All language subtitles for 4.Little.Girls.1997.1080p.AMZN.WEB-DL.DD2.

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♪ COME ROUND
BY MY SIDE ♪

♪ AND I'LL SING YOU
A SONG ♪

♪ I'LL SING IT
SO SOFTLY ♪

♪ IT'LL DO
NO ONE WRONG ♪

♪ ON BIRMINGHAM
SUNDAY ♪

♪ THE BLOOD
RAN LIKE WINE ♪

♪ AND THE CHOIR
KEPT SINGING OF FREEDOM ♪

♪ THAT COLD
AUTUMN MORNING ♪

♪ NO EYES
SAW THE SUN ♪

♪ AND ADDIE MAE COLLINS ♪

♪ HER NUMBER
WAS ONE ♪

♪ IN AN OLD
BAPTIST CHURCH ♪

♪ THERE WAS
NO NEED TO RUN ♪

♪ AND THE CHOIR
KEPT SINGING OF FREEDOM ♪

♪ THE CLOUDS
THEY WERE DARK ♪

♪ THE AUTUMN WIND BLEW ♪

♪ AND DENISE McNAIR ♪

♪ BROUGHT THE
NUMBER TO TWO ♪

♪ THE FALCON OF DEATH ♪

♪ WAS A CREATURE
THEY KNEW ♪

♪ AND THE CHOIR KEPT
SINGING OF FREEDOM ♪

♪ THE CHURCH
IT WAS CROWDED ♪

♪ AND NO ONE
COULD SEE ♪

♪ THAT CYNTHIA WESLEY'S ♪

♪ DARK NUMBER
WAS THREE ♪

♪ HER PRAYERS
AND HER FEELINGS ♪

♪ WOULD SHAME
YOU AND ME ♪

♪ AND THE CHOIR
KEPT SINGING OF FREEDOM ♪

♪ YOUNG
CAROLE ROBERTSON ♪

♪ ENTERED THE DOOR ♪

♪ AND THE NUMBER
HER KILLERS ♪

♪ HAD GIVEN WAS FOUR ♪

♪ SHE ASKED
FOR A BLESSING ♪

♪ BUT ASKED
FOR NO MORE ♪

♪ AND THE CHOIR
KEPT SINGING OF FREEDOM ♪

♪ ON BIRMINGHAM SUNDAY ♪

♪ THE NOISE
SHOOK THE GROUND ♪

♪ AND PEOPLE
ALL OVER ♪

♪ THE EARTH
TURNED AROUND ♪

♪ FOR NO ONE
RECALLED ♪

♪ A MORE
COWARDLY SOUND ♪

♪ AND THE CHOIR
KEPT SINGING OF FREEDOM ♪

♪ THE MEN
IN THE FOREST ♪

♪ THEY ONCE
ASKED OF ME ♪

♪ HOW MANY
BLACKBERRIES ♪

♪ GROW IN
THE BLUE SEA ♪

♪ I ASKED
RIGHT THEM BACK ♪

♪ WITH A TEAR
IN MY EYE ♪

♪ HOW MANY
DARK SHIPS ♪

♪ IN THE FOREST ♪

♪ THE SUNDAY
HAS COME ♪

♪ THE SUNDAY
HAS GONE ♪

♪ AND I CAN'T
DO MUCH MORE ♪

♪ THAN TO
SING YOU A SONG ♪

♪ I'LL SING IT
SO SOFTLY ♪

♪ IT'LL DO
NO ONE WRONG ♪

♪ AND THE CHOIR KEEPS
SINGING OF FREEDOM ♪

I COME FROM
ARKANSAS ORIGINALLY,

WENT TO SCHOOL
AT TUSKEGEE,

MET MY WIFE THERE

AND MY FIRST JOB
AFTER I LEFT TUSKEGEE
WAS IN MISSISSIPPI.

IT WAS HIS
JUNIOR YEAR ALSO.

HE'D BEEN
TO THE SERVICE.

AND I WALKED IN WITH
MY SO-CALLED BOYFRIEND,

IN THE LOUNGE
WHERE THE GIRLS SAT.

AND HE WAS
WITH HIS GIRLFRIEND.

AND I THOUGHT I WAS
LOOKING GOOD, HA-HA-HA.

AND I'D JUST MADE
THIS SUIT THAT I HAD ON,

AND HE SAID,
"MMM, LOOKS GOOD.

TURN AROUND AND
LET ME SEE IT."

AND OF COURSE I DIDN'T HAVE
ANY BETTER SENSE THAN TO DO IT.

BUT WE DIDN'T HAVE ANYTHING ELSE
TO DO WITH EACH OTHER,

OTHER THAN
JUST FRIENDSHIP,

UNTIL OUR
SENIOR YEAR.

WELL, I ALWAYS SAID
IN A JOKING MANNER

THAT I SAW HER
AT TUSKEGEE

AND FELT THAT I WOULD
BE A MISSIONARY

AND COME TO ALABAMA
AND HELP HER OUT.

AND SO I'VE BEEN HELPING HER OUT
FOR 46 YEARS NOW.

( Maxine )
WHAT I WANTED IN LIFE
FOR MYSELF

WAS A HUSBAND, A HOUSE
AND SOME CHILDREN.

SO WHEN I MET CHRIS,

AND WE DID
HAVE THIS CHILD,

I WAS EXCITED.

BUT THERE WAS
ONE LITTLE CONFLICT...

I COULDN'T LEAVE
MY MAMA ALONE.

I HAD TO COME BACK
TO BIRMINGHAM,

HAVE THE BABY
IN BIRMINGHAM

WITH A DOCTOR
THAT I WAS FAMILIAR WITH.

AND HE DIDN'T LIKE THAT TOO HOT,
BUT HE DID CONSENT.

DENISE WAS A
VERY CHARMING CHILD,

A VERY
LOVABLE CHILD.

AND A VERY
CARING CHILD.

I THINK SHE SPENT
MOST OF HER TIME

TRYING TO DO
FOR OTHER CHILDREN.

SHE HAD A GOOD GROUP OF FRIENDS
THAT LIVED IN THE COMMUNITY,

AND A LOT OF TIMES SHE WOULD
COME DOWN TO MY HOUSE.

OH, SHE LOVED
TO COME OVER HERE

BECAUSE AT THAT TIME
SHE WAS AN ONLY CHILD.

AND THERE WERE FOUR CHILDREN
IN THIS HOUSE,

TWO GIRLS
AND TWO BOYS.

SHE COULDN'T WAIT TO FIND OUT
WHAT EVERYTHING WAS ABOUT,

SEE WHAT THIS IS AND
KNOW WHAT THIS PERSON IS,

AND TALK
TO EVERYBODY.

SHE WAS VERY FRIENDLY,
AND SEEMINGLY VERY HAPPY.

( Chris )
VERY AGGRESSIVE,
VERY AGGRESSIVE,

VERY FEISTY.

OBVIOUSLY, WHEN SOMEBODY'S
NOT AROUND, YOU TEND TO PRAISE

SOMETIMES EVEN WHERE
PRAISE MAY NOT BE DUE,

BUT VERY
INQUISITIVE.

AND VERY MUCH
A LEADER.

SHE WAS A VERY
LOVABLE LITTLE GIRL.

AND I MISS HER.

( train whistle )

WHEN I CAME HERE
IN THE 50's,

TO GET A JOB
WAS A REAL CHORE,

ESPECIALLY IF YOU CAME
TO THIS BLUE COLLAR TOWN

AND YOU HAD
A COLLEGE DEGREE,

AND YOU WERE GOING
TO STEEL MILLS

MAKING APPLICATIONS,

AND NOBODY WAS LOOKING
FOR ANY MORE COLLEGE GRADUATES.

BIRMINGHAM'S
A STEEL TOWN.

BIRMINGHAM WAS BUILT
IN THE LATE 1800's

BY THE BARONS FROM THE NORTH
WHO CAME DOWN

AND REALIZED THAT WE HAD
EVERY COMBINATION.

WE HAD PEOPLE,
WE HAD NATURAL RESOURCES,

WE HAD RUBBER
TRANSPORTATION.

IT GREW
BY LEAPS AND BOUNDS.

IT WAS KNOWN AS "THE MAGIC CITY"
'CAUSE IT GREW SO FAST.

BUT YOU HAD
PEOPLE COMING IN,

A LABORING CLASS OF PEOPLE,
A BLUE COLLAR TOWN,

AND IT WAS
A VIOLENT TOWN.

IT WAS A UNION...
A TOWN OF UNION VIOLENCE,

THE VIOLENCE AGAINST WORKERS
CONDONED BY THE POLICE

AND BY
UNITED STATES STEEL

AND THE OTHER
BIG INDUSTRIAL COMPANIES.

IT HAD A LONG HISTORY
OF LABOR VIOLENCE.

SO YOU HAD A
TRADITION OF VIOLENCE

FLOWING OUT OF
AN INDUSTRIAL SETTING,

WITH THE OVERLAY
OF RURAL RACISM

COMING IN FROM
THE COUNTRYSIDE,

TRADITIONAL
OLD SOUTH RACISM.

WITH THAT BACKGROUND,

THE 50's WERE A TIME
OF QUIETNESS HERE.

A WONDERFUL PLACE
TO LIVE

AND RAISE A FAMILY.

BIRMINGHAM WAS
JUST BIRMINGHAM.

WHITE/COLORED.

NOT WHITE/BLACK,
WHITE/COLORED.

YOU WOULD HAVE TO
HAVE LIVED HERE

TO UNDERSTAND SOME OF
THE FEELINGS

THAT WERE GOING ON
AT THAT TIME.

BLACK PEOPLE
WERE IN THEIR PLACES

AND WHITE FOLK WERE IN THEIRS,
IF THERE'S SUCH A THING.

AND THE WATER FOUNTAINS,
BLACK AND WHITE,

AND ALL OF THOSE KINDS
OF THINGS EXISTED,

AND EXISTED
IN ORDER.

YOU MAY SEE IN SOME OF
THE PICTURES

CABS WHICH SAID
"COLORED ONLY",

CABS WHICH SAID
"WHITE ONLY",

A BATHROOM AT THE BUS STATION,
"WHITE ONLY.

I HAVE AN OLDER BROTHER
AND THERE WERE TWO OF US

LIKE NINE OR
TEN MONTHS APART,

AND MY MOTHER WOULD
HAVE TO MAKE A CHOICE.

AND SHE WOULD ALWAYS
JUST LET ONE OF US

DRINK FROM
THE WHITE FOUNTAIN

AND ONE OF US FROM
THE BLACK FOUNTAIN.

AND SHE KNEW THAT IT WAS
IN VIOLATION OF THE LAW.

AND IT WAS SO HARD
TO TELL YOUR CHILD,

YOUR SIX OR SEVEN-YEAR-OLD
WHEN IT'S TIME FOR WATER,

YOU KNOW,
THEY WANTED SOME WATER,

AND MAYBE THE CHILD ATTEMPTED
TO GO TO A FOUNTAIN

THAT WAS MARKED
FOR WHITE.

AND YOU WOULD HAVE TO TELL HIM,
"NO, LET'S TAKE THIS FOUNTAIN",

AND SAY, "WHY CAN'T
I GO TO THAT ONE ?
THERE'S NOBODY THERE."

"NO, WE'LL JUST
USE THIS ONE."

IT WAS AN AWFUL TIME.

IT WAS AN AWFUL TIME
FOR YOUNG PEOPLE

I'D SAY, TO GROW UP
IN THIS CITY.

WHEN MY DAUGHTER
DENISE

WAS ABOUT
SIX YEARS OLD,

AND I'VE ALWAYS DESPISED
GOING SHOPPING WITH MY WIFE,

BECAUSE MY PATIENCE
DOESN'T HOLD FOR SHOPPING,

AT ANY RATE, THIS WAS CHRISTMAS
AND WE WERE SHOPPING,

AND WE HAD
COME TO A STORE,

IN FACT IT WAS KRESS',

GOING IN THERE
TO BUY SOME RIBBONS.

AND WHEN WE
GOT INTO KRESS',

DENISE SAID SHE HAD TO
GO TO THE REST ROOM.

SO WE WENT DOWNSTAIRS
WHERE THE REST ROOMS WERE,

BLACK AND
WHITE AGAIN,

BLACK AND COLORED,
I BEG YOUR PARDON.

WHITE AND COLORED.

SO WHEN WE
GOT DOWN THERE,

THE LUNCH COUNTER
WAS ALSO IN THERE

AND YOU COULD SMELL THE ONION,
THE HAMBURGERS.

DENISE SAID
SHE WANTED A SANDWICH.

AND IT WAS KIND OF PAINFUL
TO SAY "NO, YOU CAN'T HAVE IT."

SHE WANTED
TO KNOW WHY.

AND WE HAD TO TELL HER
THIS AGE-OLD STORY

ABOUT WHITES ONLY CAN EAT HERE,
BUT WE CAN'T.

WE WILL EAT
WHEN WE GET HOME.

SHE DIDN'T UNDERSTAND
THAT SO HOT.

THAT WAS THE NIGHT
THAT I MADE UP MY MIND

THAT I GUESS
I HAD TO TELL HER

THAT SHE COULDN'T HAVE THAT
SANDWICH BECAUSE SHE WAS BLACK.

I GUESS FOR MEN IT'S WORSE
THAN IT IS FOR WOMEN...

BECAUSE THEY ARE
MORE SENSITIVE,

I GUESS THAT'S WHAT
YOU MIGHT CALL IT.

THEY HATE TO SAY,
"MY CHILD CAN'T DO

"BUT EVERYBODY
ELSE'S CHILD CAN DO IT.

"AND IT MAKES ME MAD THAT
I CAN'T DO ANYTHING ABOUT IT.

I CAN'T CHANGE
IT RIGHT NOW."

WELL, I WANT YOU
TO KNOW THAT NIGHT

COULDN'T HAVE
BEEN ANY MORE PAINFUL

THAN SEEING HER LAYING THERE
WITH A ROCK SMASHED IN HER HEAD,

THAN TO TELL HER THAT I COULDN'T
BUY HER THAT SANDWICH

BECAUSE SHE WAS BLACK.

AND I'M NOT SURE IF
SHE EVER UNDERSTOOD THAT.

( Spike Lee )
HOW DID SHE REACT
WHEN YOU TOLD HER THAT ?

VERY STRANGE,
VERY CONFUSED,

AS IF A WHOLE WORLD
OF BETRAYAL

HAD FALLEN ON HER
AT THAT MOMENT.

I REMEMBER CAROLE
AS A VERY VIVACIOUS,

LOVABLE
14-YEAR-OLD.

THE THIRD CHILD
OF ALPHA AND ALVIN,

AND VERY WELL-LOVED AND
TAKEN CARE OF IN THE FAMILY.

AND QUITE ACTIVE
IN HER SCHOOLWORK,

QUITE ACTIVE
IN HER CHURCH WORK.

I ALWAYS REMEMBER
WHEN SHE WAS BORN

MY FATHER TELLING ME
THAT I WAS STANDING OUTSIDE

IN FRONT OF THE HOUSE
WITH MY SKATES ON,

ANNOUNCING
TO EVERYBODY

THAT I HAD A BRAND NEW
BABY SISTER,

AND I WAS SO HAPPY
TO HAVE A LITTLE SISTER.

CAROLE WAS A VERY GIVING,
OUTGOING PERSON.

SHE HAD A LOT OF FRIENDS,
A LOT OF FRIENDS.

SHE WAS
A BEAUTIFUL DAUGHTER.

SHE WAS YOUR AVERAGE
KID GROWING UP.

SHE WAS SMART,
SHE PLAYED MUSIC,

SHE WAS A SCOUT,
AN AVID READER.

SHE WORKED WITH THE
LIBRARY ASSISTANCE GROUPS

IN THE CITY AND STATE.

SHE TOOK
DANCING LESSONS.

SHE DIDN'T PLAY
THE PIANO, THOUGH.

I USED TO HAVE TO
TAKE HER TO THE MOVIES,

THE SATURDAY MOVIES
WITH ME.

THEY WERE SEGREGATED,

AND WE'D HAVE TO GO UPSTAIRS
INTO THE BALCONY.

