Original subtitles

Captions made possible by HOME BOX OFFICE

A Division of TIME WARNER ENTERTAINMENT COMPANY, L.P.

♪ COME ROUND BY MY SIDE ♪

♪ AND I'LL SING YOU A SONG ♪

♪ I'LL SING IT SO SOFTLY ♪

♪ IT'LL DO NO ONE WRONG ♪

♪ ON BIRMINGHAM SUNDAY ♪

♪ THE BLOOD RAN LIKE WINE ♪

♪ AND THE CHOIR KEPT SINGING OF FREEDOM ♪

♪ THAT COLD AUTUMN MORNING ♪

♪ NO EYES SAW THE SUN ♪

♪ AND ADDIE MAE COLLINS ♪

♪ HER NUMBER WAS ONE ♪

♪ IN AN OLD BAPTIST CHURCH ♪

♪ THERE WAS NO NEED TO RUN ♪

♪ AND THE CHOIR KEPT SINGING OF FREEDOM ♪

♪ THE CLOUDS THEY WERE DARK ♪

♪ THE AUTUMN WIND BLEW ♪

♪ AND DENISE McNAIR ♪

♪ BROUGHT THE NUMBER TO TWO ♪

♪ THE FALCON OF DEATH ♪

♪ WAS A CREATURE THEY KNEW ♪

♪ AND THE CHOIR KEPT SINGING OF FREEDOM ♪

♪ THE CHURCH IT WAS CROWDED ♪

♪ AND NO ONE COULD SEE ♪

♪ THAT CYNTHIA WESLEY'S ♪

♪ DARK NUMBER WAS THREE ♪

♪ HER PRAYERS AND HER FEELINGS ♪

♪ WOULD SHAME YOU AND ME ♪

♪ AND THE CHOIR KEPT SINGING OF FREEDOM ♪

♪ YOUNG CAROLE ROBERTSON ♪

♪ ENTERED THE DOOR ♪

♪ AND THE NUMBER HER KILLERS ♪

♪ HAD GIVEN WAS FOUR ♪

♪ SHE ASKED FOR A BLESSING ♪

♪ BUT ASKED FOR NO MORE ♪

♪ AND THE CHOIR KEPT SINGING OF FREEDOM ♪

♪ ON BIRMINGHAM SUNDAY ♪

♪ THE NOISE SHOOK THE GROUND ♪

♪ AND PEOPLE ALL OVER ♪

♪ THE EARTH TURNED AROUND ♪

♪ FOR NO ONE RECALLED ♪

♪ A MORE COWARDLY SOUND ♪

♪ AND THE CHOIR KEPT SINGING OF FREEDOM ♪

♪ THE MEN IN THE FOREST ♪

♪ THEY ONCE ASKED OF ME ♪

♪ HOW MANY BLACKBERRIES ♪

♪ GROW IN THE BLUE SEA ♪

♪ I ASKED RIGHT THEM BACK ♪

♪ WITH A TEAR IN MY EYE ♪

♪ HOW MANY DARK SHIPS ♪

♪ IN THE FOREST ♪

♪ THE SUNDAY HAS COME ♪

♪ THE SUNDAY HAS GONE ♪

♪ AND I CAN'T DO MUCH MORE ♪

♪ THAN TO SING YOU A SONG ♪

♪ I'LL SING IT SO SOFTLY ♪

♪ IT'LL DO NO ONE WRONG ♪

♪ AND THE CHOIR KEEPS SINGING OF FREEDOM ♪

I COME FROM ARKANSAS ORIGINALLY,

WENT TO SCHOOL AT TUSKEGEE,

MET MY WIFE THERE

AND MY FIRST JOB AFTER I LEFT TUSKEGEE WAS IN MISSISSIPPI.

IT WAS HIS JUNIOR YEAR ALSO.

HE'D BEEN TO THE SERVICE.

AND I WALKED IN WITH MY SO-CALLED BOYFRIEND,

IN THE LOUNGE WHERE THE GIRLS SAT.

AND HE WAS WITH HIS GIRLFRIEND.

AND I THOUGHT I WAS LOOKING GOOD, HA-HA-HA.

AND I'D JUST MADE THIS SUIT THAT I HAD ON,

AND HE SAID, "MMM, LOOKS GOOD.

TURN AROUND AND LET ME SEE IT."

AND OF COURSE I DIDN'T HAVE ANY BETTER SENSE THAN TO DO IT.

BUT WE DIDN'T HAVE ANYTHING ELSE TO DO WITH EACH OTHER,

OTHER THAN JUST FRIENDSHIP,

UNTIL OUR SENIOR YEAR.

WELL, I ALWAYS SAID IN A JOKING MANNER

THAT I SAW HER AT TUSKEGEE

AND FELT THAT I WOULD BE A MISSIONARY

AND COME TO ALABAMA AND HELP HER OUT.

AND SO I'VE BEEN HELPING HER OUT FOR 46 YEARS NOW.

( Maxine ) WHAT I WANTED IN LIFE FOR MYSELF

WAS A HUSBAND, A HOUSE AND SOME CHILDREN.

SO WHEN I MET CHRIS,

AND WE DID HAVE THIS CHILD,

I WAS EXCITED.

BUT THERE WAS ONE LITTLE CONFLICT...

I COULDN'T LEAVE MY MAMA ALONE.

I HAD TO COME BACK TO BIRMINGHAM,

HAVE THE BABY IN BIRMINGHAM

WITH A DOCTOR THAT I WAS FAMILIAR WITH.

AND HE DIDN'T LIKE THAT TOO HOT, BUT HE DID CONSENT.

DENISE WAS A VERY CHARMING CHILD,

A VERY LOVABLE CHILD.

AND A VERY CARING CHILD.

I THINK SHE SPENT MOST OF HER TIME

TRYING TO DO FOR OTHER CHILDREN.

SHE HAD A GOOD GROUP OF FRIENDS THAT LIVED IN THE COMMUNITY,

AND A LOT OF TIMES SHE WOULD COME DOWN TO MY HOUSE.

OH, SHE LOVED TO COME OVER HERE

BECAUSE AT THAT TIME SHE WAS AN ONLY CHILD.

AND THERE WERE FOUR CHILDREN IN THIS HOUSE,

TWO GIRLS AND TWO BOYS.

SHE COULDN'T WAIT TO FIND OUT WHAT EVERYTHING WAS ABOUT,

SEE WHAT THIS IS AND KNOW WHAT THIS PERSON IS,

AND TALK TO EVERYBODY.

SHE WAS VERY FRIENDLY, AND SEEMINGLY VERY HAPPY.

( Chris ) VERY AGGRESSIVE, VERY AGGRESSIVE,

VERY FEISTY.

OBVIOUSLY, WHEN SOMEBODY'S NOT AROUND, YOU TEND TO PRAISE

SOMETIMES EVEN WHERE PRAISE MAY NOT BE DUE,

BUT VERY INQUISITIVE.

AND VERY MUCH A LEADER.

SHE WAS A VERY LOVABLE LITTLE GIRL.

AND I MISS HER.

( train whistle )

WHEN I CAME HERE IN THE 50's,

TO GET A JOB WAS A REAL CHORE,

ESPECIALLY IF YOU CAME TO THIS BLUE COLLAR TOWN

AND YOU HAD A COLLEGE DEGREE,

AND YOU WERE GOING TO STEEL MILLS

MAKING APPLICATIONS,

AND NOBODY WAS LOOKING FOR ANY MORE COLLEGE GRADUATES.

BIRMINGHAM'S A STEEL TOWN.

BIRMINGHAM WAS BUILT IN THE LATE 1800's

BY THE BARONS FROM THE NORTH WHO CAME DOWN

AND REALIZED THAT WE HAD EVERY COMBINATION.

WE HAD PEOPLE, WE HAD NATURAL RESOURCES,

WE HAD RUBBER TRANSPORTATION.

IT GREW BY LEAPS AND BOUNDS.

IT WAS KNOWN AS "THE MAGIC CITY" 'CAUSE IT GREW SO FAST.

BUT YOU HAD PEOPLE COMING IN,

A LABORING CLASS OF PEOPLE, A BLUE COLLAR TOWN,

AND IT WAS A VIOLENT TOWN.

IT WAS A UNION... A TOWN OF UNION VIOLENCE,

THE VIOLENCE AGAINST WORKERS CONDONED BY THE POLICE

AND BY UNITED STATES STEEL

AND THE OTHER BIG INDUSTRIAL COMPANIES.

IT HAD A LONG HISTORY OF LABOR VIOLENCE.

SO YOU HAD A TRADITION OF VIOLENCE

FLOWING OUT OF AN INDUSTRIAL SETTING,

WITH THE OVERLAY OF RURAL RACISM

COMING IN FROM THE COUNTRYSIDE,

TRADITIONAL OLD SOUTH RACISM.

WITH THAT BACKGROUND,

THE 50's WERE A TIME OF QUIETNESS HERE.

A WONDERFUL PLACE TO LIVE

AND RAISE A FAMILY.

BIRMINGHAM WAS JUST BIRMINGHAM.

WHITE/COLORED.

NOT WHITE/BLACK, WHITE/COLORED.

YOU WOULD HAVE TO HAVE LIVED HERE

TO UNDERSTAND SOME OF THE FEELINGS

THAT WERE GOING ON AT THAT TIME.

BLACK PEOPLE WERE IN THEIR PLACES

AND WHITE FOLK WERE IN THEIRS, IF THERE'S SUCH A THING.

AND THE WATER FOUNTAINS, BLACK AND WHITE,

AND ALL OF THOSE KINDS OF THINGS EXISTED,

AND EXISTED IN ORDER.

YOU MAY SEE IN SOME OF THE PICTURES

CABS WHICH SAID "COLORED ONLY",

CABS WHICH SAID "WHITE ONLY",

A BATHROOM AT THE BUS STATION, "WHITE ONLY.

I HAVE AN OLDER BROTHER AND THERE WERE TWO OF US

LIKE NINE OR TEN MONTHS APART,

AND MY MOTHER WOULD HAVE TO MAKE A CHOICE.

AND SHE WOULD ALWAYS JUST LET ONE OF US

DRINK FROM THE WHITE FOUNTAIN

AND ONE OF US FROM THE BLACK FOUNTAIN.

AND SHE KNEW THAT IT WAS IN VIOLATION OF THE LAW.

AND IT WAS SO HARD TO TELL YOUR CHILD,

YOUR SIX OR SEVEN-YEAR-OLD WHEN IT'S TIME FOR WATER,

YOU KNOW, THEY WANTED SOME WATER,

AND MAYBE THE CHILD ATTEMPTED TO GO TO A FOUNTAIN

THAT WAS MARKED FOR WHITE.

AND YOU WOULD HAVE TO TELL HIM, "NO, LET'S TAKE THIS FOUNTAIN",

AND SAY, "WHY CAN'T I GO TO THAT ONE ? THERE'S NOBODY THERE."

"NO, WE'LL JUST USE THIS ONE."

IT WAS AN AWFUL TIME.

IT WAS AN AWFUL TIME FOR YOUNG PEOPLE

I'D SAY, TO GROW UP IN THIS CITY.

WHEN MY DAUGHTER DENISE

WAS ABOUT SIX YEARS OLD,

AND I'VE ALWAYS DESPISED GOING SHOPPING WITH MY WIFE,

BECAUSE MY PATIENCE DOESN'T HOLD FOR SHOPPING,

AT ANY RATE, THIS WAS CHRISTMAS AND WE WERE SHOPPING,

AND WE HAD COME TO A STORE,

IN FACT IT WAS KRESS',

GOING IN THERE TO BUY SOME RIBBONS.

AND WHEN WE GOT INTO KRESS',

DENISE SAID SHE HAD TO GO TO THE REST ROOM.

SO WE WENT DOWNSTAIRS WHERE THE REST ROOMS WERE,

BLACK AND WHITE AGAIN,

BLACK AND COLORED, I BEG YOUR PARDON.

WHITE AND COLORED.

SO WHEN WE GOT DOWN THERE,

THE LUNCH COUNTER WAS ALSO IN THERE

AND YOU COULD SMELL THE ONION, THE HAMBURGERS.

DENISE SAID SHE WANTED A SANDWICH.

AND IT WAS KIND OF PAINFUL TO SAY "NO, YOU CAN'T HAVE IT."

SHE WANTED TO KNOW WHY.

AND WE HAD TO TELL HER THIS AGE-OLD STORY

ABOUT WHITES ONLY CAN EAT HERE, BUT WE CAN'T.

WE WILL EAT WHEN WE GET HOME.

SHE DIDN'T UNDERSTAND THAT SO HOT.

THAT WAS THE NIGHT THAT I MADE UP MY MIND

THAT I GUESS I HAD TO TELL HER

THAT SHE COULDN'T HAVE THAT SANDWICH BECAUSE SHE WAS BLACK.

I GUESS FOR MEN IT'S WORSE THAN IT IS FOR WOMEN...

BECAUSE THEY ARE MORE SENSITIVE,

I GUESS THAT'S WHAT YOU MIGHT CALL IT.

THEY HATE TO SAY, "MY CHILD CAN'T DO

"BUT EVERYBODY ELSE'S CHILD CAN DO IT.

"AND IT MAKES ME MAD THAT I CAN'T DO ANYTHING ABOUT IT.

I CAN'T CHANGE IT RIGHT NOW."

WELL, I WANT YOU TO KNOW THAT NIGHT

COULDN'T HAVE BEEN ANY MORE PAINFUL

THAN SEEING HER LAYING THERE WITH A ROCK SMASHED IN HER HEAD,

THAN TO TELL HER THAT I COULDN'T BUY HER THAT SANDWICH

BECAUSE SHE WAS BLACK.

AND I'M NOT SURE IF SHE EVER UNDERSTOOD THAT.

( Spike Lee ) HOW DID SHE REACT WHEN YOU TOLD HER THAT ?

VERY STRANGE, VERY CONFUSED,

AS IF A WHOLE WORLD OF BETRAYAL

HAD FALLEN ON HER AT THAT MOMENT.

I REMEMBER CAROLE AS A VERY VIVACIOUS,

LOVABLE 14-YEAR-OLD.

THE THIRD CHILD OF ALPHA AND ALVIN,

AND VERY WELL-LOVED AND TAKEN CARE OF IN THE FAMILY.

AND QUITE ACTIVE IN HER SCHOOLWORK,

QUITE ACTIVE IN HER CHURCH WORK.

I ALWAYS REMEMBER WHEN SHE WAS BORN

MY FATHER TELLING ME THAT I WAS STANDING OUTSIDE

IN FRONT OF THE HOUSE WITH MY SKATES ON,

ANNOUNCING TO EVERYBODY

THAT I HAD A BRAND NEW BABY SISTER,

AND I WAS SO HAPPY TO HAVE A LITTLE SISTER.

CAROLE WAS A VERY GIVING, OUTGOING PERSON.

SHE HAD A LOT OF FRIENDS, A LOT OF FRIENDS.

SHE WAS A BEAUTIFUL DAUGHTER.

SHE WAS YOUR AVERAGE KID GROWING UP.

SHE WAS SMART, SHE PLAYED MUSIC,

SHE WAS A SCOUT, AN AVID READER.

SHE WORKED WITH THE LIBRARY ASSISTANCE GROUPS

IN THE CITY AND STATE.

SHE TOOK DANCING LESSONS.

SHE DIDN'T PLAY THE PIANO, THOUGH.

I USED TO HAVE TO TAKE HER TO THE MOVIES,

THE SATURDAY MOVIES WITH ME.

