In January, the Facing Systemic Racism Committee, Faith Formation Board, and Pastor Randy collaborated to present an introduction to the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.’s Letter from Birmingham Jail. If you were unable to participate, a video of the presentation is available below.
The letter was written by Rev. Dr. King after he was arrested in Birmingham for violating Alabama’s law against mass public demonstrations. The Letter from Birmingham Jail was Dr. King’s response to eight white clergy, who criticized the movement led by the Southern Christian Leadership Conference (SCLC) in early 1963, which sought to bring national attention to the efforts of local black leaders to desegregate public facilities in Birmingham, Alabama. The criticism from the white clergy was published in The Birmingham News and characterized the direct action strategy of the campaign as “unwise and untimely” and appealed “to both our white and Negro citizenry to observe the principles of law and order and common sense.” (“White Clergymen Urge Local Negroes to Withdraw from Demonstrations,” Birmingham News, 13 April 1963.)
Rev. Dr. King’s letter has important implications for us today, as people of God. Therefore, additional sessions and opportunities to discuss the Letter from Birmingham Jail will be scheduled for this spring. Visit KingInstitute.Stanford.edu for a copy of Rev. Dr. King’s letter.
Mark your calendars for Session 2 on Sunday, March 13, 12:30 pm, and Session 3 on Saturday, April 9, 6 pm.