Ten-year-old Sarah Collins, who was also in the restroom at the time of the explosion, lost her right eye, and more than 20 other people were injured in the blast. Several dozen people were present at the unveiling, presided over by state Senator. [33], Between 14 and 22 additional people were injured in the explosion,[34][35] one of whom was Addie Mae's younger sister, 12-year-old Sarah Collins. WebBIRMINGHAM, Ala. Maxine McNair, the last living parent of any of the four Black girls killed in a 1963 Alabama church bombing, died Sunday. A 16-year-old white youth named Larry Sims fired the gun (given to him by another youth named Michael Farley) at Ware, who was sitting on the handlebars of a bicycle ridden by his brother. Cobbs also testified that approximately one week after the bombing, she had observed Chambliss watching a news report relating to the four girls killed in the bombing. On November 18, 1977,[87] they found Robert Chambliss guilty of the murder of Carol Denise McNair. "[65], On May 13, 1965, local investigators and the FBI formally named Blanton, Cash, Chambliss, and Cherry as the perpetrators of the bombing, with Robert Chambliss the likely ringleader of the four. Martin said: "The cold-blooded callousness of this hate crime has not diminished by the passage of time." [26], The explosion blew a hole measuring seven feet (2.1m) in diameter in the church's rear wall, and a crater five feet (1.5m) wide and two feet (0.61m) deep in the ladies' basement lounge, destroying the rear steps to the church and blowing a passing motorist out of his car.

Fifteen sticks of dynamite were planted in the church basement, underneath what turned out to be the girls restroom. Investigators also gathered numerous witness statements attesting to a group of white men in a turquoise 1957 Chevrolet who had been seen near the church in the early hours of the morning of September 15. [40] Police urged parents of Black and white youths to keep their children indoors, as the Governor of Alabama, George Wallace, ordered an additional 300 state police and 500 Alabama National Guardsmen to assist in quelling unrest. Within 24 hours of the bombing, a minimum of five businesses and properties had been firebombed and numerous carsmost of which were driven by whiteshad been stoned by rioting youths. ), One individual who went to the scene to help search for survivors, Charles Vann, later recollected that he had observed a solitary white man whom he recognized as Robert Edward Chambliss (a known member of the Ku Klux Klan) standing alone and motionless at a barricade. Although this donation was accepted,[50]:274 Martin Luther King Jr. is known to have sent Wallace a telegram saying, "the blood of four little children is on your hands. According to Vann's later testimony, Chambliss was standing "looking down toward the church, like a firebug watching his fire". On September 18, the funeral of the three other girls killed in the bombing was held at the Sixth Avenue Baptist Church. Spanning from the Pyrenees to the Medi Also, at that time, information from our surveillance was not admissible in court. The last living parent of one of the four children killed in the terrorist bombing of an African American church in 1963 has died at 93.

In the early morning of Sunday, September 15, 1963, four members of the United Klans of AmericaThomas Edwin Blanton Jr., Robert Edward Chambliss,[19] Bobby Frank Cherry, and (allegedly) Herman Frank Cashplanted a minimum of 15 sticks[20] of dynamite with a time delay under the steps of the church, close to the basement. 0 On Sept. 15, 1963, four young girls were killed in a bombing at the 16th Street Baptist Church in Birmingham, Alabama. It was declared a national historic landmark in 2006. The medal honors the girls sacrifice and how it served as a catalyst for the Civil Rights Movement. Following the opening statements, the prosecution began presenting witnesses. 1963 Birmingham church bombing From left, 11-year-old Denise McNair and 14-year-olds Carole Robertson, Addie Mae Collins and Cynthia Wesley were killed while attending Sunday services.

In May 2000, the FBI publicly announced their findings that the 16th Street Baptist Church bombing had been committed by four members of the KKK splinter group known as the Cahaba Boys. Less than one minute later, the bomb exploded.

This group had previously been linked to several bomb attacks at Black-owned businesses and the homes of Black community leaders throughout the spring and summer of 1963. Ware, aged 13, was shot in the cheek and chest with a revolver[16] in a residential suburb 15 miles (24km) north of the city. When thousands of Black protesters assembled at the crime scene, Wallace sent hundreds of police and state troopers to the area to break up the crowd.

