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Birmingham ... How It All Began a One Month Period, and We Are An­ by MARTIN LUTHER KING, JR

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Birmingham ... How It All Began a One Month Period, and We Are An­ by MARTIN LUTHER KING, JR SOUTHERN CHRISTIAN LEADERSHIP CONFERENCE BIRMINGHAM ISSUE ~ Volume July, 1963 Number 10 SET RECORD REGISTRATION ?It ~ S.d... FOR BIRMINGHAM VOTERS By Rev. Andrew Young Almost two thousand students came out of Birmingham jails and under leadership from SCLC staff descended on the community with a new assault on the barriers of segregation. Seek­ ing to sol i d i f y the gains made through D ire c t Action wit h a sol i d political foundation, they succeeded in lead­ ing 1,539 adults . to the Voter Reg­ istration 0 f f i:c e during the month Negro leaders announce settlement by biracial committee to end racial strife in Birmingham during Rev. Young of June. news conference on May 10. Facing, from left : Rev. Shuttlesworth, Rev . Abernathy, and Rev. King. This is one of the most successful Voter Registration efforts ever con­ ducted in the State of Alabama during Birmingham ... How It All Began a one month period, and we are an­ BY MARTIN LUTHER KING, JR. ticipating an increase as the summer Birmingham will surely mark a watershed in the history of the nonviolent progresses. The sprawling industrial metropolis revolution in America. No civil rights thrust of the Negro community in our proved an ideal testing ground for nation has so completely captured the attention and sympathy of public opinion. No single instance of nonviolent direct action has prompted the sincerity and dedication of the High School youth of Birmingham. such widespread parallel activity, particularly in the Deep South. They proceeded to divide the com­ Never before has the Federal Government evinced the serious munity according to school districts, concern it now manifests in its first serious grappling with the and the same leadership which or­ American dilemma of race and color prejudice. No moment of ganized and recruited students to go history has focused its attention on the .Ne gro as the key figure to jail in April, now organized mass ac­ on the American scene today, "Faith 7" notwithstanding. How tivity in voter registration canvassing. , did "Birmingham" come to be? An SCLC Staff team of Dorothy When you consider the tragic history of Birmingham, Ala­ Cotton, James Bevel and Andy Young bama in race relations on the one hand, and on the other hand, transported 75 of the outstanding lead­ consider the choice of Alabama's largest city as a "target city," ers of the drive to our Dorchester the decision seems almost foolhardy. In the last twenty-two Training Center where they were in­ Rev. King months, there have been twenty-four bombings of homes and structed in the art of politics, the churches; it has the longest and thor­ Three critical factors persuaded the methods of community organization, oughly documented record of rampart Southern Christian Leadership Con­ and the nature of the Negro Freedom police brutality; it is not an uncommon ference to choose Birmingham as the Movement, Past and Present. The staff occurrence for Negro women being ac­ site for the launching of its next non­ continues to give guidance and direc­ costed by city police, forced to sub­ violent campaign against segregation: tion to the energies and enthusiasm mit to criminal assault, and their lips first, Birmingham is the home of our of these young people. sealed under the threat of death to strongest affiliate, the Alabama Chris­ Rev. Charles Billups of the Ala­ the members of their family ; its use tian Movement for Human Rights, bama Christian Movement, serves as of police power to suppress the Negro led by the most courageous civil rights the Drive coordinator. at every level of his experience has fighter in the South, Fred Shuttles­ This program has been so success­ gained for it the infamous reputation as worth; secondly, Birmingham repre­ ful that plans for similar programs being the "Last stop before Johannes­ sented the hard-core, recalcitrant, seg- with young people in other cities are burg, South Africa." (Continued 011 Page 4) underway. (See photos page 7) , Field. The airport case has been a BIRMINGHAM MANIFESTO slightly better experience with the ex­ The document below was made pub­ perience of hotel accommodations and lic on April 3rd. The initial day ot the the subtle discrimination that continues SClC#~ nonviolent campaign in Birmingham. in the limousine service. We have always been a peaceful Publisher, SOUTHERN CHRISTIAN It succintly states the Negro communi­ ty's decision to act. people, bearing our oppression with LEADERSHIP CONFERENCE super-human effort. Yet we have been The patience of an oppressed people the victims of repeated violence, not 334 Auburn Ave., N.E. cannot endure forever. The Negro only that