Why We Can't Wait

The Commissioner for Public Safety in Birmingham, Alabama, Bull Connor is an antagonist of the civil rights demonstrators and is willing to use violent, brutal tactics to maintain segregation. Connor’s image and tactics have since become symbols of the South’s use of governmental authority to oppose federal efforts to ensure greater equality. His inability to maintain restraint when dealing with the protestors played a crucial role in turning national opinion against the status quo, Southern, white power structure.

Boutwell was one of two more moderate opponents who ran against Bull Connor during the 1963 city elections. The demonstrations in Birmingham were delayed in order to allow him more breathing room to run his campaign. Described by King as a gentle man who was a more moderate segregationist than Connor, Boutwell nevertheless failed to move swiftly enough to address the demands of activists.

A minister like King and founding member of the Alabama Christian Movement for Human Rights, Shuttlesworth was the local face of the Civil Rights Movement in Birmingham. Shuttlesworth’s uncompromising belief in civil rights convinced him to start the ACMHR after the state banned the NAACP. Shuttlesworth was known for his willingness to sacrifice his body and safety for the sake of integration, as evidenced by his insistence on marching after he sustained injuries from Connor’s firehoses. 

A co-founder of the Southern Christian Leadership Conference, Ralph Abernathy was a minister and right-hand man for King. Known for his formidable speaking and organizational skills, Abernathy was crucial to the success of the campaign in Birmingham. Abernathy is described by King as “squat and powerful” and beloved by audiences for his humor (63). Abernathy assumed leadership of the SCLC after King’s assassination.

Thirty-fifth president of the United States, John F. Kennedy was one of three presidents with whom King negotiated to advance civil rights legislation. While Kennedy is initially portrayed as a half-hearted partner for change, by the time of his death, he was an ally of the Civil Rights Movement. King reflects on Kennedy’s assassination in the waning months of 1963 to warn the reader of the dangers of hatred.

Brother of and attorney general for John F. Kennedy, Robert Kennedy sent key staff members to Birmingham to negotiate with King and the local government to resolve tensions. He is portrayed as a moderate whose on-again-off-again support for civil rights shaped national opinion on the issue.

Thirty-sixth president of the United States, Lyndon B. Johnson unexpectedly became president after Kennedy’s assassination. King portrays Johnson as a man who is personally convinced of the aims of the Civil Rights Movement and in search of practical ways to resolve segregation and issues of economic inequality. 

Thirty-fourth president of the United States, Dwight D. Eisenhower was president during the early days of King’s activism. While King was convinced of Eisenhower’s personal belief that segregation was a stain on the nation, King also notes that Eisenhower failed to do anything in public life because of moral cowardice.

Mrs. King, King’s wife, was not with him, as usual, during this campaign. Her absence accounts for King’s gloom during his stay in the Birmingham jail. Her call to the attorney general on behalf of her husband shows the significance of both Kings to the Civil Rights Movement.

A well-known African-American actor, Belafonte became an important source of funding during the events in Birmingham. His generosity helped to save the day when the SCLC lost its bail bondsman prior to King’s arrest.