THEY WERE SEGREGATED,

AND WE'D HAVE TO GO UPSTAIRS INTO THE BALCONY.

WE'D SIT AND WE'D THROW POPCORN AND ICE.

WE WOULD THROW THEM DOWN ON THE WHITE FOLKS.

AND SHE ALWAYS THOUGHT THAT WAS REAL FUNNY,

BUT SHE KNEW THAT WE WERE NOT SUPPOSED TO BE DOING THAT.

AND SO IT WAS LIKE "I'M GONNA TELL".

( Alpha ) SHE PLAYED CLARINET IN THE BAND

AT ELEMENTARY SCHOOL AND HIGH-SCHOOL.

SHE WAS SUPPOSED TO PLAY HER FIRST GAME

THAT MONDAY NIGHT AFTER THE BOMBING,

THE BAND WAS SUPPOSED TO PLAY.

PARKER WAS PLAYING SOMEBODY, I'VE FORGOTTEN WHO.

THIS IS...

HER LAST SASH

WITH THE BADGES.

SHE WAS A MEMBER

AT THAT TIME OF TROOP 264.

AND THOSE WERE THE BADGES THAT SHE HAD EARNED

IN THE PROCESS.

BUT SHE HAD BEEN A SCOUT ALL ALONG,

FROM BROWNIE ON UP.

THIS BIBLE SHE HAD IN HER POCKETBOOK

THE DAY OF THE BOMBING.

WHEN WE GOT IT IT HAD DIRT

AND PART OF THIS WAS TORN OUT.

BUT FOR A LONG TIME I KEPT IT IN MY POCKETBOOK,

BUT I'VE TAKEN IT OUT NOW AND I'VE PUT IT UP

AND LOOK AT IT EVERY NOW AND THEN.

IN 1949, MY LAST YEAR IN COLLEGE,

I WENT THROUGH BIRMINGHAM WITH MY BOSS.

I WORKED IN THE FOOD SERVICE IN THE SCHOOL CAFETERIA,

ERNEST O'ROURKE.

AND HE WAS TELLING ME ON THE WAY DOWN

ABOUT THIS SECTION OF BIRMINGHAM CALLED "DYNAMITE HILL".

I SAID, "WHY THEY CALL IT "DYNAMITE HILL" ?"

HE SAID, "IT USED TO BE A GARBAGE DUMP

"AND THEY CLEARED THE LAND AND FIXED IT UP,

"AND BLACK PEOPLE BUILT HOMES UP THERE.

AND THEY'RE NICE HOMES."

HE SAID, "AND THE HONKIES JUST BOMB 'EM

BECAUSE THEY RESENT BLACK FOLKS HAVING GOOD HOMES."

WE ARRIVED IN BIRMINGHAM ABOUT 4:00 IN THE AFTERNOON.

AT 5:30 A BOMB WENT OFF ON DYNAMITE HILL.

NOW THAT'S 1949,

AND NOW YOU'RE GOING FAST-FORWARD TO 1962.

WE'RE HERE AT BETHEL BAPTIST CHURCH,

THE CHURCH WHICH SERVED AS THE HEADQUARTERS

FOR THE MOVEMENT FOR CHANGE IN BIRMINGHAM, ALABAMA,

BACK IN THE '50's AND THE '60's.

I'M STANDING AT THE CORNER OF THE CHURCH

WHERE THE HOUSE WAS AT THAT TIME.

WOULD YOU CARE TO TELL US ABOUT THE TWO BOMBINGS ?

THE FIRST BOMBING WAS IN DECEMBER,

1956, CHRISTMAS NIGHT,

WHEN SOMEBODY PLANTED TWELVE STICKS OF DYNAMITE.

THE DYNAMITE WAS PLACED HERE AT THE CORNER OF THE CHURCH

AND WOULD HAVE BEEN THE CORNER OF THE HOUSE.

AND THAT'S WHERE THE HEAD OF MY BED WAS,

AND I WAS IN THE BED.

YOU CAN SEE THE CRACKS IN THE WALL.

BUT THE IMPLOSIVE EFFECTS WENT INTO THE HOUSE.

SO THAT IT BLEW THE WALL THAT WAS BETWEEN

MY HEAD AND THE DYNAMITE AWAY.

THE LIGHTS WENT OUT

AND I FELT THE HEAD OF MY BED BEING DRIVEN DOWN,

AND YET I WAS NOT AFRAID.

I KNEW I WOULDN'T GET KILLED.

I KNEW THERE WAS A PRESENCE THERE.

WELL, AT THAT TIME THERE WAS A LOT OF BOMBING GOING ON,

EVEN UP WHERE I LIVED.

THEY STARTED UP ON THE HILL, UP ON GREEN SPRINGS AT THAT TIME.

THERE WAS ONLY ABOUT ELEVEN HOUSES.

WE WERE THE FIRST BLACK FAMILY UP THERE.

AND THEY WOULD DRIVE BY,

IN FACT, THEY THREW A FIREBOMB INTO OUR YARD

BETWEEN THE HOUSES.

AND WHEN THE PROBLEMS CAME, WE ALL HAD TO JUST

RUN IN OUR CLOSETS WHEN WE WOULD HEAR THE BOMBS.

BUT IT WAS JUST A COMMON THING THAT WAS HAPPENING.

YOU COULD BE SITTING COMFORTABLE AND THE DYNAMITE WOULD GO OFF.

( Shuttlesworth ) ONE OF THE INTERESTING PARTS OF THAT NIGHT,

AND THAT'S A DRAMATIC SITUATION,

THE HOUSE WAS LEANING AND YOU COULDN'T GET OUT,

SO A CROWD INSTANTANEOUSLY--

THIS STREET WAS FILLED WITHIN,

I GUESS, TWO OR THREE MINUTES.

A BIG BURLY POLICEMAN CAME BACK.

THIS POLICEMAN DECIDED TO GIVE ME SOME ADVICE.

INCIDENTALLY, HE WAS A KLANSMAN.

WE THINK AT THAT TIME

ABOUT A THIRD OF BIRMINGHAM POLICEMAN

EITHER WERE KLANSMAN OR HAD KLAN AFFILIATION.

HE SAID, "I REALLY DIDN'T BELIEVE

THAT THEY WOULD GO THIS FAR."

HE SAID, "I'LL TELL YOU WHAT I'D DO IF I WERE YOU,

I'D GET OUT OF TOWN AS QUICK AS I COULD."

I SAID, "OFFICER, YOU'RE NOT ME.

"AND YOU GO BACK AND TELL YOUR KLAN BROTHERS

"THAT IF GOD COULD KEEP ME THROUGH THIS,

"THAT THE WAR'S ON, THE BATTLE HAS JUST BEGUN,

AND I'LL BE AROUND FOR THE DURATION."

WE'LL MAKE LIKE THIS IS BACK IN THE '60's.

( Spike ) HOW OLD WERE YOU BACK THEN ?

AT THE TIME I WAS FOURTEEN.

( Spike ) YOU WERE THE SAME AGE AS CYNTHIA.

THIS IS THE HOUSE SHE WAS BROUGHT UP IN, RIGHT HERE.

WE WOULD PLAY ALL OUT HERE.

SHE WOULD HAVE LITTLE LAWN PARTIES.

SHE WAS WELL-LIKED.

SHE HAD NO IDEA OF THE TRAGEDY THAT WAS GOING TO HAPPEN,

BUT SHE LIVED A NORMAL LIFE.

CYNTHIA WAS-- THIS IS THIRTY SOME YEARS AGO,

BUT IMAGES.

CYNTHIA COULD HAVE HUMOR.

I REMEMBER LAUGHING WITH CYNTHIA.

YOU COULD HAVE JOKES, YEAH, I REMEMBER THAT WELL.

SHE WAS CARING.

SOME PEOPLE ARE CARING AND SOME ARE NOT.

I WAS A FAT LITTLE YOUNG BOY.

SO SOME PEOPLE DIDN'T WANT TO BE BOTHERED WITH ME.

CYNTHIA WOULD BE BOTHERED WITH ME.

SHE WOULD, SHE WOULD TAKE TIME.

AND JUST BE NICE TO ME AS A HUMAN BEING.

CYNTHIA WESLEY...

WAS THE DAUGHTER OF CLAUDE--

MR. AND MRS. CLAUDE WESLEY.

AND HE WAS PRINCIPAL OF LEWIS SCHOOL AT THAT TIME.

CYNTHIA WAS A DELIGHTFUL YOUNG LADY.

THE WESLEYS ADOPTED CYNTHIA WHEN SHE WAS QUITE YOUNG,

AND SHE GREW UP IN 16th STREET CHURCH WITH THEM.

CYNTHIA WAS VERY INVOLVED IN CHURCH.

SHE WAS IN THE CHOIR, AND IN FACT

THE SUNDAY OF THE BOMBING, ON SEPTEMBER 15th,

CYNTHIA WOULD HAVE BEGUN HER FIRST

OPPORTUNITY AS AN USHER ON THAT SUNDAY.

I WAS PROBABLY CLOSEST TO CYNTHIA WESLEY.

WE WERE IN A LITTLE CLUB TOGETHER,

AND IN THIS CLUB

WE HAD LITTLE OUTFITS THAT MATCHED, AND HATS.

WE HAD JUST ORDERED SOME NEW STUFF TO WEAR.

AND IN FACT, AFTER SHE WAS KILLED,

WE TOOK WHAT SHE HAD ORDERED TO HER MOM'S HOUSE

AND SAT AND TALKED TO HER.

ON THE SUNDAY MORNING, THE 15th,

WHEN CYNTHIA AND THE OTHER GIRLS CAME TO SUNDAY SCHOOL,

I REMEMBER MY MOTHER TELLING ME

HOW SHE HAD CHIDED CYNTHIA

BECAUSE AS SHE WAS COMING OUT OF THE HOUSE,

SHE NOTICED THAT HER SLIP WAS HANGING.

AND MY MOTHER TOLD HER TO GO BACK IN THE ROOM.

WHAT I'D LIKE TO DO IS READ A LITTLE STATEMENT ABOUT THAT,

BECAUSE THE WAY MY MOTHER PRESENTED THIS TO HER,

I THINK IS SOMETHING PRETTY TYPICAL

THAT MOTHERS WOULD SAY TO THEIR DAUGHTERS.

MY MOTHER STATED THAT,

"YOUNG LADY, YOUR SLIP IS HANGING BELOW YOUR DRESS.

"YOU JUST DON'T PUT YOUR CLOTHES ON ANY WAY

"WHEN YOU'RE GOING TO CHURCH

"BECAUSE YOU NEVER KNOW HOW YOU'RE COMING BACK.

"CYNTHIA HAD HURRIEDLY MADE THE NECESSARY ADJUSTMENTS,

"THEN RAN OUT OF THE DOOR.

MY MOTHER NEVER SAW HER AFTER THAT."

I'M SORRY.

"MY MOTHER SAID..."

I DIDN'T THINK I'D DO THIS, I'M SORRY.

IN 1961,

THE FREEDOM RIDERS CAME TO BIRMINGHAM.

AND ONE OF THEIR BUSES WAS BURNED IN ANNISTON,

AND THEY HAD ONE BUS LEFT

AND THEY ALL CAME ON THAT BUS TO BIRMINGHAM.

AND THEY WENT TO THE TRAILWAY BUS STATION.

NATIONAL TELEVISION WAS WAITING FOR THEM

AT THE GREYHOUND BUS STATION.

NOW, THEY DIDN'T JUST BEAT FREEDOM RIDERS,

THERE WERE PEOPLE THAT JUST COME TO BEAT THE BUS.

BUT ONE PHOTOGRAPHER WAS AT THE STATION

AND TOOK A PICTURE OF THE BEATING.

THEY TURNED ON HIM AND BEAT HIM,

AND TOOK HIS CAMERA AWAY.

AND BEING VERY SCIENTIFIC,

THEY BROKE THE LENS AND THREW THE CAMERA IN THE TRASH CAN,

BUT NEVER OPENED IT AND EXPOSED THE FILM.

SO THAT PICTURE WENT OUT OF HERE

ON THE UPI WIRE,

AND IT WAS FRONT PAGE

IN NEWSPAPERS ALL OVER THE WORLD.

AND THERE WERE A GROUP OF BIRMINGHAM BUSINESSMEN IN TOKYO AT THE TIME

AT A MEETING OF THE INTERNATIONAL ROTARY CLUB,

AND WHEN THEY SAW THAT PICTURE

ON THE FRONT PAGE

OF A NEWSPAPER IN TOKYO, JAPAN,

THEY SAID, "WE CAN'T TAKE MUCH MORE OF THIS."

BIRMINGHAM...

AT THE TIME WAS GOING THROUGH

A MOVE WHERE...

SOME OF THE MODERATE FORCES

IN THE WHITE COMMUNITY

WERE TRYING TO FINALLY ASSERT THEMSELVES.

AND IT WAS A LONG TIME OVERDUE.

( reporter ) A state court is expected to rule next week

on whether Mayor-Elect Albert Boutwell can take office immediately.

Boutwell was asked if he's ready to meet with negro leaders.

I'M READY AT ANY TIME...

WHEN THE IMMEDIATE THREAT

OF VIOLENCE HAS BEEN REMOVED,

TO TALK TO ANY RESPONSIBLE LOCAL PEOPLE...

REGARDLESS OF THE COLOR OF THEIR SKINS.

BIRMINGHAM IS A SYMBOL

OF HARD CORE RESISTANCE TO INTEGRATION.

IT IS PROBABLY THE MOST THOROUGHLY SEGREGATED CITY

IN THE UNITED STATES.

SCLC HAD BEEN REALLY JUST ORGANIZED IN 1957.

ABOUT A HUNDRED PREACHERS GOT TOGETHER IN LOUISIANA.

AND... WE HADN'T HAD MUCH LUCK.

WE DIDN'T HAVE MUCH STAFF.

AND FRED SHUTTLESWORTH CAME TO SEE MARTIN LUTHER KING,

AND SAID, "MARTIN, YOU'VE GOT TO HELP US IN BIRMINGHAM.

WE JUST GOT TO MOVE ON BIRMINGHAM."

THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT HAS DECIDED

THAT NEGRO AS CITIZENS MUST BE PROTECTED

FROM LAWLESSNESS AND MOBOCRACY.

AND THAT'S WHY WE'RE HERE.

FRED SHUTTLESWORTH HAD BEEN FIGHTING

THE BATTLE IN BIRMINGHAM FOR TEN YEARS BY THIS TIME.

AND REALLY THE ALABAMA ORGANIZATION

WAS ALMOST HIS PERSONAL CREATION RIGHT THERE IN BIRMINGHAM

IN THE SAME SENSE THAT SCLC

WAS A PERSONAL CREATION FOR DR. KING.

IN THE FALL OF 1962,

ALMOST SIX MONTHS BEFORE THE BREAKTHROUGH IN MAY,

AND ABOUT A YEAR BEFORE THE BIRMINGHAM CHURCH BOMBING,

SHUTTLESWORTH HAD HAD AN AGREEMENT

AFTER LOTS OF BOYCOTTS IN BIRMINGHAM WITH THE MERCHANTS

FOR WHAT WE WOULD NOW REGARD AS

THE MOST MINIMUM TOKEN SEGREGATION

OF ALLOWING BLACK SHOPPERS, MOSTLY WOMEN,

TO SHOP AND USE THE REST ROOMS AND THE CHANGING ROOMS

IN THE DOWNTOWN STORES.

HE HAD MADE THESE AGREEMENTS,

AND THEN THEY RE-SEGREGATED EVERYTHING IN THE FALL OF 1962.

