Mastering the Art of Citing- How to Properly Reference Martin Luther King Jr.’s ‘Letter from Birmingham Jail’

How to Cite MLK Letter from Birmingham Jail

The “Letter from Birmingham Jail,” written by Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. in 1963, is a seminal document in the civil rights movement. It outlines King’s rationale for peaceful protest and his criticism of the white religious establishment for not supporting the civil rights struggle. When citing this letter in academic or professional work, it is important to follow the proper citation format. This article will guide you through the process of citing the MLK Letter from Birmingham Jail using different citation styles.

APA Citation

To cite the MLK Letter from Birmingham Jail in APA format, you need to include the author’s last name, the publication date, the title of the letter, the title of the collection or source, the editor’s name (if applicable), the publisher, and the page numbers. Here’s an example:

King, M. L. (1963). Letter from Birmingham jail. In R. F. Futrell (Ed.), The essential Martin Luther King, Jr. (pp. 23-28). New York: Modern Library.

If you are citing the letter from a website, include the URL as well:

King, M. L. (1963). Letter from Birmingham jail. Retrieved from https://www.aaihs.org/letter-from-birmingham-jail/

MLA Citation

For MLA citation, the format is slightly different. You need to include the author’s last name, the publication date, the title of the letter, the title of the collection or source, the editor’s name (if applicable), the publisher, and the page numbers. Here’s an example:

King, Martin Luther. “Letter from Birmingham Jail.” In The Essential Martin Luther King, Jr., edited by Richard F.utrell, 23-28. New York: Modern Library, 2003.

If you are citing the letter from a website, include the URL as well:

King, Martin Luther. “Letter from Birmingham Jail.” 1963. https://www.aaihs.org/letter-from-birmingham-jail/

Chicago Citation

In Chicago citation style, you have two options: the author-date system and the notes-bibliography system.

For the author-date system, include the author’s last name, the publication date, the title of the letter, the title of the collection or source, the editor’s name (if applicable), the publisher, and the page numbers. Here’s an example:

King, Martin Luther. “Letter from Birmingham Jail.” In The Essential Martin Luther King, Jr., edited by Richard F. Futrell, 23-28. New York: Modern Library, 2003.

For the notes-bibliography system, include the author’s last name, the publication date, the title of the letter, the title of the collection or source, the editor’s name (if applicable), the publisher, and the page numbers. Here’s an example:

1. Martin Luther King, Jr., “Letter from Birmingham Jail,” in The Essential Martin Luther King, Jr., ed. Richard F. Futrell (New York: Modern Library, 2003), 23-28.

Conclusion

Citing the MLK Letter from Birmingham Jail correctly is essential for maintaining academic integrity and giving proper credit to the author. By following the appropriate citation format for your specific citation style, you can ensure that your work accurately reflects the source material and adheres to scholarly standards.