This event took place on an early sunday morning in 1963, just before the early service started at the sixteenth street baptist church in birmingham, alabama. This murderous act shocked the nation and galvanized the civil rights movement. Frank couchthe birmingham times this is the opening chapter of the 5th little girl. The brutal attack and the deaths of the four little girls shocked the nation and drew international attention to the. The 16th street baptist church bombing was an act of white supremacist terrorism which occurred at the africanamerican 16th street baptist church in birmingham, alabama, on sunday, september 15, 1963. Carolyn mckinstry talked about surviving the september 15, 1963, bombing of the sixteenth street baptist church in birmingham, alabama. On september 15, the marquee outside the 16th street baptist church advertised the first in a series of monthly, youthled worship services planned by the churchs pastor, rev.
One of the most remarkable events during the civil rights movement was the birmingham church bombing. In new book,fifth little girl describes first hand. Remembering the birmingham church bombing smithsonian. In the church basement that morning, a group of teenage girls was finishing up sunday school classes while the adults met upstairs in the sanctuary. Baptist church in birmingham, alabama in september, 1963 in which 4 young african american girls were killed. Learning the lesson of the birmingham church bombing new. The 16th street baptist church bombing was an act of white supremacist terrorism which occurred at the african american 16th street baptist church in birmingham, alabama, on sunday, september 15. It was the bombed church in birmingham, alabama, in 1963. Remembering the birmingham church bombing a former freedom rider describes what it was like walking among the rubble of the 16th avenue baptist church 3. On sunday morning, september 15, 1963, the ku klux klan bombed the sixteenth street baptist church in birmingham, alabama, killing four girls. What event is similar to the 16th street baptist bombing.
In 1954 the supreme court ruled the separation of black and white children at school as unlawful in the brown v. The bombing increased worldwide sympathy for the civil rights cause. This clip is part of cspan classrooms free resources for. From 16th street baptist in birmingham to mother emanuel.
Commonlit the 16th street baptist church bombing free. Please note that the content of this book primarily consists of articles available from wikipedia or other free sources online. The reverend arthur price talked about the history of the sixteenth street baptist church and the bombing of the church that occurred on sunday, september. This short video explores the bombing of the 16th st. Resulting in 14 injuries and the death of four girls, the attack garnered widespread national. Sixteenth street was the first black church in birmingham. Baptist church to the left, and birmingham, alabama beneath. Here are some facts about the aftermath of the bombing. Bpl digital collections sixteenth street baptist church. Addie mae collins, carol denise mcnair, and cynthia diane wesley killed in the bombing. Police officers stand guard at a roadblock at the 16th street baptist church in birmingham, alabama, on september 16, 1963.
Carolyn mckinstry was the 15yearold sundayschool secretary of 16th street baptist church when it was bombed 50 years ago and was friends with the four girls who died during the explosion. The birmingham church bombing that changed the course of civil rights by doug jones mar 5, 2019 4. Focusing on the sixteenth street baptist church bombing trials and the birmingham civil rights institute, i examine moments in which residents have pushed the citys civil rights history to the foreground in order to showcase real reform or to challenge the current political progress narrative and thereby force a reckoning with the past. Today in 1963, four young black girls were killed in a ku klux klan bombing of birminghams 16th street baptist church a focal point for the local black community. The racially motivated attack killed four young girls and shocked the nation. The 16th street baptist church bombing was an act of white supremacist terrorism which. This novel portrays a fictional account of the bombing of the 16th street baptist. Fifty years after bombing, birmingham is resurrected time. The reverse depicts a view of the 16th street baptist church.
By bombing and murder by the ku klux klan most notoriously in the death of four girl in the bombing of the sixteenth street baptist church. On september 15, 1963, two and a half weeks after the march on washington, four little girls were killed in the ku klux klan bombing of the 16th street baptist church in birmingham, alabama. Discover delightful childrens books with prime book box, a subscription that. Years after the attack, three men were convicted of murder. A view of the four spirits statue and the 16th street baptist church, nov. The 16th street baptist church bombing was an act of white supremacist terrorism which occurred at the. The bombing at 16th street baptist church reignited the civil rights movement as the. The 16th street baptist church bombing was a racially motivated terrorist attack on september 15, 1963, by members of a ku klux klan group in birmingham, alabama in the united states. The birmingham church bombing occurred on september 15, 1963, when a bomb exploded before sunday morning services at the 16th street baptist church in.