AND I THINK BY THEN, AT THAT TIME,

HIS PATIENCE RAN OUT AND HE SAID,

"BRAVERY ALONE IS NOT ENOUGH,

WE NEED TO BRING A LARGER SPOTLIGHT TO THIS."

AND TO HIM, BRINGING A LARGER SPOTLIGHT

MEANT BRINGING IN DR. KING.

SO WE MADE A DECISION BASED ON SEVERAL THINGS.

FRED SHUTTLESWORTH WAS FEARLESS AND COURAGEOUS

TO THE POINT OF BEING ALMOST INSANE.

HE MIRACULOUSLY SURVIVED A BOMBING OF HIS HOME,

HAD TAKEN HIS WIFE AND TWO CHILDREN

TRYING TO INTEGRATE A SCHOOL

WITH A MOB OF 600 FOLKS WITH CHAINS AND STUFF LIKE THAT.

JUST AN INCREDIBLE HUMAN BEING, IN MY VIEW.

ONE DAY IN 1957, IN THE EVENING NEWSCAST,

THERE WAS A PIECE OF FILM OF A GANG OF WHITE MEN

BEATING FRED SHUTTLESWORTH IN THE STREET

OUTSIDE PHILLIPS HIGH SCHOOL, WHERE HE'D TAKEN HIS CHILDREN,

WITH CHAINS, AND THEY BEAT HIM TO THE GROUND.

AND THE REASON IT WAS RIVETING FOR ME,

I WAS 14 YEARS OLD,

WAS THAT THE POLICE SAID THEY COULDN'T FIND THE MEN WHO DID IT.

AND I RECOGNIZED ONE OF THE MEN.

I KNEW WHO HE WAS.

I'D SEEN HIM AT JACK CASH'S BARBECUE,

AND I KNEW THE POLICE HUNG OUT AT JACK CASH'S BARBECUE,

AND I KNEW THEY WERE LYING.

IT WAS THE LAST PLACE, I THINK,

I WANTED TO GO WITH MARTIN LUTHER KING IN 1963.

AND YET IT WAS THE PLACE WE HAD TO GO.

ADDIE MAE COLLINS WAS A LITTLE MORE WITHDRAWN, I THINK.

FRIENDLY BUT NOT AS AGGRESSIVE

AS CYNTHIA OR DENISE.

TO KNOW ADDIE IS TO LOVE ADDIE.

SHE WAS JUST A FUNNY GIRL,

A SWEET PEACEFUL GIRL.

SHE JUST LIKED TO MAKE PEACE WITH PEOPLE

AND PEOPLE TO BE AT PEACE AROUND.

SHE WASN'T A MEAN PERSON, SHE WAS JUST SWEET.

REMEMBER THE TIME WITH DENISE WHEN THE BIRD DIED

AND WE THOUGHT THAT WAS THE WEIRDEST THING.

WE SAW A DEAD BIRD.

I WAS LIKE, "IT'S JUST A DEAD BIRD, KICK IT OUT THE WAY."

AND DENISE SAID, "OH NO, THE BIRD MUST HAVE A FUNERAL."

AND WE WERE LIKE, "JUST PUT IT SOMEWHERE SO WE CAN PLAY."

AND SHE SAID, "WE'VE GOT TO HAVE A FUNERAL FOR THE POOR BIRD."

SHE GOT HER MOTHER--

AND MRS. McNAIR HAS A BEAUTIFUL VOICE,

SHE GOT HER MOTHER, SHE GOT THE SHOE BOX,

THE BOYS HAD TO DIG A HOLE.

AND WE BURIED THE BIRD,

AND MRS. McNAIR SANG "THE LORD'S PRAYER", AND IT WAS BEAUTIFUL.

AND THEN WE ALL BOWED AND WE PRAYED,

AND SAID SOMETHING,

THEN JUST PLAYED BALL.

THE FIRST SUNDAY THAT WE MARCHED,

PALM SUNDAY I THINK IT WAS...

NO IT WASN'T PALM SUNDAY, IT WAS A SUNDAY,

AND THE AFTERNOON SERVICE RAN A LITTLE LATE.

WE WERE SUPPOSED TO MARCH AT 4:00,

IT WAS ABOUT 6:30.

AND BY THE TIME WE GOT READY TO MARCH,

THERE WAS ABOUT 1200 PEOPLE OUT THERE,

MILLING AROUND INGRAM PARK

WAITING TO SEE SOMETHING HAPPEN.

AND BULL'S FOLKS WERE OUT THERE WITH THE DOGS.

AND BEFORE YOU KNEW IT, SOMETHING WAS GOING ON

BETWEEN THE POLICE WITH THE DOGS.

AND THE NEXT DAY THE UPI SAID,

"1100 MARCH IN BIRMINGHAM, FIFTEEN ARRESTED".

I CALLED DR. KING, "I SAID DR. KING, I GOT IT."

HE SAID, "WHAT IS IT ?"

I SAID, "WE'RE JUST GONNA SLOW DOWN THE TIME OF THE MARCH

"'TILL THE PEOPLE GET HOME FROM WORK EVERYDAY,

AND WE'LL GET A CROWD."

I SAID, "WE CAN COUNT ON BULL TO DO SOMETHING SILLY."

IF THERE'S ANYBODY IN THIS NATION

WHO UNDERSTANDS WHAT IS GOING ON HERE, IT IS ME.

I KNOW THAT WE HAVE SUFFICIENT MANPOWER,

ENOUGH TRAINED OFFICERS TO KEEP THE PEACE IN BIRMINGHAM,

WITHOUT ANY OUTSIDE HELP FROM THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT...

EUGENE "BULL" CONNOR

WAS THE POLICE COMMISSIONER.

COMMISSIONER OF FIRE AND SAFETY.

IT'S IRONIC THAT SAFETY WOULD BE IN THE HANDS OF A MAN

WHO WAS SO UNSAFE, KEPT PEOPLE SO INSECURE.

HE WAS ABOUT AS HARD CORE AS THEY COME.

HE WAS ONE OF THOSE PEOPLE

THAT DREW THE LINE AND NEVER RETREATED.

I DON'T THINK HE FELT THAT...

BLACKS HAD ANY RIGHTS.

I DON'T THINK HE FELT LIKE THEY SHOULD BE CITIZENS EVEN.

I USED TO WONDER IF HE WAS A CHRISTIAN.

HOWEVER, THEY SAY HE WAS, BUT I DON'T BELIEVE HE WAS

BECAUSE I DON'T THINK ANYBODY COULD DO ANY RACE OF PEOPLE

THE MANY THINGS THAT THEY DID TO BLACK PEOPLE.

BULL CONNOR LIKED TO KEEP BLACK FOLK IN THEIR PLACE.

ALL OF THE ARRESTS

AND ALL OF THE DEMONSTRATIONS IN BIRMINGHAM

OCCURRED WITHIN FOUR BLOCKS OF 16th STREET BAPTIST CHURCH.

WE'D MEET IN THE CHURCH, WE'D MARCH A FEW BLOCKS,

AND THEN HE'D LOCK EVERYBODY UP.

AND WHEN THERE WERE TOO MANY PEOPLE TO LOCK UP,

HE'D CALL ON THE DOGS AND THE FIRE HOSES

AND TRY TO CLEAR THE STREET BY FORCE.

WHEN HE SAW ANY STRENGTH OR SELF-RESPECT

IN A BLACK PERSON,

HE JUST WENT CRAZY.

HE COULDN'T STAND IT.

IT'S LIKE "WHEN YOU SEE ME, YOU'VE GOT TO SQUAT."

AND IF YOU DON'T BECOME INGRATIATING,

HE'D JUST LIKE GO CRAZY.

( man ) HE HAD A WHITE TANK THAT HE WOULD RIDE

THROUGH THE BLACK NEIGHBORHOODS

AND TERRORIZE PEOPLE IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD IN HIS WHITE TANK.

THERE WAS ALMOST NO WAY TO TALK TO HIM OR REASON WITH HIM.

IT WAS HIS TOWN.

IT WAS ALMOST LIKE THE OLD WEST

WHERE HE WAS ONE-MAN RULE.

BULL CONNOR, INDEED DID SPIT ON ME, YES HE DID.

WHETHER HE WAS JUST UPSET AND TALKING AND IT CAME,

OR WHETHER HE DID IT ON PURPOSE, I DON'T KNOW.

WHAT HAPPENED WAS,

WE WENT THROUGH THE TRAINING SESSION,

THEY TOOK US OVER BY 16th STREET BAPTIST CHURCH

AND WE LEFT FROM THAT AREA AND WERE ABLE TO MARCH,

AND WE MARCHED RIGHT UP TO CITY HALL.

AND THERE WAS THIS WHITE MAN,

RED-FACED MAN LOOKING MEAN.

AND HIS NAME WAS INDEED, BULL CONNOR.

AND HE LOOKED AT ME AND HE SAID--

AND WHETHER HE SAID "NIGGER" OR "NIGRA", I'M NOT EVEN SURE,

BUT HE LOOKED DOWN AT ME AND HE SAID,

"WHAT DO YOU WANT, LITTLE NIGGER ?"

AND I SAID, "WE WANT OUR FREEDOM, WE WANT TO PRAY."

AS SOON AS I SAID THAT, WHETHER HE MEANT TO OR NOT,

HE SPAT ON ME.

BULL WAS THE MANIFESTATION

OF THE PERVERSITY...

UPON WHICH SEGREGATION DEPENDED FOR ITS LIFE.

HE WAS...

BULL WAS LIKE THE WALKING ID OF BIRMINGHAM,

THE DARK SPIRIT OF BIRMINGHAM.

THE HELLISH SIDE OF BIRMINGHAM EMBODIED.

IT SOUNDS DRAMATIC, BUT IT WAS A DRAMATIC TIME.

HE DIDN'T HAVE BUT ONE EYE.

HE WAS A SUNDAY SCHOOL TEACHER.

HE HAD KIND OF A WIRY, RASPY VOICE

WHICH WAS KIND OF COARSE.

AND HE WAS NOT A LARGE MAN BUT HE HAD A LOT OF POWER,

AND MOST OF THE WHITE PEOPLE WERE AFRAID OF HIM,

AND MOST ALL NEGROES I GUESS.

I DIDN'T HAVE SENSE ENOUGH TO BE AFRAID.

I USED TO BE AFRAID OF BULL

'TILL I DISCOVERED HE WAS CRAZY.

WHEN I DISCOVERED HE WAS CRAZY

MY WHOLE ATTITUDE CHANGED.

AL HIBLER WAS ON A TRAILWAY BUS, HE WAS ON THE CORNER.

ALL OF THEM PUT US IN JAIL AND PUT US IN THE PADDY WAGON.

SO AL HIBLER WAS STANDING UP BESIDE THE BUILDING LIKE THAT,

AND BULL LOOKED OVER AND SAID, "HEY !

GO GET THAT BLIND NIGGER AND BRING HIM OVER HERE !"

SEE HOW FUNNY THIS INSANE MAN WAS ?

HE'S HOLLERING ACROSS THE STREET,

"BRING THAT BLIND NIGGER OVER HERE !"

NOW HERE'S A BLIND MAN...

HE DOESN'T UNDERSTAND HUMAN NATURE ENOUGH

TO RELATE EVEN TO A BLIND MAN.

YOU WONDER WHAT MAKES PEOPLE LIKE THAT TICK.

WHAT'S GOING ON INSIDE THE MIND, THE BRAIN, THE HEAD--

IF THEY HAVE A BRAIN--

THAT MAKES THEM HATE FOLK,

WANT TO DO EVIL THE WAY THAT THEY DID.

YOU JUST WONDER WHAT ARE THEY THINKING ABOUT ?

YOU MUST UNDERSTAND THAT A BULL CONNOR

COULDN'T EXIST WITHOUT THE NODS

FROM THE STATUS QUO PEOPLE,

YOU KNOW, THE BIG BOYS IN ANY TOWN,

NO BULL CONNOR CAN EXIST WITHOUT THEM.

HE MAY BE THE PERSON WHO ACTUALLY DOES THE TALKING,

BUT, BELIEVE ME,

THE BULL CONNORS HAVE THE BLESSING OF SOMEBODY ELSE.

IN THE NAME OF THE GREATEST PEOPLE

THAT HAVE EVER TROD THIS EARTH,

I DRAW THE LINE IN THE DUST

AND TOSS THE GAUNTLET BEFORE THE FEET OF TYRANNY,

AND I SAY SEGREGATION NOW,

SEGREGATION TOMORROW,

AND SEGREGATION FOREVER !

I THINK GEORGE WALLACE WAS THE CAUSE OF MANY PEOPLE'S DEATH,

CERTAINLY MUCH SUFFERING.

THE WHITE PEOPLE OF BIRMINGHAM

SHOULD'VE BEEN COMMENDED BY THE PRESIDENT

FOR THEIR RESTRAINT DURING THE DEMONSTRATIONS.

WHITE PEOPLE HAVE NOT BEEN INVOLVED, ONLY LAWLESS NEGROES.

GEORGE WALLACE WAS A DYNAMIC EXPRESSION

OF THE MENTALLY DERANGED WHITE PEOPLE.

PEOPLE WHO ARE AFRAID OF CHANGE AND FRUSTRATION.

GEORGE WALLACE EXPRESSED THAT MENTAL ILLNESS.

HE'S DYNAMIC, THE BEST IN THE BUSINESS AT IT.

NOW THEREFORE, I, GEORGE C. WALLACE,

AS GOVERNOR OF THE STATE OF ALABAMA,

HAVE BY MY ACTION RAISED ISSUES

BETWEEN THE CENTRAL GOVERNMENT

AND THE SOVEREIGN STATE OF ALABAMA,

WHICH SAID ISSUES SHOULD BE ADJUDICATED IN THE MANNER

PRESCRIBED BY THE CONSTITUTION OF THE UNITED STATES,

AND NOW BEING MINDFUL OF MY DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

UNDER THE CONSTITUTION OF THE UNITED STATES,

THE CONSTITUTION OF THE STATE OF ALABAMA,

AND SEEKING TO PRESERVE AND MAINTAIN

THE PEACE AND DIGNITY OF THIS STATE

AND THE INDIVIDUAL FREEDOMS OF THE CITIZENS THEREOF,

DO HEREBY DENOUNCE AND FORBID THIS...

( reporter ) GOVERNOR WALLACE, I TAKE IT FROM THAT STATEMENT

THAT YOU ARE GOING TO STAND IN THAT DOOR

AND THAT YOU ARE NOT GOING TO

CARRY OUT THE ORDERS OF THIS COURT,

AND THAT YOU ARE GOING TO RESIST US FROM DOING SO.

I STAND UPON THAT STATEMENT.

YOU STAND UPON THAT STATEMENT.

THE DAY IN WHICH GOV. WALLACE STOOD IN THE DOOR

WAS A REALLY HOT ALABAMA SUMMER DAY.

AND I HAD, GOING DOWN BEFORE WE GOT THERE,

I HAD BEEN INTERRUPTED AND HAD A CALL FROM BOBBY

WHO SAID,

"THE PRESIDENT WANTS YOU TO MAKE HIM LOOK SILLY."

I SAID, "HOW DO YOU DO THAT ?"

AND HE SAID, "I DON'T KNOW, BUT YOU FIGURE IT OUT."

SO I WAS NERVOUS ABOUT THAT,

AND I WAS HOT

AND I WAS IRRITATED AT THE WHOLE SHOW,

AT THE HUNDREDS OF NEWSMEN AND CAMERAS,

ALL OF THIS FOR SOMETHING

THAT I THOUGHT WAS JUST PLAIN WRONG AND SILLY,

AND A SILLY POINT THAT HE WAS TRYING TO MAKE.

