Outline for MLK Letter PDF

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Essay outline example for Martin Luther King Essay Assignment...

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MLK Outline P1: While in B. jail, read letter calling them “unwise and untimely” A. “Seldom pause to answer criticisms B. “Secretaries would do little else C. K. wouldn’t be able to focus on constructive work D. K. “you are men of genius good will E. Respond in “patience and reasonable terms” P2: Why K in Birm A. Respond to “outsiders coming in” B. Affiliates things C. President of SCLC 85 affiliates D. Engage in nonviolent direct-action program E. Beyond this- injustice F. Apostle Paul G. Anyone in the US cannot be an outsider H. Inescapable network of mutuality P3: Statement A. White power structure left the negro commu with no alternative B. So-called demonstrations in birm P4: Four basic steps A. Collection of facts B. Negotiation C. Self- purification D. Direct action E. Police brutality in birm F. Unjust treatment of negroes G. Unsolved bombings of negro homes + churches H. Political leaders refused to negotiate P5: Opportunity A. Promises made by the merchants B. Remove humiliating racial signs C. Reverend Shuttlesworth & leaders of ACM for human rights D. Realized- victims of broken promise E. Confronted and blasted hopes- signs remained F. Nonviolent action postponed for several responsible reasons

P6: Answer to why direct answer A. So that the community if forced to confront the issue B. Constructive nonviolent tension necessary for growth C. Socrates felt necessary to create tension D. Inevitably open the door to negotiation P7: Respond to “untimely” A. New admin must be prodded about before it acts B. Mr. Boutwell C. Mr. Conner D. Have not made a single gain in civil rights without determined legal and nonviolent pressure P8: Freedom is never voluntarily given by the oppressor A. The “wait” has always meant “never.” B. Never yet engaged in a direct action that is “well-timed” C. “Justice too long is just denied” D. Waited 340 years for our God-given constitutional rights E. Humiliated day by day by signs reading “white” and “colored” F. Harried by day and haunted by night by the fact that you’re a negro G. “Nobodyness” H. Unavoidable impatience P9: Breaking laws A. Supreme Court’s decision in 1954 B. Two types of laws: Unjust and just C. “An unjust law is no law at all” D. Uplifts human personality = just; degrades = unjust E. Segregation distorts the soul and damages the personality F. Disobey segregation because they are morally wrong P10: Example of just and unjust law A. Unjust law: majority > minority B. Just law: majority compels a minority to follow C. Unjust law: minority have no say D. MLK arrested for parading without a permit P11: Nothing new about this kind of civil disobedience A. Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego to obey the laws of Nebuchadnezzar B. Socrates practiced civil disobedience C. Hitler

D. Hungarian freedom fighters P12: Two honest confessions A. Not the White Citizens Councillor or the Ku Klux Klanner, but the white moderate B. Shallow understanding from people of goodwill is more frustrating than absolute misunderstanding from people of ill will C. Lukewarm acceptance P13: Asserted our actions A. Like condemning the robbed man B. Condemning Socrates C. Condemning Jesus D. Immoral to urge an individual to withdraw his efforts to gain his basic rights P14: Hope A. Letter from a white brother B. Time is neutral; can be used constructively or destructively C. Ally of the forces of social stagnation P15: Activity in Birm as extreme A. Negroes in middle class became insensitive to the problems of the masses B. Other force: bitterness and hatred C. Elijah Muhammad’s Muslim movement D. People lost faith in America; repudiated Christianity; concluded white man is evil E. Many streets of the South flooding with blood F. Development will lead inevitably to a frightening racial nightmare P16: Oppressed people cannot be oppressed forever A. Urge for freedom B. Swept in by the Zeitgeist C. Let the repressed emotions come out in these nonviolent ways P17: Satisfaction from being considered an extremist A. Jesus- an extremist in love B. Ams- an extremist of justice C. Paul- an extremist for the gospel of Jesus Christ D. ML- an extremist E. John Bunyan F. Abraham Lincoln G. Thomas Jefferson

P18: Hoped A. Few members from the oppressing race can understand B. Thankful that some white brothers have grasped the meaning C. Ralph McGill, Lillian Smith, Harry Golden, James Dabbs D. Suffered from being viewed as “dirty nigger lovers” E. They sensed the need for powerful “action” antidotes P19: Disappointment A. White church and its leadership B. Commend Reverend Stallings C. Commend Catholic leaders of this state for integrating Springhill College D. Say it as a minister of the gospel who loves the church E. White ministers, priests, and rabbis refused to understand the freedom movement P20: Shattered dreams A. Hoped that white religious leadership would help B. Blatant injustices inflicted upon the Negro C. White churches: merely mouth pious irrelevancies and sanctimonious trivialities D. “These are social issues and the gospel has nothing to do with it” P21: Church powerful A. Thermostat that transformed the mores of society B. “Disturbers of the peace” & “outside agitators” C. Small in number but big in commitment P22: Things are different now A. Contemporary church weak B. Judgement of god upon church: Lose its authentic ring C. Disappointment with the church has risen to outright disgust D. No despair about the future E. Goal of america is freedom P23: Closing A. Police= violent dogs literally biting unarmed negroes B. Inhuman treatment of negroes in the city jail C. Push and curse old negro women and young negro girls D. Slap and kick old negro men and young boys E. Refusing to give out food P24: Police were disciplined in their public handling A. Only publicly “nonviolent”

B. Wrong to use immoral means to attain moral ends C. Affirmed that it is just as wrong to use moral means to preserve immoral ends P25: Commend the Negro demonstrators A. James Merediths B. “My feets is tired, but my soul is rested.” C. American dream and the most sacred values in our Judeo-Christian heritage P26: Longest letter written A. Afraid that it is too long to take your precious time B. No comfortable desk C. Alone for days in the dull monotony of a jail cell D. Beg you to forgive me Conclusion: King’s letter included various strong pathos, ethos, and logos to appeal to white audiences regarding the situation that African Americans faced during that time. The social injustices that African Americans undertook were very serious and taunting at the same time....