december, 1962: planning for project "confrontation"
Rev. Shuttlesworth.
Reverend Shuttlesworth and Dr. King develop "Project C" (for Confrontation).
Southern Christian Leadership Conference adopt the plan to launch in March of 1963. Their idea was to fill the Birmingham jails, as to aggravate the state and drain its resources.
Southern Christian Leadership Conference adopt the plan to launch in March of 1963. Their idea was to fill the Birmingham jails, as to aggravate the state and drain its resources.
January, 1963: Governor George wallace's inauguration
George Corley Wallace at his inauguration.
January 14th: George Corley Wallace is inaugurated as the governor of Alabama and becomes a symbol of South's fervent opposition to integration.
April, 1963: Project "confrontation" begins
April 3rd: Shuttlesworth and N.H. Smith issue the Birmingham Manifesto. This document summarizes the black community's grievances and their intention to begin a nonviolent freedom campaign in hopes of bringing the city's oppressive segregation laws to an end. "Project C" is launched.
April 6th: The first march of the Birmingham Campaign to City Hall begins. Shuttlesworth states, "We are embarking on a mission to break down the barrier of segregation in Birmingham."
April 10th: The Movement organizes protestors to march on City Hall and other government establishments. "Bull" Connor subdues and arrests them, as SCLC leaders had hoped.
April 16th: Arrested from protesting on April 12th and sent to jail, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. writes the Letter from Birmingham Jail and releases it to the public. In it, he describes the atrocities experienced by the African-Americans on a personal level and attempts to help the opposition comprehend their afflictions.
April 16th: Arrested from protesting on April 12th and sent to jail, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. writes the Letter from Birmingham Jail and releases it to the public. In it, he describes the atrocities experienced by the African-Americans on a personal level and attempts to help the opposition comprehend their afflictions.
"For years now I have heard the word "Wait!" It rings in the ear of every Negro with piercing familiarity. This "Wait" has almost always meant "Never." We must come to see, with one of our distinguished jurists, that "justice too long delayed is justice denied.""
-- "Letter from Birmingham Jail," April 16, 1963
May, 1963: The "Children's crusade"
Children participating in the marches.
May 2nd: "D-Day," or the first day the Children's Crusade, begins. Hundreds of young people enter the streets, kneel, pray, and sing freedom songs. Local police authorities respond and arrest many kids.
May 3rd: Double-D Day begins. Reverends Shuttlesworth and King hold a conference and declare that the demonstrations will continue until the objectives of the Movement are met.
May 3rd: Double-D Day begins. Reverends Shuttlesworth and King hold a conference and declare that the demonstrations will continue until the objectives of the Movement are met.
May 4th: Protesting continues and President John Kennedy states that he can now, "well understand why the Negroes of Birmingham are tired of being asked to be patient." He then sends help to mediate the altercations.
May 10th: Reverends King, Shuttlesworth, and Abernathy hold a press conference announcing the Birmingham Truce, which included several stipulations such as the removal of segregating signs, plans to desegregate lunch counters, the release of protestors from jail, a program for the employment of negroes, and a biracial committee to monitor the process of the agreement.
May 10th: Reverends King, Shuttlesworth, and Abernathy hold a press conference announcing the Birmingham Truce, which included several stipulations such as the removal of segregating signs, plans to desegregate lunch counters, the release of protestors from jail, a program for the employment of negroes, and a biracial committee to monitor the process of the agreement.
May 11th: Despite the Birmingham Truce, riots break out and several bombings occur. Disorder escalates to the point that Kennedy deploys 3,000 federal troops into Birmingham to restore peace.