The childrens crusade 1963 biography
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In May of 1963, thousands of Black children ages 7-18, conducted peaceful protests around the city of Birmingham, Alabama. They were organized by activist James Bevel, and their purpose was to draw attention to the Civil Rights Movement. They were met with anger by white Birmingham citizens, hostility by the police, and many of them were thrown in jail. Despite these reactions these young people bravely continued their protests.
Why it is important to know about:
Even though they were children, these kids were still met with brute force. Seeing children treated this way, however, brought national attention to what was happening in Birmingham, and how Black people were being treated across the South. This event became one of the major factors in the success of the Civil Rights Movement, one that directly affected change.
Details of the event:
In April 1963, civil rights activists including Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., met in Birmingham, Alabama to conduct prote
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The Birmingham Children's Crusade of 1963
“We were told in some of the mass meetings that the day would come when we could really do something about all of these inequities that we were experiencing. And we were calling it D-Day. That was May 2, 1963,” remembers Janice Kelsey. Kelsey was one of the thousands of young people who participated in a series of non-violent demonstrations known as the Children’s Crusade in Birmingham, Alabama, during the first week of May 1963.
For many African American children in Birmingham, the civil rights movement was already part of their lives. They had witnessed their parents' involvement through mass meetings organized at churches like the 16th Street Baptist Church. While many parents and civil rights leaders were cautious about involving young people in the protests, it turned out that the brave actions of these children helped make lasting change in Birmingham at a key turning point in the movement.
The goal of the crusade was to use ta
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Children's Crusade (1963)
1963 civil rights march bygd schoolchildren in Birmingham, Alabama, U.S.
The Children's Crusade, or Children's March, was a march bygd over 1,000 school students in Birmingham, Alabama on May 2–10, 1963. Initiated and organized by Rev. James Bevel, the purpose of the march was to walk downtown to talk to the mayor about segregation in their city. Many children left their schools and were arrested, set free, and then arrested again the next day. The marches were stopped by the head of police, Bull Connor, who brought fire hoses to ward off the children and set police dogs after the children. This event compelled President John F. Kennedy to publicly support federal civil rights legislation and eventually led to the passage of the Civil Rights Act of 1964.
Malcolm X[1] and Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.[2] were both opposed to the event because they thought it would expose the children to violence.
Background
[edit]Although the Civi