminated the portrait of a man who was a seasoned orator, a studied preacher, and an ardent activist. That King occupies all these at once seems, in many ways, one of the reasons that his words rippled from the streets of America, to the shores of the West Bank, to the uprising in Tiananmen Square.

It's phenomenal, all told—and Rieder makes a powerful claim that the Letter resides in a scared space as one of America's most important documents. After reading Gospel of Freedom, I'm inclined to agree.

[Becki · Rating 5 out of 5]

I had been wanting to read Martin Luther King Jr's "Letter from Birmingham Jail", and in my efforts, I found this book. The appendix of "Gospel of Freedom" has the entire text of the "Letter", but the bulk of the book is a careful examination of the "Letter" in conjunction with current events of the time, particularly in Birmingham, Alabama. Author Jonathan Rieding is professor, and this book does have the feel of a series of lectures. It definitely adds to the understanding of the "Letter", though. I especially appreciated the epilogue, which highlights how the "Letter" lived on and continued its purpose, even after King's death. Glad I read this.

[Francis Martinez · Rating 4 out of 5]

I had some time ago heard of Martin Luther King Jr.'s Letter From a Birmingham Jail but I had never read it. Jonathan Rieder's book dissects the letter and analyzes its passages against the background of the times and circumstances. It was an eye opening book for me and I believe gives insight into issues that are relevant to today. I would recommend this book to anyone seeking to gain further insight into the civil rights movement of the fifties and sixties and how King's letter is relevant today.

[Eddie · Rating 3 out of 5]

It is really a 3.5 stars for me. I wanted to like this book more given the subject matter but, I guess the writer and I were not on the same page. Another reviewer (also 3 stars) posted a short hand read of the book as follows:
-Chapter 1
-Appendix (the "Letter" itself)
-Chapter 4
-Epilogue
I wholeheartedly agree.

[Janakap · Rating 5 out of 5]

How do you explain the unimaginable and real circumstances of this book? A freedom fighter is thrown in jail while walking for his cause. His comrades in arms critique him. He now has all the time in the world and gives the world a letter that should be required reading in every history class curriculum. Beautifully written.

[Bethany Ward · Rating 4 out of 5]

I agree with other readers that it’s helpful to go to the epilogue after chapter 1 to actually read ‘the Letter’ before diving into the analysis in chapter 2. Lots of great history and explanation of context for this breathtaking letter. I’m only sad it took me so long to discover King’s words. They are more relevant and needed today than ever before. I needed this gut check. Thank you, Dr King.

[Cathy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Both insightful analysis of Dr. King’s brilliant “Letter” and interesting historical background culled from tapes of mass meetings held during the Birmingham Campaign, author interviews with key figures, and a host of textual research. I learned a lot and was moved.

[Jonathan · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a fantastic peek into the current climate that lead up to King's famous letter from jail. Although the letters weren't an instant hit, this book goes deeply into why the letter was necessary, and how it slowly grabbed the attention of millions.

[Holly · Rating 3 out of 5]

A more critical analysis of MLK Jr‘s role in the civil rights movement. I should have skipped to the book’s Appendix where you can find a copy of the “Letter from Birmingham Jail,” which I found to be wonderfully written and a more succinct synopsis of everything in this book.

[Nellie Herren · Rating 5 out of 5]

I can’t believe I waited this long to read this book/letter.
❤️💔😭

It’s difficult to write that I “enjoyed” this book because it was such an powerful yet emotional & painful read. . I think some people need to read this 2-3x 🤷🏻‍♀️

[Elizabeth · Rating 4 out of 5]

Essential for anyone who teaches "Letter from Birmingham Jail."

[Su · Rating 5 out of 5]

Dr. King's letter is just as relevant now as it was when he wrote it. This book offers valuable context for those of us who weren't there, as well as the full text of the letter.

[Aqueelah · Rating 5 out of 5]

Helpful insight to Dr. King's personal sacrifice and reminder of our current institutional pitfalls and challenges.

[Melody · Rating 3 out of 5]

It did provide extra on the background dynamics of the civil rights movement.

[Stephanie · Rating 5 out of 5]

This should be a must read for EVERYONE!