Learning Curve
HEROES & VILLAINS
King & civil rights > Birmingham
What did the civil rights campaign in Birmingham achieve?
In April 1963 Martin Luther King went to Birmingham, Alabama, a city where public facilities
were separated for blacks and whites. King intended to force the desegregation of lunch counters in downtown shops by a non-violent protest.
Birmingham was one of the most challenging places to demonstrate for civil rights. George
Wallace, the new Governor of Alabama, did not like integration, the bringing together of different racial groups. Birmingham was also a stronghold for the Ku Klux Klan that had been
responsible for 18 bombings in the city. Eugene 'Bull' Connor, the man in charge of police and
firemen, supported the Ku Klux Klan when they attacked black 'freedom fighters'.
King wanted to gain full national attention for events in Birmingham. He hoped that President
Kennedy would be forced to intervene.
The protests began at segregated lunch counters and the protesters were repeatedly arrested.
Others marched in protest to the city hall. They were arrested and further marching was
banned. King was arrested after leading another march. From jail he wrote a letter saying that
people have a moral duty to disobey unjust laws.
King was released and the protest continued to grow. The plan was to use high school children
as protesters, get them to fill up the city's prisons and shame the city on a national level. On 2
May police arrested over a thousand young people aged 6-18 years. The next day more children joined the protest. This time 'Bull' Connor ordered the police to use clubs and dogs on the
marchers and instructed firemen to get rid of the crowds with high-pressure water hoses.
As the protests continued, the images of police brutality shocked the world and gained a lot of
sympathy for the civil rights movement. After pressure from President Kennedy and his brother,
the Attorney General, Birmingham shops and businesses finally agreed on 10 May to desegregate all rest rooms, lunch counters, fitting rooms and drinking fountains, and to hire more black
workers. The President started to push for a new Civil Rights law.
http://www.learningcurve.gov.uk/heroesvillains/
Page 1
Learning Curve
HEROES & VILLAINS
King & civil rights > Birmingham
Examine these sources to find out more:
King's letter from
jail, Birmingham,
Alabama, 1963
JF Kennedy's
message on civil
rights, June 1963
Evidence of what
happened at protests
in Birmingham
Communist
reactions, May
1963
Report on race
relations in the
USA, August 1963
A conversation
about changes to
the law, July 1963
http://www.learningcurve.gov.uk/heroesvillains/
Page 2
Learning Curve
HEROES & VILLAINS
King & civil rights > Birmingham
Source 1
Extracts from King's letter from Birmingham jail, 16 April 1963
(© Estate of Martin Luther King, Jr)
Questions
1. Why did King and the civil rights activists decide to take direct action in Birmingham?
2. What do you think King meant by the phrase: "freedom is never voluntarily given by the
oppressor; it must be demanded by the oppressed"?
3. King was a powerful writer and speaker. Look at the extracts carefully. Where was he trying
to appeal to:
a) emotions?
b) logical arguments?
4. Can you comment on any other aspects that make this a persuasive letter?
http://www.learningcurve.gov.uk/heroesvillains/
Page 1
Learning Curve
HEROES & VILLAINS
King & civil rights > Birmingham
Source 1
http://www.learningcurve.gov.uk/heroesvillains/
Page 2
Learning Curve
HEROES & VILLAINS
King & civil rights > Birmingham
Source 2
Evidence of what happened at protests in 1963 in Birmingham, Alabama
(2a: Empics, 2458335; 2b-d: H. Huntley and D. Montgomery, eds, 'Black Workers'
Struggle for Equality in Birmingham', Champaign, University of Illinois Press, 2004, pp.
89-90, 168, a product of the Birmingham Civil Rights Institute Oral History Project)
Questions
1. What do you think was happening when the photograph in source 2a was taken?
2. How and why might images like this have gained support for the civil rights movement?
3. President Kennedy said at the time that news cameras were far more effective in reporting
what was going in Birmingham than any amount of words. What do you think he meant?
4. According to George Price in source 2b, how did the fire and police departments control the
demonstrators?
5. What were the effects of these methods on the civil rights movement in Birmingham?
6. According to James Greene in sources 2c-d, how did he and others demonstrate against
segregated lunch counters in Birmingham?
