Sixty years ago this month, Dr. King was arrested during the campaign in Birmingham, AL. During his time in jail, he wrote what has become a classic of American and Church history – The Letter From the Birmingham Jail. (Click here for a link to the text of the letter. It is long but well worth your time.) In the upcoming weeks, our weekly reflections will focus on parts of that letter that are just as important today as they were in 1963. This week we will focus on the part of the story that is less well known. Dr. King’s letter was a response to a previous letter by eight prominent white clergymen that was published in the Birmingham press. In that letter, the clergymen wrote of their support for ending racial segregation but criticized Dr. King and others who were participating in nonviolent direct action to publicly protest the injustice of legal segregation. Here are excerpts from that letter:

We the undersigned clergymen are among those who, in January, issued “An Appeal for Law and Order and Common Sense,” in dealing with racial problems in Alabama. We expressed understanding that honest convictions in racial matters could properly be pursued in the courts, but urged that decisions of those courts should in the meantime be peacefully obeyed.

However, we are now confronted by a series of demonstrations by some of our Negro citizens, directed and led in part by outsiders. We recognize the natural impatience of people who feel that their hopes are slow in being realized. But we are convinced that these demonstrations are unwise and untimely.

We further strongly urge our own Negro community to withdraw support from these demonstrations, and to unite locally in working peacefully for a better Birmingham. When rights are consistently denied, a cause should be pressed in the courts and in negotiations among local leaders, and not in the streets. We appeal to both our white and Negro citizenry to observe the principles of law and order and common sense.

While the sentiments of this letter seem to make sense at first glance, it fails to recognize the injustices and indignities suffered on a daily basis by the Black people of Birmingham. While the judicial process was being pursued, it was inadequate by itself to cause a quicker pace of change. The letter also plays into the stereotype that nonviolent protests are the result of “outsiders.” This makes the condescending assumption that oppressed people are willing to accept their oppression and only resist under the influence of the “outsiders.” In fact, a local Black pastor and leader Rev. Fred Shuttlesworth courageously resisted racial segregation for years and organized others to resist before he invited Dr. King and the Southern Christian Leadership Conference to participate in the Birmingham campaign. Another aspect of the clergymen’s letter that served to reinforce the unjust status quo was their repeated reference on maintaining “Law and Order.” The irony of this appeal was that the local representatives of “law and order” were the very ones who were perpetuating racial injustice and even violence against peaceful protesters. The Department of Public Safety was headed by Eugene “Bull” Connor who was an unapologetic supporter of racial segregation and white supremacy. This appeal to “law and order” also fails to recognize that peaceful protest is a constitutionally protected act and an expression of patriotism.

The letter by the clergymen is important, because the same phrases of “outsiders” and “law and order” continue to be used by those who oppose nonviolent public protest against racial injustice. For example, the protests related to Black Lives Matter in the wake of the murder of George Floyd in 2020 and subsequent acts of violence against unarmed Black people were regularly criticized by those who used the same approach as the clergymen of 1963. This ignored the fact that the overwhelming number of protests from 2020 to today have been nonviolent. In the rare instances of violence, it was caused by people who were not associated with Black Lives Matter. The decentralized nature of the Black Lives Matter movement means that protests are organized locally and not the result of “outsiders.” Nonviolent protest continues to be a constitutionally protected act and an expression of patriotism. Contrasting “law and order” with nonviolent protest is not only un-American but also perpetuates systemic injustice. Next week, we will begin to reflect on Dr. King’s response to the well intentioned but misguided white clergymen. His words are as important for our nation and the Church in April 2023 as they were in April 1963.

The short video posted below provides a summary of the context in which Dr. King’s letter was written including the letter by the eight white clergymen.