Unit 6: Research Paper Proposal
16th Street Baptist Church Bombing
Topic:
General Purpose:
To analyze the media’s coverage in the attack of the ended the life of four young
girls in Birmingham, Alabama on September 15, 1963.
Thesis Statement: To understand why acts of terrorism are carried out that results in the death of
innocent lives. Also to understand the symbiotic relationship between the media and terrorism’s and
the characteristics of media related to terrorism while reporting on events.
Introduction:
1. Main Focus: There have been controversy in the way the media covers terrorism and the effects
of the media coverage and the role it plays in terrorism.
I.
Opinion: It has been assumed the symbiotic relationship in the manner stories are covered by
the media dictates how terrorism is spread in the media and among terrorists.
II. Thesis: There might be some validity in the way the media influence terrorism due to the way
reporting plays right into the goal of terrorist to provoke fear.
2. Focus Point: How politically motivated terrorist attacks are covered by the media that are
fueled by hate groups.
I.
The Civil Rights Movement and the positive and negative effects.
II.
The role the media plays in terrorism and the power of television.
III.
The symbiotic relationship between media coverage and terrorism.
3. The media coverage over the 16th Street Baptist Church compared to nonracial political attacks.
I.
How the media provides a platform to widen the reach of terrorist attacks then and
now.
References:
16th Street Church Bombing Part 13 of 51. (n.d.). FBI. Retrieved September 24, 2022, from
https://vault.fbi.gov/16th%20Street%20Church%20Bombing%20/16th%20Street%20Chu
rch%20Bombing%20Part%2013%20of%2051/view.+(n.d.).+
nytimes.com. (1983, July 24). Retrieved September 24, 2022, from
https://www.nytimes.com/1983/07/24/magazine/the-birminghambombing.html?auth=logingoogle1tap&login=google1taphttps://www.nytimes.com/1983/07/24/magazine/thebirmingham-bombing.html?auth=login-google1tap&login=google1tap
Vasquez, R. (2013a, September 7). How The Media Covered The Civil Rights Movement: The
16th Street Baptist Church Bombing. Alabama Public Radio. Retrieved September 24,
2022, from https://www.apr.org/arts-life/2013-08-21/how-the-media-covered-the-civilrights-movement-the-16th-street-baptist-church-bombing
16th Street Church Bombing Part 13 of 51. (n.d.). FBI. Retrieved September 24, 2022, from
https://vault.fbi.gov/16th%20Street%20Church%20Bombing%20/16th%20Street%20Chu
rch%20Bombing%20Part%2013%20of%2051/view.+(n.d.).+
How The Media Covered The Civil Rights Movement: The Children’s March. (2019, March 6).
[Video]. Alabama Public Radio. Retrieved September 25, 2022,
from https://www.apr.org/arts-life/2013-04-25/how-the-media-covered-the-civil-rightsmovement-the-childrens-march
undefined [VT H]. (2019, June 23). 4 Little Girls - Spike Lee Documentary [Video]. YouTube.
Retrieved September 28, 2022, from
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ebuKaY0KIbI&list=TLPQMjQwOTIwMjL7Y5QsCRteQ&index=1