Civil Rights in Birmingham, Alabama
Th 16th Street
Baptist Church as
it appeared in 1884
Church History:
1873-Founded in a
different location as The
First Colored Baptist
Church of Birmingham
1908-The city of
Birmingham said it had
to be destroyed because
it was too tall. (What do
you think?)
1911-A new building is
built in its place
The New Building
Constructed in 1911
Wallace Rayfield-a
predominant black
architect designed the
new building.
TC Wyndham
Constructed it.
-Became the cultural,
social and political
center of black life in
Birmingham
How much did it cost to
build it?
$16,000-A used mini van
in today’s economy is
about $4000 more than
that!
Whites Only
Colored Only
Turn and Talk!
Fred Shuttlesworth
-Led the
Birmingham
Campaign
-Co-founder
of the
Southern
Christian
Leadership
Conference
-Statue
erected in his
honor
Ralph Abernathy
-Baptist
Minister
-Martin
Luther
King Jr’s
chief
aide
-Helped
to
organize
the bus
boycott
Martin Luther King Jr
Click here for the link to his “I Have a Dream
Speech”
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tchspyL
EHaw
-Leader of the Civil Rights
Movement in the United
States
-Baptist Minister
-Organized the 1963 March
on Washington (D.C.)
-Famous for his “I have a
Dream Speech”
Sometimes led to arrests
And violence….
Sadly, 4 young girls lost their lives.
Denise McNair, age 11
Cynthia Wesley, age 14
Addie Mae Collins, age 14
Carol Robertson, age 14
The man who set the bomb was not
Convicted until 1977.
 http://www.nbcnews.co
 http://www.cmohs.org/
m/id/51280101/ns/local_
newsbirmingham_al/t/thstreet-baptist-churchbombing-victims-behonored/
 Review this article.
 What do you think?
Write a letter to
President Obama
telling him why you
agree or disagree
that these girls
should received this
honor.