GEORGE WALLACE WAS GEORGE WALLACE.

HE'S SEEKING REDEMPTION NOW, I UNDERSTAND.

YOU KNOW SOMETIMES I WONDER IF HE BELIEVED

IN ALL OF THOSE THINGS HE DID HIMSELF,

OR, IF HE WAS DOING IT BECAUSE

IT WAS EXPEDIENT TO DO AS A POLITICIAN.

GEORGE WALLACE, WHEN HE WAS AN ELECTED PERSON IN OFFICE

WAS VERY MUCH LIKE

A SITUATION IN A STORY I HAD IN "THE READER".

AND IN "THE READER"

THE HORSE USED TO BE A FIRE HORSE

AND HE WAS SOLD TO A MILK COMPANY...

AND SO WHEN HE WAS SOLD TO THE MILK COMPANY,

ONE DAY THE MILKMAN HAD STOPPED AT THE HOUSE

AND WAS GOING UP TO SET A BOTTLE OF MILK DOWN

AND THE FIRE WHISTLE BLEW, AND WHEN THE FIRE WHISTLE BLEW

THE HORSE TOOK OFF WITH THE WAGON

AND BROKE ALL THE MILK.

GEORGE WALLACE WAS THAT TYPE OF PERSON.

AS LONG AS GEORGE WALLACE WAS SITTING DOWN

TALKING TO YOU ONE-ON-ONE,

THE NICEST GUY YOU EVER WANT TO SIT DOWN WITH,

BUT WHEN THE CAMERAS CAME AND GOT ON HIM,

HE TURNED INTO THAT FIRE HORSE

AND HE WOULD BREAK EVERY BOTTLE OF MILK ON THE TRUCK.

( minister ) WOULD YOU STAND FOR OUR OPENING HYMN, HYMN #350,

"THE CHURCH IS ONE FOUNDATION".

( organ music )

( singing )

ONE OF THE THINGS YOU HAVE TO HAVE IN A MOVEMENT

IS A MEETING PLACE,

AND REV. JOHN CROSS

AND THE PEOPLE OF 16th STREET BAPTIST CHURCH

LITERALLY MADE THAT CHURCH THE HEADQUARTERS.

IT WAS A MOVEMENT CHURCH BY LOGISTICS

BECAUSE IT WAS RIGHT ACROSS THE STREET FROM KELLY INGRAM PARK,

WHICH WAS KIND OF THE GATHERING GROUND,

AND ALMOST CATTY-CORNER FROM THE GAS & MOTEL,

WHERE THE MOVEMENT PEOPLE HEADQUARTERED.

AND IT WAS VERY CONVENIENT, CLOSE TO DOWNTOWN,

AND SO YOU COULD GATHER IN THE 16th STREET CHURCH

AND THEN MARCH DOWNTOWN FROM THERE.

I WAS TWELVE YEARS OLD

WHEN THE MARCHING BEGAN,

WHEN DR. KING WAS THERE AND REV. YOUNG

AND REV. BEVEL AND REV. ABERNATHY.

AND FIRST OF ALL, I WAS VERY IMPRESSED BY

HOW ARTICULATE THEY WERE.

THEY WOULD WALK OUT INTO THE AUDIENCE AND TELL US,

"IF YOU'VE GOT ANYTHING IN YOUR POCKET,

"EVEN A NAIL FILE OR ANYTHING, LET'S HAVE IT.

"WE DON'T WANT ANYBODY TO GET THE IMPRESSION

"OR TO BE ABLE TO SAY THAT WE WERE HERE FOR ANY PURPOSE

"OTHER THAN WHAT WE'RE HERE FOR,

WHICH IS A SERIOUS MARCH TO TRY TO REGAIN OUR RIGHTS."

YOU CAN'T IMAGINE HOW IT REALLY WAS.

( woman ) THERE WERE SOME GOOD DAYS AND THERE WERE SOME BAD DAYS.

WE HAVE COME A LONG WAY,

I REMEMBER THE GOOD DAYS

BECAUSE I USED TO LOVE THE FREEDOM SONGS.

AND MY FAVORITE WAS, ♪ ... DOWN IN JAIL ♪

♪ HAD NOBODY TO GO THEIR BAIL ♪

♪ KEEP YOUR EYES ON THE PRIZE ♪

♪ HOLD ON, MY LORD, HOLD ON ♪

♪ THE ONLY THING THAT WE DID WRONG ♪

♪ WE STAYED IN THE WILDERNESS A DAY TOO LONG ♪

♪ KEEP YOUR EYES ON THE PRIZE ♪

♪ HOLD ON, MY LORDY, HOLD ON ♪

♪ HOLD ON ♪

♪ HOLD ON ♪

♪ KEEP YOUR EYES ON THE PRIZE ♪

♪ HOLD ON, MY LORDY, HOLD ON ♪

IF NEGOTIATIONS ARE UNPRODUCTIVE,

WE HAVE NO ALTERNATIVE BUT TO DEMONSTRATE.

IN A MEETING TODAY WE DISCUSSED ALL OF THESE ISSUES,

AND WE ALL AGREE THAT IF THE PRESENT NEGOTIATIONS

THAT ARE TAKING PLACE ARE NOT PRODUCTIVE,

WE WOULD HAVE NO ALTERNATIVE

BUT TO CALL FOR RENEWED DEMONSTRATIONS

HERE IN BIRMINGHAM, ALABAMA...

THE MOVEMENT WAS FAILING.

NOBODY WAS EVEN ASKING QUESTIONS

AT PRESS CONFERENCES IN WASHINGTON

ABOUT WHAT WAS GOING ON IN BIRMINGHAM

AFTER TWO MONTHS OF ACTIVE DEMONSTRATIONS.

THE FIRST DEMONSTRATIONS WE HAD

WERE JUST A HANDFUL OF PEOPLE.

IN FACT, WHEN DR. KING HIMSELF WENT TO JAIL,

ONLY 55 PEOPLE WOULD GO WITH HIM.

SO WHEN YOUNG PEOPLE TODAY ASK ME

"WHEN ARE WE GONNA BE ABLE TO GET TOGETHER

LIKE YOU ALL WERE IN THE '60's ?"

NOBODY WAS TOGETHER IN THE '60's.

IT WAS A SMALL GROUP OF DEDICATED PEOPLE

WHO GOT IT STARTED.

AND THEN THE KIDS TOOK IT OVER.

IN 1963

I WAS DIRECTING THE MOVEMENT IN MISSISSIPPI,

FOR THE SOUTHERN CHRISTIAN LEADERSHIP CONFERENCE IN GREENWOOD.

DR. KING AND RALPH ABERNATHY AND SHUTTLESWORTH

WERE TRYING TO GET ADULTS

AND, THEY'D GOTTEN ABOUT AS MANY ADULTS,

SO HE CALLED ME ON THE PHONE AND ASKED ME

WOULD I COME TO BIRMINGHAM

AND HELP TO ORGANIZE THE PEOPLE, THE YOUNG PEOPLE.

AND SO I WENT TO BIRMINGHAM

TO HELP ORGANIZE THE PEOPLE,

AND THE YOUNG PEOPLE TO BECOME INVOLVED IN THE MOVEMENT.

JAMES BEVEL, PRINCIPALLY,

AND ANDY YOUNG AND DOROTHY COTTEN

WERE GIVEN THE TASK

TO GET THE COLLEGE STUDENTS FROM MILES,

AND THERE WAS ANOTHER LITTLE JUNIOR COLLEGE THERE.

BEVEL, SORT OF ON HIS OWN,

WENT DOWN TO PARKER HIGH-SCHOOL.

AND THE TEACHERS TOLD US

THAT THEY COULDN'T GET IN THE MOVEMENT.

AND THEY LOCKED THE GATES.

THAT WAS IT.

THE FACT THAT THE TEACHERS LOCKED THE GATES,

THE KIDS CLIMBED THE GATES AND GOT IN THE MOVEMENT.

AND WHEN THE HIGH-SCHOOL KIDS GOT IN,

THE JUNIOR HIGH-SCHOOL KIDS--

AND THEN THE LITTLE KIDS WANTED TO COME.

AND WE GOT WORD THAT THE CHILDREN WANTED TO MARCH.

( Bevel ) MY THING WAS, LOOK, WE HAVE TWO COLLEGES HERE.

WE HAVE PAYNE, WE HAVE MILES COLLEGE,

AND YOU'VE GOT ALL THESE TWELVE HIGH-SCHOOLS.

AND ALL THESE YOUNG PEOPLE ARE AS BIG AS THEIR MOMS AND DADS,

AND THEY DON'T HAVE TO PAY RENT,

HOUSE NOTES, CAR NOTES.

AND SO IF THEY WERE INVOLVED BY THE THOUSANDS,

THEN YOU WOULD HAVE THE WHOLE

AFRICAN AMERICAN COMMUNITY INVOLVED.

( Branch ) I DON'T KNOW OF ANY PRECEDENT IN HISTORY

FOR USING CHILDREN THAT YOUNG

IN A POLITICAL CAMPAIGN LIKE THIS.

AND THERE WAS TREMENDOUS, FEROCIOUS OPPOSITION

TO WHAT THEY DECIDED TO DO.

AS ONE TEACHER SAID, I MEAN SHE TURNED HER BACK

AND WRITE ON THE BOARD AND SAID,

"I HOPE WHEN I TURN AROUND THAT EVERYONE ISN'T GONE."

AND SHE TURNED AROUND AND THEY ALL WERE GONE.

FIRST DAY, I'LL NEVER FORGET AT HOME,

TURNING ON THE TV AND THE NEWS

AND THERE WERE CHILDREN, HIGH-SCHOOL KIDS,

MARCHING IN LINE IN TWO'S.

AND IT JUST HIT ME.

GOD, I SAID, I GOT TO GO, I GOT TO GO, MAMA !

I COULD'VE BEEN FIRED

IF I HAD JOINED UP WITH THE SCLC GROUP,

OR THE CIVIL RIGHTS GROUP.

BUT THEY COULDN'T FIRE ME BECAUSE THEY DIDN'T KNOW

THAT I WOULD ALLOW MY CHILDREN TO GO OUT.

I HAD EIGHTH GRADE,

AND I HAD ABOUT FIVE OR SIX YOUNG BOYS

WHO EVERY TIME THEY WOULD HAVE A MARCH,

THEY WOULD GO, AND I LET THEM GO.

EVEN LITTLE ONES, YOU SAY, "WHERE HAVE YOU BEEN ?"

THEY'D SAY, "I'VE BEEN TO JAIL."

I'D SAY, "WHAT DID YOU GO TO JAIL FOR ?"

"I'VE BEEN GOING TO JAIL FOR FREEDOM."

IT WAS ONE OF THE MOST

FRIGHTENING EXPERIENCES OF MY LIFE.

AND IT WAS SCARY, IT WAS VERY SCARY,

AND THEY PUT US IN THIS PLACE,

AND THE PLACE WAS ALREADY--

THE INSIDE BEDROOMS WERE ALREADY TAKEN,

SO WE WERE ON THE FLOOR FOR FIVE DAYS.

RIGHT THERE ON THE FLOOR, RIGHT IN THE HALL.

AND THEY PURPOSELY PUT US IN WITH KIDS

WHO WERE CRIMINALS,

LITTLE BOYS WHO WERE REAL HARD, REAL HARD.

I WAS NOT REAL HARD, NO.

I WAS SCARED, I WAS DEFINITELY SCARED.

I WANT EQUAL RIGHTS.

I WANT EQUAL RIGHTS.

JUST LIKE EVERYBODY ELSE.

I WANT MY FREEDOM JUST LIKE EVERYBODY ELSE.

I WANT TO BE TREATED

JUST LIKE EVERYBODY ELSE IS TREATED.

WHEN WE GOT OUT AND I SAW MY PARENTS,

ALL I WANTED TO DO WAS JUST HUG THEM.

AND I'LL NEVER FORGET, THEY WERE BOTH CRYING,

AND I'M TRYING TO BE LIKE THE MAN, RIGHT ?

I'VE BEEN IN JAIL NOW FOR FIVE DAYS.

I'M WANTING TO CRY BUT I'M TRYING TO BE REAL HARD, RIGHT ?

I'VE BEEN THERE.

BUT IT WAS A BADGE OF COURAGE, IT WAS INCREDIBLE.

IT WAS INCREDIBLE, AND THEY WERE SO PROUD OF ME.

DENISE CAME IN ONE DAY AND SHE WAS SAYING

TO MY COUSIN HELEN AND TO ME,

IF SHE COULD GO MARCH.

AND WE SAID, "NO, YOU'RE TOO LITTLE."

SHE SAID, "WELL, YOU'RE NOT TOO LITTLE."

SO I DON'T KNOW HOW WE CONVENIENTLY GOT OUT OF THAT

AND DIDN'T MAKE OURSELVES LOOK BAD,

WHICH IS WHAT WE FELT INTERNALLY.

HERE'S AN INFANT SAYING

"YOU CAN DO SOMETHING ABOUT A SITUATION

AND YOU REFUSE."

( drums )

KELLY INGRAM PARK ON MAY 3rd WAS THE TURNING POINT

IN THE BIRMINGHAM MOVEMENT.

AND IT WAS A HOT DAY.

IT WAS NINETY PLUS AND HUMID IN BIRMINGHAM.

THESE FIREMEN HAD BEEN OUT THERE FOR FOUR HOURS

WAITING FOR SOMETHING TO HAPPEN

THAT WASN'T APPARENTLY GOING TO HAPPEN.

AND THE CROWD AGAIN HAD GATHERED,

AND SOMEBODY THREW A BRICK.

AND THE FIREMEN, IN THEIR FRUSTRATION,

THEY TURNED THAT WATER CANNON ON.

AND IT WAS ABSOLUTE HELTER-SKELTER.

YOU KNOW HOW YOU TAKE BLOWERS AND BLOW LEAVES ?

WELL THIS IS HOW FOLKS WAS.

WE WERE ROLLING, ACROSS THE GROUND.

THE DOGS WAS BARKING, BITING,

POLICE WERE CLUBBING AND STUFF.

BUT THE LITTLE KIDS ON THE INSIDE WERE PROTECTED.

I DON'T KNOW IF ANYBODY HAS EVER EVEN THOUGHT

ABOUT THE PRESSURE OF ONE OF THOSE HOSES.

YOU COULD JUST FEEL IT STING.

IT WAS ALMOST LIKE BEING WHIPPED,

WITH A WHIP OR SOMETHING.

AND JUST SORT OF HIT ME IN THE FACE

AND WENT THIS WAY AND TOOK MY HAIR OUT.

I HAVE ALWAYS BEEN AFRAID OF DOGS.

AND TO HAVE THE POLICE DEPARTMENT

HAVE DOGS ON US...

THERE WERE PEOPLE BEING BITTEN BY DOGS

AS WE WERE TRYING TO RUN AWAY FROM THE DOGS

AND THE FIRE HOSES WITH THE WATER.

THEY WERE LITERALLY WASHING CHILDREN DOWN THE STREETS.

IT CAUGHT ME RIGHT ON 17th STREET

IN FRONT OF A CAFE CALLED ZANZIBAR.

THAT'S WHEN IT KNOCKED ME DOWN.

BUT THERE WAS SO MUCH HATE HERE THEN,

SO THEY SAID, "GOTTA GET THIS LADY TO THE HOSPITAL."

I SAID, "NO".

I WAS AFRAID TO GO TO THE HOSPITAL.

