BIBLIO is the largest independent book marketplace in the world, with over 100 million books.

Skip to content

Why We Can't Wait
Stock photo: cover may vary

Why We Can't Wait Mass market paperbound - 2000

by Martin Luther King; Afterword by Jesse Jackson

Add to wish list

This paperback reissue of a classic not only examines King's Birmingham campaign for civil rights, but the history of the struggle and the tasks that await future generations fighting for equality. New Afterword by Rev. Jesse Jackson. Reissue.

Summary

Letter from Birmingham Jail, April 16, 1963

“Perhaps it is easy for those who have never felt the stinging darts of segregation to say, ‘Wait.’ But when you have seen vicious mobs lynch your mothers and fathers at will and drown your sisters and brothers at whim…when you see the vast majority of twenty million Negro brothers smothering in an airtight cage of poverty in the midst of an affluent society; when you suddenly find your tongue twisted and your speech stammering as you seek to explain to your six-year-old daughter why she can’t go to the public amusement park that has just been advertised on television, and see tears welling up in her eyes when she is told that Funtown is closed to colored children, and see ominous clouds of inferiority beginning to form in her little mental sky…when you take a cross-country drive and find it necessary to sleep night after night in the uncomfortable corners of your automobile because no motel will accept you…when…your wife and mother are never given the respected title ‘Mrs.’…when you are forever fighting a degenerating sense of ‘nobodiness’—then you will understand why we find it difficult to wait. 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.”

Why We Can’t Wait

Martin Luther King’s Classic Exploration of the events and forces behind the Civil Rights Movement

Reader reviews for Why We Can't Wait

From the publisher

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. 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.

Details

  • Title Why We Can't Wait
  • Author Martin Luther King; Afterword by Jesse Jackson
  • Binding Mass Market Paperbound
  • Edition [ Edition: Repri
  • Pages 240
  • Volumes 1
  • Language ENG
  • Publisher Signet Book, New York, New York, U.S.A.
  • Publication date 2000-01-01
  • Features Bibliography
  • ISBN 9780451527530 / 0451527534
  • Weight 0.3 lbs (0.14 kg)
  • Dimensions 7.4 x 4.2 x 0.7 in (18.80 x 10.67 x 1.78 cm)
  • Age range 18 to UP years
  • Grade levels 13 - UP
  • Reading level 1200
  • Themes
    • Ethnic Orientation: African American
    • Holiday: Martin Luther King, Jr. Day
    • Topical: Black History
  • Category Ethnic Issues
  • Library of Congress subjects United States - Race relations, African Americans - Civil rights
  • Library of Congress Catalogue Number 2001571326
  • Dewey Decimal Code 323.119

Media reviews

END

About the author

Martin Luther King, Jr., was born January 15, 1929 in Atlanta, Georgia, the son and grandson of pastors. He graduated from Morehouse College and Crozer Theological Seminary, becoming at age 25 pastor of the Dexter Avenue Baptist Church in Montgomery, Alabama. He subsequently earned his Ph.D. from Boston University. In 1957 he and other civil rights leaders founded the Southern Christian Leadership Conference, an organization he led until his death. A proponent of Gandhian principles of non-violence, he led many protests and demonstrations for civil rights, including the March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom on August 29, 1963, where he delivered his famous "I Have a Dream" speech. Winner of the 1964 Nobel Peace Prize, he continued to fight for civil rights, the eradication of poverty and the end of the Vietnam War. He was assassinated on April 4, 1968 in Memphis, TN.

Reverend Jesse L. Jackson, Sr., is the founder and president of the Rainbow/PUSH Coalition, an organization committed to fighting for social, political, and economic justice for people of all races, genders, and creeds. A two-time candidate for President of the United States, Rev. Jackson has been called the "conscience of the nation." Rev. Jackson is also renowned for his efforts around the world to spread the promise of democracy, human rights, and peace. Rev. Jackson and his wife, Jacqueline, reside in Chicago and are the proud parents of five children.

More Copies for Sale

Why We Can't Wait (Signet Classics)
Stock photo: cover may vary

Why We Can't Wait (Signet Classics)

by King Jr., Dr. Martin Luther

  • Used
Condition
Used
ISBN 10 / ISBN 13
9780451527530 / 0451527534
Quantity available
1
Seller
Item price
A$3.47
A$4.25 Delivery to USA

Show details

Description:
Signet. Used - Good. A sound copy with only light wear. Overall a solid copy at a great price!
Add to wish list
Item price
A$3.47
A$4.25 Delivery to USA
Why We Can't Wait (Signet Classics)
Stock photo: cover may vary

Why We Can't Wait (Signet Classics)

by King Jr., Dr. Martin Luther

  • Used
  • Acceptable
Condition
Acceptable
ISBN 10 / ISBN 13
9780451527530 / 0451527534
Quantity available
1
Seller
Item price
A$6.67
Free Delivery to USA

Show details

Description:
Signet. Acceptable. The item might be beaten up but readable. May contain markings or highlighting, as well as stains, bent corners, or any other major defect, but the text is not obscured in any way.
Add to wish list
Item price
A$6.67
Free Delivery to USA
Why We Can't Wait (Signet Classics)
Stock photo: cover may vary

