Overall, Dr.King's response to the Alabama clergymen was absolutely moving, which is a complete understatement. He is a magnificent writer, and to know that he wrote the entire thing in jail is even more remarkable. My favorite piece of his writing was when Dr.King was talking about how other countries like Asia and Africa were moving towards political independence, but the U.S was moving at, "horse-and-buggy pace". Dr King said, "Perhaps it is easy for those who have never felt the stinging darts of segregation to say "Wait" (460). Then, he goes onto list around 13 different, and powerful, reasons as to why they cannot afford to wait, such as witnessing vicious mobs lynch and murder families. The list was powerful and really set the tone of the entire response. The clergy letter informs the context as to why Dr.King said they could not wait. The clergy towards the end of their letter talk about how political issues should be solved in the courts, not in the streets. But Dr. King knew that nothing would get solved in the courts when they themselves were ran by white, southern men. A mass demonstration was needed.
Jesse Jackson was one of the various participants in the civil rights movement. Along with Dr. King, he participated in the marches from Selma to Montgomery, which Dr.King was arrested in. In 1966, Dr.King nominated Jackson to be the head of the SCLC's (Southern Christian Leadership Conference) "Operation Breadbasket" in Chicago. The main goal of this operation was to boycott many white businesses in order to pressure them to buy goods from black merchants and hire black workers. Jackson soon became one of the many spokesmen of the civil rights movement. Jackson was even with Dr.King on the night of his assassination (he was in the room one floor below him).
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