Quiz on Martin Luther King, Jr.'s Letter from Birmingham Jail

Who wrote the "Letter from Birmingham Jail"?

• A group of religious leaders

• The president of a university

• Martin Luther King, Jr.

• Several members of a nonviolent campaign staff

What was the reason for Martin Luther King, Jr.'s imprisonment in Birmingham Jail?

• For writing letters to religious leaders

• For participating in nonviolent demonstrations against segregation

• For attending a public statement of concern

• For holding a fellowship at Boston University

According to the letter, what is one of the basic steps in a nonviolent campaign?

• Immediate action without any prior negotiation

• Collection of facts to determine whether injustices are alive

• Ignoring the city's history of police brutality

• Avoiding the involvement of local economic leaders

What does Martin Luther King, Jr. say about the interrelatedness of communities and states?

• He believes that communities and states operate independently

• He is indifferent to what happens in communities other than his own

• He acknowledges the interrelatedness and cannot sit idly by in Atlanta

• He encourages outside agitation without direct involvement

What did Martin Luther King, Jr. and his staff do when promises from the economic community in Birmingham were not kept?

• They decided to end the nonviolent campaign

• They waited for further promises

• They prepared for direct action as a result of deep disappointment

• They ignored the lack of follow-through on the promises

According to the letter, why was the decision made to start the direct-action program around Easter?

• It was the time when Mr. Conner was in the runoff.

• It was the best time to bring pressure on merchants for the needed changes.

• It was when workshops on nonviolence were started.

• It was the largest shopping period of the year.

What is the main reason the author disagrees with the view that negotiation is a better path than direct action?

• Negotiation is not a feasible solution for the oppressed.

• Direct action is necessary to create a crisis and foster a situation that demands negotiation.

• Negotiation has been tried and failed in the past.

• Direct action is more moral and just compared to negotiation.

What does the author suggest is the purpose of direct action?

• To defeat political opponents like Mr. Conner.

• To create tension that helps people rise from prejudice and racism.

• To avoid negotiation at all costs.

• To bring immediate legal changes.

What does the author imply about waiting for freedom to be voluntarily given by the oppressor?

• It is the most effective strategy for achieving freedom.

• It is a proven method that has worked in the past.

• It is a naive expectation because freedom must be demanded by the oppressed.

• It is the moral and just approach to gaining freedom.

According to the letter, what has been the experience of African Americans waiting for their rights?

• They have been granted rights gradually over time.

• They have experienced a sense of hope and progress.

• They have been met with disappointment and frustration.

• They have been supported by the majority of white citizens.