Why We Can't Wait (Signet Classics)

by King Jr., Dr. Martin Luther

  • Used
  • Very good
Condition
Very good
ISBN 10 / ISBN 13
9780451527530 / 0451527534
Quantity available
1
Seller
Item price
A$7.09
Free Delivery to USA

Show details

Description:
Signet. Very Good. It's a well-cared-for item that has seen limited use. The item may show minor signs of wear. All the text is legible, with all pages included. It may have slight markings and/or highlighting.
Add to wish list
Item price
A$7.09
Free Delivery to USA
Why We Can't Wait (Signet Classics)

Why We Can't Wait (Signet Classics)

by King Jr., Dr. Martin Luther

  • Used
  • Good
  • Paperback
Condition
Good
Binding
Paperback
ISBN 10 / ISBN 13
9780451527530 / 0451527534
Quantity available
27
Seller
Item price
A$9.67
Free Delivery to USA

Show details

Description:
Signet, 2000. Paperback. Good. Pages can have notes/highlighting. Spine may show signs of wear. ~ ThriftBooks: Read More, Spend Less.Dust jacket quality is not guaranteed.
Add to wish list
Item price
A$9.67
Free Delivery to USA
Why We Can't Wait (Signet Classics)

Why We Can't Wait (Signet Classics)

by King Jr., Dr. Martin Luther

  • Used
  • Good
  • Paperback
Condition
Good
Binding
Paperback
ISBN 10 / ISBN 13
9780451527530 / 0451527534
Quantity available
1
Seller
Item price
A$9.67
Free Delivery to USA

Show details

Description:
Signet, 2000. Paperback. Good. Former library book; Pages can have notes/highlighting. Spine may show signs of wear. ~ ThriftBooks: Read More, Spend Less.Dust jacket quality is not guaranteed.
Add to wish list
Item price
A$9.67
Free Delivery to USA
Why We Can't Wait

Why We Can't Wait

by Martin Luther King; King, Martin Luther, Jr.

  • Used
  • Acceptable
  • Paperback
Condition
Acceptable
Binding
Paperback
ISBN 10 / ISBN 13
9780451527530 / 0451527534
Quantity available
27
Seller
Item price
A$9.67
Free Delivery to USA

Show details

Description:
Penguin Publishing Group, 2000. Paperback. Acceptable. Readable copy. Pages may have considerable notes/highlighting. ~ ThriftBooks: Read More, Spend Less.Dust jacket quality is not guaranteed.
Add to wish list
Item price
A$9.67
Free Delivery to USA
Why We Can't Wait (Signet Classics)

Why We Can't Wait (Signet Classics)

by King Jr., Dr. Martin Luther

  • Used
  • Acceptable
  • Paperback
Condition
Acceptable
Binding
Paperback
ISBN 10 / ISBN 13
9780451527530 / 0451527534
Quantity available
3
Seller
Item price
A$9.67
Free Delivery to USA

Show details

Description:
Signet, 2000. Paperback. Acceptable. Former library book; Readable copy. Pages may have considerable notes/highlighting. ~ ThriftBooks: Read More, Spend Less.Dust jacket quality is not guaranteed.
Add to wish list
Item price
A$9.67
Free Delivery to USA
Why We Can't Wait

Why We Can't Wait

by King, Martin Luther, Jr.; Martin Luther King

  • Used
  • Very good
  • Paperback
Condition
Very good
Binding
Paperback
ISBN 10 / ISBN 13
9780451527530 / 0451527534
Quantity available
3
Seller
Item price
A$9.73
Free Delivery to USA

Show details

Description:
Penguin Publishing Group, 2000. Paperback. Very Good. Disclaimer:A copy that has been read, but remains in excellent condition. Pages are intact and are not marred by notes or highlighting, but may contain a neat previous owner name. The spine remains undamaged. At ThriftBooks, our motto is: Read More, Spend Less.Dust jacket quality is not guaranteed.
Add to wish list
Item price
A$9.73
Free Delivery to USA
Why We Can't Wait

Why We Can't Wait

by King, Martin Luther, Jr.; Martin Luther King

  • Used
  • as new
  • Paperback
Condition
New
Binding
Paperback
ISBN 10 / ISBN 13
9780451527530 / 0451527534
Quantity available
1
Seller
Item price
A$9.78
Free Delivery to USA

Show details

Description:
Penguin Publishing Group, 2000. Paperback. As New. Disclaimer:An apparently unread copy in perfect condition. Dust cover is intact; pages are clean and are not marred by notes or folds of any kind. At ThriftBooks, our motto is: Read More, Spend Less.Dust jacket quality is not guaranteed.
Add to wish list
Item price
A$9.78
Free Delivery to USA
Why We Can't Wait
Stock photo: cover may vary

Why We Can't Wait

by King, Martin Luther, Jr

  • Used
Condition
Used
ISBN 10 / ISBN 13
9780451527530 / 0451527534
Quantity available
4
Seller
Item price
A$11.17
Free Delivery to USA

Show details

Description:
Penguin Publishing Group. Used - Good. Pages intact with minimal writing/highlighting. The binding may be loose and creased. Dust jackets/supplements are not included. Stock photo provided. Product includes identifying sticker. Better World Books: Buy Books. Do Good.
Add to wish list
Item price
A$11.17
Free Delivery to USA