Beginning May 2nd, 1963, thousands of children began a week-long series of protests against segregation in Birmingham. The campaign came known as the Children’s Crusade. When the children took to the streets, the local head of the police, Bull Connor, used high-pressure fire hoses and dogs to attack the children, many of whom were arrested. Images of the police violence was broadcast around the world. One photograph captured the moment when a white police officer allowed a large German shepherd dog to attack a young Black boy. The Children’s Crusade began at the 16th Street Baptist Church. Four months after the protests began, the Ku Klux Klan bombed the church, killing four little girls — Addie Mae Collins, Carole Robertson, Cynthia Wesley and Denise McNair.
in the preparation sessions that were held at 16th Street Baptist Church, we had seen film of demonstrations in other places, so I saw people being hit, being called names and being mistreated for demonstrating. We were told that if you participate, some of this may happen to you, but this is a nonviolent movement, and you cannot respond, except to pray or sing a freedom song. So I went into it knowing that there may be some level of danger, but I was so incensed at having been mistreated all these years, until I was willing to sacrifice whatever was necessary to take steps to change the environment.
— source democracynow.org | May 02, 2023