The Children’s Crusade

The Birmingham protests took place nearly a full century after the 14th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution guaranteed equal rights to Black Americans in 1868. Still, much of the U.S. remained unequal in 1963. State and local governments, particularly in the South, had made racial discrimination a daily reality through decades of restrictive Jim Crow laws and practices.

In many U.S. towns and cities, Black people could live only in certain neighborhoods. They couldn’t drink from the same water fountains, go to the same schools, eat in the same restaurants, or try on clothes in the same stores as White people.

The situation was particularly bad in Birmingham, which King had called “the most segregated city in America.” Officials like Eugene “Bull” Connor, who oversaw the police force, strictly enforced segregation. White extremists such as Ku Klux Klan members threw explosives into Black homes and churches so often that the city had earned the nickname “Bombingham.”

Beginning in early April 1963, King and his staff joined civil rights leaders in Birmingham for a series of marches to put pressure on the city to integrate. Although some local Black adults took part, many feared losing their jobs, their homes, or even their lives if they did.

The Birmingham protests took place nearly 100 years after the 14th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution guaranteed equal rights to Black Americans in 1868. Much of the U.S. remained unequal in 1963. State and local governments, particularly in the South, had restrictive Jim Crow laws and practices.

In many U.S. towns and cities, Black people could live only in certain neighborhoods. They couldn’t drink from the same water fountains or go to the same schools. They couldn’t eat in the same restaurants or try on clothes in the same stores either.

The situation was particularly bad in Birmingham. King had called it “the most segregated city in America.” Officials like Eugene “Bull” Connor, who oversaw the police force, strictly enforced segregation. White extremists such as Ku Klux Klan members threw explosives into Black homes and churches. It happened so often that the city had earned the nickname “Bombingham.”

Beginning in early April 1963, King and his staff joined civil rights leaders in Birmingham for a series of marches. They wanted to put pressure on the city to integrate. Although some local Black adults took part, many feared losing their jobs, their homes, or even their lives if they did.

On April 12, King was arrested for defying a court order not to march. In the next few days, he wrote his “Letter From Birmingham Jail,” which his attorney smuggled out of the jail and had published. It defended the need for public demonstrations in the face of opposition from many of Birmingham’s clergy. Still, the protests remained relatively small.

Then a civil rights leader named James Bevel, who worked with King’s Southern Christian Leadership Conference, had an idea: Get kids involved. Bevel and his activist wife, Diane Nash, began holding afternoon workshops to teach local teens about the national struggle for civil rights and methods of peaceful protest. Janice started attending the workshops after school, and when Bevel proposed a student-led march, she was all-in.

On April 12, King was arrested for defying a court order not to march. In the next few days, he wrote his “Letter From Birmingham Jail.” His attorney smuggled it out of the jail and had published. It defended the need for public demonstrations in the face of opposition from many of Birmingham’s clergy. Still, the protests remained relatively small.

Then a civil rights leader named James Bevel, who worked with King’s Southern Christian Leadership Conference, had an idea. He thought they should get kids involved. Bevel and his activist wife, Diane Nash, began holding afternoon workshops to teach local teens about the national struggle for civil rights. They taught them methods of peaceful protest. Janice started attending the workshops after school. When Bevel proposed a student-led march, she was all-in.

Initially, King and the leaders of the movement were conflicted about bringing kids to face what they correctly predicted would be a violent crackdown on their protests. But in the end, they were glad they did.

“Looking back,” King later wrote, “it is clear that the introduction of Birmingham’s children into the campaign was one of the wisest moves we made. It brought a new impact to the crusade, and the impetus that we needed to win the struggle.”

Bevel and his team blanketed the city’s Black schools with leaflets about the march. They recruited Black radio hosts to broadcast coded details to teens. The word was out: Thursday, May 2 was D-Day.

That morning, as soon as first period ended, Janice rushed out of school to the 16th Street Baptist Church, where the day’s activities were to begin. The church was packed with more than a thousand students skipping school, the atmosphere electric.

“We were singing and rocking and clapping!” Janice, now 76, recalls.

The kids left the church, singing “We Shall Overcome.” Their destination: the business district a few blocks away.

Although few parents knew about the protest, the police did. As the first marchers exited the church, officers piled them—including Janice—into paddy wagons and took them to jail. Before long, the police ran out of wagons and had to call for school buses. Still, wave after wave of young people, some as young as 7, kept coming. By the end of the day, some 600 young people had been arrested.

Initially, King and the leaders of the movement were conflicted about bringing kids to face what they predicted would be a violent crackdown on their protests. But in the end, they were glad they did.

“Looking back,” King later wrote, “it is clear that the introduction of Birmingham’s children into the campaign was one of the wisest moves we made. It brought a new impact to the crusade, and the impetus that we needed to win the struggle.”

Bevel and his team blanketed the city’s Black schools with leaflets about the march. They recruited Black radio hosts to broadcast coded details to teens. The word was out. Thursday, May 2 was D-Day.

That morning, as soon as first period ended, Janice rushed out of school to the 16th Street Baptist Church. The church was packed with more than a thousand students skipping school. The atmosphere was electric.

“We were singing and rocking and clapping!” Janice, now 76, recalls.