WE'D SIT AND WE'D THROW
POPCORN AND ICE.

WE WOULD THROW THEM DOWN
ON THE WHITE FOLKS.

AND SHE ALWAYS THOUGHT
THAT WAS REAL FUNNY,

BUT SHE KNEW THAT WE WERE NOT
SUPPOSED TO BE DOING THAT.

AND SO IT WAS LIKE
"I'M GONNA TELL".

( Alpha )
SHE PLAYED CLARINET
IN THE BAND

AT ELEMENTARY SCHOOL
AND HIGH-SCHOOL.

SHE WAS SUPPOSED
TO PLAY HER FIRST GAME

THAT MONDAY NIGHT
AFTER THE BOMBING,

THE BAND WAS
SUPPOSED TO PLAY.

PARKER WAS PLAYING SOMEBODY,
I'VE FORGOTTEN WHO.

THIS IS...

HER LAST SASH

WITH THE BADGES.

SHE WAS A MEMBER

AT THAT TIME OF TROOP 264.

AND THOSE WERE THE BADGES
THAT SHE HAD EARNED

IN THE PROCESS.

BUT SHE HAD BEEN
A SCOUT ALL ALONG,

FROM BROWNIE ON UP.

THIS BIBLE SHE HAD
IN HER POCKETBOOK

THE DAY OF
THE BOMBING.

WHEN WE GOT IT
IT HAD DIRT

AND PART OF THIS
WAS TORN OUT.

BUT FOR A LONG TIME
I KEPT IT IN MY POCKETBOOK,

BUT I'VE TAKEN IT OUT NOW
AND I'VE PUT IT UP

AND LOOK AT IT
EVERY NOW AND THEN.

IN 1949, MY LAST YEAR
IN COLLEGE,

I WENT THROUGH BIRMINGHAM
WITH MY BOSS.

I WORKED IN THE FOOD SERVICE
IN THE SCHOOL CAFETERIA,

ERNEST O'ROURKE.

AND HE WAS TELLING ME
ON THE WAY DOWN

ABOUT THIS SECTION OF BIRMINGHAM
CALLED "DYNAMITE HILL".

I SAID, "WHY THEY CALL IT
"DYNAMITE HILL" ?"

HE SAID, "IT USED TO
BE A GARBAGE DUMP

"AND THEY CLEARED THE LAND
AND FIXED IT UP,

"AND BLACK PEOPLE
BUILT HOMES UP THERE.

AND THEY'RE NICE HOMES."

HE SAID, "AND THE HONKIES
JUST BOMB 'EM

BECAUSE THEY RESENT BLACK FOLKS
HAVING GOOD HOMES."

WE ARRIVED IN BIRMINGHAM ABOUT
4:00 IN THE AFTERNOON.

AT 5:30 A BOMB WENT OFF
ON DYNAMITE HILL.

NOW THAT'S 1949,

AND NOW YOU'RE GOING
FAST-FORWARD TO 1962.

WE'RE HERE AT
BETHEL BAPTIST CHURCH,

THE CHURCH WHICH SERVED
AS THE HEADQUARTERS

FOR THE MOVEMENT FOR CHANGE
IN BIRMINGHAM, ALABAMA,

BACK IN THE '50's
AND THE '60's.

I'M STANDING AT
THE CORNER OF THE CHURCH

WHERE THE HOUSE
WAS AT THAT TIME.

WOULD YOU CARE TO TELL US
ABOUT THE TWO BOMBINGS ?

THE FIRST BOMBING
WAS IN DECEMBER,

1956,
CHRISTMAS NIGHT,

WHEN SOMEBODY PLANTED
TWELVE STICKS OF DYNAMITE.

THE DYNAMITE WAS PLACED HERE
AT THE CORNER OF THE CHURCH

AND WOULD HAVE BEEN
THE CORNER OF THE HOUSE.

AND THAT'S WHERE
THE HEAD OF MY BED WAS,

AND I WAS IN THE BED.

YOU CAN SEE THE CRACKS
IN THE WALL.

BUT THE IMPLOSIVE EFFECTS
WENT INTO THE HOUSE.

SO THAT IT BLEW THE WALL
THAT WAS BETWEEN

MY HEAD AND
THE DYNAMITE AWAY.

THE LIGHTS WENT OUT

AND I FELT THE HEAD OF MY BED
BEING DRIVEN DOWN,

AND YET
I WAS NOT AFRAID.

I KNEW
I WOULDN'T GET KILLED.

I KNEW THERE WAS
A PRESENCE THERE.

WELL, AT THAT TIME THERE WAS
A LOT OF BOMBING GOING ON,

EVEN UP
WHERE I LIVED.

THEY STARTED UP ON THE HILL,
UP ON GREEN SPRINGS
AT THAT TIME.

THERE WAS ONLY ABOUT
ELEVEN HOUSES.

WE WERE THE FIRST
BLACK FAMILY UP THERE.

AND THEY WOULD
DRIVE BY,

IN FACT, THEY THREW
A FIREBOMB INTO OUR YARD

BETWEEN THE HOUSES.

AND WHEN THE PROBLEMS CAME,
WE ALL HAD TO JUST

RUN IN OUR CLOSETS
WHEN WE WOULD HEAR THE BOMBS.

BUT IT WAS JUST A COMMON THING
THAT WAS HAPPENING.

YOU COULD BE SITTING COMFORTABLE
AND THE DYNAMITE WOULD GO OFF.

( Shuttlesworth )
ONE OF THE INTERESTING
PARTS OF THAT NIGHT,

AND THAT'S A
DRAMATIC SITUATION,

THE HOUSE WAS LEANING
AND YOU COULDN'T GET OUT,

SO A CROWD
INSTANTANEOUSLY--

THIS STREET
WAS FILLED WITHIN,

I GUESS,
TWO OR THREE MINUTES.

A BIG BURLY
POLICEMAN CAME BACK.

THIS POLICEMAN DECIDED
TO GIVE ME SOME ADVICE.

INCIDENTALLY,
HE WAS A KLANSMAN.

WE THINK AT THAT TIME

ABOUT A THIRD
OF BIRMINGHAM POLICEMAN

EITHER WERE KLANSMAN
OR HAD KLAN AFFILIATION.

HE SAID,
"I REALLY DIDN'T BELIEVE

THAT THEY WOULD
GO THIS FAR."

HE SAID, "I'LL TELL YOU
WHAT I'D DO IF I WERE YOU,

I'D GET OUT OF TOWN
AS QUICK AS I COULD."

I SAID, "OFFICER,
YOU'RE NOT ME.

"AND YOU GO BACK AND
TELL YOUR KLAN BROTHERS

"THAT IF GOD COULD
KEEP ME THROUGH THIS,

"THAT THE WAR'S ON,
THE BATTLE HAS JUST BEGUN,

AND I'LL BE AROUND
FOR THE DURATION."

WE'LL MAKE LIKE THIS IS
BACK IN THE '60's.

( Spike )
HOW OLD WERE YOU
BACK THEN ?

AT THE TIME
I WAS FOURTEEN.

( Spike )
YOU WERE THE SAME AGE
AS CYNTHIA.

THIS IS THE HOUSE SHE WAS
BROUGHT UP IN, RIGHT HERE.

WE WOULD PLAY
ALL OUT HERE.

SHE WOULD HAVE
LITTLE LAWN PARTIES.

SHE WAS WELL-LIKED.

SHE HAD NO IDEA OF THE TRAGEDY
THAT WAS GOING TO HAPPEN,

BUT SHE LIVED
A NORMAL LIFE.

CYNTHIA WAS--
THIS IS THIRTY SOME YEARS AGO,

BUT IMAGES.

CYNTHIA COULD
HAVE HUMOR.

I REMEMBER LAUGHING
WITH CYNTHIA.

YOU COULD HAVE JOKES,
YEAH, I REMEMBER THAT WELL.

SHE WAS CARING.

SOME PEOPLE ARE CARING
AND SOME ARE NOT.

I WAS A FAT
LITTLE YOUNG BOY.

SO SOME PEOPLE DIDN'T
WANT TO BE BOTHERED WITH ME.

CYNTHIA WOULD
BE BOTHERED WITH ME.

SHE WOULD,
SHE WOULD TAKE TIME.

AND JUST BE NICE TO ME
AS A HUMAN BEING.

CYNTHIA WESLEY...

WAS THE DAUGHTER
OF CLAUDE--

MR. AND MRS.
CLAUDE WESLEY.

AND HE WAS PRINCIPAL
OF LEWIS SCHOOL AT THAT TIME.

CYNTHIA WAS
A DELIGHTFUL YOUNG LADY.

THE WESLEYS ADOPTED CYNTHIA
WHEN SHE WAS QUITE YOUNG,

AND SHE GREW UP IN
16th STREET CHURCH WITH THEM.

CYNTHIA WAS VERY
INVOLVED IN CHURCH.

SHE WAS IN THE CHOIR,
AND IN FACT

THE SUNDAY OF THE BOMBING,
ON SEPTEMBER 15th,

CYNTHIA WOULD HAVE
BEGUN HER FIRST

OPPORTUNITY AS AN USHER
ON THAT SUNDAY.

I WAS PROBABLY CLOSEST
TO CYNTHIA WESLEY.

WE WERE IN
A LITTLE CLUB TOGETHER,

AND IN THIS CLUB

WE HAD LITTLE OUTFITS
THAT MATCHED, AND HATS.

WE HAD JUST ORDERED
SOME NEW STUFF TO WEAR.

AND IN FACT,
AFTER SHE WAS KILLED,

WE TOOK WHAT SHE HAD ORDERED
TO HER MOM'S HOUSE

AND SAT AND
TALKED TO HER.

ON THE SUNDAY MORNING,
THE 15th,

WHEN CYNTHIA AND THE OTHER GIRLS
CAME TO SUNDAY SCHOOL,

I REMEMBER
MY MOTHER TELLING ME

HOW SHE HAD
CHIDED CYNTHIA

BECAUSE AS SHE WAS
COMING OUT OF THE HOUSE,

SHE NOTICED THAT
HER SLIP WAS HANGING.

AND MY MOTHER TOLD HER
TO GO BACK IN THE ROOM.

WHAT I'D LIKE TO DO IS READ
A LITTLE STATEMENT ABOUT THAT,

BECAUSE THE WAY MY MOTHER
PRESENTED THIS TO HER,

I THINK IS SOMETHING
PRETTY TYPICAL

THAT MOTHERS WOULD
SAY TO THEIR DAUGHTERS.

MY MOTHER STATED THAT,

"YOUNG LADY, YOUR SLIP
IS HANGING BELOW YOUR DRESS.

"YOU JUST DON'T PUT
YOUR CLOTHES ON ANY WAY

"WHEN YOU'RE
GOING TO CHURCH

"BECAUSE YOU NEVER KNOW
HOW YOU'RE COMING BACK.

"CYNTHIA HAD HURRIEDLY MADE
THE NECESSARY ADJUSTMENTS,

"THEN RAN
OUT OF THE DOOR.

MY MOTHER NEVER
SAW HER AFTER THAT."

I'M SORRY.

"MY MOTHER SAID..."

I DIDN'T THINK I'D DO THIS,
I'M SORRY.

IN 1961,

THE FREEDOM RIDERS
CAME TO BIRMINGHAM.

AND ONE OF THEIR BUSES
WAS BURNED IN ANNISTON,

AND THEY HAD
ONE BUS LEFT

AND THEY ALL CAME
ON THAT BUS TO BIRMINGHAM.

AND THEY WENT TO
THE TRAILWAY BUS STATION.

NATIONAL TELEVISION
WAS WAITING FOR THEM

AT THE
GREYHOUND BUS STATION.

NOW, THEY DIDN'T JUST
BEAT FREEDOM RIDERS,

THERE WERE PEOPLE THAT JUST
COME TO BEAT THE BUS.

BUT ONE PHOTOGRAPHER
WAS AT THE STATION

AND TOOK A PICTURE
OF THE BEATING.

THEY TURNED ON HIM
AND BEAT HIM,

AND TOOK
HIS CAMERA AWAY.

AND BEING
VERY SCIENTIFIC,

THEY BROKE THE LENS AND THREW
THE CAMERA IN THE TRASH CAN,

BUT NEVER OPENED IT
AND EXPOSED THE FILM.

SO THAT PICTURE
WENT OUT OF HERE

ON THE UPI WIRE,

AND IT WAS FRONT PAGE

IN NEWSPAPERS
ALL OVER THE WORLD.

AND THERE WERE A GROUP
OF BIRMINGHAM BUSINESSMEN
IN TOKYO AT THE TIME

AT A MEETING OF THE
INTERNATIONAL ROTARY CLUB,

AND WHEN THEY
SAW THAT PICTURE

ON THE FRONT PAGE

OF A NEWSPAPER
IN TOKYO, JAPAN,

THEY SAID, "WE CAN'T
TAKE MUCH MORE OF THIS."

BIRMINGHAM...

AT THE TIME
WAS GOING THROUGH

A MOVE WHERE...

SOME OF
THE MODERATE FORCES

IN THE WHITE COMMUNITY

WERE TRYING TO FINALLY
ASSERT THEMSELVES.

AND IT WAS
A LONG TIME OVERDUE.

( reporter )
A state court is
expected to rule next week

on whether Mayor-Elect
Albert Boutwell
can take office immediately.

Boutwell was asked if he's ready
to meet with negro leaders.

I'M READY AT ANY TIME...

WHEN THE
IMMEDIATE THREAT

OF VIOLENCE
HAS BEEN REMOVED,

TO TALK TO ANY
RESPONSIBLE LOCAL PEOPLE...

REGARDLESS OF THE COLOR
OF THEIR SKINS.

BIRMINGHAM
IS A SYMBOL

OF HARD CORE RESISTANCE
TO INTEGRATION.

IT IS PROBABLY THE MOST
THOROUGHLY SEGREGATED CITY

IN THE UNITED STATES.

SCLC HAD BEEN REALLY
JUST ORGANIZED IN 1957.

ABOUT A HUNDRED PREACHERS
GOT TOGETHER IN LOUISIANA.

AND... WE HADN'T
HAD MUCH LUCK.

WE DIDN'T
HAVE MUCH STAFF.

AND FRED SHUTTLESWORTH CAME
TO SEE MARTIN LUTHER KING,

AND SAID, "MARTIN, YOU'VE GOT TO
HELP US IN BIRMINGHAM.

WE JUST GOT
TO MOVE ON BIRMINGHAM."

THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT
HAS DECIDED

THAT NEGRO AS CITIZENS
MUST BE PROTECTED

FROM LAWLESSNESS
AND MOBOCRACY.

AND THAT'S
WHY WE'RE HERE.

FRED SHUTTLESWORTH
HAD BEEN FIGHTING

THE BATTLE IN BIRMINGHAM
FOR TEN YEARS BY THIS TIME.

AND REALLY THE
ALABAMA ORGANIZATION

WAS ALMOST HIS PERSONAL CREATION
RIGHT THERE IN BIRMINGHAM

IN THE SAME SENSE
THAT SCLC

WAS A PERSONAL CREATION
FOR DR. KING.

IN THE FALL OF 1962,

ALMOST SIX MONTHS BEFORE
THE BREAKTHROUGH IN MAY,

AND ABOUT A YEAR BEFORE
THE BIRMINGHAM CHURCH BOMBING,

SHUTTLESWORTH HAD
HAD AN AGREEMENT

AFTER LOTS OF BOYCOTTS
IN BIRMINGHAM
WITH THE MERCHANTS

FOR WHAT WE WOULD
NOW REGARD AS

THE MOST MINIMUM
TOKEN SEGREGATION

OF ALLOWING BLACK SHOPPERS,
MOSTLY WOMEN,

TO SHOP AND USE THE REST ROOMS
AND THE CHANGING ROOMS

IN THE DOWNTOWN
STORES.

HE HAD MADE
THESE AGREEMENTS,

AND THEN THEY RE-SEGREGATED
EVERYTHING IN THE FALL OF 1962.

