How does Dr. King respond to being labeled an "extremist" and how does he use of word"extremist" contribute to the tone of the text

1. At first, Dr. King was disappointed at being labeled an extremist, but he later came to appreciate the label because he realized that notable people in the past such as, the Apostle Paul, Jesus Christ, and Prophet Amos were also labeled extremists for pursuing a worthy cause.

2. The use of the the word extremist contributes to the serious tone of the text.

Explanation:

In his letter from Birmingham Jail, Dr. Martin Luther King lamented that the peaceful approach that the Negroes adopted to protest their anger on being segregated upon was labeled, 'Extremism'. He said that initially, he was disappointed at being labeled 'extremist'. But when he realized that other good leaders in the past were called extremists for pursuing a righteous course, he decided to embrace the label.

The use of that word contributed to the seriousness of the matter which Dr. King was addressing in his letter.