The Birmingham Campaign (1963)

Overview

• Initiated by: Southern Christian Leadership Conference (SCLC)
• Key Leaders: Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., Rev. James Bevel, Rev. Fred Shuttlesworth
• Location: Birmingham, Alabama
• Objective: Desegregate public facilities and draw national attention to segregation issues

Key Events

Pre-Campaign

• Local Efforts: Led by Rev. Shuttlesworth and the Alabama Christian Movement for Human Rights (ACMHR)
• Initial Strategy: Economic pressure on merchants during Easter season

Campaign Launch

• Postponed Start: Originally planned for March 1963, began in April
• Actions Initiated:
  • Mass meetings
  • Lunch counter sit-ins
  • March on city hall
  • Boycott of downtown merchants

Escalation of Actions

• April 3, 1963: Expanded to church kneel-ins, library sit-ins, courthouse voter registration march
• April 10, 1963: City government obtains court injunction against protests
• April 12, 1963: King arrested, writes "Letter From a Birmingham Jail"

Further Developments

• May 2, 1963: Over 1000 students marched, many arrested
• May 3, 1963: Violent response from police directed by Eugene "Bull" Connor
• Media Coverage: International outrage due to violent images

Negotiations and Outcome

• Government Involvement: Attorney General Robert Kennedy sends Burke Marshall for negotiations
• May 8, 1963: Protest moratorium agreed upon as interim compromise
• May 10, 1963: Agreement to desegregate facilities and hire Black workers

Backlash and Violence

• May 11-12, 1963: Bombings of Gaston Motel and Alfred Daniel King's home
• September 15, 1963: 16th Street Baptist Church bombing, 4 young girls killed

Impact

• Considered a Success: Despite violence, it was a pivotal civil rights campaign
• Long-term Effects: Highlighted racial injustice and contributed to civil rights advancements

Author

• Samuel Momodu:
  • Historian specializing in African and African American History
  • Contributor to BlackPast.org, instructor at Tennessee State University

These notes provide a summary of the Birmingham Campaign in 1963, highlighting the key events, figures, and outcomes of this pivotal civil rights movement.