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The '''1963 church bombing''' was a racially motivated terrorist attack at the [[16th Street Baptist Church]] on [[September 15]], [[1963]]. It proved to be a turning point of the U.S. [[civil rights movement]] of the [[1960s]], provoking horror and outrage that expanded the campaign to correct injustices. Many consider the event to have provided the impetus for passage of the 1964 Civil Rights Act. | The '''1963 church bombing''' was a racially motivated terrorist attack at the [[16th Street Baptist Church]] on [[September 15]], [[1963]]. The three-story church near [[Kelly Ingram Park]] had been a rallying point for many civil rights activities, especially during the [[Birmingham Campaign]] of 1963. It proved to be a turning point of the U.S. [[civil rights movement]] of the [[1960s]], provoking horror and outrage that expanded the campaign to correct injustices. Many consider the event to have provided the impetus for passage of the 1964 Civil Rights Act. | ||
Early | ==September 15== | ||
Early in the morning on Sunday, September 15, 1963, [[Ku Klux Klan]] members [[Bobby Frank Cherry]] and [[Robert Edward Chambliss]] (Dynamite Bob) planted 19 sticks of dynamite in the basement of the Church. At 10:25 that morning, just following the Youth Day sermon, "The Love That Forgives", the dynamite exploded, killing four of the eighty or so children that had retired to the downstairs assembly room for closing prayer. The four girls killed were [[Addie Mae Collins]], [[Carole Robertson]], [[Cynthia Wesley]] and [[Denise McNair]]. Twenty-two other churchmembers were injured, including [[Sarah Collins]], Addie Mae's older sister. | |||
The | The explosion blew a large hole in the church's rear wall, and destroyed the back steps. All but one of the stained glass windows were completely shattered. The surviving panel depicted Christ surrounded by children. In that window, only the face of Christ was damaged. Five cars behind the church sustained heavy damage, with two of them destroyed. Windows in the laundry across the street were blown out in the blast. | ||
==Immediate aftermath== | |||
Outrage at the bombing and the chaos that followed resulted in violence across Birmingham, with two more African-American youths dead by the end of the day. 16-year-old [[Johnnie Robinson]] was shot and killed by police after throwing stones at cars with white people in them. 13-year-old [[Virgil Ware]] was killed by two whites riding a motor scooter. | |||
A funeral for three of the four victims<sup>1</sup> was attended by over 8,000 mourners, white and black, but no city officials. | |||
==Initial investigation== | |||
The local police effort characteristically adopted a defensive stance. Birmingham police first investigated the background of the victims–to determine if they had been active in the movement and thus not entirely innocent. The church custodian, an African American was questioned as a suspect. Three days after the tragedy, former Birmingham police commissioner Eugene (Bull) Connor addressed a crowd of 2,500 people at a [[Citizen's Council]] meeting saying, "If you're going to blame anyone for getting those children killed in Birmingham, it's your Supreme Court." Connor recalled that in 1954, after the Brown vs. Board of Education decision had been reached, he had said, "You're going to have bloodshed, and it's on them (the Court), not us." He also proposed that African-Americans may have set the bomb deliberately to provoke an emotional response, saying, "I wouldn't say it's above King's crowd." | |||
The initial investigation was retarded by not only by uncooperative local officials, but also by a compromised Federal Bureau of Investigation. An FBI informant named singer Harry Belafonte as the organizer of the crime. Chambliss, who had not gone to great pains to disavow his role in the attack, was ultimately charged, but was acquitted for lack of evidence. | |||
==Later convictions== | |||
Years later it was found that the FBI had accumulated evidence against the bombers, but by order of director J. Edgar Hoover, had not disclosed the evidence to prosecutors. In [[1977]], new charges were brought by Alabama Attorney-General [[Bill Baxley]] and Chambliss was finally convicted for the murders and sentenced to several terms of life imprisonment. He died in prison in [[1985]]. | |||
After reopening the case several times, in [[2000]] the FBI assisted the state authorities in bringing charges against Cherry and [[Thomas Blanton]]. Blanton and Cherry were convicted by state court juries and sentenced to life in prison. Cherry, who always denied his involvement, died on [[November 18]], [[2004]]. | After reopening the case several times, in [[2000]] the FBI assisted the state authorities in bringing charges against Cherry and [[Thomas Blanton]]. Blanton and Cherry were convicted by state court juries and sentenced to life in prison. Cherry, who always denied his involvement, died on [[November 18]], [[2004]]. | ||
==Legacy== | |||
The song "Birmingham Sunday", composed by Richard Farina and recorded by Joan Baez, chronicled the events and aftermath of the bombing. | The song "Birmingham Sunday", composed by Richard Farina and recorded by Joan Baez, chronicled the events and aftermath of the bombing. | ||
Revision as of 20:34, 12 May 2006
The 1963 church bombing was a racially motivated terrorist attack at the 16th Street Baptist Church on September 15, 1963. The three-story church near Kelly Ingram Park had been a rallying point for many civil rights activities, especially during the Birmingham Campaign of 1963. It proved to be a turning point of the U.S. civil rights movement of the 1960s, provoking horror and outrage that expanded the campaign to correct injustices. Many consider the event to have provided the impetus for passage of the 1964 Civil Rights Act.
