During the year 1963, a Court in Alabama had ordered King to abstain himself from protesting against the treatment that African Americans received. However, he disregarded this judicial order and proceeded to continue his protests. As a result, he was put in jail.
While in jail, he decided to write a letter to a local newspaper explaining his reasons for continuing his protests despite the fact that he was ordered to abstain from it. In his letter, he makes reference on Saint Augustine, saying that "an unjust law is no law at all".