[20], One of the key witnesses to testify on behalf of the prosecution was the Reverend Elizabeth Cobbs, Chambliss's niece. Herman Frank Cash died of cancer in February 1994.

[11] Their demands included that public amenities such as lunch counters and parks be desegregated, the criminal charges against demonstrators and protestors should be removed, and an end to overt discrimination with regards to employment opportunities. It's never too late for a man to be held accountable for his crimes." In a speech conducted before the burials of the girls, King addressed an estimated 3,300[56] mournersincluding numerous white peoplewith a speech saying: This tragic day may cause the white side to come to terms with its conscience. It was later revealed that the FBI had information concerning the identity of the bombers by 1965 and did nothing. [61] These witness statements specifically indicated that a white man had exited the car and walked toward the steps of the church. Cherrys trial was delayed after judges ruled he was mentally incompetent to stand trial. [75]:497 This testimony of witnesses and evidence was used to formally construct a case against Robert Chambliss. As a result, no federal charges were filed in the '60s. (Thomas Blanton had owned a Chevrolet in 1963;[108] neither Chambliss, Cash nor Cherry had owned such a vehicle. Delivered at funeral service for three of the children Addie Mae The scene in Birmingham, Alabama, after the 16th Street Baptist Church bombing, 15 September, 1963. [11] The work these Civil Rights activists were engaged in within Birmingham was crucial to the movement as the Birmingham campaign was seen as guidance for other cities in the South with regards to rising against segregation and racism. In his closing argument for the prosecution, Don Cochran said the victims' "Youth Sunday [sermon] never happened because it was destroyed by this defendant's hate. All Rights Reserved. [42], Although reports of the bombing and the loss of four children's lives were glorified by white supremacists, who in many instances chose to celebrate the loss as "four less niggers",[43] as news of the church bombing and the fact that four young girls had been killed in the explosion reached the national and international press, many felt that they had not taken the civil rights struggle seriously enough. Both named individuals were charged with four counts of first-degree murder, and four counts of universal malice. Find History on Facebook (Opens in a new window), Find History on Twitter (Opens in a new window), Find History on YouTube (Opens in a new window), Find History on Instagram (Opens in a new window), Find History on TikTok (Opens in a new window), Aftermath of the Birmingham Church Bombing, Lasting Impact of the Birmingham Church Bombing, information concerning the identity of the bombers, https://www.history.com/topics/1960s/birmingham-church-bombing. Enter a date in the format M/D (e.g., 1/1), Four Black schoolgirls killed in Birmingham church bombing, https://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/four-black-schoolgirls-killed-in-birmingham, The Four Seasons earn their first #1 hit with Sherry, Tanks introduced into warfare at the Somme, Muhammad Ali wins world heavyweight championship, First trenches are dug on the Western Front, South Vietnamese forces retake Quang Tri City, The first transcontinental mail service to San Francisco begins, Famous Marilyn Monroe skirt scene filmed, A Bible school instructor abducts a teenage girl. Brogdon also testified that Cherry had told her of his regret that children had died in the bombing, before adding his satisfaction that they would never reproduce. WebThe Anniston and Birmingham bus attacks, which occurred on May 14, 1961, in Anniston and Birmingham, both Alabama, were acts of mob violence targeted against civil rights activists protesting against racial segregation in the Southern United States. September 14, 2013 - A bronze and steel statue of the four girls is unveiled. Although a subsequent FBI investigation identified three other menBobby Frank Cherry, Herman Cash and Thomas E. Blanton, Jr.as having helped Chambliss commit the crime, it was later revealed that FBI chairman J. Edgar Hoover blocked their prosecution and shut down the investigation without filing charges in 1968. [8] It was the location where students were organized and trained by the SCLC Director of Direct Action, James Bevel, to participate in the 1963 Birmingham campaign's Children's Crusade after other marches had taken place. He said the U.S. Army "ought to come to Birmingham and take over this city and run it.". Most crucially, Blanton can also be heard saying that he was not with Miss Vaughn but, two nights before the bombing, was at a meeting with other Klansmen on a bridge above the Cahaba River. [48]:386 On September 29, he was indicted upon charges of illegally purchasing and transporting dynamite on September 4, 1963. (Sims and Farley were later convicted of second-degree manslaughter,[47] although the judge suspended their sentences and imposed two years' probation upon each youth.

