Why We Can't Wait by Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.

Why We Can't Wait

Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.

Penguin Publishing Group · Print & ebook · January 1, 2000

A Nonfiction pick for readers exploring Why We Can't Wait.

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Who it’s for
A close account of Birmingham’s campaign pairs historical depth with King’s clear-eyed analysis of nonviolent action.
Themes
Civil Rights Movement, Nonviolent direct action, Equality for African Americans
Pacing
Reflective

About this book

Martin Luther King’s classic exploration of the events and forces behind the Civil Rights Movement—including his Letter from Birmingham Jail, April 16, 1963. “There comes a time when the cup of endurance runs over, and men are no longer willing to be plunged into the abyss of despair.” In 1963, Birmingham, Alabama, was perhaps the most racially segregated city in the United States.

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The campaign launched by Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., and the Civil Rights movement on the segregated streets of Birmingham demonstrated to the world the power of nonviolent direct action. In this remarkable book—winner of the Nobel Peace Prize—Dr. King recounts the story of Birmingham in vivid detail, tracing the history of the struggle for civil rights back to its beginnings three centuries ago and looking to the future, assessing the work to be done beyond Birmingham to bring about full equality for African Americans. Above all, Dr. King offers an eloquent and penetrating analysis of the events and pressures that propelled the Civil Rights movement from lunch counter sit-ins and prayer marches to the forefront of American consciousness. Since its publication in the 1960s, Why We Can’t Wait has become an indisputable classic. Now, more than ever, it is an enduring testament to the wise and courageous vision of Martin Luther King, Jr. Includes photographs and an Afterword by Reverend Jesse L. Jackson, Sr.

History in Motion

A close account of Birmingham’s campaign pairs historical depth with King’s clear-eyed analysis of nonviolent action.

Come here for

  • King’s vivid account of Birmingham and the pressures behind direct action
  • A long view linking the civil rights struggle’s history to unfinished work

Expect

  • Historical narrative alongside political analysis
  • The Letter from Birmingham Jail, included in the book

Where it sits

Civil Rights77%
Activist Lives25%
Black History19%

Percentages are BookFrontier’s reading of the book.

Publisher categories

  • Black History
  • African American Literary Collections
  • Civil Rights
Authors
Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.
Publisher
Penguin Publishing Group
Published
January 1, 2000
Format
Print & ebook
Theme
Civil Rights Movement · Nonviolent direct action · Equality for African Americans
Reading lane
Black History