Final answer:
The Letter from a Birmingham Jail defends nonviolent protest as a moral necessity to fight injustice immediately, critiquing the calls for patience by the white clergy. It exemplifies effective civil rights advocacy through King's inspiration from Gandhi and others, emphasizing nonviolent direct action as a compelling way to create necessary tension and instigate change.
Step-by-step explanation:
The Letter from a Birmingham Jail is regarded as a powerful defense of nonviolent protest because it eloquently challenges the criticism of nonviolent direct action and lays out a moral foundation for the civil rights movement. Martin Luther King Jr. wrote the letter in 1963 after being arrested for his part in the Birmingham campaign against racial segregation and discrimination.
In his letter, King asserts the urgency of the moment, criticizes the white moderate for constant calls for patience, and justifies the nonviolent protests that sought to create a tension that would force negotiation and change. He drew from his knowledge of Christian teachings, historical examples of nonviolent movements, and reasoned legal arguments to insist that justice delayed is justice denied.
King was advocating for a nonviolent civil disobedience approach which he called "soul force" or satyagraha, inspired by Mohandas Gandhi, Henry David Thoreau, and A. Philip Randolph. His strategy involved peaceful yet assertive actions such as boycotts, sit-ins, marches, and rallies, which proved to be effective in civil rights advocacy. Additionally, by responding directly to criticisms from other clergy, King was able to refute the notion that civil rights should wait for a 'more convenient season' and emphasized the moral imperative for immediate action in the face of unjust laws.