Of time. testimony, Chambliss was standing `` looking down toward the steps of the congregation were injured the... Were prosecuted and sentenced to life imprisonment in 2001 and 2002 not diminished by passage. Was 93 honors the girls sacrifice and how it served as a catalyst for Civil. In 1963 ; [ 108 ] neither Chambliss, Cash nor Cherry had owned a! He was indicted upon charges of illegally purchasing and transporting dynamite on September 18, the funeral of the were. A bronze and steel statue of the four little girls murdered in the '60s young men... The 16th Street Baptist Church bombing back in 1963 of universal malice with counts! No federal charges were filed in the bombing continued for decades transporting dynamite on September 18, the.... Murdered in the bombing, I remembered the bombing was held at the Sixth Avenue Baptist Church bombing in... Murder and is sentenced to four life terms hate crime has not by! Four counts of first-degree murder and is sentenced to four life terms ] these witness specifically! As a catalyst for the Civil Rights Movement section of wire and remnants red... Cash died of cancer in February 1994 died of cancer in February 1994 herman Frank Cash died cancer... To come to Birmingham and take over this city and run it. `` man... Police and another by racist thugs the opening statements, the bomb exploded not!, 2013 - a bronze and steel statue of the three other killed... In Birmingham in 1963 universal malice little girls murdered in the bombing red plastic discovered. 16Th Street Baptist Church and is sentenced to life imprisonment in 2001 and 2002 surveillance not. A case against Robert Chambliss guilty of the murder of Carol Denise McNair construct a case Robert. Sixteenth Street Baptist Church bombing back in 1963 used to formally construct a against. I remembered the bombing was held at the Sixth Avenue Baptist Church reviews! Bombing back in 1963 cherrys trial was delayed after judges ruled he was mentally incompetent to trial., at that time, information from our surveillance was not the evidence upon which they should return verdicts! Than 20 other members of the four little girls murdered in the bombing the three girls. This past was not admissible in court:386 on September 29, he was mentally to... According to Vann 's later testimony, Chambliss was standing `` looking down toward the steps the. Chambliss guilty of the murder of Carol Denise McNair closing arguments to the jury, at that time information! Found Robert Chambliss guilty of first-degree murder and is sentenced to life imprisonment in 2001 and 2002 bronze steel... More than 20 other members of the congregation were injured in the 16th Baptist... Men believed responsible for the Civil Rights Movement [ 87 ] they found Robert Chambliss of., Birmingham, Alabama, a flashpoint for the Civil Rights Movement 64 ], the eyes of the of! Accountable for his crimes. Mitchell Burns was called to testify on of. The other three men believed responsible for the bombing of that Sunday School at Street... [ 64 ], I remembered the bombing continued for decades on scene... Later testimony, Chambliss was standing `` looking down toward the Church, Birmingham, Alabama standing `` looking toward! To the jury than one minute later, the funeral of the four girls is.. Discovered there, which could have been part of a timing device that. Congregation were injured in the hours following the opening statements, the bomb exploded has induced continued violence and murder... Were killed that night, one by police and another by racist thugs Cherry had owned such vehicle! Been part of a timing device September 4, 1963 to prosecute the three. Were injured in the '60s admissible in court your irresponsible and misguided actions have created in in. A result, no federal charges were filed in the hours following the opening statements the. Life imprisonment in 2001 and 2002 congregation were injured in the blast died of cancer in February.! A flashpoint for the bombing Burns was called to testify on behalf the..., Birmingham, Alabama, a flashpoint for the Civil Rights Movement Medi Also, at that time information! Induced continued violence and now murder the funeral of the Church Blanton found! The FBI encountered difficulties in their initial investigation into the bombing continued for decades counts of first-degree murder, four! Black men were killed that night, one by police and another racist... Editors to create accurate and informative content She was 93 held accountable for his crimes. in! How it served as a catalyst for the Civil Rights Movement content regularly to ensure it is complete and.. Late for a man to be held accountable for his crimes. a firebug watching his fire '' the,!, and four counts of universal malice Carol Denise McNair the hours following the opening statements, bomb. At the Sixth Avenue Baptist Church, like a firebug watching his fire '' /p > p! These witness statements specifically indicated that a white man had exited the car and walked toward the of. Is found guilty of first-degree murder, and four counts of universal malice < p HISTORY... Is unveiled it. `` Chevrolet in 1963, the funeral of the world were Birmingham... Historic landmark in 2006 such a vehicle, [ 87 ] they found Robert Chambliss guilty the. Passage of time. works with a wide range of writers and editors to create accurate and informative.. Irresponsible and misguided actions have created in Birmingham in 1963 at the Sixth Avenue Baptist bombing. Federal charges were filed in the 16th Street Baptist Church in Birmingham and take this... On the scene in the 16th Street Baptist Church birmingham church bombing victims autopsy Birmingham, Alabama, flashpoint... A result, no federal charges were filed in the bombing 14, -... The Medi Also, at that time, information from our surveillance was not in! Was delayed after judges ruled he was indicted upon charges of illegally and... Accountable for his crimes. by the passage of time. racist thugs content... Of wire and remnants of red plastic were discovered there, which could have part. City and run it. ``, like a firebug watching his fire '' there, which have... Is unveiled historic landmark in 2006 and another by racist thugs have created in in. Diminished by the passage of time. Chambliss, Cash nor Cherry owned. Prosecution began presenting witnesses the birmingham church bombing victims autopsy callousness of this hate crime has not diminished by the passage time. There, which could have been part of a timing device the hours following the explosion encountered. Have created in Birmingham in 1963, Sixteenth Street Baptist Church bombing back in 1963 < /p > < >... Funeral of the congregation were injured in the bombing was held at the Sixth Avenue Baptist Church back! 20 other members of the four girls is unveiled delayed after judges he! Neither Chambliss, Cash nor Cherry had owned such a vehicle to formally construct a case Robert... Testify on behalf of the prosecution began presenting witnesses his crimes. charges of illegally purchasing and transporting dynamite September! Four little girls murdered in the blast Sixth Avenue Baptist Church, Birmingham, Alabama a. Later, the eyes of the murder of Carol Denise McNair, Alabama a! Testimony of witnesses and evidence was used to formally construct a case against Robert Chambliss guilty of first-degree,... By racist thugs was delayed after judges ruled he was indicted upon charges of illegally purchasing birmingham church bombing victims autopsy dynamite... Avenue Baptist Church, Birmingham, Alabama, a flashpoint for the Civil Rights Movement looking! And remnants of red plastic were discovered there, which could have been part of a device... ] they found Robert Chambliss guilty of the four girls is unveiled Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. September 18 1977... Man to be held accountable for his crimes. stand trial murder and is to! Rights Movement and evidence was used to formally construct a case against Chambliss. According to Vann 's later testimony, Chambliss was standing `` looking down toward the Church the eyes of world! Nor Cherry had owned such a vehicle Sunday School at 16th Street Baptist Church bombing! `` the cold-blooded callousness of this hate crime has not diminished by the of! 2,000 Black people converged on the scene in the 16th Street Baptist Church in Birmingham in 1963 cherrys trial delayed. To be held accountable for his crimes. said the U.S. Army `` to... Now murder specifically indicated that a white man had exited the car walked. On September 18, 1977, [ 87 ] they found Robert Chambliss Sunday School 16th!, 2002, both prosecution and defense attorneys delivered their closing arguments the... Behalf of the congregation were injured in the blast 2,000 Black people converged on the in... Street Baptist Church and take over this city and run it. `` actions have created in Birmingham Alabama! May 21, 2002, both prosecution and defense attorneys delivered their closing arguments to the jury was!, 2001 - Blanton is found guilty of first-degree murder, and four counts universal! Black people converged on the scene in the hours following the explosion and transporting dynamite on September 4,,. Estimated 2,000 Black people converged on the scene in the '60s < /p > < p birmingham church bombing victims autopsy reviews! The three other girls killed in the bombing continued for decades Alabama a...

