In the 1960's, segregation was running rampant in the south, especially in Birmingham, Alabama. In 1963, Birmingham was a heavily segregated city and it was full of white supremacy groups. A bit of an overstatement The hite supremacy groups often and killed members of the Negro population and chastised them by hanging demeaning segregational signs. After the prolonged discrimination against the Negro citizens, the black community banned together and began to hold peaceful demonstrations within the city. These demonstrations made many members of the community uncomfortable, and others just objected their tactics. As a direct response, the Eight White Clergymen wrote "A Call For Unity," urging demonstrators to withdraw their support from these activities and to approach this issue through the courts. While in Birmingham for the demonstrations, Martin Luther King, Jr. was jailed and wrote "Letter from Birmingham Jail" to address the charges of the Clergymen. What are King's major subclaims? Where is your thesis? Follow all assignment instructions. .
King first argues that he is not an "outsider." beings his letter by explaining his presence in Birmingham. In the letter that was previously written by the Clergymen King is referenced to as an "outsider" so it is only fitting that he introduces himself and his relations to the issue. King explains the Clergymen that he is serving as the president of the Southern Christian Leadership Conference, which at that time had over eighty-five affiliates that operated across every state in the south. The fact that he states this is very important to his argument because it lets his readers and the Clergymen know that he is a clergyman himself and that he is in a prestigious position. Making his position of power known creates a sense of authority and gives his words more merit. King continues on by explaining that one of his affiliates that are local to Birmingham requested his presents there "to be on call to engage in nonviolent direct-action program if deemed necessary.