MLK’s “Letter from Birmingham Jail”
Toulmin’s Graphic Organizer
Analysis of Paragraphs 2 - 4
As the president of the SCLC, a
Christian, and an American, it is
his duty to fight injustice in
Birmingham (DATA)
What additional evidence does MLK
give to support his claim?
-MLK is president of the
SCLC which has 85 affiliates
and operates in every
southern state
-SCLC helps their affiliates
-The Birmingham affiliate
(Alabama Christian
Movement for Human
Rights) invited King and his
organization to stage nonviolent demonstrations in
Birmingham.
-MLK, acting as a man of
God, is similar to the
prophets and Paul,
spreading Christian ideals
-Christian prophets traveled
to spread the gospels of
Jesus
-St. Paul carried the gospel
to all parts of the world
(GROUNDS)
What does MLK want to prove in this passage?
therefore
since
Because…
What evidence does MLK base his claim
on?
He (MLK) is not an outsider to Birmingham.
(CLAIM)
How does the data support the claim? Why is/should
the claim be important to MLK’s audience?
As a rule…
Fighting injustice anywhere in the US should
be the concern of any American
[If there is injustice anywhere in the US then
any American can and should act against it]
(WARRANT)
Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere
All communities and states are interrelated
Whatever affects one directly, affects all indirectly
Americans can never be considered outsiders
anyplace in America
(BACKING)
(REBUTTAL)
What evidence does MLK give to support
his warrant?
Does MLK consider other
positions?