58th Anniversary of The 16th Street Church Bombing

Sep 15, 2021 02:30AM ● By Kassidy Garland

black and white photograph 16th Street Baptist Church in Birmingham Alabama

On September 15, 1963, Addie Mae Collins, Denise McNair, Carole Robertson, Cynthia Wesley, and Addie’s little sister, Sarah, were getting ready and tying one another’s dress sashes, for a church service at the 16th Street Baptist Church in Birmingham, AL.

Sadly, their excitement of the first few days of the school year and finally being included in the adult service would be cut short. Shortly before 11 AM, the congregation was shaken by an explosion, and they knew it was no accident. The 16th Street Baptist Church was a predominantly Black congregation and the space was often used as a meeting place for civil rights activists.

Birmingham was one of the most segregated cities in America, with Governor George Wallace openly stalling desegregation. The church was no stranger to bomb threats, and it was clear this was a targeted attack. Shortly before the blast, the 14-year old secretary of the Sunday school received a phone call that simply said “3 minutes”, but only one minute later, the explosion occurred. This attack was the 3rd bombing in Birmingham, AL, which was also known as “Bomingham”, in 11 days.

While the majority of the congregation made it out safely, those 5 young women did not. Sarah Collins made it out alive, but was permanently blinded. The bodies of Addie Mae (14), Denise (11), Carole (14), and Cynthia (14) were found beneath the rubble. Along with the members inside the church, at least one passing motorist was thrown from a vehicle.

The attack on the 16th Street Baptist Church shocked the nation and caused outrage. The FBI immediately sent bomb experts and agents to investigate. Martin Luther King, Jr. penned a letter to the governor stating that he had the blood of those four girls on his hands.

Birmingham, AL was known to have one of the most violent KKK chapters, and after considerable interviews, the FBI was led to four suspects, Robert E. Chambliss, Bobby Frank Cherry, Herman Frank Cash, and Thomas E. Blanton, Jr. The FBI, however, was not able to prosecute in the 60s due to lack of evidence. Many claimed that it was actually because FBI Director J. Edgar Hoover disapproved of the Civil Rights Movement.

In 1977, 5 years after Hoover’s death, Alabama Attorney General Bob Baxley reopened the investigation, bringing Robert E. Chambliss to trial. He was convicted, and died in prison in 1985. The case was reopened, yet again, in 1980, 1988, and 1997, finally convicting two of the other three suspects, Thomas Blanton and Frank Cherry, both of whom were sentenced to life in prison. The fourth and final suspect, Herman Frank Cash, was killed in a car accident before he could be brought to trial.

58 years later, the 16th Street Church bombing remains in people’s hearts. The event was a catalyst for the Civil Rights Movement, and the outrage sparked by this event forced change across the country.

Sources:

National Park Service

FBI

History

Kassidy Garland has had a great appreciation for reading and writing since she was young. She graduated from West Chester University in 2017 with a Bachelor’s Degree in English & Women and Gender Studies. With a concentration in creative writing, Kassidy has 5 years of experience writing blogs, articles, and for social media. Kassidy is also pursuing a Master’s degree in IT with a concentration in Web Development. Based out of Philadelphia, Kassidy loves to write about a number of topics and looks forward to sharing her passion with those at FunTimes Magazine.