How the Letter from Birmingham Jail has Emotional Appeal

In August 1963, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., after getting arrested for protesting in Birmingham, Alabama, wrote "Letter from Birmingham Jail" explaining the reason he and other activists are fighting for equal rights for African Americans. He uses many ways of proving his argument such as ethos, logos, and kairos but one of his most effective ways is using pathos. 

King begins his argument by claiming, "Moreover, I am cognizant of the interrelatedness of all communities and states". King appeals to emotion here because not only is he fighting for equal rights for African Americans, but he also establishes the fact that he cares about all of humanity. This implies he ultimately desires unity within the human race by caring about each other no matter the race. He evokes a sense of togetherness through his opening statement.

Since the general audience has a high regard for children, any argument involving children would really appeal to their sympathy and need to protect children. King claims, "...when you suddenly find your tongue twisted and your speech stammering as you seek to explain to your six-year-old daughter why she cannot go to the public amusement park that has just been advertised on television, and see tears welling up in her little eyes when she is told that Funtown is closed to colored children, and see the depressing clouds of inferiority begin to form in her little mental sky, and see her begin to distort her little personality by unconsciously developing a bitterness toward white people; when you have to concoct an answer for a five-year-old son asking in agonizing pathos, "Daddy, why do white people treat colored people so mean?..". Most people believe children to be innocent therefore seeing that racism distorts their young minds just as it does to adults is frankly disturbing. Therefore, they would feel more compelled to do something about the racism that erupted in the country after hearing how the children are also put in danger in a way.

Although this occurred about three decades after the release of "Strange Fruit", they both appeal to pathos in different ways. "Strange Fruit" evokes sadness that discusses a major problem that happened to many African Americans in the 1930s. King's letter, although it also expresses concerns for the plights of African Americans and explains the reason why they are protesting, King also establishes that he ultimately cares about all people of different races which evokes a sense of unity. Therefore, it somewhat balances the sadness of his argument about how racism negatively affects children. 

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