Civil Rights Marches Albany, Birmingham, Washington DC and Selma

Today we are going to look at Civil Rights events in 3 cities  Birmingham, Alabama  Washington, D.C.  Selma, Alabama

The Albany Movement  In 1961 the Civil Rights movement moved to Albany, Georgia in an effort to end segregation and discrimination in the community.  Many types of protest were used and many were jailed.  When the events in Albany had played out it was looked at as a failure, and MLK took much of the blame.

Birmingham, Alabama 1963 From Albany the movement went to Birmingham, Alabama, for what became known as “Project C”. The “C” stands for confrontation. The idea was to peacefully break segregation laws in such large numbers that the jails would be overcrowded, and the laws could not be enforced.

Birmingham, Alabama 1963  The campaign lasted for more than two months during the spring of  MLK and black citizens practiced nonviolent tactics to break laws that would have them arrested and overflow the jails  This is where MLK wrote his famous “Letter from Birmingham Jail”

Birmingham, Alabama 1963  What resulted were some of the most horrific incidents of police brutality ever witnessed  Protesters were sprayed with tear gas and fire hoses and police dogs were also used against them  57aUXIpo 57aUXIpo  1:45-2:45  20:00-43:00

March on Washington - August 28, 1963  Almost 200,000 blacks and whites met at the Washington Monument during the March on Washington.  MLK delivered his historic “I Have a Dream…” speechI Have a Dream  The march was organized by a group of civil rights, labor, and religious organizations.  Following the march, the Civil Rights Act of 1964, and the National Voting Rights Act of 1965 were passed. 7 Close to 200,000 blacks and whites meet at the Washington Monument during the March on Washington. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. performs his “I Have a Dream …” speech on the steps of the Lincoln Memorial.

“I have a dream” 

16 th Street Baptist Church Bombing September 15, 1963 {18 days after “I have a dream”}  The 16 th Street Baptist Church bombing was a racially motivated terrorist attack on September 15, 1963 by members of the Ku Klux Klan.  The bombing in Birmingham, Alabama, resulted in the deaths of four girls, Denise McNair, Carole Robertson, Cynthia Wesley, and Addie Mae Collins 9 The 16 th Street Baptist Church in Birmingham, Alabama. Four girls who were killed

16 th Street Baptist Church Bombing Sunday, September 15, 1963 {18 days after “I have a dream”}  Robert Chambliss was convicted of the murders in 1977 and sentenced to several terms of life imprisonment  The case was reopened in 2000 and two more men were tried and convicted  Bobby Frank Cherry and Thomas Blanton were sentenced to life in prison history/march-on- washington/videos/bombing-of-the-16th- street-baptist- church?m=528e394da93ae&s=undefined&f=1 &free=falsehttp:// history/march-on- washington/videos/bombing-of-the-16th- street-baptist- church?m=528e394da93ae&s=undefined&f=1 &free=false 10 The aftermath of the bombing

Selma to Montgomery Marches March 1965

 The Selma to Montgomery Marches were peaceful marches held in March  The purpose of the marches was to help blacks in the South register to vote.  The first march was held on March 7, but was cut short when Alabama state and local police would not allow the marchers to cross the Edmund Pettus Bridge.  Some marchers were severely beaten by the police. Photos of the beatings made national headlines. Police attacking the marchers The first march led by Hosea Williams and John Lewis

Selma to Montgomery Marches March 1965  The second march was led by MLK on March 9.  The marchers made it to the Edmund Pettus Bridge, and had a prayer session and dispersed.  At the third march, the marchers were granted a court order and were permitted to march peacefully without police intervention from Selma to Montgomery.  The march covered fifty-four miles in five days and four nights.

Selma to Montgomery  washington/videos/bloody- sunday?m=528e394da93ae&s=undefined&f=1&free=false washington/videos/bloody- sunday?m=528e394da93ae&s=undefined&f=1&free=false  washington/videos/march-from-selma-to-montgomery washington/videos/march-from-selma-to-montgomery