Our nation is not a perfect one. But luckily, our Constitution is built to change when needed. In our moments of need, great leaders stand and make that change. Martin Luther King, Jr. is one such leader.
King was what anyone would call an ordinary man. He was a pastor at a local church, he had a wife and kids, and he was black—which at the time meant a whole lot more than it does today. He wasn’t famous. Despite the segregation that plagued America at the time, he was well educated. He had two Bachelor’s degrees and a Doctorate of Philosophy. His main experience with speeches was the sermons he preached in church. But most importantly, he had a vision: he didn’t want any more children to have to grow up in a strictly black and white world.
How did he accomplish his goal? With the power of words. King’s speeches rocked the world. His letters change hearts even today. Perhaps the most prominent of these is the “Letter from Birmingham Jail.” King wrote it from a prison cell. It was in response to members of the clergy. They wrote to him as fellow Christians to tell him he was changing the world the wrong way. They told him he should just let lawyers and politicians handle it. They told King he had to learn to wait.
King’s response is legendary. It shows his true mastery of wordcraft: he responded without an ounce of anger. He was polite and calm, and he let his words do the rest. There are many parts of the “Letter from Birmingham Jail” that are well known and quoted to this day. But there are two passages in particular that I think embody the true spirit of a powerful leader.
The first is early on in the letter. It is King directly speaking to the clergymen. He notes: “I am sure that each of you would want to go beyond the superficial social analyst who looks merely at effects and does not grapple with underlying causes” (Par. 6). Here King is calling out the clergymen, challenging them to look deeper at what’s actually going on. Why are people protesting? Why are people angry? King is telling the clergymen that they’re being superficial, but he’s doing it in a polite way.
The second passage consists of eleven different clauses joined together by semicolons. Each clause describes one way in which racism is affecting people on a personal level: it is humanizing. But the most interesting part is the context. The clergymen told King to wait; here, King forces them to wait. He shows them a different perspective. He shows them why he is acting out. And he ends the long sentence, after asking the clergymen to put themselves in his shoes, with this statement: “then you will understand why we find it difficult to wait” (Par. 12). This sentence is powerful, and I would encourage everyone to read it.
Both of these passages are great and all, but how should this affect us as leaders? After all, King is a legend. We aren’t as great as him. Maybe not yet, but that power can be learned. We can take away two main lessons—one for each passage—from King’s “Letter from Birmingham Jail.”
First, be aware of your tone. Leaders cannot impress all of their followers, and the most vocal of the discontent will speak out against your decisions. Sometimes, they will make you angry. But, just as King did with the clergymen, you must remain polite and calm. Anger will only turn people away, but staying level-headed maintains peace.
Second, focus on the vision. If you want change to happen, you have to start by convincing others that the change is needed. You need to convey why change is necessary. If you can do this effectively, people will listen, and remember.
Martin Luther King, Jr. has gone down in history as one of the greatest leaders of our world. He managed to lead an entire nation to a brighter future. Use his leadership as guidance as we continue seeking new heights. If you want to read the rest of King’s “Letter from Birmingham Jail” you can find it here.