Symposium at Birmingham-Southern News remembers 40 years of civil rights justice

A four-decade long struggle for justice in six of the most historic civil rights era crimes in the Summer Term nation’s history was the topic of a series of panel discussions during a daylong symposium on the 2004 offers Birmingham-Southern campus Feb. 13. “The Gathering: Civil Rights Justice Remembered” brought together for the first time victims’ diverse opportuni- families, law enforcement agents, prosecutors, and media professionals to discuss their roles in the ties at civil rights murder cases and the circumstances that finally brought the killers to justice. reduced tuition An estimated 1,200 people attended one or more of the four panel sessions held during the day. Among the historic cases revisited and remembered included the 1977 trial of Robert Chambliss Birmingham-Southern’s 2004 for the 1963 Summer Term schedule has been bombing of the announced and new, enhanced addi- 16th Street Baptist tions make it one of the most com- Church in prehensive, interesting, and accommo- Birmingham, the dating ever. 1994 trial of Byron Birmingham-Southern is offering De La Beckwith more than 30 courses—including for the 1963 mur- new and convenient evening classes der of Mississippi this year—in such areas as behavioral civil rights activist and social sciences, business, educa- , the tion, fine and performing arts, 1998 trial of Sam humanities, and science and mathe- Bowers for the matics during its 2004 Summer Term. 1966 murder of It’s an excellent opportunity to earn Mississippi transferable academic credit at NAACP leader reduced summer tuition. Tuition has , been set at $815 per course, making the 2001 trial of Summer Term 2004 at BSC among A packed Munger Hall Auditorium audience listens intently as victims and families of victims Tommy Blanton the most affordable offerings in the of civil rights era crimes tell their amazing and inspiring stories during The Gathering. for the bombing of state. the 16th Street Full Term classes run June 16- Baptist Church, the 2002 trial of Bobby Frank Cherry for the bombing of the 16th Street Baptist August 2; registration is June 15. First Church, and the 2003 trial of Ernest Avants for the 1966 murder of Mississippi sharecropper Ben Half Term classes run June 16-July Chester White. 12; registration is June 15. Second Session moderators included BSC alumnus Howell Raines ’64, Pulitzer Prize-winning author and Half Term classes run July 13-August former executive editor of ; Jerry Mitchell, the investigative reporter for The 6; registration is July 12. Evening Clarion-Ledger in Jackson, Miss., who helped bring to trial two of the men responsible for the deaths Term classes run June 16-July 22; reg- of civil rights leaders; and Andrew Sheldon, a jury consultant who picked the juries in five of the six istration is June 15. cases. For a complete listing of Summer Among those who participated in the panel discussions were Diane McWhorter, Pulitzer Prize- Term courses, visit www.bsc.edu/ winning author of : Birmingham, : The Climactic Battle of the Civil Rights records. For additional information, Revolution; former Alabama Attorney General Bill Baxley, who was lead prosecutor in the Chambliss contact the Office of Records and case; Birmingham lawyer , a former U.S. attorney who was the lead prosecutor in the Research at 205/226-4677 or Blanton and Cherry cases; Diane Robertson Braddock, sister of 16th Street Baptist Church bombing victim Carole Robertson; Eunice Davis, sister of 16th Street Baptist Church victim Cynthia Wesley; William Fleming and Ben Herren, the FBI agents who received the 2002 Federal Employees of the Year Medal for their work on the Blanton and Cherry cases; Chris and Maxine McNair, parents of 16th Street Baptist Church victim Denise McNair; and Sarah Collins Rudolph, a survivor of the 16th Street Baptist Church bombing and sister of bombing victim Addie Mae Collins. U.S. Rep. of Georgia, one of the “” leaders of the and recipient of the Martin Luther King Jr. Non-Violent Peace Prize, addressed Birmingham-Southern and Miles College students and program participants at a luncheon that day. Other hosts included Birmingham Civil Rights Institute, Birmingham Pledge Foundation, and Miles College. Sponsors were Alabama Power Co., City of Birmingham, Energen Corp., Doug Jones and Whatley Drake LLC, Protective Life Corp., Sheldon Associates, and Vulcan Materials. Supporters were Chris McNair Studios and Art Gallery, Royal Cup Coffee, and Southwest Airlines.

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