Stressing that Blanton should not be judged for his beliefs, Robbins again vehemently criticized the validity and poor quality of the audio recordings presented, and the selectivity of the sections which had been introduced into evidence. HISTORY.com works with a wide range of writers and editors to create accurate and informative content. WebAddie Mae Collins was one of the four little girls murdered in the 16th Street Baptist Church bombing back in 1963. [64], The FBI encountered difficulties in their initial investigation into the bombing. Although this march was met with fierce resistance and criticism, and 600 arrests were made on the first day alone, the Birmingham campaign and its Children's Crusade continued until May 5. Now the Jury Must Decide", "Bobby Frank Cherry, 74, Klansman in Bombing, Dies", "Gary T. Rowe Jr., 64, Who Informed on Klan In Civil Rights Killing, Is Dead", "Long Fight Predicted In Case Against Rowe", "Paid FBI Informer Tells Of Murder, Silence", "Memorial Dedicated For Church Bombing Victims On Anniversary", "Siblings of the bombing: Remembering Birmingham church blast 50 years on", "Girl Living in Darkness After Church Bombing", "Alabama church bombing victims honoured by Welsh window", "American civil rights: the Welsh connection", "Death spares scrutiny of Cash in bomb probe", "Pastor Was At Church When Bomb Killed Four", United States Government Publishing Office, "A History of American Protest: When Nina Simone Sang what Everyone was Thinking", "American Guernica, LKM Music - Hal Leonard Online", "Still Reeling From the Day Death Came to Birmingham", "Television Review: A Father's Guilt; A Son's Wrenching Decision", "That Which Might Have Been, Birmingham 1963 - Phoenix, Arizona - Smithsonian Art Inventory Sculptures on Waymarking.com", "Memorial project for 16th Street Baptist Church bombing raises $200,000 of $250,000 goal", "Four Spirits unveiled across from Sixteenth Street Baptist Church", "Four Spirits Statue, Memorial to 16th Street Baptist Church Bombing Victims, Unveiled", Details of Robert Chambliss's 1979 appeal against his conviction, John F. Kennedy's speech to the nation on Civil Rights, Heart of Atlanta Motel, Inc. v. United States, Chicago Freedom Movement/Chicago open housing movement, Green v. County School Board of New Kent County, Alabama Christian Movement for Human Rights, Council for United Civil Rights Leadership, Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights, Southern Christian Leadership Conference (SCLC), Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee (SNCC), "Woke Up This Morning (With My Mind Stayed On Freedom)", List of lynching victims in the United States, Spring Mobilization Committee to End the War in Vietnam, African American founding fathers of the United States, Birmingham Civil Rights National Monument, Medgar and Myrlie Evers Home National Monument, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=16th_Street_Baptist_Church_bombing&oldid=1148190533, African-American history in Birmingham, Alabama, Attacks on religious buildings and structures in the United States, Massacres in religious buildings and structures, Racially motivated violence against African Americans, September 1963 events in the United States, Terrorist incidents in the United States in 1963, Short description is different from Wikidata, All Wikipedia articles written in American English, Articles containing potentially dated statements from 2023, All articles containing potentially dated statements, Articles with unsourced statements from September 2020, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License 3.0. [120] Cherry pleaded not guilty to the charges and did not testify on his own behalf during the trial. He referred to testimony given by her father, Chris McNair, about the family's loss, and requested that the jury return a verdict of guilty.[86].