I DIDN'T KNOW WHETHER THEY'D TAKE ME OUT OVER THERE

SO I JUST SUFFERED THE CONSEQUENCES.

YES, I WILL SAY THIS,

I'M GONNA BE FRANK AND TELL YOU THE TRUTH...

WITH THE HOSE AND THE DOGS AND THE FOLKS,

I WAS REALLY AFRAID.

BUT I RESPECTED WHAT THEY WERE MARCHING FOR,

SO I DID THE MARCH.

I WAS IN PRINCETON, NEW JERSEY WHEN THE FIRE HOSES

AND THE MARCHES IN KELLY INGRAM PARK

NEAR THE CHURCH WERE HELD.

THEY WERE ON THE FRONT PAGE OF THE NEW YORK TIMES.

AND I RECALL HAVING TO EXPLAIN TO MY PROFESSORS

AND TO MY FRIENDS

EVERY SINGLE DAY

THAT ALL OF BIRMINGHAM HADN'T ERUPTED IN VIOLENCE.

AND IN FACT,

IT WAS AWFULLY HARD TO EXPLAIN

HOW I DIDN'T REALLY THINK THAT FIRE HOSES

WERE THE WORST THING THAT COULD'VE HAPPENED,

CERTAINLY COMPARED TO FIRE ARMS,

CERTAINLY COMPARED TO KILLING AND BEATING.

IT WAS DEVASTATING

BECAUSE IT WAS JUST SO UGLY,

THE WAY THEY WERE DOING YOUNG PEOPLE.

TO THINK A GROWN MAN

WOULD PUT A FIRE HOSE ON A CHILD.

IT WAS AWFUL, AND I DIDN'T LIKE IT.

I REALLY DIDN'T LIKE IT BUT,

AS AN INDIVIDUAL THERE WAS NOTHING I COULD DO BUT PRAY

AND I DID A LOT OF THAT.

I THINK ABOUT THE PEOPLE WHO WENT THROUGH ALL THAT

BACK IN THOSE DAYS.

WE DID NOT GIVE THEM CREDIT FOR DOING IT,

BECAUSE THEY FOUGHT MY BATTLE.

I SHOULD'VE BEEN OUT THERE.

BIRMINGHAM,

AND PARTICULARLY IN THE YEAR 1963

WHEN THIS TOOK PLACE,

HAD BECOME THE FOCAL POINT OF THE STRUGGLE IN THE SOUTH.

AND IT HAD BEEN A SORT OF A VIOLENT YEAR.

IN JUNE MEDGAR EVERS HAD BEEN KILLED.

BUT IT WAS ALSO A YEAR OF ECSTASY AND TRIUMPH.

ON AUGUST 28th

A QUARTER MILLION PEOPLE ASSEMBLED IN WASHINGTON, D.C.

AND THOSE OF US IN THE MOVEMENT

WERE ALMOST AS SURPRISED AS WE WERE DELIGHTED

TO SEE THIS MAGNIFICENT THING HAPPEN.

WE FELT AT THE MARCH

THAT AT LAST WE HAD THE ATTENTION OF AMERICA,

THE CONGRESS, THE PRESIDENT, AND THE WORLD.

( singing )

I WAS ANGRY WITH CHRIS DURING THAT TIME,

BECAUSE HE'D DONE SOMETHING THAT I DIDN'T THINK WAS KOSHER.

AND SO I'M WALKING AROUND GLARING AT HIM,

BOTH OF THEM,

BECAUSE SEEMINGLY IN MY MIND

THEY WERE INFRINGING ON ME.

MY WIFE, I THINK, HAD EATEN AND WHEN I CAME HOME

EVIDENTLY SHE DIDN'T HAVE WHAT I WANTED TO EAT.

AND I DECIDED I WANTED A BROILED CHICKEN.

AND SO I PROCEEDED TO GET A CHICKEN,

CUT UP A CHICKEN,

AND DENISE CAME UP THERE WHERE I WAS,

AND SHE JUMPED UP ON THE KITCHEN COUNTER,

AND HER MOTHER CAME IN THE KITCHEN AND LOOKED AT HER,

AND DENISE LOOKED AT ME,

AND I DIDN'T TELL HER TO GET OFF THE COUNTER.

SO IF DADDY DIDN'T TELL ME TO MOVE, BYE TO YOU.

AND I JUST THOUGHT THAT SITTING ON THE COUNTER ?

IN THE KITCHEN ?

WHERE YOU'RE GONNA PUT FOOD ?

UH-UH, THAT'S A NO-NO.

AND SO I LET HER SIT UP THERE

AND I FINISHED CUTTING UP THE CHICKEN,

CLEANED IT, AND THEN SEASONED IT,

AND PROCEEDED TO BROIL IT, DID BROIL IT,

AND THEN WE ATE THE CHICKEN, HAD A GOOD TIME.

TO ME,

AND I'VE OFTEN REFERRED TO IT WITH MY WIFE IN THAT TONE,

IT WAS LIKE THE LAST SUPPER

AS I WOULD IMAGINE IT WOULD'VE BEEN

WITH CHRIST AND HIS DISCIPLES

AND I'M SERIOUS ABOUT THIS.

TWO WEEKS BEFORE THE CHURCH WAS BOMBED,

MY MOTHER WAS IN THE KITCHEN AND WE WERE GETTING READY

FOR CHURCH AND ALL THOSE THINGS.

AND SHE WAS STANDING THERE AT THE SINK,

AND THEN SHE TURNED AROUND AND SAID TO RAY, MY OLDEST BROTHER,

"I KNOW YOU BEEN GOING OUT THERE,

"LEADING THOSE DEMONSTRATIONS, LEAVING SCHOOL

"AND GOING DOWN TO BIRMINGHAM.

I KNOW YOU'VE BEEN DOING THAT."

HE WOULDN'T DENY IT.

HE DIDN'T ADMIT IT, BUT HE WOULDN'T DENY IT.

AND SHE SAID, "MAMA JUST WANTS TO ASK YOU THIS.

"DON'T GO BACK IN THE 16th STREET BAPTIST CHURCH,

"BECAUSE GOD HAS SHOWN ME

SOMETHING TERRIBLE'S GONNA HAPPEN THERE."

I DREAMED,

SEEMINGLY OUT OF A CLEAR BLUE SKY,

THAT THERE WAS GOING TO BE

SOMETHING TERRIBLE HAPPENING AT 16th STREET,

AND I SAW A LOT OF BLOOD,

AND I MENTIONED IT AT THE BREAKFAST TABLE.

IT WAS ON A SATURDAY MORNING, AND I SAID "PLEASE,

I DON'T WANT ANY OF YOU..."

I SAID, "RAY, I DON'T WANT YOU

NOWHERE NEAR 16th STREET BAPTIST CHURCH."

AND RAY WENT, "MA !"

AND DAD SAID, "DON'T TELL THEM ANY SUPERSTITIOUS STUFF !"

AND SHE SAID, "NO, GOD HAS SHOWN ME.

"I DREAMED IT LAST NIGHT.

"IT WAS JUST BLOOD COMING ALL OUT OF THAT CHURCH.

"BLOOD JUST POURING OUT OF THE CHURCH.

AND I DON'T WANT ANY OF MY BLOOD SPILLED."

AND WE WERE ALL LOOKING LIKE...

AND THEN I GUESS SINCE RAY DIDN'T RESPOND

AS WE NORMALLY RESPOND

WHEN MAMA TELLS YOU TO DO SOMETHING,

BECAUSE WE DIDN'T COME FROM ONE OF THOSE FAMILIES,

WHERE YOUR PARENTS ASK YOU TO DO SOMETHING,

AND SO HE DIDN'T RESPOND,

AND THE NEXT THING, SHE JUST FELL ON HER KNEES.

AND I STARTED CRYING

BECAUSE IT SEEMED SO REAL TO ME IN THE DREAM.

AND WHEN THIS HAPPENED

I THINK WE ALL THOUGHT ABOUT IT.

THAT SUNDAY WAS SO DRAMATIC--

TRAUMATIC, RATHER,

UNTIL IT'S ALMOST HARD TO TALK ABOUT IT.

WE WERE MORE OR LESS AT OUR VARIOUS HOMES

GETTING READY TO GO TO CHURCH.

THIS WAS THE BEGINNING OF A MONTHLY YOUTH DAY SERVICE,

SO THE CHILDREN WERE REAL EXCITED TO HAVE THIS OPPORTUNITY

TO TAKE PART IN THE LEADERSHIP OF THE CHURCH THAT DAY.

WHEN ADDIE AND SARAH AND I STARTED TO WALK TO CHURCH,

IT DON'T USUALLY TAKE

BUT MAYBE 'ROUND ABOUT...

MAYBE 'ROUND ABOUT 15 OR 20 MINUTES TO GET TO CHURCH.

BUT THAT PARTICULAR SUNDAY IT TOOK A LITTLE BIT LONGER

BECAUSE WE PLAYED...

WE PLAYED A GAME WITH MY PURSE.

AND LIKE I SAID, IT WAS SHAPED LIKE A FOOTBALL.

IT WAS JUST A REGULAR SUNDAY MORNING.

LIGHT BREAKFAST, AND SHE LEFT.

SHE ALWAYS WENT BY MY PARENTS ON SUNDAY MORNING.

THAT PARTICULAR SUNDAY

I WAS SUPPOSED TO GO TO SUNDAY SCHOOL WITH CAROLE,

AND I WAS RUNNING A LITTLE LATE

AND I DIDN'T GET AN OPPORTUNITY TO GO.

AND WE HAD THE BEST TIME.

WE WAS LAUGHING SO HARD AND WAS PLAYING SO HARD.

WE JUST DID IT ALL THE WAY TO CHURCH,

JUST THROWING IT BACK AND FORTH.

AND WHEN WE GOT TO CHURCH,

I WENT DOWN INTO THE BASEMENT WITH THEM

BECAUSE I DIDN'T WANT TO GO UP,

BECAUSE WE HAD TO GET OURSELVES FIXED UP

BECAUSE WE PLAYED AND MESSED OURSELVES UP.

WE'D BEEN OUT TO MY SISTER'S HOUSE THE NIGHT BEFORE--

THE AFTERNOON BEFORE,

AND WE DIDN'T GET TO CHURCH EXACTLY ON TIME

TO HEAR ALL OF WHAT THE PRELIMINARIES WERE

FOR THE SUNDAY SCHOOL.

SHE HAD THIS PRETTY WHITE DRESS.

SHE HAD NEW BLACK SHOES,

HER FIRST LITTLE HEELS THEY WERE,

NOT HIGH HEELS, BUT THE FIRST HEELS SHE HAD WORN.

I REMEMBER TELLING THEM,

"MAKE SURE WHEN YOU GET THROUGH FIXING YOUR HAIR,

"YOU HURRY AND GO UPSTAIRS

"BECAUSE WE'RE ALREADY LATE

AND WE DON'T WANNA GET ANY LATER."

33 YEARS AGO TODAY I LEFT HOME,

COMING TO SUNDAY SCHOOL,

AT THIS, MY CHURCH, 16th STREET.

I HAD JUST WALKED UP THE STEPS

AND WALKED OUT INTO THE SANCTUARY.

THE PHONE RANG BEFORE I WALKED OUT INTO THE SANCTUARY.

THIS WAS ACTUALLY THE SECOND PHONE CALL

THAT I HAD TAKEN THAT MORNING,

AND THE CALLER ON THE OTHER END SAID "THREE MINUTES".

BEING 14 YEARS OLD,

I HAD NO IDEA THAT IT MEANT ANYTHING.

WHEN I WALKED INTO THE CHURCH IT WAS LIKE, WOW,

THE FIRST THING I WAS LOOKING--

AND I SAID IT LOOKS STRANGE IN HERE.

THE FEELING, THE FEELING THAT IT FELT.

I EVEN NOTICED IT.

IT WAS LIKE I'VE NEVER FELT THIS IN THIS CHURCH BEFORE.

IT WAS LIKE A DIFFERENT FEELING.

I WAS ONE OF THE SUNDAY SCHOOL TEACHERS,

AND MY CLASS WAS DOWNSTAIRS IN THE BASEMENT

NEAR WHERE THE BOMBING TOOK PLACE.

AND I THINK I WAS THE LAST PERSON IN THE FAMILY

TO SEE DENISE THAT MORNING.

I WENT ON UPSTAIRS TO MY CLASS IN THE CHOIR LOFT,

AND SHE WENT DOWNSTAIRS IN THE BASEMENT.

DENISE CAME TO MY ROOM,

AND I SAID, "WHAT ARE YOU DOING IN HERE ?"

AND SHE SAID, "I CAME TO BORROW YOUR COMB,

YOUR COMPACT, AND A QUARTER."

AND I SAID, "DENISE, DON'T YOU HAVE ANY OF THAT ?"

HER MOTHER WOULDN'T GIVE IT TO HER,

SO SHE BORROWED MY COMB, MY COMPACT AND A QUARTER.

THE NEXT THING I HEARD WAS THIS LOUD BLAST,

AND MY FIRST WORDS WERE, "MY BABY, MY BABY".

IT WAS JUST A LOUD NOISE AND THE BUILDING SHOOK,

AND I JUST REMEMBER

SOMETHING HITTING ME IN MY HEAD.

I THINK IT WAS A PIECE OF THE LIGHT FIXTURE

AND JUST SCREAMS AND...

I JUST REMEMBER SEEING BLACK SOOT EVERYWHERE.

AND I GUESS MY FIRST REACTION,

I THOUGHT RUSSIA HAD SENT A SPUTNIK BOMB OVER THERE,

'CAUSE I REMEMBER READING IN THE PAPER DURING THAT TIME

ABOUT RUSSIA AND ABOUT BOMBINGS AND THINGS LIKE THAT.

I WOULDN'T HAVE THOUGHT THAT NOBODY'D BOMB THAT CHURCH.

WHEN I HEARD THE NOISE FROM MY CHURCH,

I DIDN'T KNOW WHAT IT WAS.

I KNOW IT SOUNDED A LITTLE LIKE THUNDER.

IT WAS AN OVERCAST DAY,

BUT I TURNED TO MY BROTHER AND SAID, "WAS THAT THUNDER ?"

AND HE SAID, "UH-UH".

MY HUSBAND HAD CARRIED CAROLE TO SUNDAY SCHOOL,

AND I WAS DRESSING FOR CHURCH WHEN I HEARD THE BOMB.

I THINK I WAS IN THE BATHROOM PUTTING ON MAKEUP.

MY PARENTS AND I AND MY SISTERS AND BROTHERS,

WE WERE ALL SITTING DOWN AT THE TABLE EATING BREAKFAST.

AND THE WHOLE HOUSE SHOOK.

BIRMINGHAM WAS ALWAYS KNOWN FOR FOUNDRIES

AND BLASTING AND THINGS LIKE THIS,

SO WHEN YOU HEAR IT SOMETIMES YOU JUST THINK

THAT IT'S ONE OF THE FOUNDRIES BLASTING COAL,

AND WE DIDN'T WANT TO THINK THE WORST.

SOMEHOW OR ANOTHER SOMEBODY TOLD OUR PASTOR

THAT 16th STREET HAD BEEN BOMBED.

WE GOT THE CHILDREN TOGETHER AND TOLD THEM TO HOLD HANDS.

WE WENT OUTSIDE,

AND WHEN WE GOT OUTSIDE

ALL WE COULD SEE WERE POLICEMAN.

AND WHEN WE GOT ON THE OUTSIDE,

GOING DOWN THE STEPS,

IT WAS LIKE I RAN INTO JUNIE.