7. How did people react to his demonstration?
8. What evidence does sources 2b-d provide about the courage shown by those fighting for
civil rights?
http://www.learningcurve.gov.uk/heroesvillains/
Page 1
Learning Curve
HEROES & VILLAINS
King & civil rights > Birmingham
Source 2a
http://www.learningcurve.gov.uk/heroesvillains/
Page 2
Learning Curve
HEROES & VILLAINS
King & civil rights > Birmingham
Source 2b
http://www.learningcurve.gov.uk/heroesvillains/
Page 3
Learning Curve
HEROES & VILLAINS
King & civil rights > Birmingham
Source 2c
http://www.learningcurve.gov.uk/heroesvillains/
Page 4
Learning Curve
HEROES & VILLAINS
King & civil rights > Birmingham
Source 2d
http://www.learningcurve.gov.uk/heroesvillains/
Page 5
Learning Curve
HEROES & VILLAINS
King & civil rights > Birmingham
Source 3
Evidence of Communist reaction in the USSR and Britain to events in Alabama, May
1963
(Catalogue ref: FO 371/168484)
Questions
1. According to source 3a, a letter from the British Ambassador in Moscow to the British
Foreign Office, what was the Soviet press reporting?
2. Why do you think the Soviet newspapers' response to the racial disturbances was "as was
to be expected"? (Clue: Think about the relationship between the USSR and the USA at this
time and about any differences between the two superpowers.)
3. In source 3b, why did these London branches of the Communist party write to the Prime
Minister, Harold Macmillan, about the President of the USA?
4. What did these branches of the Communist party want Macmillan to do about racial problems in Britain?
5. Are there any similar points made in source 3a and source 3b?
http://www.learningcurve.gov.uk/heroesvillains/
Page 1
Learning Curve
HEROES & VILLAINS
King & civil rights > Birmingham
Source 3a
http://www.learningcurve.gov.uk/heroesvillains/
Page 2
Learning Curve
HEROES & VILLAINS
King & civil rights > Birmingham
Source 3b
http://www.learningcurve.gov.uk/heroesvillains/
Page 3
Learning Curve
HEROES & VILLAINS
King & civil rights > Birmingham
Source 4
Parts of a report on race relations in the US from Mr Greenhill in the British Embassy in
Washington, 6 August 1963
(Catalogue ref: FO 371/168485)
Questions
1. What were the effects of events in Birmingham on
a) the rest of the black population of the USA?
b) the President?
2. Why were Dr. Martin Luther King's non-violent methods considered to be so effective?
3. What battles in the fight for civil rights still needed to be won?
http://www.learningcurve.gov.uk/heroesvillains/
Page 1
Learning Curve
HEROES & VILLAINS
King & civil rights > Birmingham
Source 4a
http://www.learningcurve.gov.uk/heroesvillains/
Page 2
Learning Curve
HEROES & VILLAINS
King & civil rights > Birmingham
Source 4b
http://www.learningcurve.gov.uk/heroesvillains/
Page 3
Learning Curve
HEROES & VILLAINS
King & civil rights > Birmingham
Source 4c
http://www.learningcurve.gov.uk/heroesvillains/
Page 4
Learning Curve
HEROES & VILLAINS
King & civil rights > Birmingham
Source 5
An extract from President Kennedy's message on civil rights, released on 19 June 1963,
and a British government summary of the message
(Catalogue ref: FO 371/168484)
Questions
1. In source 5a, how does Kennedy use language to make this a powerful opening to his
message?
2. According to source 5b, how were public facilities to be changed by the new bill?
3. How was Kennedy hoping to make sure schools and colleges were de-segregated quickly?
4. What was being done to improve job prospects for black people?
5. How would racial discrimination be punished if it occurred in activities?
http://www.learningcurve.gov.uk/heroesvillains/
Page 1
Learning Curve
HEROES & VILLAINS
King & civil rights > Birmingham
Source 5a
http://www.learningcurve.gov.uk/heroesvillains/
Page 2
Learning Curve
HEROES & VILLAINS
King & civil rights > Birmingham
Source 5b
http://www.learningcurve.gov.uk/heroesvillains/
Page 3
Learning Curve
HEROES & VILLAINS
King & civil rights > Birmingham
Source 6
Record of a conversation with the President's special assistant for civil rights, 3 July
1963, about changes to the law
(Catalogue ref: FO 371/168484)
Questions
1. What did Mr. White think would happen if Congress did not pass the Civil Rights Bill in its
full form?
2. What do you think was the difference between the aims of "wanting in" and "separatism"?
http://www.learningcurve.gov.uk/heroesvillains/
Page 1
Learning Curve
HEROES & VILLAINS
King & civil rights > Birmingham
Source 6
http://www.learningcurve.gov.uk/heroesvillains/
Page 2