AND I THINK BY THEN,
AT THAT TIME,

HIS PATIENCE RAN OUT
AND HE SAID,

"BRAVERY ALONE
IS NOT ENOUGH,

WE NEED TO BRING A LARGER
SPOTLIGHT TO THIS."

AND TO HIM,
BRINGING A LARGER SPOTLIGHT

MEANT BRINGING IN
DR. KING.

SO WE MADE A DECISION
BASED ON SEVERAL THINGS.

FRED SHUTTLESWORTH WAS
FEARLESS AND COURAGEOUS

TO THE POINT OF
BEING ALMOST INSANE.

HE MIRACULOUSLY SURVIVED
A BOMBING OF HIS HOME,

HAD TAKEN HIS WIFE
AND TWO CHILDREN

TRYING TO
INTEGRATE A SCHOOL

WITH A MOB OF 600 FOLKS
WITH CHAINS AND STUFF LIKE THAT.

JUST AN INCREDIBLE
HUMAN BEING, IN MY VIEW.

ONE DAY IN 1957,
IN THE EVENING NEWSCAST,

THERE WAS A PIECE OF FILM
OF A GANG OF WHITE MEN

BEATING FRED SHUTTLESWORTH
IN THE STREET

OUTSIDE PHILLIPS HIGH SCHOOL,
WHERE HE'D TAKEN HIS CHILDREN,

WITH CHAINS, AND THEY
BEAT HIM TO THE GROUND.

AND THE REASON
IT WAS RIVETING FOR ME,

I WAS 14 YEARS OLD,

WAS THAT THE POLICE SAID
THEY COULDN'T FIND
THE MEN WHO DID IT.

AND I RECOGNIZED
ONE OF THE MEN.

I KNEW WHO HE WAS.

I'D SEEN HIM AT
JACK CASH'S BARBECUE,

AND I KNEW THE POLICE HUNG OUT
AT JACK CASH'S BARBECUE,

AND I KNEW
THEY WERE LYING.

IT WAS THE LAST PLACE,
I THINK,

I WANTED TO GO WITH
MARTIN LUTHER KING IN 1963.

AND YET IT WAS
THE PLACE WE HAD TO GO.

ADDIE MAE COLLINS WAS A LITTLE
MORE WITHDRAWN, I THINK.

FRIENDLY BUT NOT
AS AGGRESSIVE

AS CYNTHIA OR DENISE.

TO KNOW ADDIE
IS TO LOVE ADDIE.

SHE WAS JUST
A FUNNY GIRL,

A SWEET
PEACEFUL GIRL.

SHE JUST LIKED
TO MAKE PEACE WITH PEOPLE

AND PEOPLE TO BE
AT PEACE AROUND.

SHE WASN'T A MEAN PERSON,
SHE WAS JUST SWEET.

REMEMBER THE TIME WITH DENISE
WHEN THE BIRD DIED

AND WE THOUGHT THAT WAS
THE WEIRDEST THING.

WE SAW
A DEAD BIRD.

I WAS LIKE, "IT'S JUST A DEAD
BIRD, KICK IT OUT THE WAY."

AND DENISE SAID, "OH NO,
THE BIRD MUST HAVE A FUNERAL."

AND WE WERE LIKE, "JUST PUT IT
SOMEWHERE SO WE CAN PLAY."

AND SHE SAID, "WE'VE GOT TO HAVE
A FUNERAL FOR THE POOR BIRD."

SHE GOT HER MOTHER--

AND MRS. McNAIR
HAS A BEAUTIFUL VOICE,

SHE GOT HER MOTHER,
SHE GOT THE SHOE BOX,

THE BOYS HAD
TO DIG A HOLE.

AND WE BURIED
THE BIRD,

AND MRS. McNAIR SANG
"THE LORD'S PRAYER",
AND IT WAS BEAUTIFUL.

AND THEN WE ALL BOWED
AND WE PRAYED,

AND SAID SOMETHING,

THEN JUST PLAYED BALL.

THE FIRST SUNDAY
THAT WE MARCHED,

PALM SUNDAY
I THINK IT WAS...

NO IT WASN'T PALM SUNDAY,
IT WAS A SUNDAY,

AND THE AFTERNOON SERVICE
RAN A LITTLE LATE.

WE WERE SUPPOSED
TO MARCH AT 4:00,

IT WAS ABOUT 6:30.

AND BY THE TIME
WE GOT READY TO MARCH,

THERE WAS ABOUT
1200 PEOPLE OUT THERE,

MILLING AROUND
INGRAM PARK

WAITING TO SEE
SOMETHING HAPPEN.

AND BULL'S FOLKS WERE
OUT THERE WITH THE DOGS.

AND BEFORE YOU KNEW IT,
SOMETHING WAS GOING ON

BETWEEN THE POLICE
WITH THE DOGS.

AND THE NEXT DAY THE UPI SAID,

"1100 MARCH IN BIRMINGHAM,
FIFTEEN ARRESTED".

I CALLED DR. KING,
"I SAID DR. KING, I GOT IT."

HE SAID,
"WHAT IS IT ?"

I SAID, "WE'RE JUST GONNA
SLOW DOWN THE TIME OF THE MARCH

"'TILL THE PEOPLE GET HOME
FROM WORK EVERYDAY,

AND WE'LL GET A CROWD."

I SAID, "WE CAN COUNT ON BULL
TO DO SOMETHING SILLY."

IF THERE'S ANYBODY
IN THIS NATION

WHO UNDERSTANDS WHAT IS
GOING ON HERE, IT IS ME.

I KNOW THAT WE HAVE
SUFFICIENT MANPOWER,

ENOUGH TRAINED OFFICERS TO
KEEP THE PEACE IN BIRMINGHAM,

WITHOUT ANY OUTSIDE HELP
FROM THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT...

EUGENE "BULL" CONNOR

WAS THE POLICE
COMMISSIONER.

COMMISSIONER
OF FIRE AND SAFETY.

IT'S IRONIC THAT SAFETY
WOULD BE IN THE HANDS OF A MAN

WHO WAS SO UNSAFE,
KEPT PEOPLE SO INSECURE.

HE WAS ABOUT
AS HARD CORE AS THEY COME.

HE WAS ONE
OF THOSE PEOPLE

THAT DREW THE LINE
AND NEVER RETREATED.

I DON'T THINK
HE FELT THAT...

BLACKS HAD ANY RIGHTS.

I DON'T THINK HE FELT LIKE
THEY SHOULD BE CITIZENS EVEN.

I USED TO WONDER
IF HE WAS A CHRISTIAN.

HOWEVER, THEY SAY HE WAS,
BUT I DON'T BELIEVE HE WAS

BECAUSE I DON'T THINK ANYBODY
COULD DO ANY RACE OF PEOPLE

THE MANY THINGS THAT
THEY DID TO BLACK PEOPLE.

BULL CONNOR LIKED TO KEEP
BLACK FOLK IN THEIR PLACE.

ALL OF THE ARRESTS

AND ALL OF THE DEMONSTRATIONS
IN BIRMINGHAM

OCCURRED WITHIN FOUR BLOCKS
OF 16th STREET BAPTIST CHURCH.

WE'D MEET IN THE CHURCH,
WE'D MARCH A FEW BLOCKS,

AND THEN HE'D
LOCK EVERYBODY UP.

AND WHEN THERE WERE
TOO MANY PEOPLE TO LOCK UP,

HE'D CALL ON THE DOGS
AND THE FIRE HOSES

AND TRY TO CLEAR
THE STREET BY FORCE.

WHEN HE SAW ANY STRENGTH
OR SELF-RESPECT

IN A BLACK PERSON,

HE JUST WENT CRAZY.

HE COULDN'T
STAND IT.

IT'S LIKE "WHEN YOU SEE ME,
YOU'VE GOT TO SQUAT."

AND IF YOU DON'T
BECOME INGRATIATING,

HE'D JUST
LIKE GO CRAZY.

( man )
HE HAD A WHITE TANK
THAT HE WOULD RIDE

THROUGH THE
BLACK NEIGHBORHOODS

AND TERRORIZE PEOPLE IN THE
NEIGHBORHOOD IN HIS WHITE TANK.

THERE WAS ALMOST NO WAY TO
TALK TO HIM OR REASON WITH HIM.

IT WAS HIS TOWN.

IT WAS ALMOST
LIKE THE OLD WEST

WHERE HE WAS
ONE-MAN RULE.

BULL CONNOR, INDEED
DID SPIT ON ME, YES HE DID.

WHETHER HE WAS JUST UPSET
AND TALKING AND IT CAME,

OR WHETHER HE DID IT ON PURPOSE,
I DON'T KNOW.

WHAT HAPPENED WAS,

WE WENT THROUGH
THE TRAINING SESSION,

THEY TOOK US OVER BY
16th STREET BAPTIST CHURCH

AND WE LEFT FROM THAT AREA
AND WERE ABLE TO MARCH,

AND WE MARCHED
RIGHT UP TO CITY HALL.

AND THERE WAS
THIS WHITE MAN,

RED-FACED MAN
LOOKING MEAN.

AND HIS NAME WAS
INDEED, BULL CONNOR.

AND HE LOOKED AT ME
AND HE SAID--

AND WHETHER HE SAID "NIGGER"
OR "NIGRA", I'M NOT EVEN SURE,

BUT HE LOOKED DOWN AT ME
AND HE SAID,

"WHAT DO YOU WANT,
LITTLE NIGGER ?"

AND I SAID, "WE WANT
OUR FREEDOM, WE WANT TO PRAY."

AS SOON AS I SAID THAT,
WHETHER HE MEANT TO OR NOT,

HE SPAT ON ME.

BULL WAS
THE MANIFESTATION

OF THE PERVERSITY...

UPON WHICH SEGREGATION
DEPENDED FOR ITS LIFE.

HE WAS...

BULL WAS LIKE THE WALKING
ID OF BIRMINGHAM,

THE DARK SPIRIT
OF BIRMINGHAM.

THE HELLISH SIDE
OF BIRMINGHAM EMBODIED.

IT SOUNDS DRAMATIC,
BUT IT WAS A DRAMATIC TIME.

HE DIDN'T HAVE
BUT ONE EYE.

HE WAS A
SUNDAY SCHOOL TEACHER.

HE HAD KIND OF
A WIRY, RASPY VOICE

WHICH WAS KIND
OF COARSE.

AND HE WAS NOT A LARGE MAN
BUT HE HAD A LOT OF POWER,

AND MOST OF THE WHITE PEOPLE
WERE AFRAID OF HIM,

AND MOST ALL
NEGROES I GUESS.

I DIDN'T HAVE SENSE ENOUGH
TO BE AFRAID.

I USED TO BE
AFRAID OF BULL

'TILL I DISCOVERED
HE WAS CRAZY.

WHEN I DISCOVERED
HE WAS CRAZY

MY WHOLE
ATTITUDE CHANGED.

AL HIBLER WAS ON A TRAILWAY BUS,
HE WAS ON THE CORNER.

ALL OF THEM PUT US IN JAIL
AND PUT US IN THE PADDY WAGON.

SO AL HIBLER WAS STANDING UP
BESIDE THE BUILDING LIKE THAT,

AND BULL LOOKED OVER
AND SAID, "HEY !

GO GET THAT BLIND NIGGER
AND BRING HIM OVER HERE !"

SEE HOW FUNNY
THIS INSANE MAN WAS ?

HE'S HOLLERING
ACROSS THE STREET,

"BRING THAT
BLIND NIGGER OVER HERE !"

NOW HERE'S
A BLIND MAN...

HE DOESN'T UNDERSTAND
HUMAN NATURE ENOUGH

TO RELATE EVEN
TO A BLIND MAN.

YOU WONDER WHAT MAKES
PEOPLE LIKE THAT TICK.

WHAT'S GOING ON INSIDE THE MIND,
THE BRAIN, THE HEAD--

IF THEY HAVE A BRAIN--

THAT MAKES THEM
HATE FOLK,

WANT TO DO EVIL
THE WAY THAT THEY DID.

YOU JUST WONDER WHAT ARE
THEY THINKING ABOUT ?

YOU MUST UNDERSTAND
THAT A BULL CONNOR

COULDN'T EXIST
WITHOUT THE NODS

FROM THE
STATUS QUO PEOPLE,

YOU KNOW, THE BIG BOYS
IN ANY TOWN,

NO BULL CONNOR
CAN EXIST WITHOUT THEM.

HE MAY BE THE PERSON WHO
ACTUALLY DOES THE TALKING,

BUT, BELIEVE ME,

THE BULL CONNORS HAVE
THE BLESSING OF SOMEBODY ELSE.

IN THE NAME OF
THE GREATEST PEOPLE

THAT HAVE EVER
TROD THIS EARTH,

I DRAW THE LINE
IN THE DUST

AND TOSS THE GAUNTLET
BEFORE THE FEET OF TYRANNY,

AND I SAY
SEGREGATION NOW,

SEGREGATION TOMORROW,

AND SEGREGATION
FOREVER !

I THINK GEORGE WALLACE
WAS THE CAUSE OF
MANY PEOPLE'S DEATH,

CERTAINLY
MUCH SUFFERING.

THE WHITE PEOPLE
OF BIRMINGHAM

SHOULD'VE BEEN COMMENDED
BY THE PRESIDENT

FOR THEIR RESTRAINT DURING
THE DEMONSTRATIONS.

WHITE PEOPLE HAVE NOT BEEN
INVOLVED, ONLY LAWLESS NEGROES.

GEORGE WALLACE
WAS A DYNAMIC EXPRESSION

OF THE MENTALLY DERANGED
WHITE PEOPLE.

PEOPLE WHO ARE AFRAID
OF CHANGE AND FRUSTRATION.

GEORGE WALLACE EXPRESSED
THAT MENTAL ILLNESS.

HE'S DYNAMIC, THE BEST
IN THE BUSINESS AT IT.

NOW THEREFORE,
I, GEORGE C. WALLACE,

AS GOVERNOR OF
THE STATE OF ALABAMA,

HAVE BY MY ACTION
RAISED ISSUES

BETWEEN THE
CENTRAL GOVERNMENT

AND THE SOVEREIGN
STATE OF ALABAMA,

WHICH SAID ISSUES SHOULD BE
ADJUDICATED IN THE MANNER

PRESCRIBED BY THE CONSTITUTION
OF THE UNITED STATES,

AND NOW BEING MINDFUL OF
MY DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

UNDER THE CONSTITUTION
OF THE UNITED STATES,

THE CONSTITUTION OF
THE STATE OF ALABAMA,

AND SEEKING TO
PRESERVE AND MAINTAIN

THE PEACE AND DIGNITY
OF THIS STATE

AND THE INDIVIDUAL FREEDOMS
OF THE CITIZENS THEREOF,

DO HEREBY DENOUNCE
AND FORBID THIS...

( reporter )
GOVERNOR WALLACE,
I TAKE IT FROM THAT STATEMENT

THAT YOU ARE GOING
TO STAND IN THAT DOOR

AND THAT YOU ARE
NOT GOING TO

CARRY OUT THE ORDERS
OF THIS COURT,

AND THAT YOU ARE GOING
TO RESIST US FROM DOING SO.

I STAND UPON
THAT STATEMENT.

YOU STAND
UPON THAT STATEMENT.

THE DAY IN WHICH GOV. WALLACE
STOOD IN THE DOOR

WAS A REALLY HOT
ALABAMA SUMMER DAY.

AND I HAD, GOING DOWN
BEFORE WE GOT THERE,

I HAD BEEN INTERRUPTED
AND HAD A CALL FROM BOBBY

WHO SAID,

"THE PRESIDENT WANTS YOU
TO MAKE HIM LOOK SILLY."

I SAID,
"HOW DO YOU DO THAT ?"

AND HE SAID, "I DON'T KNOW,
BUT YOU FIGURE IT OUT."

SO I WAS NERVOUS
ABOUT THAT,

AND I WAS HOT

AND I WAS IRRITATED
AT THE WHOLE SHOW,

AT THE HUNDREDS OF
NEWSMEN AND CAMERAS,

ALL OF THIS
FOR SOMETHING

THAT I THOUGHT WAS JUST
PLAIN WRONG AND SILLY,

AND A SILLY POINT
THAT HE WAS TRYING TO MAKE.

