Birmingham, Alabama commemorates the 60th anniversary of the 16th Street Baptist Church bombing that claimed the lives of four Black girls, marking one of the nation’s darkest civil rights era chapters.

Vivid memories: Carolyn McKinstry, the Sunday School secretary at 16th Street Baptist Church in 1963, recounts the Day of the Bombing.
* McKinstry, then 15, recalls a warning phone call moments before the detonation.
* The bombing, carried out by klansmen, killed four of McKinstry’s classmates, significantly impacting her life.

Survivor’s tale: Sarah Collins Rudolph, aged 12 at the time of the bombing, provides her account.
* Rudolph, who describes herself as the “5th little girl” in the bombing, was injured in the blast and lost an eye.
* She has tried unsuccessfully to obtain restitution from the state of Alabama.

Historical impact: The bombing had profound long-term consequences both locally and nationally.
* President John F. Kennedy condemned the racial violence in Birmingham, and the events eventually galvanized Congress to pass the Civil Rights Act.
* However, racially-motivated bombings persisted in Birmingham, which was dubbed “Bombingham” due to the high number of attacks on Black establishments.

Legal action and reflections: Former U.S. Senator Doug Jones reflects on the delayed justice for the victims.
* Jones, who was the U.S. Attorney in Alabama who opened and prosecuted the case nearly 40 years later, believes it’s crucial to reflect on the country’s history of racial division and violence.

Preserving history: Lisa McNair, sister of bombing victim Denise McNair, emphasizes the importance of remembering this history.
* McNair, who helped curate an exhibit of her father’s photographs during the civil rights era, believes sharing these stories is crucial for progress.

View original article on NPR

This summary was created by an AI system. The use of this summary is subject to our Terms of Service.