Freedom's Children (13 page)

Facing page:
A police dog bites the pants leg of a demonstrator in Birmingham, Alabama.

In April and May 1963, thousands of civil rights demonstrators in Birmingham, Alabama, were attacked by police officers under orders from Police Commissioner Eugene “Bull” Connor. The police wielded nightsticks and unleashed dogs on the marchers. Fire fighters knocked down demonstrators with high-powered water hoses. Many children and adults were injured. Young blacks were jailed by the thousands, while the rest of America and the world watched in horror. So many young people were arrested that these events became known as the Children's Crusade.

The effect of the demonstrations was so great that Birmingham's white business leaders were forced to discuss a timetable for ending segregation in downtown stores and for setting up a plan to hire black sales and office workers.

At a mass meeting on May 6, 1963, Dr. King spoke about the events in Birmingham: “There are those who write history,” and “there are those who make history.... I don't know how many historians we have in Birmingham tonight.... But you are certainly making history.... And you will make it possible for the historians of the future to write a marvelous chapter.”

There was no way for me not to know about the movement. My church, New Pilgrim, was very active. My pastor was secretary of the Alabama Christian Movement for Human Rights, and my mother was the assistant secretary. Whenever anything went on, we were there. When there was news of bombs, we would all go, my mother, my father, my little baby sister, and me. No matter what time of night, we were always a part of it.