AND WHEN I RAN INTO JUNIE,

WE WAS WALKING BACK AND FORTH AND FINALLY IT STRUCK US

THAT WE DIDN'T SEE ADDIE AND SARAH.

YOU CAN IMAGINE JUST HOW TERRIBLE IT WAS

FOR EVERYBODY.

PEOPLE WERE DIGGIN' IN THE ASHES,

AMONG THE RUBBLE TRYING TO FIND THEIR LOVED ONES.

IN A FEW MINUTES MY WIFE'S COUSIN,

THE ONE WE CALL "MAMA HELEN" WHO LIVES UP THE STREET,

SHE CAME BY IN HER CAR AND SHE SAID, "COME ON,

GO WITH ME, WE CAN'T FIND DENISE."

AND I LOOKED EVERYWHERE, ALL OVER THE CHURCH,

UPSTAIRS, DOWNSTAIRS, AND EVERYWHERE,

AND I COULDN'T FIND MY CHILDREN.

I IMMEDIATELY REACHED DOWN

AND PULLED ONE OF THE LARGE CONCRETE BLOCKS AWAY...

AND THERE WAS ONE OF THE GIRLS' HEAD

I HAD DISCOVERED.

GOD, WHEN I FOUND OUT THAT MY CLASSMATE, CYNTHIA,

WAS ONE OF THEM,

THE FIRST THOUGHT WAS THAT I SAW HER

AS WE WERE LEAVING SCHOOL THAT FRIDAY

AND WE SAID TO EACH OTHER, "SEE YOU MONDAY".

AND SHE SAID SOMETHING TO ME,

AND I DON'T REMEMBER WHAT IT WAS,

BUT IT WAS SOMETHING TO MAKE ME LAUGH.

AND WE SAID, JUST RUSHING, "SEE YOU MONDAY".

BUT I REMEMBER SO VIVIDLY LOOKING INTO HER EYES.

( Spike ) WHEN DID YOU FIND OUT THAT CAROLE HAD BEEN IN THE BLAST ?

WHEN MY HUSBAND AND MY MOTHER AND ALL

CAME IN TO TELL ME.

OH BOY.

IT WAS JUST... IT WAS AWFUL.

THEY TOLD ME.

MY HUSBAND TOLD ME FIRST.

YEAH, BECAUSE HE GOT HERE FIRST...

AND HE WAS UPSET.

HE WAS THE KIND OF GENTLEMAN,

HE WAS KIND, NICE.

I GUESS HE JUST DIDN'T BELIEVE

ANYBODY WOULD DO ANYTHING LIKE THAT.

HE DIED NOT REALIZING THAT PEOPLE DO THINGS LIKE THAT.

SOMEONE CAME AND TOLD ME THAT...

MISS...

MRS. ARNOLD CARRIED ME TO THE HOSPITAL SO I COULD SEE HER.

WHEN WE GOT TO UNIVERSITY HOSPITAL AND STARTED SEARCHING,

WE RAN UPON ANOTHER ONE OF MY WIFE'S COUSINS.

HIS NAME IS CLEVELAND.

AND WE CALLED HIM "BROTHER CLEVELAND".

AT ANY RATE,

HE HELPED US SEARCH AROUND AND WE FOUND THE ROOM

THAT THEY WERE USING AS A MORGUE.

AND IN THERE WERE ALL FOUR OF THE GIRLS LYING UP THERE.

THEN THERE WAS DENISE AMONG THEM

WITH THIS PIECE OF CONCRETE,

MORTAR-LIKE ROCK EMBEDDED IN HER HEAD.

WHEN I GOT THERE...

MY COUSIN HENRY WAS THERE,

AND HE WAS VERY ANGRY...

AND HE WAS USING WORDS THAT LET YOU KNOW HE WAS ANGRY, TOO.

AND THE LADY SAID-- WANTED TO KNOW WHO I WAS.

AND I TOLD HER THAT I HEARD THAT MY DAUGHTER,

DENISE McNAIR, HAD BEEN KILLED.

AND SHE SAID, "OH YOU'RE MAXINE".

AND I GOT SO ANGRY WITH HER.

HOW DARE SHE CALL ME MAXINE, SHE WASN'T A FRIEND OF MINE.

SHE DIDN'T KNOW ME FROM ADAM

AND HERE SHE'S GONNA TAKE THE LIBERTY

OF CALLING ME BY MY NAME.

I SAID, "I'M MRS. CHRIS McNAIR."

"I'M SORRY, I'M SORRY", WAS HER COMMENT.

BUT IT WAS TOO LATE THEN, SHE'D DONE IT.

YOU KNOW, THAT OLD MENTALITY,

"YOU'RE NOTHING AND I'M SOMETHING" CAME OUT.

SHE WENT IN AND THEN SHE LET ME GO IN AND SEE HER.

SHE SAID, "BUT YOUR HUSBAND HAS ALREADY IDENTIFIED HER."

BUT THAT WAS MY PRIVILEGE

TO IDENTIFY MY CHILD TO ME.

I DIDN'T THINK ANYBODY SHOULD'VE TAKEN IT AWAY FROM ME,

AND I'M SURE I SAID AS MUCH,

'CAUSE BY THAT TIME I WAS KIND OF TICKED OFF.

OKAY...

THEY CARRIED ME ON TO MY MOTHER'S HOUSE

AND WHEN I GOT IN THERE, I COULDN'T STOP HOLLERING.

I COULDN'T STOP SCREAMING...

AND I CAN JUST SEE MYSELF SITTING IN THE CHAIR,

JUST BEING SO UPSET...

IN A PLACE THAT I WANTED TO RUB AND I COULDN'T RUB IT.

AND I LATER FOUND OUT THAT I WAS THE ONLY PARENT

THAT WAS AT CHURCH THAT DAY.

I'M QUITE SURE THAT MY PARENTS--

THEY IDENTIFIED A BODY,

BUT ALL I HEARD THAT MY SISTER JUNIE

HAD IDENTIFIED THE BODY.

BECAUSE IT HAD SOMEWHAT OF AN EFFECT LEFT UPON HER.

IT HAD A REALLY

KIND OF A NERVOUS-LIKE, YOU KNOW.

IT REALLY AFFECTED HER.

IT WAS JUST A DEVASTATING EXPERIENCE,

AND I...

EXPERIENCED A LOT OF PANIC ATTACKS TOO.

ONCE UPON A TIME I WAS...

REAL AFRAID OF BEING ON THE OUTSIDE

AS WELL AS THE INSIDE.

( Spike ) OF WHAT ?

OF ANYWHERE.

BECAUSE THE BOMBING TOOK--

IT HAPPENED IN A CHURCH WHERE

YOU NORMALLY WOULD FEEL SAFE,

OR YOU'D THINK YOU WERE SAFE...

AND OF ALL PLACES, A CHURCH.

THAT SUNDAY

WHEN THE LITTLE GIRLS WERE KILLED IN THE CHURCH,

MY FORMER HUSBAND AND I,

JIM BEVEL,

WERE IN EDENTON, NORTH CAROLINA.

THE SOUTHERN CHRISTIAN LEADERSHIP CONFERENCE

WAS CARRYING OUT A VOTER REGISTRATION PROJECT.

AND IN FACT I WAS SCHEDULED TO PREACH THAT SUNDAY MORNING.

AND SO WHEN THE CHURCH BLEW UP,

WE HEARD ABOUT IT BEFORE I GOT TO CHURCH.

AND WE FELT THAT IN ORDER TO RESPECT OURSELVES,

AS AN ADULT MAN AND WOMAN,

WE COULD NOT LET LITTLE GIRLS BE KILLED.

IT WAS LIKE SOMEBODY HIT ME WITH HOT STEEL.

AND I FELT PERSONALLY INSULTED, BECAUSE IT WAS LIKE,

THEY KNEW THESE CHILDREN WAS USING THAT CHURCH,

AND THEY REALLY FELT INSULTED BECAUSE THE CHILDREN

HAVE DEFEATED THEM, RIGHT ?

SO IT'S LIKE THEY'RE COMING BACK ON THE CHILDREN

TO SAY WE WILL TEACH YOU A LESSON.

AND MY POINT IS WE WILL TEACH YOU A LESSON.

WE FELT THAT THERE WERE TWO THINGS THAT WE COULD DO.

THE FIRST OPTION IS THAT WE FELT CONFIDENT

THAT WE COULD FIND OUT WHO WAS RESPONSIBLE

FOR HAVING KILLED THOSE GIRLS,

AND WE COULD MAKE CERTAIN

THAT THEY GOT KILLED.

THAT WAS OPTION ONE.

NOW I SAID LOOK,

I'M GONNA HAVE TO GET OUT OF THE MOVEMENT

AND KILL THESE GUYS.

WE ARE NOT GONNA LET GUYS COME INTO THE COMMUNITY,

BLOW UP OUR CHURCHES AND KILL OUR CHILDREN.

WE'RE NOT GONNA DO IT.

THE SECOND OPTION

WAS THAT IF BLACKS IN ALABAMA

GOT THE RIGHT TO VOTE,

THEY COULD PROTECT THEIR CHILDREN.

NOW THAT'S WHERE THIS BOMBING OF THE CHURCH

IS WHERE THE SELMA, "RIGHT TO VOTE MOVEMENT" WAS BORN.

I REMEMBER THAT SUNDAY VERY CLEARLY.

I'M NOT SURE WHERE I WENT TO CHURCH.

AS I THINK ABOUT IT NOW,

I PROBABLY TOOK THAT SUNDAY OFF.

BUT I KNOW I GOT AN URGENT CALL FROM DR. KING,

HE TOLD ME THEY HAD BOMBED THE 16th STREET BAPTIST CHURCH

AND FOUR LITTLE GIRLS WERE DEAD,

AND WE HAD TO GO TO BIRMINGHAM RIGHT AWAY.

AND I DON'T KNOW WHERE WE MET,

BUT I KNOW WE HAD A GREAT DEAL OF CONVERSATION.

AND HE BEGAN TO BEMOAN THE FACT.

HE SAID, "THEY'RE GONNA BLAME ME."

HE WAS SUPERSENSITIVE ABOUT THINGS LIKE THIS,

AND HE SAID, "THEY'RE GONNA SAY

IF WE HAD NEVER COME TO BIRMINGHAM..."

HE SAID, "WE GOT TO GO."

HE SAID "I DREAD GOING, BUT WE GOT TO GO."

SO WE GOT OURSELVES TOGETHER AND WENT OVER TO BIRMINGHAM

TO SEE THE FAMILIES.

DR. KING CAME BY

THE PARSONAGE WHERE I WAS LIVING

THE EARLY PART OF THAT EVENING...

AND TALKED WITH ME ABOUT THE FUNERAL ARRANGEMENTS.

I TOLD HIM THAT WE TRIED TO GET A MASS FUNERAL

BUT THERE WAS ONE FAMILY

THAT WANTED TO HOLD OUT.

I TELL YOU, WE STARTED-- WE GOT UP MONDAY MORNING

AND STARTED MAKING PLANS,

WENT TO-- PLANNED EVERYTHING

BECAUSE WE HAD NO IDEA THEY WERE PLANNING A JOINT FUNERAL

UNTIL LATE MONDAY EVENING

WHEN KING AND CROSS,

ABERNATHY, GARDNER,

SMITH...

THERE WERE SEVEN OF THEM,

SHUTTLESWORTH, THAT CAME OUT.

DR. KING TALKED

AS HE TRIED TO PERSUADE HER TO CHANGE HER MIND.

SHE SAID, "I TOLD REV. CROSS

"WHAT MY INTENTIONS ARE

AND THAT'S WHAT I WANT TO DO."

SO HE HAD PRAYER WITH HER,

AND THEN WE LEFT.

( Mrs. Robertson ) I DON'T KNOW WHAT WE WOULD'VE DONE

IF WE HAD KNOWN EARLY MONDAY MORNING

THAT THEY WERE PLANNING A MASS FUNERAL.

I DON'T KNOW WHAT THE DECISION WOULD'VE BEEN THEN.

BUT WE WENT ABOUT THE BUSINESS DURING THAT MONDAY

AND WE JUST LET IT STAY.

WE WENT DOWNTOWN AND WE PICKED OUT...

HER FAVORITE COLOR WAS YELLOW.

SO WE WENT TO PARISIAN'S AND WE GOT HER A YELLOW DRESS.

AND THE LADY KNEW ME

BECAUSE I HAD BEEN SHOPPING THERE BEFORE.

AND SHE WAS SAYING HOW SORRY SHE WAS,

AND SHE SOLD ME THE DRESS AND THE SOCKS

AND WHATEVER ELSE I BOUGHT THAT DAY,

AND WE CARRIED IT ON OVER TO THE FUNERAL HOME

AND PUT IT ON HER.

AND THE MAN TOLD ME THAT THEY WEREN'T GONNA

BE ABLE TO DO A GOOD JOB WITH FIXING HER UP

BECAUSE THE BRICK THAT WE FOUND,

THAT WE HAVE,

WAS EMBEDDED IN HER HEAD AND IT HAD DONE SOMETHING

TO HER SKIN ON THIS SIDE.

HE SAID, "BUT WE WILL MAKE IT

"LOOK THE VERY BEST THAT WE CAN.

WE WON'T DISAPPOINT YOU."

SO I HAD TRUST AND FAITH IN HIM

BECAUSE HE WAS A FRIEND OF MINE.

AND SURE ENOUGH,

THEY PULLED THE HAIR AROUND AND FIXED HER UP,

AND SHE LOOKED NICE.

CAROLE'S FUNERAL WAS A VERY QUIET FUNERAL,

JUST A NORMAL, SAD FUNERAL.

WHEREAS THE NEXT DAY,

IT WAS THE MORE SPECTACULAR,

WITH THE NEWS

AND THEY WERE THERE FROM EVERYWHERE.

( singing "We Shall Overcome" )

WHAT I REALLY REMEMBER MOST WAS

WHEN WE GOT OUT OF THE CAR TO THE CHURCH,

I REMEMBER LOOKING UP AND THERE WERE CAMERAS

AND PEOPLE IN THE TREES.

AND THE FAMILY COULD HARDLY GET IN THE CHURCH.

MOST KIDS DIDN'T GO TO THE FUNERAL.

SCHOOL WAS GOING ON AND...

BUT I REMEMBER SPECIFICALLY

I'D WORN A SHIRT AND TIE THAT DAY,

AND GEORGE BELL, MY PRINCIPAL,

THE FAMOUS GEORGE BELL...

AS I WAS LEAVING, I GOT A NOTE FROM MY MOTHER,

CAME UP TO ME

AND TOOK HIS TIE OFF.

HE SAID, "SON, YOU WANT TO WEAR DARK TIES TO FUNERALS.

HE SAID YOU'RE REPRESENTING US."

( choir singing )

AND THEN INSIDE THE SERVICE...

DR. KING SPOKE...

AND WE TRIED TO NOT CRY AND LISTEN,

BUT THERE WAS NOT A DRY EYE IN THE HOUSE...

AND HIS SPEAKING CALMED US...

AND I THINK THE CRYING HELPED.

I REMEMBER MARTIN LUTHER KING WHEN HE WAS THERE,

BUT I CAN'T REMEMBER

EVERYTHING THAT HE SAID,

BECAUSE YOU ARE SO HURT,

YOU'RE SEEING THREE CASKETS AROUND THE CHURCH,

AROUND THE FRONT PART OF THE CHURCH,

AND YOU KNOW YOUR SISTER'S

IN ONE OF THOSE CASKETS.

YOU CAN'T REALLY LISTEN.

THE ONLY THING YOU CAN DO IS FEEL,

AND THERE WAS JUST NOTHING BUT HURT THAT I FELT.