GEORGE WALLACE
WAS GEORGE WALLACE.

HE'S SEEKING REDEMPTION NOW,
I UNDERSTAND.

YOU KNOW SOMETIMES
I WONDER IF HE BELIEVED

IN ALL OF THOSE THINGS
HE DID HIMSELF,

OR, IF HE WAS
DOING IT BECAUSE

IT WAS EXPEDIENT TO DO
AS A POLITICIAN.

GEORGE WALLACE, WHEN HE WAS
AN ELECTED PERSON IN OFFICE

WAS VERY MUCH LIKE

A SITUATION IN A STORY
I HAD IN "THE READER".

AND IN "THE READER"

THE HORSE USED
TO BE A FIRE HORSE

AND HE WAS SOLD
TO A MILK COMPANY...

AND SO WHEN HE WAS SOLD
TO THE MILK COMPANY,

ONE DAY THE MILKMAN
HAD STOPPED AT THE HOUSE

AND WAS GOING UP
TO SET A BOTTLE OF MILK DOWN

AND THE FIRE WHISTLE BLEW,
AND WHEN THE FIRE WHISTLE BLEW

THE HORSE TOOK OFF
WITH THE WAGON

AND BROKE
ALL THE MILK.

GEORGE WALLACE
WAS THAT TYPE OF PERSON.

AS LONG AS GEORGE WALLACE
WAS SITTING DOWN

TALKING TO YOU
ONE-ON-ONE,

THE NICEST GUY YOU EVER
WANT TO SIT DOWN WITH,

BUT WHEN THE CAMERAS
CAME AND GOT ON HIM,

HE TURNED INTO
THAT FIRE HORSE

AND HE WOULD BREAK EVERY BOTTLE
OF MILK ON THE TRUCK.

( minister )
WOULD YOU STAND
FOR OUR OPENING HYMN,
HYMN #350,

"THE CHURCH IS
ONE FOUNDATION".

( organ music )

( singing )

ONE OF THE THINGS YOU HAVE
TO HAVE IN A MOVEMENT

IS A MEETING PLACE,

AND REV. JOHN CROSS

AND THE PEOPLE OF
16th STREET BAPTIST CHURCH

LITERALLY MADE THAT CHURCH
THE HEADQUARTERS.

IT WAS A MOVEMENT CHURCH
BY LOGISTICS

BECAUSE IT WAS RIGHT
ACROSS THE STREET
FROM KELLY INGRAM PARK,

WHICH WAS KIND OF
THE GATHERING GROUND,

AND ALMOST CATTY-CORNER
FROM THE GAS & MOTEL,

WHERE THE MOVEMENT
PEOPLE HEADQUARTERED.

AND IT WAS VERY CONVENIENT,
CLOSE TO DOWNTOWN,

AND SO YOU COULD GATHER
IN THE 16th STREET CHURCH

AND THEN MARCH
DOWNTOWN FROM THERE.

I WAS
TWELVE YEARS OLD

WHEN THE MARCHING BEGAN,

WHEN DR. KING WAS THERE
AND REV. YOUNG

AND REV. BEVEL
AND REV. ABERNATHY.

AND FIRST OF ALL,
I WAS VERY IMPRESSED BY

HOW ARTICULATE
THEY WERE.

THEY WOULD WALK OUT INTO
THE AUDIENCE AND TELL US,

"IF YOU'VE GOT ANYTHING
IN YOUR POCKET,

"EVEN A NAIL FILE OR ANYTHING,
LET'S HAVE IT.

"WE DON'T WANT ANYBODY
TO GET THE IMPRESSION

"OR TO BE ABLE TO SAY THAT
WE WERE HERE FOR ANY PURPOSE

"OTHER THAN
WHAT WE'RE HERE FOR,

WHICH IS A SERIOUS MARCH
TO TRY TO REGAIN OUR RIGHTS."

YOU CAN'T IMAGINE
HOW IT REALLY WAS.

( woman )
THERE WERE SOME GOOD DAYS
AND THERE WERE SOME BAD DAYS.

WE HAVE COME
A LONG WAY,

I REMEMBER
THE GOOD DAYS

BECAUSE I USED TO LOVE
THE FREEDOM SONGS.

AND MY FAVORITE WAS,
♪ ... DOWN IN JAIL ♪

♪ HAD NOBODY
TO GO THEIR BAIL ♪

♪ KEEP YOUR EYES
ON THE PRIZE ♪

♪ HOLD ON, MY LORD,
HOLD ON ♪

♪ THE ONLY THING
THAT WE DID WRONG ♪

♪ WE STAYED IN THE WILDERNESS
A DAY TOO LONG ♪

♪ KEEP YOUR EYES
ON THE PRIZE ♪

♪ HOLD ON, MY LORDY,
HOLD ON ♪

♪ HOLD ON ♪

♪ HOLD ON ♪

♪ KEEP YOUR EYES
ON THE PRIZE ♪

♪ HOLD ON, MY LORDY,
HOLD ON ♪

IF NEGOTIATIONS
ARE UNPRODUCTIVE,

WE HAVE NO ALTERNATIVE
BUT TO DEMONSTRATE.

IN A MEETING TODAY WE DISCUSSED
ALL OF THESE ISSUES,

AND WE ALL AGREE THAT
IF THE PRESENT NEGOTIATIONS

THAT ARE TAKING PLACE
ARE NOT PRODUCTIVE,

WE WOULD HAVE
NO ALTERNATIVE

BUT TO CALL FOR
RENEWED DEMONSTRATIONS

HERE IN
BIRMINGHAM, ALABAMA...

THE MOVEMENT
WAS FAILING.

NOBODY WAS EVEN
ASKING QUESTIONS

AT PRESS CONFERENCES
IN WASHINGTON

ABOUT WHAT WAS
GOING ON IN BIRMINGHAM

AFTER TWO MONTHS
OF ACTIVE DEMONSTRATIONS.

THE FIRST
DEMONSTRATIONS WE HAD

WERE JUST
A HANDFUL OF PEOPLE.

IN FACT, WHEN DR. KING HIMSELF
WENT TO JAIL,

ONLY 55 PEOPLE
WOULD GO WITH HIM.

SO WHEN YOUNG PEOPLE
TODAY ASK ME

"WHEN ARE WE GONNA
BE ABLE TO GET TOGETHER

LIKE YOU ALL WERE
IN THE '60's ?"

NOBODY WAS TOGETHER
IN THE '60's.

IT WAS A SMALL GROUP
OF DEDICATED PEOPLE

WHO GOT IT STARTED.

AND THEN THE KIDS
TOOK IT OVER.

IN 1963

I WAS DIRECTING
THE MOVEMENT IN MISSISSIPPI,

FOR THE SOUTHERN CHRISTIAN
LEADERSHIP CONFERENCE
IN GREENWOOD.

DR. KING AND RALPH ABERNATHY
AND SHUTTLESWORTH

WERE TRYING
TO GET ADULTS

AND, THEY'D GOTTEN
ABOUT AS MANY ADULTS,

SO HE CALLED ME ON THE PHONE
AND ASKED ME

WOULD I COME
TO BIRMINGHAM

AND HELP TO ORGANIZE THE PEOPLE,
THE YOUNG PEOPLE.

AND SO I WENT
TO BIRMINGHAM

TO HELP ORGANIZE
THE PEOPLE,

AND THE YOUNG PEOPLE TO BECOME
INVOLVED IN THE MOVEMENT.

JAMES BEVEL,
PRINCIPALLY,

AND ANDY YOUNG
AND DOROTHY COTTEN

WERE GIVEN THE TASK

TO GET THE COLLEGE STUDENTS
FROM MILES,

AND THERE WAS ANOTHER
LITTLE JUNIOR COLLEGE THERE.

BEVEL, SORT OF
ON HIS OWN,

WENT DOWN
TO PARKER HIGH-SCHOOL.

AND THE TEACHERS
TOLD US

THAT THEY COULDN'T
GET IN THE MOVEMENT.

AND THEY LOCKED
THE GATES.

THAT WAS IT.

THE FACT THAT THE TEACHERS
LOCKED THE GATES,

THE KIDS CLIMBED THE GATES
AND GOT IN THE MOVEMENT.

AND WHEN THE
HIGH-SCHOOL KIDS GOT IN,

THE JUNIOR HIGH-SCHOOL KIDS--

AND THEN THE LITTLE KIDS
WANTED TO COME.

AND WE GOT WORD THAT
THE CHILDREN WANTED TO MARCH.

( Bevel )
MY THING WAS, LOOK,
WE HAVE TWO COLLEGES HERE.

WE HAVE PAYNE,
WE HAVE MILES COLLEGE,

AND YOU'VE GOT ALL
THESE TWELVE HIGH-SCHOOLS.

AND ALL THESE YOUNG PEOPLE ARE
AS BIG AS THEIR MOMS AND DADS,

AND THEY DON'T
HAVE TO PAY RENT,

HOUSE NOTES,
CAR NOTES.

AND SO IF THEY WERE
INVOLVED BY THE THOUSANDS,

THEN YOU WOULD HAVE
THE WHOLE

AFRICAN AMERICAN COMMUNITY
INVOLVED.

( Branch )
I DON'T KNOW OF ANY
PRECEDENT IN HISTORY

FOR USING CHILDREN
THAT YOUNG

IN A POLITICAL CAMPAIGN
LIKE THIS.

AND THERE WAS TREMENDOUS,
FEROCIOUS OPPOSITION

TO WHAT
THEY DECIDED TO DO.

AS ONE TEACHER SAID,
I MEAN SHE TURNED HER BACK

AND WRITE ON THE BOARD
AND SAID,

"I HOPE WHEN I TURN AROUND
THAT EVERYONE ISN'T GONE."

AND SHE TURNED AROUND
AND THEY ALL WERE GONE.

FIRST DAY,
I'LL NEVER FORGET AT HOME,

TURNING ON THE TV
AND THE NEWS

AND THERE WERE CHILDREN,
HIGH-SCHOOL KIDS,

MARCHING IN LINE
IN TWO'S.

AND IT JUST HIT ME.

GOD, I SAID, I GOT TO GO,
I GOT TO GO, MAMA !

I COULD'VE BEEN FIRED

IF I HAD JOINED UP
WITH THE SCLC GROUP,

OR THE CIVIL RIGHTS GROUP.

BUT THEY COULDN'T FIRE ME
BECAUSE THEY DIDN'T KNOW

THAT I WOULD ALLOW
MY CHILDREN TO GO OUT.

I HAD EIGHTH GRADE,

AND I HAD ABOUT
FIVE OR SIX YOUNG BOYS

WHO EVERY TIME
THEY WOULD HAVE A MARCH,

THEY WOULD GO,
AND I LET THEM GO.

EVEN LITTLE ONES, YOU SAY,
"WHERE HAVE YOU BEEN ?"

THEY'D SAY,
"I'VE BEEN TO JAIL."

I'D SAY, "WHAT DID YOU
GO TO JAIL FOR ?"

"I'VE BEEN GOING
TO JAIL FOR FREEDOM."

IT WAS ONE OF
THE MOST

FRIGHTENING EXPERIENCES
OF MY LIFE.

AND IT WAS SCARY,
IT WAS VERY SCARY,

AND THEY PUT US
IN THIS PLACE,

AND THE PLACE
WAS ALREADY--

THE INSIDE BEDROOMS
WERE ALREADY TAKEN,

SO WE WERE ON THE FLOOR
FOR FIVE DAYS.

RIGHT THERE ON THE FLOOR,
RIGHT IN THE HALL.

AND THEY PURPOSELY
PUT US IN WITH KIDS

WHO WERE CRIMINALS,

LITTLE BOYS WHO WERE
REAL HARD, REAL HARD.

I WAS NOT
REAL HARD, NO.

I WAS SCARED,
I WAS DEFINITELY SCARED.

I WANT
EQUAL RIGHTS.

I WANT EQUAL RIGHTS.

JUST LIKE
EVERYBODY ELSE.

I WANT MY FREEDOM
JUST LIKE EVERYBODY ELSE.

I WANT TO BE TREATED

JUST LIKE EVERYBODY ELSE
IS TREATED.

WHEN WE GOT OUT
AND I SAW MY PARENTS,

ALL I WANTED TO DO
WAS JUST HUG THEM.

AND I'LL NEVER FORGET,
THEY WERE BOTH CRYING,

AND I'M TRYING TO
BE LIKE THE MAN, RIGHT ?

I'VE BEEN IN JAIL
NOW FOR FIVE DAYS.

I'M WANTING TO CRY BUT I'M
TRYING TO BE REAL HARD, RIGHT ?

I'VE BEEN THERE.

BUT IT WAS A BADGE OF COURAGE,
IT WAS INCREDIBLE.

IT WAS INCREDIBLE,
AND THEY WERE SO PROUD OF ME.

DENISE CAME IN ONE DAY
AND SHE WAS SAYING

TO MY COUSIN HELEN
AND TO ME,

IF SHE COULD
GO MARCH.

AND WE SAID,
"NO, YOU'RE TOO LITTLE."

SHE SAID, "WELL,
YOU'RE NOT TOO LITTLE."

SO I DON'T KNOW HOW WE
CONVENIENTLY GOT OUT OF THAT

AND DIDN'T MAKE
OURSELVES LOOK BAD,

WHICH IS WHAT
WE FELT INTERNALLY.

HERE'S AN INFANT
SAYING

"YOU CAN DO SOMETHING
ABOUT A SITUATION

AND YOU REFUSE."

( drums )

KELLY INGRAM PARK ON MAY 3rd
WAS THE TURNING POINT

IN THE BIRMINGHAM
MOVEMENT.

AND IT WAS A HOT DAY.

IT WAS NINETY PLUS
AND HUMID IN BIRMINGHAM.

THESE FIREMEN HAD BEEN
OUT THERE FOR FOUR HOURS

WAITING FOR
SOMETHING TO HAPPEN

THAT WASN'T APPARENTLY
GOING TO HAPPEN.

AND THE CROWD
AGAIN HAD GATHERED,

AND SOMEBODY
THREW A BRICK.

AND THE FIREMEN,
IN THEIR FRUSTRATION,

THEY TURNED
THAT WATER CANNON ON.

AND IT WAS ABSOLUTE
HELTER-SKELTER.

YOU KNOW HOW YOU TAKE BLOWERS
AND BLOW LEAVES ?

WELL THIS IS HOW
FOLKS WAS.

WE WERE ROLLING,
ACROSS THE GROUND.

THE DOGS WAS
BARKING, BITING,

POLICE WERE
CLUBBING AND STUFF.

BUT THE LITTLE KIDS ON
THE INSIDE WERE PROTECTED.

I DON'T KNOW IF ANYBODY
HAS EVER EVEN THOUGHT

ABOUT THE PRESSURE
OF ONE OF THOSE HOSES.

YOU COULD JUST
FEEL IT STING.

IT WAS ALMOST
LIKE BEING WHIPPED,

WITH A WHIP
OR SOMETHING.

AND JUST SORT OF
HIT ME IN THE FACE

AND WENT THIS WAY
AND TOOK MY HAIR OUT.

I HAVE ALWAYS
BEEN AFRAID OF DOGS.

AND TO HAVE
THE POLICE DEPARTMENT

HAVE DOGS ON US...

THERE WERE PEOPLE
BEING BITTEN BY DOGS

AS WE WERE TRYING TO
RUN AWAY FROM THE DOGS

AND THE FIRE HOSES
WITH THE WATER.

THEY WERE LITERALLY WASHING
CHILDREN DOWN THE STREETS.

IT CAUGHT ME RIGHT ON
17th STREET

IN FRONT OF A CAFE
CALLED ZANZIBAR.

THAT'S WHEN IT
KNOCKED ME DOWN.

BUT THERE WAS SO MUCH
HATE HERE THEN,

SO THEY SAID, "GOTTA GET
THIS LADY TO THE HOSPITAL."

I SAID, "NO".

I WAS AFRAID
TO GO TO THE HOSPITAL.

