Letter from Birmingham Jail - Analysis | Milestone Documents - Milestone Documents

Martin Luther King, Jr.: “Letter from Birmingham Jail”

( 1963 ) Commentary by Paul T. Murray, Siena College

Glossary

black nationalism the belief that blacks should live separately from whites
concoct to invent
cognizant aware
complacency a feeling of contentment or self-satisfaction
ekklesia Greek term for a congregation of believers
gainsaying contradicting
inevitability the impossibility of avoiding or preventing
lamentably with regret
latent hidden; unseen
moratorium a temporary halt or cessation of activity
query a question
paradoxical inconsistent; contradictory
paternalistically in a fatherly manner exercised authoritatively
precipitate to cause to happen suddenly
reiterate to repeat
sanctimonious pretending to be pious or righteous
Zeitgeist German term for “spirit of the times”

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Martin Luther King, Jr. (Library of Congress)

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