Letter From Birmingham Jail & Call For Unity – Common Core Aligned

In 1963, eight white clergymen wrote a letter condemning nonviolent protests happening in Alabama. From a jail cell, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr wrote a response to each argument presented by the clergymen. This letter contains some of Dr. King’s most recognized quotes such as, “Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere” and “We know through painful experience that freedom is never voluntarily given by the oppressor; it must be demanded by the oppressed.”
This unit focuses on analyzing arguments presented in the two letters, responding to various text dependent questions, and participating in a Socratic seminar. This unit is a LOW PREP resource for teachers.

The Texts:
- Annotated and Student Copy of “Call For Unity”
- Student Copy of “Letter From Birmingham Jail”

Graphic Organizers:
- Reviewing Arguments
- Writing Counterarguments
- Responding to Arguments
- Tracing Claims