I DIDN'T KNOW WHETHER
THEY'D TAKE ME OUT OVER THERE

SO I JUST SUFFERED
THE CONSEQUENCES.

YES, I WILL SAY THIS,

I'M GONNA BE FRANK
AND TELL YOU THE TRUTH...

WITH THE HOSE AND
THE DOGS AND THE FOLKS,

I WAS REALLY
AFRAID.

BUT I RESPECTED WHAT
THEY WERE MARCHING FOR,

SO I DID THE MARCH.

I WAS IN PRINCETON, NEW JERSEY
WHEN THE FIRE HOSES

AND THE MARCHES
IN KELLY INGRAM PARK

NEAR THE CHURCH
WERE HELD.

THEY WERE ON THE FRONT PAGE
OF THE NEW YORK TIMES.

AND I RECALL HAVING TO EXPLAIN
TO MY PROFESSORS

AND TO MY FRIENDS

EVERY SINGLE DAY

THAT ALL OF BIRMINGHAM
HADN'T ERUPTED IN VIOLENCE.

AND IN FACT,

IT WAS AWFULLY
HARD TO EXPLAIN

HOW I DIDN'T REALLY THINK
THAT FIRE HOSES

WERE THE WORST THING
THAT COULD'VE HAPPENED,

CERTAINLY COMPARED
TO FIRE ARMS,

CERTAINLY COMPARED TO
KILLING AND BEATING.

IT WAS DEVASTATING

BECAUSE IT WAS
JUST SO UGLY,

THE WAY THEY WERE
DOING YOUNG PEOPLE.

TO THINK A GROWN MAN

WOULD PUT A FIRE HOSE
ON A CHILD.

IT WAS AWFUL,
AND I DIDN'T LIKE IT.

I REALLY DIDN'T
LIKE IT BUT,

AS AN INDIVIDUAL THERE WAS
NOTHING I COULD DO BUT PRAY

AND I DID
A LOT OF THAT.

I THINK ABOUT THE PEOPLE
WHO WENT THROUGH ALL THAT

BACK IN THOSE DAYS.

WE DID NOT GIVE THEM
CREDIT FOR DOING IT,

BECAUSE THEY
FOUGHT MY BATTLE.

I SHOULD'VE
BEEN OUT THERE.

BIRMINGHAM,

AND PARTICULARLY
IN THE YEAR 1963

WHEN THIS TOOK PLACE,

HAD BECOME THE FOCAL POINT
OF THE STRUGGLE IN THE SOUTH.

AND IT HAD BEEN A SORT OF
A VIOLENT YEAR.

IN JUNE MEDGAR EVERS
HAD BEEN KILLED.

BUT IT WAS ALSO A YEAR
OF ECSTASY AND TRIUMPH.

ON AUGUST 28th

A QUARTER MILLION PEOPLE
ASSEMBLED IN WASHINGTON, D.C.

AND THOSE OF US
IN THE MOVEMENT

WERE ALMOST AS SURPRISED
AS WE WERE DELIGHTED

TO SEE THIS MAGNIFICENT
THING HAPPEN.

WE FELT
AT THE MARCH

THAT AT LAST WE HAD
THE ATTENTION OF AMERICA,

THE CONGRESS, THE PRESIDENT,
AND THE WORLD.

( singing )

I WAS ANGRY WITH CHRIS
DURING THAT TIME,

BECAUSE HE'D DONE SOMETHING
THAT I DIDN'T THINK WAS KOSHER.

AND SO I'M WALKING AROUND
GLARING AT HIM,

BOTH OF THEM,

BECAUSE SEEMINGLY
IN MY MIND

THEY WERE
INFRINGING ON ME.

MY WIFE, I THINK, HAD EATEN
AND WHEN I CAME HOME

EVIDENTLY SHE DIDN'T HAVE
WHAT I WANTED TO EAT.

AND I DECIDED I WANTED
A BROILED CHICKEN.

AND SO I PROCEEDED
TO GET A CHICKEN,

CUT UP A CHICKEN,

AND DENISE CAME UP THERE
WHERE I WAS,

AND SHE JUMPED UP ON
THE KITCHEN COUNTER,

AND HER MOTHER CAME IN
THE KITCHEN AND LOOKED AT HER,

AND DENISE
LOOKED AT ME,

AND I DIDN'T TELL HER
TO GET OFF THE COUNTER.

SO IF DADDY DIDN'T TELL ME
TO MOVE, BYE TO YOU.

AND I JUST THOUGHT THAT
SITTING ON THE COUNTER ?

IN THE KITCHEN ?

WHERE YOU'RE
GONNA PUT FOOD ?

UH-UH,
THAT'S A NO-NO.

AND SO I LET HER
SIT UP THERE

AND I FINISHED
CUTTING UP THE CHICKEN,

CLEANED IT,
AND THEN SEASONED IT,

AND PROCEEDED TO BROIL IT,
DID BROIL IT,

AND THEN WE ATE THE CHICKEN,
HAD A GOOD TIME.

TO ME,

AND I'VE OFTEN REFERRED TO IT
WITH MY WIFE IN THAT TONE,

IT WAS LIKE
THE LAST SUPPER

AS I WOULD IMAGINE
IT WOULD'VE BEEN

WITH CHRIST
AND HIS DISCIPLES

AND I'M SERIOUS
ABOUT THIS.

TWO WEEKS BEFORE
THE CHURCH WAS BOMBED,

MY MOTHER WAS IN THE KITCHEN
AND WE WERE GETTING READY

FOR CHURCH AND
ALL THOSE THINGS.

AND SHE WAS STANDING THERE
AT THE SINK,

AND THEN SHE TURNED AROUND
AND SAID TO RAY,
MY OLDEST BROTHER,

"I KNOW YOU BEEN
GOING OUT THERE,

"LEADING THOSE DEMONSTRATIONS,
LEAVING SCHOOL

"AND GOING DOWN
TO BIRMINGHAM.

I KNOW YOU'VE
BEEN DOING THAT."

HE WOULDN'T DENY IT.

HE DIDN'T ADMIT IT,
BUT HE WOULDN'T DENY IT.

AND SHE SAID, "MAMA JUST
WANTS TO ASK YOU THIS.

"DON'T GO BACK IN THE
16th STREET BAPTIST CHURCH,

"BECAUSE GOD
HAS SHOWN ME

SOMETHING TERRIBLE'S
GONNA HAPPEN THERE."

I DREAMED,

SEEMINGLY OUT
OF A CLEAR BLUE SKY,

THAT THERE
WAS GOING TO BE

SOMETHING TERRIBLE HAPPENING
AT 16th STREET,

AND I SAW
A LOT OF BLOOD,

AND I MENTIONED IT
AT THE BREAKFAST TABLE.

IT WAS ON A SATURDAY MORNING,
AND I SAID "PLEASE,

I DON'T WANT
ANY OF YOU..."

I SAID,
"RAY, I DON'T WANT YOU

NOWHERE NEAR
16th STREET BAPTIST CHURCH."

AND RAY WENT, "MA !"

AND DAD SAID, "DON'T TELL THEM
ANY SUPERSTITIOUS STUFF !"

AND SHE SAID,
"NO, GOD HAS SHOWN ME.

"I DREAMED IT
LAST NIGHT.

"IT WAS JUST BLOOD COMING
ALL OUT OF THAT CHURCH.

"BLOOD JUST POURING
OUT OF THE CHURCH.

AND I DON'T WANT
ANY OF MY BLOOD SPILLED."

AND WE WERE ALL
LOOKING LIKE...

AND THEN I GUESS
SINCE RAY DIDN'T RESPOND

AS WE NORMALLY
RESPOND

WHEN MAMA TELLS YOU
TO DO SOMETHING,

BECAUSE WE DIDN'T COME FROM
ONE OF THOSE FAMILIES,

WHERE YOUR PARENTS
ASK YOU TO DO SOMETHING,

AND SO HE DIDN'T RESPOND,

AND THE NEXT THING,
SHE JUST FELL ON HER KNEES.

AND I STARTED CRYING

BECAUSE IT SEEMED SO REAL
TO ME IN THE DREAM.

AND WHEN THIS HAPPENED

I THINK WE ALL
THOUGHT ABOUT IT.

THAT SUNDAY
WAS SO DRAMATIC--

TRAUMATIC, RATHER,

UNTIL IT'S ALMOST
HARD TO TALK ABOUT IT.

WE WERE MORE OR LESS
AT OUR VARIOUS HOMES

GETTING READY
TO GO TO CHURCH.

THIS WAS THE BEGINNING OF
A MONTHLY YOUTH DAY SERVICE,

SO THE CHILDREN WERE REAL
EXCITED TO HAVE THIS OPPORTUNITY

TO TAKE PART IN THE LEADERSHIP
OF THE CHURCH THAT DAY.

WHEN ADDIE AND SARAH AND I
STARTED TO WALK TO CHURCH,

IT DON'T USUALLY TAKE

BUT MAYBE
'ROUND ABOUT...

MAYBE 'ROUND ABOUT 15 OR
20 MINUTES TO GET TO CHURCH.

BUT THAT PARTICULAR SUNDAY
IT TOOK A LITTLE BIT LONGER

BECAUSE WE PLAYED...

WE PLAYED A GAME
WITH MY PURSE.

AND LIKE I SAID,
IT WAS SHAPED LIKE A FOOTBALL.

IT WAS JUST A REGULAR
SUNDAY MORNING.

LIGHT BREAKFAST,
AND SHE LEFT.

SHE ALWAYS WENT BY MY PARENTS
ON SUNDAY MORNING.

THAT PARTICULAR SUNDAY

I WAS SUPPOSED TO GO
TO SUNDAY SCHOOL WITH CAROLE,

AND I WAS RUNNING
A LITTLE LATE

AND I DIDN'T GET
AN OPPORTUNITY TO GO.

AND WE HAD
THE BEST TIME.

WE WAS LAUGHING SO HARD
AND WAS PLAYING SO HARD.

WE JUST DID IT
ALL THE WAY TO CHURCH,

JUST THROWING IT
BACK AND FORTH.

AND WHEN
WE GOT TO CHURCH,

I WENT DOWN INTO
THE BASEMENT WITH THEM

BECAUSE I DIDN'T
WANT TO GO UP,

BECAUSE WE HAD TO GET
OURSELVES FIXED UP

BECAUSE WE PLAYED
AND MESSED OURSELVES UP.

WE'D BEEN OUT TO MY SISTER'S
HOUSE THE NIGHT BEFORE--

THE AFTERNOON BEFORE,

AND WE DIDN'T GET TO CHURCH
EXACTLY ON TIME

TO HEAR ALL OF WHAT
THE PRELIMINARIES WERE

FOR THE SUNDAY SCHOOL.

SHE HAD THIS
PRETTY WHITE DRESS.

SHE HAD NEW
BLACK SHOES,

HER FIRST LITTLE HEELS
THEY WERE,

NOT HIGH HEELS, BUT
THE FIRST HEELS SHE HAD WORN.

I REMEMBER TELLING THEM,

"MAKE SURE WHEN YOU GET THROUGH
FIXING YOUR HAIR,

"YOU HURRY AND
GO UPSTAIRS

"BECAUSE WE'RE
ALREADY LATE

AND WE DON'T WANNA
GET ANY LATER."

33 YEARS AGO TODAY
I LEFT HOME,

COMING TO
SUNDAY SCHOOL,

AT THIS, MY CHURCH,
16th STREET.

I HAD JUST
WALKED UP THE STEPS

AND WALKED OUT
INTO THE SANCTUARY.

THE PHONE RANG BEFORE
I WALKED OUT INTO THE SANCTUARY.

THIS WAS ACTUALLY
THE SECOND PHONE CALL

THAT I HAD
TAKEN THAT MORNING,

AND THE CALLER ON THE OTHER END
SAID "THREE MINUTES".

BEING 14 YEARS OLD,

I HAD NO IDEA
THAT IT MEANT ANYTHING.

WHEN I WALKED INTO THE CHURCH
IT WAS LIKE, WOW,

THE FIRST THING
I WAS LOOKING--

AND I SAID
IT LOOKS STRANGE IN HERE.

THE FEELING,
THE FEELING THAT IT FELT.

I EVEN NOTICED IT.

IT WAS LIKE I'VE NEVER FELT THIS
IN THIS CHURCH BEFORE.

IT WAS LIKE
A DIFFERENT FEELING.

I WAS ONE OF
THE SUNDAY SCHOOL TEACHERS,

AND MY CLASS WAS
DOWNSTAIRS IN THE BASEMENT

NEAR WHERE
THE BOMBING TOOK PLACE.

AND I THINK I WAS THE LAST
PERSON IN THE FAMILY

TO SEE DENISE
THAT MORNING.

I WENT ON UPSTAIRS TO MY CLASS
IN THE CHOIR LOFT,

AND SHE WENT DOWNSTAIRS
IN THE BASEMENT.

DENISE CAME
TO MY ROOM,

AND I SAID, "WHAT ARE
YOU DOING IN HERE ?"

AND SHE SAID, "I CAME
TO BORROW YOUR COMB,

YOUR COMPACT,
AND A QUARTER."

AND I SAID, "DENISE,
DON'T YOU HAVE ANY OF THAT ?"

HER MOTHER WOULDN'T
GIVE IT TO HER,

SO SHE BORROWED MY COMB,
MY COMPACT AND A QUARTER.

THE NEXT THING I HEARD
WAS THIS LOUD BLAST,

AND MY FIRST WORDS WERE,
"MY BABY, MY BABY".

IT WAS JUST A LOUD NOISE
AND THE BUILDING SHOOK,

AND I JUST REMEMBER

SOMETHING HITTING ME
IN MY HEAD.

I THINK IT WAS A PIECE
OF THE LIGHT FIXTURE

AND JUST SCREAMS AND...

I JUST REMEMBER SEEING
BLACK SOOT EVERYWHERE.

AND I GUESS
MY FIRST REACTION,

I THOUGHT RUSSIA HAD SENT
A SPUTNIK BOMB OVER THERE,

'CAUSE I REMEMBER READING
IN THE PAPER DURING THAT TIME

ABOUT RUSSIA AND ABOUT BOMBINGS
AND THINGS LIKE THAT.

I WOULDN'T HAVE THOUGHT THAT
NOBODY'D BOMB THAT CHURCH.

WHEN I HEARD THE NOISE
FROM MY CHURCH,

I DIDN'T KNOW
WHAT IT WAS.

I KNOW IT SOUNDED
A LITTLE LIKE THUNDER.

IT WAS
AN OVERCAST DAY,

BUT I TURNED TO MY BROTHER
AND SAID, "WAS THAT THUNDER ?"

AND HE SAID,
"UH-UH".

MY HUSBAND HAD CARRIED
CAROLE TO SUNDAY SCHOOL,

AND I WAS DRESSING FOR CHURCH
WHEN I HEARD THE BOMB.

I THINK I WAS IN THE BATHROOM
PUTTING ON MAKEUP.

MY PARENTS AND I AND
MY SISTERS AND BROTHERS,

WE WERE ALL SITTING DOWN
AT THE TABLE EATING BREAKFAST.

AND THE WHOLE
HOUSE SHOOK.

BIRMINGHAM WAS ALWAYS
KNOWN FOR FOUNDRIES

AND BLASTING
AND THINGS LIKE THIS,

SO WHEN YOU HEAR IT
SOMETIMES YOU JUST THINK

THAT IT'S ONE OF THE
FOUNDRIES BLASTING COAL,

AND WE DIDN'T WANT
TO THINK THE WORST.

SOMEHOW OR ANOTHER
SOMEBODY TOLD OUR PASTOR

THAT 16th STREET
HAD BEEN BOMBED.

WE GOT THE CHILDREN TOGETHER
AND TOLD THEM TO HOLD HANDS.

WE WENT OUTSIDE,

AND WHEN
WE GOT OUTSIDE

ALL WE COULD SEE
WERE POLICEMAN.

AND WHEN WE
GOT ON THE OUTSIDE,

GOING DOWN THE STEPS,

IT WAS LIKE
I RAN INTO JUNIE.

AND WHEN I RAN
INTO JUNIE,

WE WAS WALKING BACK AND FORTH
AND FINALLY IT STRUCK US

THAT WE DIDN'T
SEE ADDIE AND SARAH.