inflicted by the hoodlum ele­ Atlanta, Georgia citizens of Birmingham for the last ment but also that inflicted by the Phone: 524-1378 several years have blatant misuse of police power. Our hoped in vain for memories are seared with painful mob MARTIN LUTHER KING, JR., President some evidence of experience of Mother's Day 1961 dur­ F. L. SHUITLESWORTH, Secretary good faith resolu­ ing the Freedom Ride. For years, tion of our just while our homes and churches were RALPH D. ABERNATHY, Treasurer grievances. being bombed, we heard nothing but WYAIT TEE WALKER, Executive Director Birmingham is the rantings and ravings of racist city part of the United officials. EDWARD T. CLAYTON, Editor States and we are The Negro protest for equality and bona tide citizens. justice has been a voice crying in the Yet the history of wilderness. Most of Birmingham has esworth Birmingnam reveals remained silent, probably out of fear. that very little of the democratic pro­ In the meanwhile, our city has ac­ cess touches the life of the Negro quired the dubious reputation of be­ DIS 'N DATA in Birmingham. We have been seg­ ing the worst big city in race relations regated racially, exploited economical­ in the United States. Last Fall, for a Have You Heard . about the ly, and dominated politically. Under flickering moment, it appeared that sin­ $100-A-Plate Dinner honoring the four the leadership of the Alabama Chris­ cere community leaders from religion, SCLC leaders, Martin Luther King, tian Movement for Human Rights, we business and industry discerned the in­ Jr., Ralph Abernathy, F. L. Shuttles­ sought relief by petition for the repeal evitable confrontation in race relations worth and Wyatt Tee Walker, on June of city ordinances requiring segrega­ approaching. Their concern for the 18 in the main tion and the institution of a merit hir­ city's image and commonweal of all ballroom of New ing policy in city employment. We its citizens did not run deep enough. York's Park were rebuffed. We then turned to the Solemn promises were made, pending Sheraton Hotel? system of the courts. We weathered a postponement of direct action, that The hugely suc­ set-back after set-back, with all of its we would be joined in a suit seeking cessful "b I a c k costliness, finally winning the terminal, the relief of segregation ordinances. tie" affair was bus, parks and airport cases. The bus Some merchants agreed to desegregate s po n s 0 red' by decision has been implemented be­ their rest-rooms as a good faith start, Back Our Broth­ grudgingly and the parks decision some actually complying, only to re­ ers, Inc., an in­ prompted the closing of all municipal­ treat shortly thereafter. We hold in terracial g r 0 u p, ly-owned recreational facilities with our hands now, broken faith and brok- Ma chaired by Yonk- the exception of the zoo and Legion en promises. (Colltil/lled 011 page 4) ers, N. Y. Publisher Noel M. Marder. Co-chairmen were: Jackie Robinson, Rita K. McClain, Bernard Singer and Catherine Basie. • • • Did You Know ... that Dr. Martin Luther King's latest book, Strength To Love (Harper & Row) is now in the book stalls at your local book stores? Or if you don't find it there, you can get a copy by writing SCLC head­ quarters, 334 Auburn Ave., N.E., At­ lanta, Ga., and enclosing a money order or check for $3.50. It's must reading! • • • Have You Seen . the printed copies of Letter From Birmingham City Jail by Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.? If you haven't, you can obtain a copy by writing to SCLC headquarters in Atlanta. Excerpts from it have ap­ peared in The Christian Century, issue New York fund-raising $lOO-a-plate dinner, sponsored by Back Our Brothers, Inc., was tremendous of June 12, 1963, and in Renewal, success in honor of four SCLC leaders. Shown (from left) are: Rev . King and Rev. Abernathy (seated) edition of June 4, 1963. and (standing) Sen. Kenneth Keating, Jackie Robinson, Wyatt Tee Walker and Rev. F. L. Shuttlesworth, 2 PROFILE OF THE MONTH In a manner of speaking, Rev. James Bevel, a field secretary for SCLC, with his wife, Diane, could be called a roving "t w 0 - man task force" in aiding in the struggle for de­ segregation. T his 26-year-old Baptist minister from Ttta Bena, Mississippi, scours the length and breadth of his home state with his wife and 13 - month-old daugh­ ter, Sherrilynn, in James Bevel a determined effort to set up programs to help educate the illiterate and train unemployed Negroes with underdeveloped skills for job op­ portunities. Few were aware of his crusade in the cause of freedom until the Birmingham crisis. It was a day when some 3,000 grim-faced, sullen Negroes stood massed in the city streets, inwardly fomenting James Bevel, Field Secretary for SCLC, shown with students who attended one of the nonviolent oaths against the city police and firemen direct action workshops in Birmingham.
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