What happened during the 16th Street Baptist Church?
It was a quiet Sunday morning in Birmingham, Alabama—around 10:24 on September 15, 1963—when a dynamite bomb exploded in the back stairwell of the downtown Sixteenth Street Baptist Church.
What happened in Birmingham Alabama 1963?
The Birmingham church bombing occurred on September 15, 1963, when a bomb exploded before Sunday morning services at the 16th Street Baptist Church in Birmingham, Alabama—a church with a predominantly Black congregation that also served as a meeting place for civil rights leaders.
Is Maxine McNair still alive?
January 2, 2022Maxine McNair / Died
Why was the Birmingham church bombed?
Four members of a local Ku Klux Klan chapter planted 19 sticks of dynamite attached to a timing device beneath the steps located on the east side of the church. Described by Martin Luther King Jr….
| 16th Street Baptist Church bombing | |
|---|---|
| Motive | Racism and support for racial segregation |
Why did Kennedy send troops to Birmingham?
Conflicted about whether to deploy federal troops, Kennedy wanted to save face after the violence in Birmingham became covered as international news, and he wanted to protect the truce that had just been established.
What happened to Martin Luther King Jr in 1963?
He was fatally shot while standing on the balcony of a motel in Memphis, where King had traveled to support a sanitation workers’ strike. In the wake of his death, a wave of riots swept major cities across the country, while President Johnson declared a national day of mourning.
Was the 16th Street Baptist Church a black church?
The 16th Street Baptist Church was organized as the First Colored Baptist Church of Birmingham in 1873. It was the first black church to organize in Birmingham, which was founded just two years before. The first meetings were held in a small building at 12th Street and Fourth Avenue North.
Why did Martin Luther King choose Birmingham to demonstrate?
In January 1963, Martin Luther King announced that he would lead a demonstration in Birmingham, Alabama. He chose Birmingham specifically as it was one of the most segregated cities in the USA. It was notorious for police brutality and the local Ku Klux Klan was one of the most violent.
How many people died in the bombing of Birmingham?
416th Street Baptist Church bombing / Number of deaths
What did Kennedy do in Birmingham?
On June 11, 1963, President John F. Kennedy responded to threats of violence and obstruction following desegregation attempts at the University of Alabama. The violence erupted in Birmingham, Ala., on May 11, 1963, just before Mother’s Day.