Letter From a Birmingham Jail - Analytical Reading

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Letter From a Birmingham Jail Related AP Daily Video: https://apclassroom.collegeboard.org/d/wreg4qoh77?sui=20,3 Before You Read Before reading Dr. King’s "Letter from a Birmingham Jail" and an article about a modern social justice movement, think about how social action can affect our American national government. Use the graphic below to explore these ideas (provide examples for each). Public opinion Public opinion can have a significant impact on the American national government because elected officials are accountable to their constituents. If a large portion of the population supports a particular policy or position, elected officials may be more likely to align with that position to maintain their support and re-election prospects. Conversely, if public opinion is opposed to a particular policy or position, elected officials may be less likely to support it. Legislative policy Legislative policy is one of the primary ways that the American national government enacts change. Through the legislative process, bills are introduced, debated, amended, and passed or rejected. This process can be influenced by various factors, including political party composition, interest group lobbying, and public opinion. Once a bill is passed, it becomes law and can have a significant impact on American society. The Supreme Court The Supreme Court is the highest court in the American national government and is responsible for interpreting the Constitution and federal law. The Court can have a significant impact on American society through its rulings, which can establish or overturn legal precedents. The Court's decisions can also shape public policy and impact social issues. Letter from a Birmingham Jail As you read the text, consider how the author develops an argument for how social movements should seek to expand civil rights. Try to identify the evidence that Dr. King uses to support his argument. Then, think about the implications of this argument in terms of how it suggests social movements should seek to influence policy and how this argument might influence other social movements. In 1963, Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. participated in a nonviolent demonstration against segregation in Birmingham, Alabama. Dr. King was imprisoned for his participation in the nonviolent demonstration. From the Birmingham jail, he handwrote a letter in response to a group of white Southern religious leaders who issued a public statement describing the nonviolent demonstrations as “unwise and untimely.” Describe Dr. King’s purpose in writing this paragraph. What is he attempting to explain to his audience? Dr. King's purpose in writing this letter was to defend his use of nonviolent direct action in the civil rights movement and to address criticism from white religious leaders who opposed his methods. He sought to explain why direct action was necessary and to urge his audience to join him in

the fight for racial justice. What is the promise that King explains the merchants broke which may have prevented the direct action he’s describing? King explains that the merchants broke their promise to remove the unjust segregation practices that they had previously agreed to remove. This broken promise created the need for direct action to pressure the merchants to change their policies. What was the direct action seeking to get the merchants to do? The direct action sought to get the merchants to remove unjust segregation practices, such as "white only" signs and unequal hiring practices. Thinking back to Dr. King’s intended audience and purpose, why is he describing these delays in the direct action? What is he trying to communicate to his audience? Dr. King describes the delays in the direct action to emphasize the patience and restraint of the civil rights movement in the face of ongoing discrimination and violence. He is trying to communicate to his audience that their struggle is a long-term one and that they must remain committed and steadfast in their pursuit of justice. What, according to Dr. King, is the purpose of direct action? According to Dr. King, the purpose of direct action is to create a crisis and tension that forces those in power to negotiate and make policy changes that advance civil rights. In this paragraph, Dr. King outlines his argument for using direct action to seek policy change that advances civil rights. In the space below the text, explain how each of these concepts fit in the context of Dr. King’s argument. nonviolent direct action, tension, negotiation, and policy change that advances civil rights Now, explain the relationship between these concepts in the context of Dr. King’s argument. In the context of Dr. King's argument, nonviolent direct action is a powerful tool for creating tension and putting pressure on those in power to negotiate and make policy changes. Negotiation is necessary to achieve lasting change, but direct action is often needed to create the conditions for negotiation to occur. Policy change that advances civil rights is the ultimate goal of the civil rights movement and is achieved through sustained pressure on those in power. How does this claim relate to Dr. King’s argument from the previous paragraph? Dr. King's claim that direct action is necessary to create tension and force negotiation is central to his argument that nonviolent protest is a powerful and effective tool for social change. What is one specific example of the use of legal pressure by the civil rights movement of the 1960s? One specific example of the use of legal pressure by the civil rights movement in the 1960s was the successful challenge to segregation in public schools in the landmark case Brown v. Board of Education. After You Read Reasoning Process: Process

