Letter from a Birmingham Jail was written by Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. in April 1963, while sitting, as the title states, in a Birmingham Jail, in Alabama. King had been jailed for participating in a peaceful protest against segregation in public places such as lunch counters and public restrooms (Berkley, 2003). While in prison, King read a critique of the protest by a group of white ministers, who believed that such demonstrations "directed and partly led by outsiders" were "unwise and premature," suggesting that blacks should wait until the judicial system functions. (Statement of the Alabama Clergymen, 1963). Dr. King's letter was written in response to criticism (King, 1963). The following pages will analyze Letter from a Birmingham Jail from a rhetorical perspective, using the concepts of ethos, pathos, and logos to determine why King's Letter from a Birmingham Jail continues to be studied today. King establishes his credibility early and maintains it throughout the letter. First, he addresses his detractors as “fellow clergy” (King, 1963), establishing himself as his equal. He then gives his credentials as a leader of the Southern Christian Leadership Conference, establishing his right to be in Birmingham because an “affiliate” of his organization, the Alabama Christian Movement for Human Rights, had invited him (King, 1963). Furthermore, he made references to both the Jewish prophets of the Old Testament, the apostle Paul, St. Thomas Aquinas, Socrates, the Supreme Court of the United States, and St. Augustine, establishing himself as a learned man, knowledgeable both in the kingdom secular and religious, as well as giving credence to his stance by citing examples and opinions from them (Hor...... middle of the sheet ......declaration of independence and civil disobedience, Letter from a prison of Birmingham has been translated into over forty languages ​​and has served as an inspiration to oppressed people around the world, including South African Desmond Tutu, singer Bob Marley, the Prime Minister of Ghana, as well as the Solidarity movement in Poland and the Shepherds in East Germany (Berkeley 2003).The expert use of the concepts of ethos, pathos and logos in writing his Letter from a Birmingham Prison is why the letter continues to be studied Dr. King's credibility is solid, his emotional appeals are powerful, and his reason is impeccable. Many who read his letter feel moved to fight. One could easily imagine the study of Dr. King's Letter from a Birmingham Jail continuing as long as people seek nonviolent means to seek freedom from oppression..