King, passionate for this change, created " Project C", meaning confrontation, to do just that. These leaders in Birmingham were legally not required to leave their office until 1965, meaning that something else had to be done to generate change. Not only was the President slow to act, but Birmingham officials were refusing to leave their office, preventing a younger generation of officials with more modern beliefs to be elected. President Kennedy seemed to be in support of desegregation, however, was slow to take action. Kennedy on October 16, 1961, to address the concerns of discrimination in the south and the lack of action the government is taking. Their desire to be active in fighting against racism is what made King certain that this is where he should begin his work. The citizens of Birmingham's efforts in desegregation caught King's attention, especially with their previous attempts resulting in failure or broken promises. The SCC, a white civic organization, had agreed during this meeting to remove all "Whites Only" signs from downtown department stores, however failed to carry this promise through. The Alabama Christian Movement for Human Rights (ACMHR) had met with the Senior Citizens Committee (SCC) following this protest in hopes to find a way to prevent larger forms of retaliation against segregation. For example, students at Miles College boycotted local downtown stores for eight weeks, which resulted in a decrease in sales by 40% and two stores desegregating their water fountains. Background īirmingham, Alabama, was known for its intense segregation and attempts to combat said racism during this time period. ![]() The letter has been described as "one of the most important historical documents penned by a modern political prisoner", and is considered a classic document of civil disobedience. The letter, written in response to " A Call for Unity" during the 1963 Birmingham campaign, was widely published, and became an important text for the civil rights movement in the United States. Responding to being referred to as an "outsider", King writes: "Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere." It says that people have a moral responsibility to break unjust laws and to take direct action rather than waiting potentially forever for justice to come through the courts. The " Letter from Birmingham Jail", also known as the " Letter from Birmingham City Jail" and " The Negro Is Your Brother", is an open letter written on April 16, 1963, by Martin Luther King Jr. ![]() Recreation of Martin Luther King Jr.'s cell in Birmingham Jail at the National Civil Rights Museum Open letter written by Martin Luther King, Jr
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