I submit that an individual who breaks a law that conscience tells him is unjust, and who willingly accepts the penalty of imprisonment in order to arouse the conscience of the community over its injustice, is in reality expressing the highest respect for law.

King wrote this line in April 1963 in his “Letter from Birmingham Jail,” composed while he was incarcerated for participating in nonviolent demonstrations against segregation in Birmingham, Alabama. The letter responds to a public statement by eight white Alabama clergymen who criticized the protests as “unwise and untimely” and urged reliance on the courts rather than direct action. In defending civil disobedience, King distinguishes between just and unjust laws and argues that openly, lovingly breaking unjust laws—while accepting legal punishment—demonstrates fidelity to the rule of law and aims to awaken the broader community’s moral conscience.

The quote reframes civil disobedience as a form of legal and civic respect rather than lawlessness. For King, the legitimacy of law depends on its moral character: unjust laws degrade human personality and violate ethical principles. When a person breaks such a law openly and accepts punishment, they affirm that law matters enough to be held to a higher standard. The willingness to suffer consequences underscores sincerity and prevents mere opportunism; it also dramatizes injustice in a way that can move public opinion. The “highest respect for law” lies in insisting that law serve justice, not merely order.

1) “I submit that an individual who breaks a law that conscience tells him is unjust and who willingly accepts the penalty by staying in jail in order to arouse the conscience of the community over its injustice is in reality expressing the very highest respect for law.”
2) “One who breaks an unjust law must do so openly, lovingly, and with a willingness to accept the penalty.”