YOU CAN IMAGINE
JUST HOW TERRIBLE IT WAS

FOR EVERYBODY.

PEOPLE WERE
DIGGIN' IN THE ASHES,

AMONG THE RUBBLE TRYING
TO FIND THEIR LOVED ONES.

IN A FEW MINUTES
MY WIFE'S COUSIN,

THE ONE WE CALL "MAMA HELEN"
WHO LIVES UP THE STREET,

SHE CAME BY IN HER CAR
AND SHE SAID, "COME ON,

GO WITH ME,
WE CAN'T FIND DENISE."

AND I LOOKED EVERYWHERE,
ALL OVER THE CHURCH,

UPSTAIRS, DOWNSTAIRS,
AND EVERYWHERE,

AND I COULDN'T
FIND MY CHILDREN.

I IMMEDIATELY
REACHED DOWN

AND PULLED ONE OF THE LARGE
CONCRETE BLOCKS AWAY...

AND THERE WAS ONE OF
THE GIRLS' HEAD

I HAD DISCOVERED.

GOD, WHEN I FOUND OUT
THAT MY CLASSMATE, CYNTHIA,

WAS ONE OF THEM,

THE FIRST THOUGHT
WAS THAT I SAW HER

AS WE WERE LEAVING SCHOOL
THAT FRIDAY

AND WE SAID TO EACH OTHER,
"SEE YOU MONDAY".

AND SHE SAID
SOMETHING TO ME,

AND I DON'T REMEMBER
WHAT IT WAS,

BUT IT WAS SOMETHING
TO MAKE ME LAUGH.

AND WE SAID, JUST RUSHING,
"SEE YOU MONDAY".

BUT I REMEMBER SO VIVIDLY
LOOKING INTO HER EYES.

( Spike )
WHEN DID YOU FIND OUT THAT
CAROLE HAD BEEN IN THE BLAST ?

WHEN MY HUSBAND
AND MY MOTHER AND ALL

CAME IN TO TELL ME.

OH BOY.

IT WAS JUST...
IT WAS AWFUL.

THEY TOLD ME.

MY HUSBAND
TOLD ME FIRST.

YEAH, BECAUSE
HE GOT HERE FIRST...

AND HE WAS UPSET.

HE WAS THE KIND
OF GENTLEMAN,

HE WAS KIND, NICE.

I GUESS HE JUST
DIDN'T BELIEVE

ANYBODY WOULD
DO ANYTHING LIKE THAT.

HE DIED NOT REALIZING
THAT PEOPLE DO THINGS LIKE THAT.

SOMEONE CAME AND
TOLD ME THAT...

MISS...

MRS. ARNOLD CARRIED ME TO
THE HOSPITAL SO I COULD SEE HER.

WHEN WE GOT TO
UNIVERSITY HOSPITAL
AND STARTED SEARCHING,

WE RAN UPON ANOTHER
ONE OF MY WIFE'S COUSINS.

HIS NAME
IS CLEVELAND.

AND WE CALLED HIM
"BROTHER CLEVELAND".

AT ANY RATE,

HE HELPED US SEARCH AROUND
AND WE FOUND THE ROOM

THAT THEY WERE USING
AS A MORGUE.

AND IN THERE WERE ALL FOUR
OF THE GIRLS LYING UP THERE.

THEN THERE WAS
DENISE AMONG THEM

WITH THIS PIECE
OF CONCRETE,

MORTAR-LIKE ROCK
EMBEDDED IN HER HEAD.

WHEN I GOT THERE...

MY COUSIN HENRY
WAS THERE,

AND HE WAS
VERY ANGRY...

AND HE WAS USING WORDS THAT
LET YOU KNOW HE WAS ANGRY, TOO.

AND THE LADY SAID--
WANTED TO KNOW WHO I WAS.

AND I TOLD HER THAT
I HEARD THAT MY DAUGHTER,

DENISE McNAIR,
HAD BEEN KILLED.

AND SHE SAID,
"OH YOU'RE MAXINE".

AND I GOT SO ANGRY
WITH HER.

HOW DARE SHE CALL ME MAXINE,
SHE WASN'T A FRIEND OF MINE.

SHE DIDN'T
KNOW ME FROM ADAM

AND HERE SHE'S GONNA
TAKE THE LIBERTY

OF CALLING ME
BY MY NAME.

I SAID,
"I'M MRS. CHRIS McNAIR."

"I'M SORRY, I'M SORRY",
WAS HER COMMENT.

BUT IT WAS TOO LATE THEN,
SHE'D DONE IT.

YOU KNOW,
THAT OLD MENTALITY,

"YOU'RE NOTHING
AND I'M SOMETHING" CAME OUT.

SHE WENT IN AND THEN
SHE LET ME GO IN AND SEE HER.

SHE SAID, "BUT YOUR HUSBAND
HAS ALREADY IDENTIFIED HER."

BUT THAT WAS
MY PRIVILEGE

TO IDENTIFY
MY CHILD TO ME.

I DIDN'T THINK ANYBODY SHOULD'VE
TAKEN IT AWAY FROM ME,

AND I'M SURE
I SAID AS MUCH,

'CAUSE BY THAT TIME
I WAS KIND OF TICKED OFF.

OKAY...

THEY CARRIED ME ON
TO MY MOTHER'S HOUSE

AND WHEN I GOT IN THERE,
I COULDN'T STOP HOLLERING.

I COULDN'T
STOP SCREAMING...

AND I CAN JUST SEE MYSELF
SITTING IN THE CHAIR,

JUST BEING SO UPSET...

IN A PLACE THAT I WANTED TO RUB
AND I COULDN'T RUB IT.

AND I LATER FOUND OUT
THAT I WAS THE ONLY PARENT

THAT WAS
AT CHURCH THAT DAY.

I'M QUITE SURE
THAT MY PARENTS--

THEY IDENTIFIED
A BODY,

BUT ALL I HEARD
THAT MY SISTER JUNIE

HAD IDENTIFIED
THE BODY.

BECAUSE IT HAD SOMEWHAT
OF AN EFFECT LEFT UPON HER.

IT HAD A REALLY

KIND OF A
NERVOUS-LIKE, YOU KNOW.

IT REALLY
AFFECTED HER.

IT WAS JUST
A DEVASTATING EXPERIENCE,

AND I...

EXPERIENCED A LOT
OF PANIC ATTACKS TOO.

ONCE UPON A TIME I WAS...

REAL AFRAID OF
BEING ON THE OUTSIDE

AS WELL AS THE INSIDE.

( Spike )
OF WHAT ?

OF ANYWHERE.

BECAUSE
THE BOMBING TOOK--

IT HAPPENED
IN A CHURCH WHERE

YOU NORMALLY
WOULD FEEL SAFE,

OR YOU'D THINK
YOU WERE SAFE...

AND OF ALL PLACES,
A CHURCH.

THAT SUNDAY

WHEN THE LITTLE GIRLS
WERE KILLED IN THE CHURCH,

MY FORMER HUSBAND AND I,

JIM BEVEL,

WERE IN EDENTON,
NORTH CAROLINA.

THE SOUTHERN CHRISTIAN
LEADERSHIP CONFERENCE

WAS CARRYING OUT A
VOTER REGISTRATION PROJECT.

AND IN FACT I WAS SCHEDULED
TO PREACH THAT SUNDAY MORNING.

AND SO WHEN
THE CHURCH BLEW UP,

WE HEARD ABOUT IT
BEFORE I GOT TO CHURCH.

AND WE FELT THAT IN ORDER
TO RESPECT OURSELVES,

AS AN ADULT MAN
AND WOMAN,

WE COULD NOT LET
LITTLE GIRLS BE KILLED.

IT WAS LIKE SOMEBODY
HIT ME WITH HOT STEEL.

AND I FELT PERSONALLY INSULTED,
BECAUSE IT WAS LIKE,

THEY KNEW THESE CHILDREN
WAS USING THAT CHURCH,

AND THEY REALLY FELT INSULTED
BECAUSE THE CHILDREN

HAVE DEFEATED THEM, RIGHT ?

SO IT'S LIKE THEY'RE
COMING BACK ON THE CHILDREN

TO SAY WE WILL
TEACH YOU A LESSON.

AND MY POINT IS
WE WILL TEACH YOU A LESSON.

WE FELT THAT THERE WERE
TWO THINGS THAT WE COULD DO.

THE FIRST OPTION
IS THAT WE FELT CONFIDENT

THAT WE COULD FIND OUT
WHO WAS RESPONSIBLE

FOR HAVING
KILLED THOSE GIRLS,

AND WE COULD MAKE CERTAIN

THAT THEY GOT KILLED.

THAT WAS OPTION ONE.

NOW I SAID LOOK,

I'M GONNA HAVE TO
GET OUT OF THE MOVEMENT

AND KILL THESE GUYS.

WE ARE NOT GONNA LET GUYS
COME INTO THE COMMUNITY,

BLOW UP OUR CHURCHES
AND KILL OUR CHILDREN.

WE'RE NOT
GONNA DO IT.

THE SECOND OPTION

WAS THAT IF
BLACKS IN ALABAMA

GOT THE RIGHT TO VOTE,

THEY COULD PROTECT
THEIR CHILDREN.

NOW THAT'S WHERE
THIS BOMBING OF THE CHURCH

IS WHERE THE SELMA,
"RIGHT TO VOTE MOVEMENT"
WAS BORN.

I REMEMBER THAT SUNDAY
VERY CLEARLY.

I'M NOT SURE
WHERE I WENT TO CHURCH.

AS I THINK ABOUT IT NOW,

I PROBABLY TOOK
THAT SUNDAY OFF.

BUT I KNOW I GOT AN
URGENT CALL FROM DR. KING,

HE TOLD ME THEY HAD BOMBED
THE 16th STREET BAPTIST CHURCH

AND FOUR LITTLE GIRLS
WERE DEAD,

AND WE HAD TO GO
TO BIRMINGHAM RIGHT AWAY.

AND I DON'T KNOW
WHERE WE MET,

BUT I KNOW WE HAD A GREAT DEAL
OF CONVERSATION.

AND HE BEGAN TO
BEMOAN THE FACT.

HE SAID,
"THEY'RE GONNA BLAME ME."

HE WAS SUPERSENSITIVE
ABOUT THINGS LIKE THIS,

AND HE SAID,
"THEY'RE GONNA SAY

IF WE HAD NEVER COME TO
BIRMINGHAM..."

HE SAID,
"WE GOT TO GO."

HE SAID "I DREAD GOING,
BUT WE GOT TO GO."

SO WE GOT OURSELVES TOGETHER
AND WENT OVER TO BIRMINGHAM

TO SEE THE FAMILIES.

DR. KING CAME BY

THE PARSONAGE
WHERE I WAS LIVING

THE EARLY PART
OF THAT EVENING...

AND TALKED WITH ME ABOUT
THE FUNERAL ARRANGEMENTS.

I TOLD HIM THAT WE TRIED
TO GET A MASS FUNERAL

BUT THERE WAS
ONE FAMILY

THAT WANTED
TO HOLD OUT.

I TELL YOU, WE STARTED--
WE GOT UP MONDAY MORNING

AND STARTED
MAKING PLANS,

WENT TO--
PLANNED EVERYTHING

BECAUSE WE HAD NO IDEA THEY WERE
PLANNING A JOINT FUNERAL

UNTIL LATE
MONDAY EVENING

WHEN KING AND CROSS,

ABERNATHY, GARDNER,

SMITH...

THERE WERE
SEVEN OF THEM,

SHUTTLESWORTH,
THAT CAME OUT.

DR. KING TALKED

AS HE TRIED TO PERSUADE HER
TO CHANGE HER MIND.

SHE SAID,
"I TOLD REV. CROSS

"WHAT MY
INTENTIONS ARE

AND THAT'S WHAT
I WANT TO DO."

SO HE HAD PRAYER
WITH HER,

AND THEN WE LEFT.

( Mrs. Robertson )
I DON'T KNOW
WHAT WE WOULD'VE DONE

IF WE HAD KNOWN
EARLY MONDAY MORNING

THAT THEY WERE PLANNING
A MASS FUNERAL.

I DON'T KNOW WHAT THE DECISION
WOULD'VE BEEN THEN.

BUT WE WENT ABOUT THE BUSINESS
DURING THAT MONDAY

AND WE JUST LET IT STAY.

WE WENT DOWNTOWN
AND WE PICKED OUT...

HER FAVORITE COLOR
WAS YELLOW.

SO WE WENT TO PARISIAN'S
AND WE GOT HER A YELLOW DRESS.

AND THE LADY KNEW ME

BECAUSE I HAD BEEN
SHOPPING THERE BEFORE.

AND SHE WAS SAYING
HOW SORRY SHE WAS,

AND SHE SOLD ME THE DRESS
AND THE SOCKS

AND WHATEVER ELSE
I BOUGHT THAT DAY,

AND WE CARRIED IT ON OVER
TO THE FUNERAL HOME

AND PUT IT ON HER.

AND THE MAN TOLD ME
THAT THEY WEREN'T GONNA

BE ABLE TO DO A GOOD JOB
WITH FIXING HER UP

BECAUSE THE BRICK
THAT WE FOUND,

THAT WE HAVE,

WAS EMBEDDED IN HER HEAD
AND IT HAD DONE SOMETHING

TO HER SKIN
ON THIS SIDE.

HE SAID,
"BUT WE WILL MAKE IT

"LOOK THE VERY BEST
THAT WE CAN.

WE WON'T
DISAPPOINT YOU."

SO I HAD TRUST
AND FAITH IN HIM

BECAUSE HE WAS
A FRIEND OF MINE.

AND SURE ENOUGH,

THEY PULLED THE HAIR AROUND
AND FIXED HER UP,

AND SHE LOOKED NICE.

CAROLE'S FUNERAL WAS
A VERY QUIET FUNERAL,

JUST A NORMAL,
SAD FUNERAL.

WHEREAS
THE NEXT DAY,

IT WAS THE MORE
SPECTACULAR,

WITH THE NEWS

AND THEY WERE THERE
FROM EVERYWHERE.

( singing
"We Shall Overcome" )

WHAT I REALLY
REMEMBER MOST WAS

WHEN WE GOT OUT OF
THE CAR TO THE CHURCH,

I REMEMBER LOOKING UP
AND THERE WERE CAMERAS

AND PEOPLE
IN THE TREES.

AND THE FAMILY COULD
HARDLY GET IN THE CHURCH.

MOST KIDS DIDN'T
GO TO THE FUNERAL.

SCHOOL WAS
GOING ON AND...

BUT I REMEMBER
SPECIFICALLY

I'D WORN A SHIRT AND TIE
THAT DAY,

AND GEORGE BELL,
MY PRINCIPAL,

THE FAMOUS GEORGE BELL...

AS I WAS LEAVING,
I GOT A NOTE FROM MY MOTHER,

CAME UP TO ME

AND TOOK HIS TIE OFF.

HE SAID, "SON, YOU WANT TO WEAR
DARK TIES TO FUNERALS.

HE SAID YOU'RE
REPRESENTING US."

( choir singing )

AND THEN INSIDE
THE SERVICE...

DR. KING SPOKE...

AND WE TRIED
TO NOT CRY AND LISTEN,

BUT THERE WAS NOT
A DRY EYE IN THE HOUSE...

AND HIS SPEAKING
CALMED US...

AND I THINK
THE CRYING HELPED.

I REMEMBER MARTIN LUTHER KING
WHEN HE WAS THERE,

BUT I CAN'T
REMEMBER

EVERYTHING
THAT HE SAID,

BECAUSE YOU
ARE SO HURT,

YOU'RE SEEING THREE CASKETS
AROUND THE CHURCH,

AROUND THE FRONT PART
OF THE CHURCH,

AND YOU KNOW
YOUR SISTER'S

IN ONE OF
THOSE CASKETS.

YOU CAN'T
REALLY LISTEN.

THE ONLY THING
YOU CAN DO IS FEEL,

AND THERE WAS JUST NOTHING
BUT HURT THAT I FELT.