AND AT SOME POINT HE SAID SOMETHING ABOUT

"LIFE IS HARD",

OR "LIFE IS AS HARD AS STEEL".

THINGS YOU REMEMBER: THE THREE COFFINS,

THIS GROUP OF HUNDREDS

OF BLACK AND WHITE MINISTERS

AND OTHERS,

FAMOUS PEOPLE.

"BUT LIFE IS AS HARD AS STEEL".

NOT AN EXACT QUOTE, BUT HE SAID THAT, THAT WAS THE POINT.

I'LL NEVER FORGET THAT.

THE SERVICE WAS SAD, BUT IT WASN'T MORBID.

BUT IT WAS JUST SUCH A TENDER MOMENT,

BUT AT THE SAME TIME IT WAS SUCH A SAD MOMENT,

BECAUSE THE REALIZATION WAS THESE LITTLE GIRLS

WOULD NEVER GET A CHANCE TO REALIZE LIFE

BECAUSE OF SOME PERSON'S DECISION TO MAKE THEM

MAYBE THE VICTIMS OF WHY THE MOVEMENT SHOULD STOP.

I REMEMBER COMING DOWN THE STEPS

AT ADDIE'S AND DENISE'S FUNERAL

AND LETTING GO OF THE CASKET.

I DON'T KNOW, I JUST LOST SOMETHING.

THIS WAS ONE OF MY BEST FRIENDS IN LIFE,

AND I HAD NEVER LOST A BEST FRIEND BEFORE.

AND JAMES STEWART GRABBED ME AND HELD ME

'CAUSE I'D LOST COMPLETE FAITH IN HUMANITY,

I SUPPOSE, AND DIDN'T KNOW IT.

I REMEMBER BEING VERY, VERY, VERY UPTIGHT...

AND...

JUST OVERWHELMED BY SOMETHING.

AND THE NEXT THING I KNEW,

SOMEBODY WAS SAYING,

"YOU PASSED OUT AT THE CEMETERY."

"DEAR MR. AND MRS. McNAIR,

"HERE IN THE MIDST OF THE CHRISTMAS SEASON

"MY THOUGHTS HAVE TURNED TO YOU.

"THIS HAS BEEN A DIFFICULT YEAR FOR YOU,

"THE COMING OF CHRISTMAS

"WHEN THE FAMILY BONDS ARE NORMALLY MORE CLOSELY KNIT

"MAKES THE LOSS YOU HAVE SUSTAINED

"EVEN MORE PAINFUL.

"YET, WITH THE SAD MEMORIES,

"THERE ARE THE MEMORIES OF THE GOOD DAYS

"WHEN DENISE WAS WITH YOU AND YOUR FAMILY.

"AS YOU KNOW, MANY OF US ARE GIVING UP OUR CHRISTMAS

"OR SEVERELY LIMITING THEM AS A MEMORIAL

"FOR THE GREAT SACRIFICES MADE THIS YEAR

"IN THE FREEDOM STRUGGLE.

"I KNOW THERE IS NOTHING THAT CAN COMPENSATE

"FOR THE VACANT PLACE IN YOUR FAMILY CIRCLE,

"BUT WE DID WANT TO SHARE A PART OF OUR SACRIFICE

"THIS YEAR WITH YOU.

"PERHAPS THERE IS SOME SMALL THING DEAR TO YOUR HEART

"IN WHICH THIS GIFT CAN PLAY A PART.

SINCERELY YOURS, MARTIN LUTHER KING, JR."

THIS WAS PHOTOGRAPHED MOTHER'S DAY '62.

WE WERE ON OUR WAY TO CHURCH, SUNDAY SCHOOL,

AND HE SNAPPED THIS SHOT.

SHE'S TELLING HIM, "WAIT DADDY,

I'M NOT READY, YOU'RE TOO FAST."

AND HE SNAPPED IT ANYWAY.

AND WE WERE RUNNING LATE SO HE DIDN'T DO IT OVER.

THESE ARE SOME OF HER COLORING BOOKS AND THINGS

THAT WE FOUND IN A TRUNK

THAT WERE MUSTY AND OLD AND TIRED LOOKING.

SHE LOVED DOLLS AND TOYS,

AND IF SHE COULD MAKE A TACKY LITTLE SOMETHING

THAT I CALLED TACKY, THAT SHE DIDN'T CALL TACKY.

DOLL CLOTHES, PIGGY BANKS,

JEWELRY, POCKETBOOKS,

THINGS SHE DID IN SCHOOL.

AND THIS WAS TAKEN ONE SUNDAY

IN TUPELO, MISSISSIPPI WHEN WE LIVED DOWN THERE.

WE HAD COME HOME FROM CHURCH

AND SHE HAD GOTTEN TIRED OF STAYING,

BECAUSE WE WOULD GO FOR SUNDAY SCHOOL

AND IT SEEMED LIKE AN ALL DAY THING.

AND SHE WENT TO SLEEP, AND SHE WAS VERY WRINKLED.

AND HER DADDY LIKED THE LITTLE OUTFIT SHE HAD ON,

SO HE SAID, "I WANT A PICTURE OF THIS."

I SAID, "WELL LET ME PRESS IT."

"UH-UH, I WANT IT JUST LIKE IT IS."

THIS WAS THAT STRANGE BRICK

THAT PENETRATED HER SKULL

THAT A FRIEND OF MINE AT THE CEMETERY SAVED

AND GAVE TO MY MOTHER,

AND MY MOTHER, SOME YEARS LATER, GAVE TO ME.

WHEN I WAS GOING TO SCHOOL BEFORE...

AFTER SHE HAD DIED, WHEN I WAS GOING TO SCHOOL,

IT WAS LIKE, YOU KNOW HOW YOU JUST--

YOU REMEMBER SUCH A GOOD TIME YOU USED TO HAVE ?

AND YOU KNOW YOU'RE GONNA HAVE A GOOD TIME

WHEN YOU GO HOME

BECAUSE YOU'RE GONNA GET WITH YOUR SISTER.

THAT WAS THE TYPE OF RELATIONSHIP WE HAD.

I KNEW THAT WHEN I GOT HOME,

ME AND ADDIE WAS GONNA HAVE US A GOOD TIME PLAYING.

AND I RUSHED HOME THAT EVENING FROM SCHOOL

THINKING THAT I WAS RUSHING HOME TO GET WITH ADDIE.

AND I HAD REMEMBERED THAT ADDIE WAS DEAD.

AND THAT THING HURTED ME.

IT HURTED ME SO DEEP 'TILL...

IT'S NOT EASY,

BECAUSE WE HAD PUT SO MUCH OF THIS BEHIND US

AND WE DON'T REMEMBER.

WE JUST DON'T REMEMBER ANYMORE,

YOU KNOW WHAT I'M SAYING ?

BUT YOU KNOW HOW YOU FELT.

YOU MAY NOT REMEMBER DETAILS OR WHAT...

STEP BY STEP WHAT I HAD TO GO THROUGH,

BUT I DO KNOW IT AFFECTED ME...

SO BAD.

I DON'T THINK THE WHITE COMMUNITY

REALLY UNDERSTOOD THE DEPTH OF THE PROBLEM

AND THE DEPTHS OF THE HATE

OF THE KLAN AND ITS FRIENDS IN THE SOUTH,

IN THE NORTH TOO FOR THAT MATTER,

UNTIL THAT INCREDIBLY

MEAN-SPIRITED

TERRIBLE CRIME OF BLOWING UP KIDS

IN A SUNDAY SCHOOL BASEMENT.

UP TO THAT TIME, I THINK IT WAS LOOKED AT

PRIMARILY AS...

AN INTERESTING KIND OF A SOCIAL DEVELOPMENT

THAT WOULD COME ALONG SOMEHOW OR OTHER

IN THE GENERATIONS TO COME.

AT THAT MOMENT THAT THAT BOMB WENT OFF

AND THOSE FOUR LITTLE GIRLS WERE BLASTED

AND BURIED IN THE DEBRIS OF THE CHURCH,

AMERICA UNDERSTOOD THE REAL NATURE OF THE HATE

THAT WAS PREVENTING INTEGRATION,

PARTICULARLY IN THE SOUTH,

BUT ALSO THROUGHOUT AMERICA.

THIS WAS THE AWAKENING.

I THINK THAT INCIDENT,

AS TRAGIC AS IT WAS,

CONVINCED WHITE AMERICA MORE DEEPLY THAN ANYTHING ELSE,

WHY THERE HAD TO BE A BIRMINGHAM CONFRONTATION

AND WHY THERE NEEDED TO BE

A MARTIN LUTHER KING ON THE ISSUE OF RACE.

THE BOMBING OF THE CHURCHES IN BIRMINGHAM,

AND THE DEATH OF THE LITTLE GIRLS,

WAS JUST AN ACT OF TERRORISM IN MY JUDGMENT.

AND THOSE ARE IN MANY WAYS, AS WE KNOW TODAY,

THE HARDEST ONES TO RESOLVE

AND THE CRUELEST

BECAUSE THEY DON'T CARE WHO IT IS

THAT GETS KILLED,

AS LONG AS THERE'S SOME SYMBOLISM

IN WHAT THEY'RE DOING.

IT JUST SEEMED POINTLESS.

IT WASN'T GONNA STOP THE MOVEMENT.

IT JUST TOOK THE LIVES

OF FOUR BEAUTIFUL, INNOCENT LITTLE GIRLS.

FOUR LOVELY CHILDREN...

TODAY COULD'VE BEEN SPELLMAN GRADUATES,

HARVARD GRADUATES,

COULD HAVE BEEN DOING THINGS IN THEIR COMMUNITY,

COULD'VE BEEN WONDERFUL DOCTORS, LAWYERS,

OR JUST PLAIN HARD WORKING PEOPLE.

BUT HUMAN BEINGS.

THE BAD NEWS IS FOUR INNOCENT BABIES WERE KILLED.

THE GOOD NEWS IS

WERE ABLE TO TRANSFORM A CRUCIFIXION

INTO A RESURRECTION.

NEW LIFE, NEW HOPE, NEW ENERGY,

AND MORE DETERMINATION.

( various reporters ) 120 years of history suddenly destroyed...

Five churches with black congregations

have burned in Alabama this year.

Look at some of the damage...

This is one of dozens of southern,

predominantly black churches that burned within...

Just last week somebody torched this church...

... wants to know if the fires are racially motivated.

WHAT'S PAINFUL TO ME AS WE LOOK AT THE STORY TODAY...

THEY'RE BURNING CHURCHES AGAIN.

I GUESS MORE THAN ANYTHING THAT REALLY BOTHERED ME

WAS WHEN I FOUND OUT HOW MANY OTHER CHURCHES HAD BURNED

SINCE 1994.

THERE WERE OVER 22 CHURCHES IN THE SOUTH

THAT HAVE BURNED DOWN.

PEOPLE KEPT SAYING IT WAS NOT A CONSPIRACY

AND THINGS LIKE THAT,

BUT THE THING THAT I BELIEVE IS THAT

IT'S A CONSPIRACY OF THE MIND.

ONCE YOU BURN ONE DOWN,

OTHER PEOPLE ARE GONNA BURN OTHERS DOWN.

NOW THIS WAS TRUE AFTER THE CIVIL WAR

WHEN THE KU KLUX KLAN WAS ORGANIZED,

THEY, TOO, BURNED BLACK CHURCHES.

THEY HAD A SYMBOL

WHERE THEY SET THE CROSS OF JESUS ON FIRE.

THEY'RE STILL DOING IT,

BUT THE RESULT WILL BE THE SAME.

WE'RE GONNA REBUILD THOSE CHURCHES

AND MAKE THEM BIGGER AND STRONGER.

THE MESSAGE HAS TO BE CLEAR...

YOU CAN BURN 'EM DOWN,

BUT NOT FASTER THAN WE CAN BUILD 'EM UP AGAIN.

( reporter ) Four young black girls were killed

in the 1963 bombing

of the 16th Street Baptist Church in Birmingham.

It was one of a series of bombings in the Birmingham area

during the late '50's and early '60's,

and it was never solved.

Last month a grand jury began

a new investigation of the bombings

and yesterday indicted two men.

One was Robert Chambliss of Birmingham,

a former Ku Klux Klan member.

Chambliss, jailed last night,

is being held without bond

on four counts of first degree murder.

I THINK BOB CHAMBLISS WAS RESPONSIBLE

FOR MORE EVIL THAN ANY OTHER HUMAN BEING...

IN THE HISTORY OF THIS COUNTY, MAYBE THIS STATE.

I'M NOT GONNA SAY HE'S THE MOST EVIL MAN,

'CAUSE WHO AM I TO JUDGE ?

BUT HE WAS RESPONSIBLE FOR MORE EVIL

BECAUSE HE, BY HIMSELF,

WAS RESPONSIBLE FOR NEARLY ALL THE BOMBINGS

THAT HAPPENED IN BIRMINGHAM

DURING THE '40's, '50's, '60's.

HIS NICKNAME WAS "DYNAMITE BOB"

AND INSTEAD OF BEING SCARED OR WORRIED OR CONCERNED,

HE WAS PROUD OF IT.

HE DIDN'T THINK THAT THE POLICE WOULD EVER DO ANYTHING TO HIM,

THAT HE'D EVER BE TRIED OF ANYTHING.

HE WORE IT LIKE A BADGE OF HONOR.

"DYNAMITE BOB."

I SAW CHAMBLISS STANDING ON THE CORNER

WATCHING THE EXCITEMENT

DOWN AT THE 16th STREET BAPTIST CHURCH.

AND I REMEMBER SAYING TO MYSELF,

HE'S THE FIREBUG THAT'S COME BACK TO WATCH THE FIRE.

THIS IS THE COURTROOM

WHERE BOB CHAMBLISS WAS TRIED

FOR KILLING FOUR LITTLE GIRLS

AT THE 16th STREET CHURCH BOMBING.

THE COURT ROOM IS ARRANGED

EXACTLY AS IT WAS AT THE TRIAL.

BOB CHAMBLISS SAT HERE,

I SAT HERE,

THE ASSISTANT ATTORNEY GENERAL, JOHN YOUNG, SAT HERE,

AND THE ATTORNEY GENERAL OF THE STATE OF ALABAMA,

BILL BAXLEY,

SAT THERE DURING THE PROSECUTION.

EVER SINCE THE DAY IT HAPPENED, LIKE I SAID,

I HAD HOPED THAT SOMEDAY I COULD BE A PART OF SOLVING

OR BRINGING THE PEOPLE THAT DID THAT TO JUSTICE.

IN FACT, THIS NEVER NEVER HAS BEEN MENTIONED BEFORE,

BUT I GOT THIS RECORD SHORTLY AFTER THAT,

OF JOAN BAEZ, WHO WAS ONE OF MY FAVORITES.

AND SHE HAD A SONG CALLED "BIRMINGHAM SUNDAY" ON THERE.

AND IT MENTIONED THE FOUR LITTLE GIRLS

AND ALMOST EVERY MORNING OF MY LIFE

UNTIL I BECAME ATTORNEY GENERAL,

I PLAYED THAT JOAN BAEZ SONG OF "BIRMINGHAM SUNDAY".

IN BIRMINGHAM, ALABAMA,

THE TRIAL OF ROBERT CHAMBLISS,

CHARGED WITH THE BOMBING OF A BLACK CHURCH IN 1963,

FOUR YOUNG GIRLS WERE KILLED.

THE DEFENSE FINISHED TODAY

AND THE CASE HAS GONE TO THE JURY.