On september 15, 1963, a bomb exploded at the 16th street baptist church as church members prepared for sunday services. After extensively researching the bombing i recreated the girls clothing as best as i could. Sixteenth street baptist church is located at the intersection of 16th street and 6th avenue north. While the ruling was met with resistance in many southern white communities, many african. The inscriptions include act of congress 20 above, killed in the bombing of the 16th st.
This woman lost her sister, denise mcnair, in a ku klux klan bombing more than 50 years ago. Cynthia wesley, carole robertson and addie mae collins were. She returned to the site of the attack, birminghams 16th street baptist church, to remind people of. The birmingham news special report photographs, audio and text about the civil rights movement in birmingham. How 1963 birmingham bombing echoes in charleston church cnn. Four members of a local ku klux klan chapter planted at least 15 sticks of dynamite attached to a timing device beneath the steps located on the east side of the church. How to be productive at home from a remote work veteran. In the 1950s and 1960s the american people, backed by civil rights leaders like martin luther king jr. Charleston stirs memories of young birmingham bombing. Organized in 1873 as the first colored baptist church of birmingham, alabama. Did this bombing open the eyes of many people to the racism toward african americans. White strangers visited the grieving families to express their sorrow.
Addie mae collins, denise mcnair, carole robertson, and cynthia wesley were. The sixteenth street baptist church, where four young girls died during a civil rightsera bombing, will be opening a new museum in september that will showcase the churchs history. On june 17, 2015, nine worshippers were gunned down at emanuel african. The civil rights digital library received support from a national leadership grant for libraries awarded to the university of georgia by the institute of museum and library services for the aggregation and enhancement of partner metadata. Initially, the congregation worshiped in a small building on the corner of 12th street north and 4th avenue and later moved to 3rd avenue north between 19th and 20th streets. Bombing of the 16th street baptist church biography. The bombing of the 16th street baptist church was a pivotal moment for the american civil rights movement. Soul survivor of the 16th street baptist church bombing the sarah collins rudolph story. The attack on the 16th street baptist church was an act of terrorism that stands as one of the great turning points in american history. Bearing witness to the aftermath of the birmingham church. My family lived just 15 miles northeast of the church in the suburbs, but oddly,read more. Investigators of alabama church bombing reflect on the big. The 16th street baptist church bombing by mike miller on prezi.
This page has facts about the aftermath of the 16th street baptist church bombing. On sunday, september 15, 1963, when the bomb went off in the sixteenth street baptist church in downtown birmingham, i was only fiveyearsold about to turn six in october. Causes of the birmingham bombing 1100 words 5 pages. Four young girls were killed in the church and 2 other kids were killed by police after throwing rocks at cars. The dresses were then stiffened and hung from the ceilling along with their shoes, purses and other objects they may have worn. September 15, 1963 a bomb blast at the sixteenth street baptist church in birmingham, alabama, kills four africanamerican girls during church. On september 1963 the klu klux klan decided to rebel and put a bomb in the church on sixteenth street and set it to go off at 10. On september 15, 1963, a bomb explodes during sunday morning services in the 16th street baptist church in birmingham, alabama, killing four young girls. Surviving the bombing of the sixteenth street baptist. The bombing of the 16th street baptist church on september 15 was the third bombing in 11 days, after a federal court order had come down. Sarah collins rudolph has authored a book telling her eye witness account of the klan bombing of the 16th street baptist church 54 years ago. Birmingham baptist church bomber denied parole cnn.
Though the horrific 1963 bombing of birmingham, alabamas 16th street baptist church proved to be a turning point in the civil rights movement, justice was anything but swift for the men who. Four black schoolgirls killed in birmingham church bombing. Four empty dresses being blown away pognantly memorialize the four girls killed in the birmingham church bombing in 1963. Together with the march on washington in august, the september murder of the four little girls opened the way for lyndon johnsons successful push for civil rights legislation in 1964, in the aftermath of the.