Children's Crusade (civil rights)
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
- This page refers to the events in Birmingham, Alabama in 1963, for other uses see Children's Crusade (disambiguation).
The Children's Crusade is the name of a march in Birmingham, Alabama, in 1963 which was part of the American Civil Rights movement. Organized by Rev. James Bevel, the march was in protest of the arrest and jailing of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., and was primarily composed of hundreds of students from the city on May 2 and again on May 3.
Contents |
[edit] Events
During the first day of marching, students and children as young as six years of age marched from Kelly Ingram Park to downtown Birmingham. As soon as one group was arrested, another left the park. By the day's end, the jails were packed, with 969 protesters having been arrested.
On the second day, commissioner Bull Connor, then in a legal battle to retain his city office, ordered fire hoses and dogs to be used against the protestors. The images shocked the nation as media coverage of children under violent attack by police raised public awareness of the situation in Birmingham.
On May 10, after U.S. Department of Justice intervention, Birmingham city officials surrendered and agreed to a timetable to desegregate downtown stores, establish a biracial city commission, and release jailed protesters on bond. In exchange, the protestors agreed to end their store boycotts and demonstrations. Some saw it as a victory for Martin Luther King and the SCLC, but others (such as SNCC) saw it as a failed compromise.
[edit] Criticism
Malcom X was opposed to the use of children in protests which might expose them to violence. He said, "real men don’t put their children on the firing line.”
[edit] References
- Clayborne Carson , ed., The Autobiography of Martin Luther King, Jr., (New York, NY: Warner Books, Inc., 1998)
- M. S. Handler, Malcolm X Terms Dr. King’s Tactics Futile, New York Times, May 11, 1963
[edit] Folk music
- Phil Ochs, song, Talking Birmingham Jam, performed at the Newport Folk Festival, July 26-28, 1963, released on "Newport Broadside," 1964 and "Phil Ochs at Newport", 1966.
