Martin Luther King Jr.: The Catalyst of a Nation

Martin Luther King Jr.'s "A Letter from Birmingham Jail" is of significant historical importance because it was the catalyst for major change in race relations in the country. This masterpiece touches on many examples and issues of racism of the time it was written. It is moving, and an incredible piece of work.

The stage was set with nearly one-hundred years of segregation. After the civil war, former slaves were granted rights. These rights were squandered by the black codes, which were in place from 1865-1866. The black codes denied rights granted to blacks, and also segregated the races even further. The codes included laws that required blacks to observe a curfew, live in housing provided by a landowner, and give up the hope of entering many desirable occupations. The state funded schools and orphanages were closed to blacks entirely. Congress eventually got wind of these happenings, and passed the Civil Rights Act of 1866. This act gave Federal judges the right to take cases and try them in the Supreme Court. This was done to attempt to keep judgments against blacks just. President Johnson tried to veto the bill, but was overridden by Congress. A federal agency was also developed to help blacks in the post-civil war south. This agency was called the Freedman's Bureau. It was comprised of predominantly northerners who helped to educate ex-slaves of their rights as citizens of the United States.