September 15
Early in the morning on Sunday, September 15, 1963, Ku Klux Klan members Bobby Frank Cherry and Robert Edward Chambliss (Dynamite Bob) planted 19 sticks of dynamite in the basement of the Church. At 10:25 that morning, just following the Youth Day sermon, "The Love That Forgives", the dynamite exploded, killing four of the eighty or so children that had retired to the downstairs assembly room for closing prayer. The four girls killed were Addie Mae Collins, Carole Robertson, Cynthia Wesley and Denise McNair. Twenty-two other churchmembers were injured, including Sarah Collins, Addie Mae's older sister.
The explosion blew a large hole in the church's rear wall, and destroyed the back steps. All but one of the stained glass windows were completely shattered. The surviving panel depicted Christ surrounded by children. In that window, only the face of Christ was damaged. Five cars behind the church sustained heavy damage, with two of them destroyed. Windows in the laundry across the street were blown out in the blast.
Immediate aftermath
Outrage at the bombing and the chaos that followed resulted in violence across Birmingham, with two more African-American youths dead by the end of the day. 16-year-old Johnnie Robinson was shot and killed by police after throwing stones at cars with white people in them. 13-year-old Virgil Ware was killed by two whites riding a motor scooter.
A funeral for three of the four victims1 was attended by over 8,000 mourners, white and black, but no city officials.
Initial investigation
The local police effort characteristically adopted a defensive stance. Birmingham police first investigated the background of the victims–to determine if they had been active in the movement and thus not entirely innocent. The church custodian, an African American was questioned as a suspect. Three days after the tragedy, former Birmingham police commissioner Eugene (Bull) Connor addressed a crowd of 2,500 people at a Citizen's Council meeting saying, "If you're going to blame anyone for getting those children killed in Birmingham, it's your Supreme Court." Connor recalled that in 1954, after the Brown vs. Board of Education decision had been reached, he had said, "You're going to have bloodshed, and it's on them (the Court), not us." He also proposed that African-Americans may have set the bomb deliberately to provoke an emotional response, saying, "I wouldn't say it's above King's crowd."
The initial investigation was retarded by not only by uncooperative local officials, but also by a compromised Federal Bureau of Investigation. An FBI informant named singer Harry Belafonte as the organizer of the crime. Chambliss, who had not gone to great pains to disavow his role in the attack, was ultimately charged, but was acquitted for lack of evidence.
Later convictions
Years later it was found that the FBI had accumulated evidence against the bombers, but by order of director J. Edgar Hoover, had not disclosed the evidence to prosecutors. In 1977, new charges were brought by Alabama Attorney-General Bill Baxley and Chambliss was finally convicted for the murders and sentenced to several terms of life imprisonment. He died in prison in 1985.
After reopening the case several times, in 2000 the FBI assisted the state authorities in bringing charges against Cherry and Thomas Blanton. Blanton and Cherry were convicted by state court juries and sentenced to life in prison. Cherry, who always denied his involvement, died on November 18, 2004.
Legacy
The song "Birmingham Sunday", composed by Richard Farina and recorded by Joan Baez, chronicled the events and aftermath of the bombing.
4 Little Girls, Spike Lee's 1997 documentary about the bombing, was nominated for an Academy Awards for "Best Documentary".
Notes
- Carole Robertson's mother was so put off by Martin Luther King, Jr's statement that "the apathy and complacency of many Negroes who...[do] not engage in creative protest," were responsible for the murder, that she refused to participate in the joint services. (Wiener - 2001)
References
- Branch, Taylor (1988). Parting the Waters: America in the King Years, 1954 -1963, New York: Simon & Schuster. ISBN 0671687425.
- Sikora, Frank (April 1991). Until Justice Rolls Down: The Birmingham Church Bombing Case, Tuscaloosa, AL: University of Alabama Press. ISBN 0817305203.
- Cobbs, Elizabeth H.; Smith, Petric J. (April 1994). Long Time Coming: An Insider’s Story of the Birmingham Church Bombing that Rocked the World, Birmingham, AL: Crane Hill. ISBN 1881548104.
- Hansen, Jeff and John Archibald. (September 15, 1997) "Church bomb felt like 'world shaking'." Birmingham News.
- Wiener, Jon. (June 11, 2001) "Southern Explosure." The Nation
External links
- Online archives at the Birmingham Public Library, including the investigation and trial
- website of the Birmingham Civil Rights Institute.