What was the process for achieving gains in civil rights that Dr. King described in his argument? The process for achieving gains in civil rights that Dr. King described in his argument involved sustained pressure on those in power through nonviolent direct action, creating tension that would force negotiation and ultimately lead to policy changes that advance civil rights. What challenges might a social movement using this process encounter? How might a social movement using this process overcome this challenge? One challenge that a social movement using this process might encounter is the risk of violence or repression by those in power. To overcome this challenge, social movements might use tactics such as strategic planning, media outreach, and community organizing to build broad- based support and mobilize resources. Source Analysis What is one implication of the process outlined in Dr. King’s argument? How might this process affect policy-making, other social movements, or another political principle, institution, process, policy, or behavior discussed in the course so far? One implication of the process outlined in Dr. King's argument is that sustained pressure on those in power through nonviolent direct action can lead to significant policy changes that advance civil rights. This process can affect policy-making by demonstrating the power of collective action and creating a culture of resistance that inspires future social movements to pursue similar tactics. Standing Rock: A New Moment for Native- American Rights Use the space below to explain ways in which Native Americans during the 1970s acted in a manner similar to and/or different from the nonviolent direct action described by Dr. King. Similar to Dr. King During the 1970s, Native Americans engaged in many of the same types of nonviolent direct action that Dr. King advocated, including marches, protests, and picketing. They also utilized civil disobedience tactics such as refusing to move when asked, and engaging in symbolic acts such as burning flags and burying documents. Different from Dr. King However, the Native Americans of the 1970s also used more aggressive tactics, such as armed takeovers of government buildings and federal land, which is different from Dr. King’s nonviolent actions. What is the author’s perspective? How does her perspective limit her argument? The author of Standing Rock presents an overall sympathetic perspective, focusing on the Native Americans' rights and their efforts to protect them. However, her perspective limits her argument because it excludes any discussion of the interests of those on the other side of the

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issue, such as those who support the Dakota Access Pipeline. Outline the different government actions described in these two paragraphs. Reflect on the different access points social movements have to influence policy. Social movements have multiple access points to influence policy. For example, in Standing Rock, the protesters sought to influence policy through the Legislative branch by petitioning Congress for a new law, and through the Executive branch by appealing to President Obama for a change in policy. In the Judicial branch, protesters sought influence by bringing their case to the Supreme Court. What is the author seeking to show in this section about the social movement underlying the protests in Standing Rock? The author seeks to show that the social movement underlying the Standing Rock protest is a powerful and effective one, capable of bringing about positive change. How is the process Dr. King described for advancing civil rights potentially relevant to the Native Americans at Standing Rock? The process Dr. King described for advancing civil rights, which includes peaceful protests, boycotts, and nonviolence, is potentially relevant to the Native Americans at Standing Rock. Just as Dr. King's methods were successful in advancing civil rights for African Americans in the 1960s, the Native Americans at Standing Rock are utilizing similar tactics to protect their rights. How have social movements used social media to spread their message? Social movements have used social media to spread their message by sharing videos and images of the protests, creating hashtags to generate online discussion, and utilizing online petitions to gain support for their cause. After You Read Reasoning Process: Process Identify the multiple access points provided by the separation of powers for social movements to influence policy. Legislative Social movements have multiple access points to influence policy in the Legislative branch. These access points include lobbying members of Congress, using the media to bring attention to the issue, and engaging in protests to demonstrate their support. Judicial Social movements have multiple access points to influence policy in the Judicial branch. These access points include filing lawsuits, participating in public interest litigation, and engaging in public demonstrations outside of courtrooms. Executive Social movements have multiple access points to influence policy in the Executive branch. These access points include engaging in advocacy with members of the executive branch, signing petitions and sending letters to the President, and organizing public demonstrations and rallies.

Explain how these access points potentially support or hinder the ability of social movements to achieve gains in civil rights. These access points potentially support the ability of social movements to achieve gains in civil rights by providing them with a platform to make their voices heard. However, these access points can also potentially limit the success of social movements by leading to delays in policy change and lack of recognition for their efforts. Source Analysis What is the author’s overall argument in the article on Standing Rock? The author's overall argument in Standing Rock is that the protests at Standing Rock have the potential to be a new moment for Native-American rights, and that their efforts should be recognized and supported. How might the author’s argument seek to influence her reader’s opinions on the protest at Standing Rock? The author seeks to influence her reader's opinions on the protest at Standing Rock by demonstrating the importance of the cause and the power of the protest movement. She also emphasizes the importance of the Native Americans' right to self-determination and their right to protect their land. Making Connections Research ways in which a social movement, (such as the Civil Rights movement, Native Americans, women’s rights, or another social movement) has been supported and motivated by a Constitutional provision, such as the equal protection clause or due process. Investigate any relevant Supreme Court cases and explain how the ruling in those cases either expanded or limited this group’s civil rights. For example, the equal protection clause of the 14th Amendment has been used to support and motivate many social movements, such as the Civil Rights movement, Native American rights, women's rights, and LGBTQ rights. The Supreme Court case Brown v. Board of Education (1954) expanded civil rights for African Americans by ruling that segregation in public schools was unconstitutional. This ruling set a precedent for future civil rights cases and inspired many social movements to fight for equal rights.

Letter From a Birmingham Jail - Analytical Reading

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