The 60's Throwback
The Disaster That Improved Equality
In the 1960’s Birmingham, Alabama was a central place for the Civil Rights Movement and black protests. Numerous events were taking place throughout the city to end the ongoing occurrence of racial discrimination and segregation. A popular meeting spot for African Americans was the 16th Street Baptist Church, it was a safe place to gather. However, on September 15th, 2016 it became a place of terrorism. Birmingham was a place highly known for racism; when the bombing occurred the effects would last for decades.
Birmingham in the 1960’s was notorious for black brutality and segregation; it was also the home of a large Klu Klux Klan. “By 1963, homemade bombs set off in Birmingham’s black homes and churches were such common occurrences that the city had earned the nickname ´Bombingham´” (¨Birmingham Church¨). Many of the scheduled protests began at the 16th Street Baptist Church. “KKK members had routinely called in bomb threats intended to disrupt civil rights meetings as well as services at the church” (¨Birmingham Church¨).
What started as a typical Sunday morning church service soon led to a crime scene. Before a Sunday church service, the church burst into flames, taking lives and leaving numerous injured. “The bomb went off at approximately 10:22 a.m. on September 15, 1963 as 200 church members were attending Sunday school classes” (Burt). When the bomb blasted the walls caved in, while some escaped others were left to die. “Most parishioners were able to evacuate the building as it filled with smoke, but the bodies of four young girls (14-year-old Addie Mae Collins, Cynthia Wesley and Carole Robertson and 11-year-old Denise McNair) were found beneath the rubble in a basement restroom. Ten-year-old Sarah Collins, who was also in the restroom at the time of the explosion, lost her right eye, and more than 20 other people were injured in the blast” (¨Birmingham Church¨). This was the third bombing within an eleven-day time period. The killing of four young girls and the suffering of many others sparked a fire.
Livid African Americans protested outside the scene, which led to more fatalities. “…thousands of angry black protesters gathered at the scene of the bombing. When Governor Wallace sent police and state troopers to break the protests up, violence broke out across the city; a number of protesters were arrested, and two young African American men were killed (one by police) before the National Guard was called in to restore order” (¨Birmingham Church¨). The offenders were believed to be the KKK; however, it did not come out for over 10 years. “…white supremacists (and even certain individuals) were immediately suspected in the bombing, repeated calls for the perpetrators to be brought to justice went unanswered for more than a decade” (¨Birmingham Church¨).
It was not until 1977 when the perpetrators received punishment, when the case was revived. “Alabama Attorney General Bob Baxley reopened the investigation and Klan leader Robert E. Chambliss was brought to trial for the bombings and convicted of murder. Continuing to maintain his innocence, Chambliss died in prison in 1985. The case was again reopened in 1980, 1988 and 1997, when two other former Klan members, Thomas Blanton and Bobby Frank Cherry, were finally brought to trial; Blanton was convicted in 2001 and Cherry in 2002. (A fourth suspect, Herman Frank Cash, died in 1994 before he could be brought to trial.)” (¨Birmingham Church¨). The truth came out, the suspects were known; however, no one spoke up. In 1965, the FBI was aware of the identity of the bombers, but did react. This horrifying event created a lasting impact on our society for eternity.
This disturbing event was a turning point during the Civil Rights Movement. The support for Civil Rights for the African American race grew after the killing of four young girls. The support lead to the enactment of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and Voting Rights Act of 1965. The KKK group did not overpower the black race; the African American race overcome the racism with the passing of the two acts. With the passing of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, discrimination within our school systems and public places finally came to an end after countless misfortunes. The death of many civilians led to equality for the African American race.
Works Cited
Burt, Sharelle. ¨The history of the 1963 16th Street Baptist church bombing¨. Daily News. 15 September 2015. Web. 20 September 2016.
¨Birmingham Church Bombing¨. History.com. 2010. Web. 20 September 2016.
