Who Speaks for Birmingham?

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Who Speaks for Birmingham? was a controversial 1961 documentary marrated by Howard K. Smith for CBS Reports and aired on the CBS Network.

Smith, a Louisiana native, came to Birmingham in 1961 and was the only national media figure in town when the Freedom Riders were brutalized by a mob on the streets under the passive eyes of Birmingham police.

Smith's commentary concluded with a quotation from Edmund Burke, "All that is necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to do nothing." This quote was cut from the program when it aired. The ensuing arguments with CBS chairman William S. Paley led Smith to resign from the network.

References

  • Wiener, Jon. (June 11, 2001) "Southern Explosure." The Nation
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