On April 3, 1963 in the city of Birmingham, AL a nonviolent campaign consisting of coordinated marches and sit-ins against racism and racial segregation was launched by the Alabama Christian Movement for Human Rights (ACMHR) and Dr. King’s Southern Christian Leadership Conference (SCLC). On April 10, a Circuit Judge issued a blanket injunction against “parading, demonstrating, boycotting, trespassing and picketing.” Leaders of the campaign announced they would disobey the ruling and on April 12th Dr. King was arrested.
On April 16, Dr. King penned an open letter defending the strategy of nonviolent resistance to racism. In it he outlines why it is that people have a moral responsibility to break unjust laws and to take direct action rather than simply waiting indefinitely for justice to come through the courts. This letter became widely published, was a critical text for the American Civil Rights Movement, is an important artifact of one of the most important movements in modern history, and something every person should read. The following link provides a reproduction of the letter in its entirety:
https://www.africa.upenn.edu/Articles_Gen/Letter_Birmingham.html)
In this brief episode we will put a practical spin on an element from one portion of the letter as Dr. King so brilliantly articulates a set of animating principles worth striving to apply as we relate to everyone with whom we come into contact.
ATTRIBUTIONS
“Changes” by Kazukii (Used by artist’s permission.)
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“Discovery” from the album “Essence” by RRAREBEAR (Used by artist’s permission.)
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https://soundcloud.com/rrarebearbeats
