Birmingham Sunday

Written by Larry Dane Brimner

Narrated by Robin Miles

Racial bombings were so frequent in Birmingham that it became known as ''Bombingham.'' Until September 15, 1963, these attacks had been threatening but not deadly. On that Sunday morning, however, a blast in the 16th Street Baptist Church ripped through the exterior wall and claimed the lives of four girls. The church was the ideal target for segregationists, as it was the rallying place for Birmingham's African American community, Martin Luther King, Jr., using it as his ''headquarters'' when he was in town to further the cause of desegregation and equal rights. Rather than triggering paralyzing fear, the bombing was the definitive act that guaranteed passage of the landmark 1964 civil rights legislation. Birmingham Sunday centers on this fateful day and places it in historical context.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Recorded Books, Inc.
• Release date: Nov 4, 2011
• ISBN: 9781461848295

Reviews for Birmingham Sunday

[pmlyayakkers · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

A history of the racial strife in Alabama in the 1960's culminating in the bombing of a black church and the death of 6 young people.

[1derlys · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Pictorial of the bombing of the Sixth Street Church in Birmingham 1963. The retelling is backed by photos of eyewitness accounts fo the church, march, police spraying fire hose at children, peaceful arrests, and ending segregation in schools, The last pages are dedicated to the girls that lost their lives that Sunday, and to two boys that also lost their lives as a result of the highly charged atmosphere and hatred. It shares the photos of the two bombers that were brought to trial for murder and how justice prevails even after almost 50 years of being free.

[lindamamak · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

The bombing of a black church in 1963, was the culminating experience of many prior incidences. This book looks at each of the events that lead up to this bombing. Great historical facts.

[karenball_1 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

"Suddenly at 10:22, a dynamite blast rocked the building. Stained glass windows shattered. And thirty-inch-thick stone and brick walls thundered, tumbling in on the five young girls." This is the story of the 16th Street Baptist Church bombing on Sunday, September 15, 1963 in Birmingham, Alabama. It is one of the most horrible acts of terrorism during the Civil Rights Movement. Four 6th to 8th grade girls died that morning, two teenage boys who were outside the church also died that day, and many others were injured in the explosion. The purpose of the bombing was to intimidate people into silence, but this and other acts of brutality turned public opinion against racism and segregation, and led many to support the Civil Rights Act of 1964. Brimner uses stories, photos, and primary source documents to describe the history of segregation, Jim Crow laws, and racism through the culture of the American South. He focuses especially on Birmingham as a flash point for terrorism engineered by the Ku Klux Klan. There were so many bombings that the city was nicknamed "Bombingham." The book's design highlights quotes, laws, and facts, with excellent archival photos that will bring the events to life for readers. The photo I found most disturbing actually had the least violence. On page 17, there is a full-page photo of fully-robed and hooded Klansmen at a rally, with young children also dressed in robes and hoods. Racism and prejudice is learned early, and breaking that cycle is one of the most important things education can do. 6th grade and up.

[lilibrarian · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

A history of the racial strife in Alabama in the 1960's culminating in the bombing of a black church and the death of 6 young people.