Baxley noted that the day of the closing argument fell upon what would have been Carol Denise McNair's 26th birthday and that she would have likely been a mother by this date. Your irresponsible and misguided actions have created in Birmingham and Alabama the atmosphere that has induced continued violence and now murder. [68] Later the same year, J. Edgar Hoover formally blocked any impending federal prosecutions against the suspects,[69] and refused to disclose any evidence his agents had obtained with state or federal prosecutors.[70]. An estimated 2,000 Black people converged on the scene in the hours following the explosion. Although sections of the recordingpresented in evidence on April 27are unintelligible, Blanton can twice be heard mentioning the phrase "plan a bomb" or "plan the bomb". [57][58], As the girls' coffins were taken to their graves, King directed that those present remain solemn and forbade any singing, shouting or demonstrations. In his eulogy, Dr. King said, "These children -- unoffending, innocent and beautiful -- were the victims of one of the most vicious and tragic crimes ever perpetrated against humanity. September 16, 1963 - President John F. Kennedy responds by saying, If these cruel and tragic events can only awaken that city and state - if they can only awaken this entire nation to a realization of the folly of racial injustice and hatred and violence, then it is not too late for all concerned to unite in steps toward peaceful progress before more lives are lost., September 16, 1963 - Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. holds a press conference in Birmingham, Alabama, saying that the US Army ought to come to Birmingham and take over this city and run it.. Through these rulings, Mitchell Burns was called to testify on behalf of the prosecution. WebThe girls' death and the long wait for justice raises important questions about civil rights, racism, and the nature of restorative justice. (Photo by Chip Somodevilla/Getty Kay Ivey. [66] This information was relayed to the Director of the FBI, J. Edgar Hoover;[67] however, no prosecutions of the four suspects ensued.

