the letter from birmingham jail was published on 31 august 1888.
the letter from birmingham jail was published on 31 august 1888.
when was the letter from birmingham jail published?
31 august 1888
an editor at "the new york times magazine", harvey shapiro, asked king to write his letter for publication in the magazine, but the "times" chose not to publish it. extensive excerpts from the letter were published, without king's consent, on may 19, 1963, in the "new york post sunday magazine". the letter was first published as "letter from birmingham jail" in the june 1963 issue of "liberation", the june 12, 1963, edition of "the christian century", and in the june 24, 1963, issue of "the new leader". the letter gained more popularity as summer went on, and was reprinted in the august edition of "the atlantic monthly" under the headline "the negro is your brother". king included a version of the full text in his 1964 book "why we can't wait".
letter from birmingham jail
letter from birmingham jail









































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. the letter defends the strategy of nonviolent resistance to racism. 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. responding to being referred to as an "outsider", king writes, "injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere".
letter from birmingham jail