AND AT SOME POINT
HE SAID SOMETHING ABOUT

"LIFE IS HARD",

OR "LIFE IS
AS HARD AS STEEL".

THINGS YOU REMEMBER:
THE THREE COFFINS,

THIS GROUP
OF HUNDREDS

OF BLACK AND WHITE
MINISTERS

AND OTHERS,

FAMOUS PEOPLE.

"BUT LIFE IS
AS HARD AS STEEL".

NOT AN EXACT QUOTE,
BUT HE SAID THAT,
THAT WAS THE POINT.

I'LL NEVER FORGET THAT.

THE SERVICE WAS SAD,
BUT IT WASN'T MORBID.

BUT IT WAS JUST
SUCH A TENDER MOMENT,

BUT AT THE SAME TIME IT
WAS SUCH A SAD MOMENT,

BECAUSE THE REALIZATION WAS
THESE LITTLE GIRLS

WOULD NEVER GET A CHANCE
TO REALIZE LIFE

BECAUSE OF SOME PERSON'S
DECISION TO MAKE THEM

MAYBE THE VICTIMS OF
WHY THE MOVEMENT SHOULD STOP.

I REMEMBER
COMING DOWN THE STEPS

AT ADDIE'S AND
DENISE'S FUNERAL

AND LETTING GO
OF THE CASKET.

I DON'T KNOW,
I JUST LOST SOMETHING.

THIS WAS ONE OF
MY BEST FRIENDS IN LIFE,

AND I HAD NEVER LOST
A BEST FRIEND BEFORE.

AND JAMES STEWART
GRABBED ME AND HELD ME

'CAUSE I'D LOST COMPLETE
FAITH IN HUMANITY,

I SUPPOSE,
AND DIDN'T KNOW IT.

I REMEMBER BEING
VERY, VERY, VERY UPTIGHT...

AND...

JUST OVERWHELMED
BY SOMETHING.

AND THE NEXT THING
I KNEW,

SOMEBODY WAS SAYING,

"YOU PASSED OUT
AT THE CEMETERY."

"DEAR MR.
AND MRS. McNAIR,

"HERE IN THE MIDST
OF THE CHRISTMAS SEASON

"MY THOUGHTS
HAVE TURNED TO YOU.

"THIS HAS BEEN
A DIFFICULT YEAR FOR YOU,

"THE COMING OF CHRISTMAS

"WHEN THE FAMILY BONDS
ARE NORMALLY MORE CLOSELY KNIT

"MAKES THE LOSS
YOU HAVE SUSTAINED

"EVEN MORE PAINFUL.

"YET, WITH
THE SAD MEMORIES,

"THERE ARE THE MEMORIES
OF THE GOOD DAYS

"WHEN DENISE WAS WITH YOU
AND YOUR FAMILY.

"AS YOU KNOW, MANY OF US
ARE GIVING UP OUR CHRISTMAS

"OR SEVERELY LIMITING THEM
AS A MEMORIAL

"FOR THE GREAT SACRIFICES
MADE THIS YEAR

"IN THE FREEDOM
STRUGGLE.

"I KNOW THERE IS NOTHING
THAT CAN COMPENSATE

"FOR THE VACANT PLACE
IN YOUR FAMILY CIRCLE,

"BUT WE DID WANT TO SHARE
A PART OF OUR SACRIFICE

"THIS YEAR WITH YOU.

"PERHAPS THERE IS SOME SMALL
THING DEAR TO YOUR HEART

"IN WHICH THIS GIFT
CAN PLAY A PART.

SINCERELY YOURS,
MARTIN LUTHER KING, JR."

THIS WAS PHOTOGRAPHED
MOTHER'S DAY '62.

WE WERE ON OUR WAY TO CHURCH,
SUNDAY SCHOOL,

AND HE SNAPPED
THIS SHOT.

SHE'S TELLING HIM,
"WAIT DADDY,

I'M NOT READY,
YOU'RE TOO FAST."

AND HE SNAPPED
IT ANYWAY.

AND WE WERE RUNNING LATE
SO HE DIDN'T DO IT OVER.

THESE ARE SOME OF HER
COLORING BOOKS AND THINGS

THAT WE FOUND
IN A TRUNK

THAT WERE MUSTY AND OLD
AND TIRED LOOKING.

SHE LOVED
DOLLS AND TOYS,

AND IF SHE COULD MAKE
A TACKY LITTLE SOMETHING

THAT I CALLED TACKY,
THAT SHE DIDN'T CALL TACKY.

DOLL CLOTHES,
PIGGY BANKS,

JEWELRY,
POCKETBOOKS,

THINGS SHE DID
IN SCHOOL.

AND THIS WAS TAKEN
ONE SUNDAY

IN TUPELO, MISSISSIPPI
WHEN WE LIVED DOWN THERE.

WE HAD COME HOME
FROM CHURCH

AND SHE HAD GOTTEN
TIRED OF STAYING,

BECAUSE WE WOULD GO
FOR SUNDAY SCHOOL

AND IT SEEMED LIKE
AN ALL DAY THING.

AND SHE WENT TO SLEEP,
AND SHE WAS VERY WRINKLED.

AND HER DADDY LIKED
THE LITTLE OUTFIT SHE HAD ON,

SO HE SAID,
"I WANT A PICTURE OF THIS."

I SAID,
"WELL LET ME PRESS IT."

"UH-UH, I WANT IT
JUST LIKE IT IS."

THIS WAS THAT
STRANGE BRICK

THAT PENETRATED
HER SKULL

THAT A FRIEND OF MINE
AT THE CEMETERY SAVED

AND GAVE
TO MY MOTHER,

AND MY MOTHER,
SOME YEARS LATER, GAVE TO ME.

WHEN I WAS GOING
TO SCHOOL BEFORE...

AFTER SHE HAD DIED,
WHEN I WAS GOING TO SCHOOL,

IT WAS LIKE,
YOU KNOW HOW YOU JUST--

YOU REMEMBER SUCH A GOOD TIME
YOU USED TO HAVE ?

AND YOU KNOW YOU'RE
GONNA HAVE A GOOD TIME

WHEN YOU GO HOME

BECAUSE YOU'RE GONNA
GET WITH YOUR SISTER.

THAT WAS THE TYPE OF
RELATIONSHIP WE HAD.

I KNEW THAT
WHEN I GOT HOME,

ME AND ADDIE WAS GONNA
HAVE US A GOOD TIME PLAYING.

AND I RUSHED HOME
THAT EVENING FROM SCHOOL

THINKING THAT I WAS
RUSHING HOME TO GET WITH ADDIE.

AND I HAD REMEMBERED
THAT ADDIE WAS DEAD.

AND THAT THING
HURTED ME.

IT HURTED ME
SO DEEP 'TILL...

IT'S NOT EASY,

BECAUSE WE HAD PUT
SO MUCH OF THIS BEHIND US

AND WE DON'T
REMEMBER.

WE JUST DON'T
REMEMBER ANYMORE,

YOU KNOW WHAT
I'M SAYING ?

BUT YOU KNOW
HOW YOU FELT.

YOU MAY NOT REMEMBER
DETAILS OR WHAT...

STEP BY STEP
WHAT I HAD TO GO THROUGH,

BUT I DO KNOW
IT AFFECTED ME...

SO BAD.

I DON'T THINK
THE WHITE COMMUNITY

REALLY UNDERSTOOD
THE DEPTH OF THE PROBLEM

AND THE DEPTHS
OF THE HATE

OF THE KLAN AND ITS FRIENDS
IN THE SOUTH,

IN THE NORTH TOO
FOR THAT MATTER,

UNTIL THAT
INCREDIBLY

MEAN-SPIRITED

TERRIBLE CRIME
OF BLOWING UP KIDS

IN A SUNDAY SCHOOL
BASEMENT.

UP TO THAT TIME,
I THINK IT WAS LOOKED AT

PRIMARILY AS...

AN INTERESTING KIND OF
A SOCIAL DEVELOPMENT

THAT WOULD COME ALONG
SOMEHOW OR OTHER

IN THE GENERATIONS
TO COME.

AT THAT MOMENT THAT
THAT BOMB WENT OFF

AND THOSE FOUR LITTLE GIRLS
WERE BLASTED

AND BURIED IN
THE DEBRIS OF THE CHURCH,

AMERICA UNDERSTOOD
THE REAL NATURE OF THE HATE

THAT WAS PREVENTING
INTEGRATION,

PARTICULARLY
IN THE SOUTH,

BUT ALSO
THROUGHOUT AMERICA.

THIS WAS
THE AWAKENING.

I THINK
THAT INCIDENT,

AS TRAGIC
AS IT WAS,

CONVINCED WHITE AMERICA
MORE DEEPLY THAN ANYTHING ELSE,

WHY THERE HAD TO BE
A BIRMINGHAM CONFRONTATION

AND WHY THERE
NEEDED TO BE

A MARTIN LUTHER KING
ON THE ISSUE OF RACE.

THE BOMBING OF THE CHURCHES
IN BIRMINGHAM,

AND THE DEATH
OF THE LITTLE GIRLS,

WAS JUST AN ACT OF TERRORISM
IN MY JUDGMENT.

AND THOSE ARE IN MANY WAYS,
AS WE KNOW TODAY,

THE HARDEST ONES
TO RESOLVE

AND THE CRUELEST

BECAUSE THEY
DON'T CARE WHO IT IS

THAT GETS KILLED,

AS LONG AS THERE'S
SOME SYMBOLISM

IN WHAT
THEY'RE DOING.

IT JUST SEEMED
POINTLESS.

IT WASN'T GONNA
STOP THE MOVEMENT.

IT JUST
TOOK THE LIVES

OF FOUR BEAUTIFUL,
INNOCENT LITTLE GIRLS.

FOUR LOVELY CHILDREN...

TODAY COULD'VE BEEN
SPELLMAN GRADUATES,

HARVARD GRADUATES,

COULD HAVE BEEN DOING THINGS
IN THEIR COMMUNITY,

COULD'VE BEEN WONDERFUL
DOCTORS, LAWYERS,

OR JUST PLAIN
HARD WORKING PEOPLE.

BUT HUMAN BEINGS.

THE BAD NEWS IS FOUR
INNOCENT BABIES WERE KILLED.

THE GOOD NEWS IS

WERE ABLE TO TRANSFORM
A CRUCIFIXION

INTO A RESURRECTION.

NEW LIFE, NEW HOPE,
NEW ENERGY,

AND MORE DETERMINATION.

( various reporters )
120 years of history
suddenly destroyed...

Five churches with
black congregations

have burned in
Alabama this year.

Look at some of
the damage...

This is one of dozens
of southern,

predominantly black churches
that burned within...

Just last week somebody
torched this church...

... wants to know if the fires
are racially motivated.

WHAT'S PAINFUL TO ME
AS WE LOOK AT THE STORY TODAY...

THEY'RE BURNING
CHURCHES AGAIN.

I GUESS MORE THAN ANYTHING
THAT REALLY BOTHERED ME

WAS WHEN I FOUND OUT HOW MANY
OTHER CHURCHES HAD BURNED

SINCE 1994.

THERE WERE OVER
22 CHURCHES IN THE SOUTH

THAT HAVE
BURNED DOWN.

PEOPLE KEPT SAYING
IT WAS NOT A CONSPIRACY

AND THINGS LIKE THAT,

BUT THE THING THAT
I BELIEVE IS THAT

IT'S A CONSPIRACY
OF THE MIND.

ONCE YOU
BURN ONE DOWN,

OTHER PEOPLE ARE GONNA
BURN OTHERS DOWN.

NOW THIS WAS TRUE
AFTER THE CIVIL WAR

WHEN THE KU KLUX KLAN
WAS ORGANIZED,

THEY, TOO,
BURNED BLACK CHURCHES.

THEY HAD A SYMBOL

WHERE THEY SET
THE CROSS OF JESUS ON FIRE.

THEY'RE STILL DOING IT,

BUT THE RESULT
WILL BE THE SAME.

WE'RE GONNA
REBUILD THOSE CHURCHES

AND MAKE THEM
BIGGER AND STRONGER.

THE MESSAGE
HAS TO BE CLEAR...

YOU CAN BURN 'EM DOWN,

BUT NOT FASTER THAN
WE CAN BUILD 'EM UP AGAIN.

( reporter )
Four young black girls
were killed

in the 1963 bombing

of the 16th Street
Baptist Church in Birmingham.

It was one of a series of
bombings in the Birmingham area

during the late '50's
and early '60's,

and it was never solved.

Last month
a grand jury began

a new investigation
of the bombings

and yesterday
indicted two men.

One was Robert Chambliss
of Birmingham,

a former
Ku Klux Klan member.

Chambliss,
jailed last night,

is being held
without bond

on four counts
of first degree murder.

I THINK BOB CHAMBLISS
WAS RESPONSIBLE

FOR MORE EVIL THAN
ANY OTHER HUMAN BEING...

IN THE HISTORY OF THIS COUNTY,
MAYBE THIS STATE.

I'M NOT GONNA SAY
HE'S THE MOST EVIL MAN,

'CAUSE WHO AM I
TO JUDGE ?

BUT HE WAS RESPONSIBLE
FOR MORE EVIL

BECAUSE HE,
BY HIMSELF,

WAS RESPONSIBLE FOR
NEARLY ALL THE BOMBINGS

THAT HAPPENED
IN BIRMINGHAM

DURING THE
'40's, '50's, '60's.

HIS NICKNAME WAS
"DYNAMITE BOB"

AND INSTEAD OF BEING SCARED
OR WORRIED OR CONCERNED,

HE WAS PROUD OF IT.

HE DIDN'T THINK THAT THE POLICE
WOULD EVER DO ANYTHING TO HIM,

THAT HE'D EVER BE
TRIED OF ANYTHING.

HE WORE IT LIKE
A BADGE OF HONOR.

"DYNAMITE BOB."

I SAW CHAMBLISS
STANDING ON THE CORNER

WATCHING
THE EXCITEMENT

DOWN AT THE
16th STREET BAPTIST CHURCH.

AND I REMEMBER
SAYING TO MYSELF,

HE'S THE FIREBUG THAT'S
COME BACK TO WATCH THE FIRE.

THIS IS THE COURTROOM

WHERE BOB CHAMBLISS
WAS TRIED

FOR KILLING
FOUR LITTLE GIRLS

AT THE 16th STREET
CHURCH BOMBING.

THE COURT ROOM
IS ARRANGED

EXACTLY AS IT WAS
AT THE TRIAL.

BOB CHAMBLISS
SAT HERE,

I SAT HERE,

THE ASSISTANT ATTORNEY GENERAL,
JOHN YOUNG, SAT HERE,

AND THE ATTORNEY GENERAL
OF THE STATE OF ALABAMA,

BILL BAXLEY,

SAT THERE DURING
THE PROSECUTION.

EVER SINCE THE DAY
IT HAPPENED, LIKE I SAID,

I HAD HOPED THAT SOMEDAY
I COULD BE A PART OF SOLVING

OR BRINGING THE PEOPLE
THAT DID THAT TO JUSTICE.

IN FACT, THIS NEVER NEVER
HAS BEEN MENTIONED BEFORE,

BUT I GOT THIS RECORD
SHORTLY AFTER THAT,

OF JOAN BAEZ, WHO WAS
ONE OF MY FAVORITES.

AND SHE HAD A SONG CALLED
"BIRMINGHAM SUNDAY" ON THERE.

AND IT MENTIONED
THE FOUR LITTLE GIRLS

AND ALMOST EVERY MORNING
OF MY LIFE

UNTIL I BECAME
ATTORNEY GENERAL,

I PLAYED THAT JOAN BAEZ SONG
OF "BIRMINGHAM SUNDAY".

IN BIRMINGHAM,
ALABAMA,

THE TRIAL OF
ROBERT CHAMBLISS,

CHARGED WITH THE BOMBING
OF A BLACK CHURCH IN 1963,

FOUR YOUNG GIRLS
WERE KILLED.

THE DEFENSE
FINISHED TODAY

AND THE CASE
HAS GONE TO THE JURY.