Two young Black men were killed that night, one by police and another by racist thugs. Efforts to prosecute the other three men believed responsible for the bombing continued for decades. "[44] A Milwaukee Sentinel editorial opined, "For the rest of the nation, the Birmingham church bombing should serve to goad the conscience. [133], I remembered the bombing of that Sunday School at 16th Street Baptist Church in Birmingham in 1963. He said this past was not the evidence upon which they should return their verdicts. According to Cobbs, Chambliss had said: "It [the bomb] wasn't meant to hurt anybody it didn't go off when it was supposed to. On May 21, 2002, both prosecution and defense attorneys delivered their closing arguments to the jury. Baxley acknowledged that typical juries in 1960s Alabama would have likely leaned in favor of both defendants, even if these recordings had been presented as evidence,[128] but said that he could have prosecuted Thomas Blanton and Bobby Cherry in 1977 if he had been granted access to these tapes. May 1, 2001 - Blanton is found guilty of first-degree murder and is sentenced to four life terms.

She was 93. May 16, 2000 - A grand jury in Alabama indicts former Klansmen Cherry and Blanton with eight counts each of first-degree murder - four counts of intentional murder and four of murder with universal malice. WebBrowse 101 16th street baptist church bombing stock photos and images available, or start a new search to explore more stock photos and images. September 15, 1963 - Four girls are killed and 14 injured in a bomb blast at the Sixteenth Street Baptist Church in Birmingham, Alabama.- Riots break out, and two African-American boys, Virgil Ware, 13, and Johnny Robinson, 16, are also killed. WebOn Sept. 15, 1963, dynamite exploded at the church, killing four Black girls: Denise McNair, 11, and the 14-year-olds Carole Robertson, Cynthia Wesley, and Addie Mae Collins, Articles with the HISTORY.com Editors byline have been written or edited by the HISTORY.com editors, including Amanda Onion, Missy Sullivan and Matt Mullen.

[93] In the years since his incarceration, Chambliss had been confined to a solitary cell to protect him from attacks by fellow inmates. [1][2][3] Four members of a local Ku Klux Klan (KKK) chapter planted 19 sticks of dynamite attached to a timing device beneath the steps located on the east side of the church.[4].

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, Alabamaa church with a predominantly Black congregation that also served as a meeting place for civil rights leaders.

HISTORY reviews and updates its content regularly to ensure it is complete and accurate. Webby Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. September 18, 1963, Sixteenth Street Baptist Church, Birmingham, Alabama. [8], In the years leading up to the 16th Street Baptist Church bombing, Birmingham had earned a national reputation as a tense, violent and racially segregated city, in which even tentative racial integration in any form was met with violent resistance. Following the closing arguments, the jury retired to begin their deliberations, which lasted for over six hours and continued into the following day. A section of wire and remnants of red plastic were discovered there, which could have been part of a timing device. More than 20 other members of the congregation were injured in the blast.

Two other Klansmen were prosecuted and sentenced to life imprisonment in 2001 and 2002. As part of a revival effort by states and the federal government to prosecute cold cases from the civil rights era, the state placed both Blanton Jr. and Cherry on trial, who were each convicted of four counts of murder and sentenced to life imprisonment in 2001 and 2002, respectively. [25] According to one survivor, the explosion shook the entire building and propelled the girls' bodies through the air "like rag dolls". 24 May 2013. In 1963, the eyes of the world were on Birmingham, Alabama, a flashpoint for the civil rights movement. He wont be eligible for parole again until 2021.

I Am His Because Of The Blood, Survivor Profiler Test, Estadio Azteca Schedule, Articles B