Medium: Brushed Acrylic on 16x20 Stretched Canvas
Prior to and during the 1960's, Birmingham, Alabama was noted to be one of the most racist metropolitan cities in the United States. Well known as a stronghold for Ku Klux Klan activities, Birmingham stood as a prime example of 'Southern Injustice'. The police and fire departments were headed by a staunch racist and segregationist named, Eugene "Bull" Connor. Connor, along with his, all white, police force and fire department, had run rough-shod over the local African-American population for decades; while turning a blind eye to local KKK terrorism.
To be black in Birmingham, Alabama, before and during the 1960's was to live in fear of police brutality, biased courts and cruel and unusual punishments in the jails and prisons. Up to and during
the sixties in much of the 'Deep South' African-Americans were
threatened by the ever present danger of assaults, lynchings, bombings, mutilations, burnings, shootings, murders and general terroristic acts by the hands of the KKK, without any recourse from the local police and court systems.
Out of dire desperation, the African-American leadership in Birmingham called on Dr. Martin Luther King and the Southern Christian Leadership Conference (SCLC) to assist in organizing a non-violent campaign to publicly protest the racial discrimination, violations of freedom and miscarriages of justice running rampant in the city.
Several of the local African-American adults refused to participate in any type of public protest fearing severe retributions from the Klan and from Bull Connor's corrupt police force. Dr. King had no choice but to utilize the willing local teenagers, young college students, black and white, along with SCLC personnel and concerned leaders from the clergy, black and white, to form the body of the non-violent campaign.
It was Dr. King's intentions to attract media attention ample enough to reach the public sentiment. In turn, the waves of adverse public opinion would pressure the Federal Government to finally intercede on behalf of all black people who suffered in situations similar to the people of Birmingham. Wisely, Dr. King informed the national media of the upcoming protest and in response they came to follow the story.
When Bull Connor got wind of the impending protest he took it as a direct offense to his authority. Playing into Dr. King's hand, Connor ordered the police force and the fire department to inflict as much physical pain and abuse as needed to crush and deter any civil protest, be it non-violent or not, be they children or not.
In April of 1963, the public protest began. Ignoring the presence of the national media, Bull Connor's forces were nationally televised using high pressure water hoses, police attack dogs, gun butts, fist, feet, billy clubs and black jacks to deter the young men and women from accomplishing a peaceful public protest. Connor, himself, appeared as a man who showed no sympathy or mercy when it came to dishing out the "Good 'ole Boys Justice" served in Birmingham, Alabama.
As Dr. King had assumed, the carnage was broad casted over the entire country and abroad. All of the major news networks carried the horrid details. Finally, all of America, no matter the race, would experience the ugly face of discrimination that Africa-Americans had suffered through for centuries . As it turned out, the majority of decent Americans, even in the South, were appalled by the brutality they witnessed on television.
For their efforts, Dr. King, members of the clergy and several young students were booked and jailed for participating in what should have been their Constitutional Right to protest. However, the damage had been done and the birth of the "Civil Rights Movement" had begun. Although it took great sacrifices and many good people were incarcerated, injured and killed; that day, in Birmingham, served as a wake up call for every American who had closed their eyes to racial injustice.
Miracles did not happen overnight. There were still cases of unsolved mayhem and murder on the part of the KKK. Segregationist continued their efforts to block any laws that would offer black people equal consideration. However, a public awareness had been started that eventually led to the signing of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, to equal opportunity laws, to fair housing laws and to the prosecution and imprisonment of several Klan members who once thought they were untouchable.
Written by Carl G. Brown
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