The Bible And Civil Rights

In his famous “Letter from Birmingham Jail” written April 16, 1963, Dr. King resorted to biblical examples as a defense when he is accused of being an extremist for participating in demonstrations, sit-ins, and boycotts. He asked whether Jesus was an extremist when he said, “love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you” (Mt 5:44). He also cited the prophet Amos and the apostle Paul, asking whether their words and actions were not also “extreme.” Finally, reflecting on Jesus’s death on Calvary, he wrote that “Jesus was an extremist for love, truth, and goodness.” In his appeal to white ministers for support, King commonly cited biblical texts and the examples of Christ.

The Bible was central to the energy of the Civil Rights Movement. In planning meetings, preachers and laypersons read from its pages. In public disputes, everyday people quoted its promises and its truth regarding the dignity of all humanity, regardless of skin color. It would not be a stretch to suggest that the Civil Rights Movement would have lacked moral fiber (and one might further say divine blessing) without the underlying truth claims drawn from the Bible.