BELL RINGER

1. Why is it important to examine 1963 Birmingham, Alabama during the Civil Rights Movement?

  2. What happened to the 16th Street Baptist Church in 1963

Birmingham in?  3. Name two acts of violence used by police against African

Americans?  4. What was Martin Luther King arrested for in Birmingham,

Alabama in 1963?  5. What was King’s central argument in his “Letter from

Birmingham Jail”?

1963 BIRMINGHAM, ALABAMA

WHAT IS GOING ON IN 1963 BIRMINGHAM

• Despite the peaceful efforts of both the black and white leaders of the city, terror and violence had gripped Birmingham, Alabama while the world watched.

• City parks and public golf courses had been closed to prevent desegregation.

• Black community attempted to protest racial activities by boycotting selected Birmingham merchants.

• The national media publicized the powerful water hoses and the German shepherd police dogs that were used by the firemen and the policemen of Birmingham against demonstrators in May of 1963

(HISTORY HERE MOBILE RESOURCE APP) BIRMINGHAM NATIONAL EXAMPLE

1963 Birmingham, Alabama had become a national example of racial tension and

fighting.

MARTIN LUTHER KING JR. ARRESTED

The Letter from Birmingham Jail is an open letter written

on April 16, 1963, by Martin Luther King,

Jr. The letter defends the strategy of

nonviolent resistance to racism, arguing that people

have a moral responsibility to

break unjust laws

VIOLENCE CONTINUES

Even as the inspiring words of Martin Luther King Jr.'s famous "I Have a Dream"

speech rang out from the Lincoln Memorial during the historic March on Washington in

August of 1963, racial relations in the segregated South were still marked by

continued violence and inequality.

16TH STREET BAPTIST CHURCH BOMBING

• September 15, a bomb exploded before Sunday morning services at the 16th Street Baptist Church in Birmingham, Alabama.• Predominantly black congregation that served as a meeting place for civil rights leaders. • Four young girls were killed and many other people injured.

(HISTORY HERE MOBILE RESOURCE APP) 16TH STREET BAPTIST CHURCH BOMBING

Outrage over the incident and the

violent clash between

protesters and police that

followed helped draw national

attention to the hard-fought,

often dangerous struggle for civil rights for African

Americans.

THE NATIONAL ARCHIVES ACTIVITY (WWW.ARCHIVES.GOV) BIRMINGHAM 1963

Fishbowl Method: As the students split up into two large groups, I will hand each group three primary source documents to analyze and complete questions on for 20 minutes before performing the fishbowl activity. After students have analyzed each document in their groups, each group will take turns in the inner circle and outer circle. The primary source documents used in this activity are from the Alabama Department of Archives and History that includes telegrams discussing the issues of 1963 Birmingham.

1963 BIRMINGHAM ACTIVITY PRIMARY DOCUMENTS

Telegram 1: May 13, 1963 from L.H. Foster

1963 BIRMINGHAM ACTIVITY PRIMARY DOCUMENTS

Telegram 2: May 13, 1963 from George Andrews

1963 BIRMINGHAM ACTIVITY PRIMARY DOCUMENTS

Telegram 3: May 16, 1963 from NBC News

1963 BIRMINGHAM ACTIVITY PRIMARY DOCUMENTS

Telegram 4: May 28, 1963 from Mayor Boutwell

1963 BIRMINGHAM ACTIVITY PRIMARY DOCUMENTS

Telegram 5: May 13, 1963 from Wallace to The President

1963 BIRMINGHAM ACTIVITY PRIMARY DOCUMENTS

Picture: Documents of Human Rights in Alabama

1. Describe what kind of document this is.  2. What is the date of the document and why is it significant?  3. For what audience was this document written?   4. List 3 points that the author made that you believe are important.   5. Why do you think that the author wrote this document?   6. List two (2) things from the document that describes life in the

United States or in Alabama.  

1963 BIRMINGHAM ACTIVITY QUESTIONS

1963 BIRMINGHAM ACTIVITY 2

Act of the press secretary for the Governor of Alabama and write a press release (official statement ) to be sent to each newspaper, and

radio and television station in Alabama that will explain what is

happening in Birmingham and what they advise the Governor to

tell the state.

WORKS CITED (RESOURCES USED)

HISTORY Here app www.archive.govGoogle Images