IN THE FBI DOCUMENTS

THAT WERE SUBMITTED FROM THE BIRMINGHAM FIELD OFFICE

IN 1964 AND '65 TO J. EDGAR HOOVER,

FOUR MEN WERE IDENTIFIED

AS SUSPECTS BY THE FBI.

AND ACCORDING TO THE FBI,

THEY HAD INFORMERS

WHO SAID THEY HAD GONE TO THE CHURCH THAT NIGHT.

AND THEY WERE BOB CHAMBLISS,

TOMMY BLANTIN, JR.,

BOBBY FRANK CHERRY, AND HERMAN CASH.

OF THOSE FOUR,

BAXLEY INDICTED ONLY CHAMBLISS,

BECAUSE HE FELT HE COULD MAKE THE STRONGEST CASE THERE.

STILL, BY THE TIME WE GOT TO TRIAL

WE HAD EVIDENCE THAT WE COULDN'T USE.

WE HAD PEOPLE WHO WOULDN'T TESTIFY.

IT WAS AN IFFY CASE TO WIN.

AND I KIND OF FELT LIKE WE MIGHT OUGHTA WAIT

BECAUSE I STILL FELT LIKE THERE WERE PEOPLE

THAT STILL MIGHT TALK.

AND I KNEW THAT IF WE WENT TO TRIAL AND LOST,

AND THE CASE WAS MARGINAL,

THEN THEY'D NEVER BE SOLVED.

SO I WENT TO CHRIS McNAIR,

WHO AS I SAID WAS A FRIEND OF MINE,

AND I TOLD HIM THAT WE'D GOTTEN ABOUT AS FAR

AS WE COULD GO.

AND I SAID, "CHRIS, WHAT WOULD BE YOUR DESIRE

"AS ONE OF THE VICTIMS, AS THE FATHER OF DENISE ?

"WOULD YOU WANT US TO GO AHEAD WITH AN IFFY CASE

"AND RUN THE RISK OF LOSING,

OR WAIT AND HOPE SOMEBODY WILL CARRY IT FROM HERE ?"

AND CHRIS BASICALLY SAID IF IT WASN'T DONE

IN MY TERM OF OFFICE,

HE DIDN'T THINK IT WOULD EVER GET DONE.

AND CHRIS DID ONE OF THE BRAVEST THINGS

THAT I'VE EVER SEEN ANYONE DO,

WHICH WAS HE WENT ON THE WITNESS STAND...

AND THEY BROUGHT HIM...

THE POSTMORTEM PHOTOGRAPHS OF DENISE.

AND...

BECAUSE THEY WANTED THE JURY TO SEE THE LOSS OF A PARENT.

AND IT'S ONE OF THE MOST RIVETING MOMENTS

I'VE EVER WITNESSED IN A COURTROOM, OR ANYWHERE,

WHEN THE PROSECUTOR PRESENTED

THOSE PHOTOGRAPHS TO CHRIS,

AND HE... HE DIDN'T SPEAK AT FIRST.

HELD OUT TO HIM AND HE WENT BACK IN HIS CHAIR

AS IF HE'D BEEN HIT A BLOW IN THE CHEST

WITH A HEAVY MALLET.

AND...

WITH GREAT CALMNESS THEN, HE SAID,

"THAT IS MY DAUGHTER, THAT IS DENISE McNAIR."

I THINK THE BIG BREAK CAME

WHEN CHAMBLISS' NIECE DECIDED TO TALK.

AND I'LL NEVER FORGET,

I WAS SITTING RIGHT BEHIND ART HAINES, JR., ART HAINES, SR.,

AND CHAMBLISS IS BETWEEN THEM,

AND THE OLD MAN LOOKS OVER HIS SHOULDER

AND SEES THIS WOMAN WALKING IN,

AND HE TURNS AROUND AND HIS ATTORNEYS LEAN OVER TO HIM

AND ASK HIM, "WHO IS THAT ?"

AND IT'S CLEAR THEY'RE TOTALLY UNPREPARED FOR THIS WITNESS.

THIS SMALL WOMAN WITH A CROSS,

SHE WAS A METHODIST MINISTER,

SHE WALKED UP ON THAT STAND

AND SHE PUT THAT MAN IN PRISON THAT DAY.

AND THE GIST OF HER TESTIMONY WAS THIS,

THAT IN THE DAYS LEADING UP TO THAT BOMBING,

SHE OPENED A DOOR IN THE BACK OF HIS HOUSE

AND WALKED IN AND SAW DYNAMITE.

AND HE BERATED HER FIERCELY FOR DOING THAT.

AND THEN...

THEY WERE TALKING ABOUT THE EVENTS IN BIRMINGHAM,

AND HE WAS ENRAGED BECAUSE HE HAD READ

IN THE PAPER, I THINK,

ABOUT A WHITE WOMAN BEING ASSAULTED BY A BLACK MAN

ON A BUS OR SOMETHING.

I'VE FORGOTTEN THE DETAILS.

BUT THIS TWISTED HIM INTO A RAGE AS SHE TOLD IT,

AND HE SAID, "JUST WAIT 'TILL SUNDAY

AND THEY'LL BEG US TO SEGREGATE AGAIN."

THE NIGHT BEFORE...

WE FINISHED ARGUING THE CASE TO THE JURY,

WE STARTED THE ARGUMENTS AFTER LUNCH.

AND I GOT BACK FROM LUNCH

AND ONE OF MY ASSISTANTS, JOHN YOUNG,

CALLED ME UP THERE,

AND I WAS TRYING TO REALLY GET MY THOUGHTS COLLECTED

FOR THE ARGUMENT,

AND I DIDN'T WANT TO BE BOTHERED.

AND HE SAID, "COME HERE, YOU GOTTA SEE SOMETHING."

HE SAID, "LOOK, ONE OF THE EXHIBITS

"WAS THE DEATH CERTIFICATE FOR DENISE McNAIR.

LOOK AT THIS."

AND THAT DAY WAS DENISE'S BIRTHDAY.

IN MY FINAL ARGUMENT, I CLOSED BY TELLING 'EM

THAT BY SOME ACCIDENT OF FATE

THAT THIS DAY WAS DENISE'S BIRTHDAY.

AND THEN I WENT ON THAT HAD IT NOT BEEN FOR THIS ACT

THAT THERE'D PROBABLY BE A PARTY OVER AT THE McNAIRS' HOUSE,

MAYBE WITH SOME LITTLE GRANDCHILDREN AND THAT BIT.

AND I CLOSED BY SAYING

"GIVE DENISE A BIRTHDAY PRESENT,

BRING HER KILLER TO JUSTICE."

IT WASN'T TOO LONG, THE NEXT MORNING,

AFTER THE JURY CAME BACK THAT THEY CAME IN,

AND I WAS ON THE PHONE WHEN THE JURY CAME IN

AND I HEARD THE VERDICT OF GUILTY.

AND I JUST SAID A PRAYER OF THANKSGIVING.

CHAMBLISS WAS THE MOST PATHOLOGICAL RACIST

I HAVE EVER ENCOUNTERED.

HE WAS A CHILLING CHARACTER.

I VISITED HIM TWICE IN PRISON.

HE NAMED TO ME FOUR OTHER PEOPLE

THAT HE SAID HAD PLANTED THE BOMB.

AND THEY WERE PEOPLE I KNEW BY NAME

TO BE ASSOCIATED WITH THE KLAN.

AND HE BEGAN TO SPRING A LONG NARRATIVE--

SPIN A LONG NARRATIVE ABOUT THESE PEOPLE.

HE DESCRIBED HOW THESE PEOPLE, BY HIS ALLEGATION,

HAD GONE TO A PLACE ON 3rd AVENUE WEST IN BIRMINGHAM

AND PHONED IN A PHONY BOMB TIP TO PULL THE POLICE AWAY.

THEN HE DESCRIBED THE ROUTE THAT THEY HAD DRIVEN

TO PLANT THE BOMB AT THE CHURCH.

THEN HE DESCRIBED HOW THEY HAD DRIVEN OVER

BY BIRMINGHAM SOUTHERN COLLEGE

AND ARCADELPHIA ROAD

AND FINDLAY AVENUE TO ESCAPE,

AND I REALIZED THAT AS HE WAS TELLING THIS,

HE WAS TELLING ME HOW THEY PLANTED THE BOMB THAT NIGHT.

OH, THIS IS MY FAVORITE PHOTOGRAPH OF DENISE

OF ALL THE MANY PICTURES I HAVE OF HER.

AND WELL,

I WOULD SAY IT'S MY FAVORITE,

NUMBER ONE: I THINK IT'S A GOOD PHOTOGRAPH,

BUT I MADE IT WITH HER LITTLE CAMERA,

HER LITTLE BROWNIE CAMERA.

AND SHE WAS SITTING IN THE BED

PLAYING WITH HER DOLL,

AND SHE SAID, "MAKE A PICTURE OF ME, DADDY."

AND I SAID, "WITH THIS CAMERA ?"

"YEAH, WITH MY CAMERA."

SO I DID IT, AND IT WAS A FLASHBULB,

SO THE DISTANCE THAT I WAS FROM HER

REALLY WAS TOO CLOSE.

BUT I MADE THE PICTURE

BECAUSE I WANTED TO FILL THE FRAME UP PRETTY GOOD.

AND WHEN THE FILM WAS DEVELOPED,

I SAW THAT THE NEGATIVE WAS WAY OVER-EXPOSED

AND I NEVER WORRIED ABOUT IT ANYMORE

UNTIL AFTER SHE DIED.

AND I WENT BACK THROUGH THE NEGATIVES AND I SAW IT AGAIN,

AND I REDUCED IT.

AND THEN I MADE A PRINT OF IT

AND I REALIZED WHAT A JEWEL I HAD.

IT WASN'T GOD THAT BROUGHT THE BOMBING ON.

A LOT OF PEOPLE WOULD THINK,

WELL, GOD DID THIS AND GOD DID THAT.

JUST LIKE IT'S A GOD OF GOOD,

WE HAVE A GOD OF EVIL TOO.

AND IT'S NO PART OF GOD.

AND WHEN WE REALIZE THAT GOD HAS OUR BEST INTERESTS

AND HE HAS A PLAN FOR EACH ONE OF US,

A PLAN THAT'S GOOD AND NOT FOR EVIL,

THEN WE CAN BEGIN TO COME AND RECEIVE HEALING.

A FRIEND OF MINE WHO'S A PASTOR

SAID, "GOD HAS A WILL FOR EVERYTHING.

"YOU JUST HAVE TO GO WITH IT.

"AND YOU CAN'T ASK HIM WHY,

"BECAUSE HE HAS A DIVINE PLAN.

"AND YOU KNOW THAT, SO DON'T ASK.

"JUST GO ON

AND DO WHAT YOU KNOW IS RIGHT TO DO."

I WORKED HARD NOT TO FEEL...

ANGER AND HATRED.

BUT... I DID.

AND I JUST HAD TO WORK ON IT.

AND I HAD TO KIND OF

KEEP MY SPIRITS UP

SO THAT I COULD HELP MY HUSBAND TO KEEP HIS UP.

AND YOU KNOW, THE OTHER FOLK AROUND ME.

AND WE HAD...

GOOD FRIENDS AND FAMILY

WHO GAVE US A LOT OF SUPPORT.

AND I JUST HAD TO WORK WITH IT AND PRAY.

( Spike ) DID IT TAKE A NUMBER OF YEARS FOR THAT TO HAPPEN,

FOR YOU TO ARRIVE AT THAT ?

YES, GRADUALLY, IT CAME ABOUT.

BECAUSE...

THE HATING OF PEOPLE WASN'T GONNA DO ME ANY GOOD,

IT WOULD HURT ME WORSE THAN IT WOULD THEM.

SO I THINK I CONQUERED IT.

EVERY NOW AND THEN IT STILL COMES OUT, THOUGH.

NOT HATRED, BUT ANGER.

( Spike ) HOW DOES IT COME OUT ?

WELL, I DON'T KNOW, DIFFERENT WAYS.

THAT'S A TRICKY QUESTION.

( Spike ) I'M NOT TRYING TO BE MIKE WALLACE NOW.

OR ED BRADLEY, HUH ?

( Spike ) OR ED BRADLEY.

WELL, I GUESS IT'S A QUESTION

THAT DESERVES AN ANSWER, I GUESS.

YOU'RE ASKING ME HOW DOES IT COME OUT.

SOMETIMES IT COMES OUT

IN WAYS THAT I'M NOT EVEN CONSCIOUS OF.

YOU'RE THINKING ABOUT SOMETHING

AND HAVING THE WRONG THOUGHTS

AND SOMETHING COMES UP AND ANGER EXPRESSES ITSELF.

BUT I'VE TRIED TO JUST PUT ALL OF THAT BEHIND ME

AND GO ON AND LIVE.

BECAUSE IN ADDITION TO THAT,

SO MANY OTHER THINGS HAVE HAPPENED.

MY HUSBAND IS GONE,

MY THREE BROTHERS, MY SISTER,

MY PARENTS.

AND OF COURSE I STILL HAVE MY KIDS, MY FAMILY.

I HAVE TWO, A SON AND A DAUGHTER,

THREE GRANDCHILDREN

AND FOUR GREAT GRANDCHILDREN.

SO I HAVE SOMETHING TO BE THANKFUL FOR AFTER ALL.

♪ HMM MMM MMM ♪

♪ MMM HMM MMM ♪

♪ ON A SWEET SEPTEMBER MORNING IN '63 ♪

♪ IN A QUIET BAPTIST CHURCH ON 16th STREET ♪

♪ CHILDREN WERE SITTING IN BIBLE CLASS ♪

♪ WHEN HOODED MEN THREW DYNAMITE THROUGH THE GLASS ♪

♪ AND FOUR... ♪

♪ LITTLE GIRLS ♪

♪ FOUR... ♪

♪ LITTLE GIRLS ♪

♪ LOST THEIR LIVES ♪

♪ LITTLE D. McNAIR WAS ONLY NINE YEARS OLD ♪

♪ AND CAROLE PLAYED THE CLARINET IN SCHOOL SHOWS ♪

♪ CYNTHIA WAS HER MAMA'S ONLY CHILD ♪

♪ AND ADDIE MAE HAD JUST ENROLLED IN JUNIOR HIGH ♪

♪ WHEN FOUR... ♪

♪ LITTLE GIRLS ♪

♪ FOUR... ♪

♪ LITTLE GIRLS ♪

♪ LOST THEIR LIVES ♪

♪ SO MANY LOST IN THE TIDE ♪

♪ THE VIOLENCE AGAINST CIVIL RIGHTS ♪

♪ NEVER FORGET OR FORGIVE ♪

♪ THE SOUL OF A NATION CRIED... ♪

♪ WHEN FOUR... ♪

♪ LITTLE GIRLS ♪

♪ FOUR... ♪

♪ LITTLE GIRLS ♪

♪ NOW WON'T YOU SAY A PRAYER ♪

♪ FOUR... ♪

♪ LITTLE GIRLS ♪

♪ NOW WON'T YOU SAY A PRAYER ♪

♪ SAY A PRAYER ♪

♪ FOUR LITTLE GIRLS ♪

♪ NOW WON'T YOU, NOW WON'T YOU SAY ♪

♪ NOW WON'T YOU SAY ♪

♪ LITTLE GIRLS ♪

♪ NOW WON'T YOU SAY A PRAYER ♪

♪ SAY A PRAYER ♪

♪ FOUR LITTLE GIRLS ♪

Captions Copyright 1998 HOME BOX OFFICE

A Division of TIME WARNER ENTERTAINMENT COMPANY, L.P.

Captioned by HBO COMMUNICATIONS CENTER