Write a Letter, Change the World
Martin Luther King Day Letter-Writing Competition
In honor of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Day, NSU Shepard Broad College of Law is sponsoring its first annual
Letter-Writing Competition. As the Nation honors the legacy of Dr. King, an advocate for social change through
non-violent protest, we are proud to sponsor a writing competition inspired by the iconic “Letter from a Birmingham Jail.” Penned April 1963, the letter is a notable example of Dr. King’s ability to use the power of words to
promote civil rights. It remains as an excellent example of both activism and rhetoric techniques. To read the letter
and learn more about Dr. King, visit The King Center.
We invite you to draft your own version of a letter on a social justice issue – including environmental responsibility, structural racism, human trafficking, LGBT advocacy, economic empowerment, educational reform, religious
tolerance, prisoner rights or gender equality or other concerns of injustice and inequality inspired by Dr. King’s
Letter from Birmingham City Jail.
The competition prompt is: Based on your reading of Dr. King’s “Letter from a Birmingham Jail,” write an open
letter to the public that highlights a modern-day social justice issue. Use the letter to raise awareness for the issue
you select, and to promote a strategy for solving the problem.
This competition is open to all current full-time and part-time students enrolled at NSU Shepard Broad College of
Law. All content must be original and previously unpublished. NSU Law will present awards to both the first and
second place winners. The winning entry will also be published on the school website. The first prize winner will
receive $400 cash and a plaque; the second prize winner will receive $100 cash and a certificate.The winners will
be recognized at an award’s luncheon to be arranged once the winners are chosen.
All entries must be submitted via email to DeAndra Clark ([email protected]). Letters must be 750 words or
less, and submitted in Word or PDF files. They must include the name, year and email address of the participant.
The deadline for submission is January 30, 2016 at 11:59 p.m. EST.
“Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere.”
-Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.
“Letter from a Birmingham Jail”