The kids left the church, singing “We Shall Overcome.” Their destination was the business district a few blocks away.

Although few parents knew about the protest, the police did. As the first marchers exited the church, officers took them to jail, including Janice. Before long, the police ran out of paddy wagons and had to call for school buses. Still, wave after wave of young people, some as young as 7, kept coming. By the end of the day, some 600 young people had been arrested.

Janice and her friends settled in for a long stay in jail. Even so, the excitement continued as they greeted each new group of arrivals. Encouraged by the boldness of the young people, protest leaders pledged that the next day’s march would be even bigger. Double D-Day, they called it.

On May 3, 1963, as scores of marchers headed downtown, Bull Connor commanded firefighters to turn on their hoses. The hoses used by Birmingham firefighters were engineered to be especially powerful, and the force of their water was strong enough to strip the bark from a tree.

“They aimed for your head and knocked you down,” one protester later recalled. “The hose rolled me right down the street like a sheet of paper.”

Still, the students kept marching. Connor ordered officers to disperse the crowds with police dogs, and three people were bitten badly enough to have to go to the hospital.

Janice and her friends settled in for a long stay in jail. Even so, the excitement continued as they greeted each new group of arrivals. Encouraged by the boldness of the young people, protest leaders pledged that the next day’s march would be even bigger. Double D-Day, they called it.

On May 3, 1963, as scores of marchers headed downtown, Bull Connor commanded firefighters to turn on their hoses. The hoses used by Birmingham firefighters were engineered to be especially powerful. The force of their water was strong enough to strip the bark from a tree.

“They aimed for your head and knocked you down,” one protester later recalled. “The hose rolled me right down the street like a sheet of paper.”

Still, the students kept marching. Connor ordered officers to disperse the crowds with police dogs. Three people were bitten badly enough to have to go to the hospital.

By the time march leaders and the police finally called a truce, reporters from around the nation had already witnessed the violence. That night, coverage of the march dominated the TV news. The next morning, shocking photos appeared in newspapers: a police dog lunging at a Birmingham teen; young people cowering under a fire hose blasting water.

Suddenly, all of America was watching Birmingham.

By the time march leaders and the police finally called a truce, reporters from around the nation had already witnessed the violence. That night, coverage of the march dominated the TV news. The next morning, shocking photos appeared in newspapers. The photos included a police dog lunging at a Birmingham teen and young people cowering under a fire hose blasting water.

Suddenly, all of America was watching Birmingham.

Among those people was President John F. Kennedy, who—alarmed at the violence—sent federal representatives to negotiate a compromise between protest leaders, businesspeople, and city officials. Meanwhile, the jails were so full, authorities moved Janice and other protesters to a holding center at the state fairgrounds. Janice’s parents, who had been worried sick, were finally able to get her out on Sunday, after she’d spent the weekend in custody.

Finally, eight days after the children first marched, civil rights leaders announced a historic agreement with business leaders. “Whites only” and “Blacks only” signs would be removed from restrooms and drinking fountains, stores would hire Black people, and a biracial committee would oversee the integration of Birmingham.

Still, real progress from the protests did not come quickly. Four months later, Ku Klux Klan members bombed the 16th Street Baptist Church, killing four young girls.

But change was underway. The marches had fueled the momentum of the civil rights movement in the U.S. They helped spur the Civil Rights Act of 1964, signed by President Lyndon B. Johnson. That landmark legislation outlawed racial segregation at public facilities and in workplaces throughout the country.

The marches in Birmingham were central to the civil rights movement’s struggle for equality, experts say.

“It was the young people who made the difference,” says historian Glenn Eskew of Georgia State University. “They broke the back of segregation.”

Today, Janice Wesley Kelsey still lives in Birmingham. She’s proud of her part in that historic event 60 years ago.

“We were a catalyst for change,” she says—a “ripple” that turned into a wave.

Among those people was President John F. Kennedy, who sent federal representatives to negotiate a compromise between protest leaders, businesspeople, and city officials. Meanwhile, the jails were so full that authorities moved Janice and other protesters to a holding center at the state fairgrounds. Janice’s parents were finally able to get her out on Sunday. She’d spent the weekend in custody.

Finally, eight days after the children first marched, civil rights leaders announced a historic agreement with business leaders. “Whites only” and “Blacks only” signs would be removed from restrooms and drinking fountains. Stores would hire Black people and a biracial committee would oversee the integration of Birmingham.

Still, real progress from the protests did not come quickly. Four months later, Ku Klux Klan members bombed the 16th Street Baptist Church. Four young girls were killed.

But change was underway. The marches had fueled the momentum of the civil rights movement in the U.S. They helped spur the Civil Rights Act of 1964, signed by President Lyndon B. Johnson. That landmark legislation outlawed racial segregation at public facilities and in workplaces throughout the country.

The marches in Birmingham were central to the civil rights movement’s struggle for equality, experts say.

“It was the young people who made the difference,” says historian Glenn Eskew of Georgia State University. “They broke the back of segregation.”

Today, Janice Wesley Kelsey still lives in Birmingham. She’s proud of her part in that historic event 60 years ago.

“We were a catalyst for change,” she says . They were a «ripple” that turned into a wave.