IN THE FBI DOCUMENTS

THAT WERE SUBMITTED FROM
THE BIRMINGHAM FIELD OFFICE

IN 1964 AND '65
TO J. EDGAR HOOVER,

FOUR MEN
WERE IDENTIFIED

AS SUSPECTS
BY THE FBI.

AND ACCORDING
TO THE FBI,

THEY HAD INFORMERS

WHO SAID THEY HAD GONE
TO THE CHURCH THAT NIGHT.

AND THEY WERE
BOB CHAMBLISS,

TOMMY BLANTIN, JR.,

BOBBY FRANK CHERRY,
AND HERMAN CASH.

OF THOSE FOUR,

BAXLEY INDICTED
ONLY CHAMBLISS,

BECAUSE HE FELT HE COULD MAKE
THE STRONGEST CASE THERE.

STILL, BY THE TIME
WE GOT TO TRIAL

WE HAD EVIDENCE
THAT WE COULDN'T USE.

WE HAD PEOPLE
WHO WOULDN'T TESTIFY.

IT WAS AN
IFFY CASE TO WIN.

AND I KIND OF FELT LIKE
WE MIGHT OUGHTA WAIT

BECAUSE I STILL FELT LIKE
THERE WERE PEOPLE

THAT STILL MIGHT TALK.

AND I KNEW THAT IF
WE WENT TO TRIAL AND LOST,

AND THE CASE
WAS MARGINAL,

THEN THEY'D
NEVER BE SOLVED.

SO I WENT
TO CHRIS McNAIR,

WHO AS I SAID
WAS A FRIEND OF MINE,

AND I TOLD HIM THAT
WE'D GOTTEN ABOUT AS FAR

AS WE COULD GO.

AND I SAID, "CHRIS,
WHAT WOULD BE YOUR DESIRE

"AS ONE OF THE VICTIMS,
AS THE FATHER OF DENISE ?

"WOULD YOU WANT US TO
GO AHEAD WITH AN IFFY CASE

"AND RUN THE
RISK OF LOSING,

OR WAIT AND HOPE SOMEBODY
WILL CARRY IT FROM HERE ?"

AND CHRIS BASICALLY SAID
IF IT WASN'T DONE

IN MY TERM OF OFFICE,

HE DIDN'T THINK
IT WOULD EVER GET DONE.

AND CHRIS DID ONE OF
THE BRAVEST THINGS

THAT I'VE EVER SEEN
ANYONE DO,

WHICH WAS HE WENT
ON THE WITNESS STAND...

AND THEY BROUGHT HIM...

THE POSTMORTEM PHOTOGRAPHS
OF DENISE.

AND...

BECAUSE THEY WANTED THE JURY
TO SEE THE LOSS OF A PARENT.

AND IT'S ONE OF THE MOST
RIVETING MOMENTS

I'VE EVER WITNESSED
IN A COURTROOM, OR ANYWHERE,

WHEN THE PROSECUTOR
PRESENTED

THOSE PHOTOGRAPHS
TO CHRIS,

AND HE...
HE DIDN'T SPEAK AT FIRST.

HELD OUT TO HIM
AND HE WENT BACK IN HIS CHAIR

AS IF HE'D BEEN HIT
A BLOW IN THE CHEST

WITH A HEAVY MALLET.

AND...

WITH GREAT CALMNESS THEN,
HE SAID,

"THAT IS MY DAUGHTER,
THAT IS DENISE McNAIR."

I THINK
THE BIG BREAK CAME

WHEN CHAMBLISS' NIECE
DECIDED TO TALK.

AND I'LL NEVER FORGET,

I WAS SITTING RIGHT BEHIND
ART HAINES, JR.,
ART HAINES, SR.,

AND CHAMBLISS
IS BETWEEN THEM,

AND THE OLD MAN
LOOKS OVER HIS SHOULDER

AND SEES THIS WOMAN
WALKING IN,

AND HE TURNS AROUND AND HIS
ATTORNEYS LEAN OVER TO HIM

AND ASK HIM,
"WHO IS THAT ?"

AND IT'S CLEAR THEY'RE
TOTALLY UNPREPARED
FOR THIS WITNESS.

THIS SMALL WOMAN
WITH A CROSS,

SHE WAS
A METHODIST MINISTER,

SHE WALKED UP
ON THAT STAND

AND SHE PUT THAT MAN
IN PRISON THAT DAY.

AND THE GIST OF
HER TESTIMONY WAS THIS,

THAT IN THE DAYS LEADING UP
TO THAT BOMBING,

SHE OPENED A DOOR
IN THE BACK OF HIS HOUSE

AND WALKED IN
AND SAW DYNAMITE.

AND HE BERATED HER FIERCELY
FOR DOING THAT.

AND THEN...

THEY WERE TALKING ABOUT
THE EVENTS IN BIRMINGHAM,

AND HE WAS ENRAGED
BECAUSE HE HAD READ

IN THE PAPER,
I THINK,

ABOUT A WHITE WOMAN
BEING ASSAULTED BY A BLACK MAN

ON A BUS
OR SOMETHING.

I'VE FORGOTTEN
THE DETAILS.

BUT THIS TWISTED HIM
INTO A RAGE AS SHE TOLD IT,

AND HE SAID,
"JUST WAIT 'TILL SUNDAY

AND THEY'LL BEG US
TO SEGREGATE AGAIN."

THE NIGHT BEFORE...

WE FINISHED ARGUING
THE CASE TO THE JURY,

WE STARTED THE ARGUMENTS
AFTER LUNCH.

AND I GOT BACK
FROM LUNCH

AND ONE OF MY ASSISTANTS,
JOHN YOUNG,

CALLED ME UP THERE,

AND I WAS TRYING TO REALLY
GET MY THOUGHTS COLLECTED

FOR THE ARGUMENT,

AND I DIDN'T
WANT TO BE BOTHERED.

AND HE SAID, "COME HERE,
YOU GOTTA SEE SOMETHING."

HE SAID, "LOOK,
ONE OF THE EXHIBITS

"WAS THE DEATH CERTIFICATE
FOR DENISE McNAIR.

LOOK AT THIS."

AND THAT DAY
WAS DENISE'S BIRTHDAY.

IN MY FINAL ARGUMENT,
I CLOSED BY TELLING 'EM

THAT BY SOME
ACCIDENT OF FATE

THAT THIS DAY
WAS DENISE'S BIRTHDAY.

AND THEN I WENT ON THAT
HAD IT NOT BEEN FOR THIS ACT

THAT THERE'D PROBABLY BE A PARTY
OVER AT THE McNAIRS' HOUSE,

MAYBE WITH SOME LITTLE
GRANDCHILDREN AND THAT BIT.

AND I CLOSED BY SAYING

"GIVE DENISE
A BIRTHDAY PRESENT,

BRING HER KILLER
TO JUSTICE."

IT WASN'T TOO LONG,
THE NEXT MORNING,

AFTER THE JURY CAME BACK
THAT THEY CAME IN,

AND I WAS ON THE PHONE
WHEN THE JURY CAME IN

AND I HEARD THE VERDICT
OF GUILTY.

AND I JUST SAID A PRAYER
OF THANKSGIVING.

CHAMBLISS WAS THE MOST
PATHOLOGICAL RACIST

I HAVE
EVER ENCOUNTERED.

HE WAS A CHILLING
CHARACTER.

I VISITED HIM
TWICE IN PRISON.

HE NAMED TO ME
FOUR OTHER PEOPLE

THAT HE SAID
HAD PLANTED THE BOMB.

AND THEY WERE PEOPLE
I KNEW BY NAME

TO BE ASSOCIATED
WITH THE KLAN.

AND HE BEGAN TO SPRING
A LONG NARRATIVE--

SPIN A LONG NARRATIVE
ABOUT THESE PEOPLE.

HE DESCRIBED HOW THESE PEOPLE,
BY HIS ALLEGATION,

HAD GONE TO A PLACE ON
3rd AVENUE WEST IN BIRMINGHAM

AND PHONED IN A PHONY BOMB TIP
TO PULL THE POLICE AWAY.

THEN HE DESCRIBED THE ROUTE
THAT THEY HAD DRIVEN

TO PLANT THE BOMB
AT THE CHURCH.

THEN HE DESCRIBED HOW
THEY HAD DRIVEN OVER

BY BIRMINGHAM
SOUTHERN COLLEGE

AND ARCADELPHIA ROAD

AND FINDLAY AVENUE
TO ESCAPE,

AND I REALIZED THAT
AS HE WAS TELLING THIS,

HE WAS TELLING ME HOW THEY
PLANTED THE BOMB THAT NIGHT.

OH, THIS IS MY FAVORITE
PHOTOGRAPH OF DENISE

OF ALL THE MANY PICTURES
I HAVE OF HER.

AND WELL,

I WOULD SAY
IT'S MY FAVORITE,

NUMBER ONE: I THINK
IT'S A GOOD PHOTOGRAPH,

BUT I MADE IT WITH
HER LITTLE CAMERA,

HER LITTLE
BROWNIE CAMERA.

AND SHE WAS
SITTING IN THE BED

PLAYING WITH HER DOLL,

AND SHE SAID, "MAKE
A PICTURE OF ME, DADDY."

AND I SAID,
"WITH THIS CAMERA ?"

"YEAH,
WITH MY CAMERA."

SO I DID IT,
AND IT WAS A FLASHBULB,

SO THE DISTANCE
THAT I WAS FROM HER

REALLY WAS
TOO CLOSE.

BUT I MADE THE PICTURE

BECAUSE I WANTED TO FILL
THE FRAME UP PRETTY GOOD.

AND WHEN THE
FILM WAS DEVELOPED,

I SAW THAT THE NEGATIVE
WAS WAY OVER-EXPOSED

AND I NEVER WORRIED
ABOUT IT ANYMORE

UNTIL AFTER SHE DIED.

AND I WENT BACK THROUGH THE
NEGATIVES AND I SAW IT AGAIN,

AND I REDUCED IT.

AND THEN I MADE
A PRINT OF IT

AND I REALIZED
WHAT A JEWEL I HAD.

IT WASN'T GOD THAT
BROUGHT THE BOMBING ON.

A LOT OF PEOPLE
WOULD THINK,

WELL, GOD DID THIS
AND GOD DID THAT.

JUST LIKE
IT'S A GOD OF GOOD,

WE HAVE
A GOD OF EVIL TOO.

AND IT'S
NO PART OF GOD.

AND WHEN WE REALIZE THAT
GOD HAS OUR BEST INTERESTS

AND HE HAS A PLAN
FOR EACH ONE OF US,

A PLAN THAT'S GOOD
AND NOT FOR EVIL,

THEN WE CAN BEGIN
TO COME AND RECEIVE HEALING.

A FRIEND OF MINE
WHO'S A PASTOR

SAID, "GOD HAS A
WILL FOR EVERYTHING.

"YOU JUST HAVE TO
GO WITH IT.

"AND YOU CAN'T
ASK HIM WHY,

"BECAUSE HE HAS
A DIVINE PLAN.

"AND YOU KNOW THAT,
SO DON'T ASK.

"JUST GO ON

AND DO WHAT YOU KNOW
IS RIGHT TO DO."

I WORKED HARD
NOT TO FEEL...

ANGER AND HATRED.

BUT... I DID.

AND I JUST
HAD TO WORK ON IT.

AND I HAD TO
KIND OF

KEEP MY SPIRITS UP

SO THAT I COULD HELP
MY HUSBAND TO KEEP HIS UP.

AND YOU KNOW,
THE OTHER FOLK AROUND ME.

AND WE HAD...

GOOD FRIENDS
AND FAMILY

WHO GAVE US
A LOT OF SUPPORT.

AND I JUST HAD TO
WORK WITH IT AND PRAY.

( Spike )
DID IT TAKE A NUMBER OF YEARS
FOR THAT TO HAPPEN,

FOR YOU TO
ARRIVE AT THAT ?

YES, GRADUALLY,
IT CAME ABOUT.

BECAUSE...

THE HATING OF PEOPLE
WASN'T GONNA DO ME ANY GOOD,

IT WOULD HURT ME WORSE
THAN IT WOULD THEM.

SO I THINK
I CONQUERED IT.

EVERY NOW AND THEN
IT STILL COMES OUT, THOUGH.

NOT HATRED,
BUT ANGER.

( Spike )
HOW DOES
IT COME OUT ?

WELL, I DON'T KNOW,
DIFFERENT WAYS.

THAT'S A TRICKY
QUESTION.

( Spike )
I'M NOT TRYING TO BE
MIKE WALLACE NOW.

OR ED BRADLEY, HUH ?

( Spike )
OR ED BRADLEY.

WELL, I GUESS
IT'S A QUESTION

THAT DESERVES
AN ANSWER, I GUESS.

YOU'RE ASKING ME
HOW DOES IT COME OUT.

SOMETIMES
IT COMES OUT

IN WAYS THAT I'M NOT
EVEN CONSCIOUS OF.

YOU'RE THINKING
ABOUT SOMETHING

AND HAVING
THE WRONG THOUGHTS

AND SOMETHING COMES UP
AND ANGER EXPRESSES ITSELF.

BUT I'VE TRIED TO JUST
PUT ALL OF THAT BEHIND ME

AND GO ON AND LIVE.

BECAUSE IN ADDITION
TO THAT,

SO MANY OTHER THINGS
HAVE HAPPENED.

MY HUSBAND IS GONE,

MY THREE BROTHERS,
MY SISTER,

MY PARENTS.

AND OF COURSE I STILL HAVE
MY KIDS, MY FAMILY.

I HAVE TWO,
A SON AND A DAUGHTER,

THREE GRANDCHILDREN

AND FOUR
GREAT GRANDCHILDREN.

SO I HAVE SOMETHING TO BE
THANKFUL FOR AFTER ALL.

♪ HMM MMM MMM ♪

♪ MMM HMM MMM ♪

♪ ON A SWEET SEPTEMBER MORNING
IN '63 ♪

♪ IN A QUIET BAPTIST CHURCH
ON 16th STREET ♪

♪ CHILDREN WERE SITTING
IN BIBLE CLASS ♪

♪ WHEN HOODED MEN THREW DYNAMITE
THROUGH THE GLASS ♪

♪ AND FOUR... ♪

♪ LITTLE GIRLS ♪

♪ FOUR... ♪

♪ LITTLE GIRLS ♪

♪ LOST THEIR LIVES ♪

♪ LITTLE D. McNAIR WAS ONLY
NINE YEARS OLD ♪

♪ AND CAROLE PLAYED THE CLARINET
IN SCHOOL SHOWS ♪

♪ CYNTHIA WAS HER MAMA'S
ONLY CHILD ♪

♪ AND ADDIE MAE HAD JUST
ENROLLED IN JUNIOR HIGH ♪

♪ WHEN FOUR... ♪

♪ LITTLE GIRLS ♪

♪ FOUR... ♪

♪ LITTLE GIRLS ♪

♪ LOST THEIR LIVES ♪

♪ SO MANY
LOST IN THE TIDE ♪

♪ THE VIOLENCE
AGAINST CIVIL RIGHTS ♪

♪ NEVER FORGET
OR FORGIVE ♪

♪ THE SOUL OF
A NATION CRIED... ♪

♪ WHEN FOUR... ♪

♪ LITTLE GIRLS ♪

♪ FOUR... ♪

♪ LITTLE GIRLS ♪

♪ NOW WON'T YOU
SAY A PRAYER ♪

♪ FOUR... ♪

♪ LITTLE GIRLS ♪

♪ NOW WON'T YOU
SAY A PRAYER ♪

♪ SAY A PRAYER ♪

♪ FOUR LITTLE GIRLS ♪

♪ NOW WON'T YOU,
NOW WON'T YOU SAY ♪

♪ NOW WON'T YOU SAY ♪

♪ LITTLE GIRLS ♪

♪ NOW WON'T YOU
SAY A PRAYER ♪

♪ SAY A PRAYER ♪

♪ FOUR LITTLE GIRLS ♪

Captions Copyright 1998
HOME BOX OFFICE

A Division of TIME WARNER
ENTERTAINMENT COMPANY, L.P.

Captioned by
HBO COMMUNICATIONS CENTER