Then people began to search through the rubble for victims. One of them was Addie Mae Collins sister Sarah, who was blinded in one eye. Quickly see who the memorial is for and when they lived and died and where they are buried. Here are photos from that day: Original caption: NEWS FILE/TOM SELF Firefighters sift through rubble and search for bodies in the basement of Sixteenth Street Baptist Church after a bomb killed four girls on Sunday, September 15, 1963. In January 1998, the sisters frowned as they surveyed the crumbling headstones, trash, and tangled weeds strangling Greenwood, the Birmingham, Alabama, cemetery in which their family had long ago laid their sister, Addie Mae Collins. Cynthia Wesley was raised by a single mother but stayed with her adoptive parents so she could attend a better school, where she excelled in math, reading and band. Unexplainably, no one was charged with the crime. Photo by AP Images. The costly raid convinced the German high command that the Luftwaffe could not achieve air supremacy over Britain, and the next read more, During the Battle of the Somme, the British launch a major offensive against the Germans, employing tanks for the first time in history. Failed to report flower. The material on this site may not be reproduced, distributed, transmitted, cached or otherwise used, except with the prior written permission of Advance Local. Please check your email and click on the link to activate your account. We all did it. Every person in this community who has in any way contributed during the past several years to the popularity of hatred is at least as guilty, or more so, than the demented fool who threw that bomb," Morgan said. Weve updated the security on the site. Meanwhile, public outrage over the bombing continued to grow, drawing international attention to Birmingham. The Klansmen who planted the bomb wanted to terrorize the Black community when they targeted the church the Rev. For more on the ceremony, please visit this story. Blanton was convicted and sentenced to life in prison. Addie Mae Collins (1884-1953) FamilySearch Please check your email and click on the link to activate your account. The day after the bombing, a white lawyer named Charles Morgan gave a speech in Birmingham. The Sixteenth Street bombing, perhaps more than any other event of the period, brought national attention to the evil of racism. LEGAL INNOVATION | Tu Agente Digitalizador; LEGAL3 | Gestin Definitiva de Despachos; LEGAL GOV | Gestin Avanzada Sector Pblico Thanks for your help! She befriended Condoleezza Rice, a fellow elementary school student who later became U.S. secretary of state. 31 October 1884-1 October 1953 (Age 68) Texas, United States. Save to an Ancestry Tree, a virtual cemetery, your clipboard for pasting or Print. "Wow. Rev. Learn about how to make the most of a memorial. The SPLCidentifiedwhite nationalists and neo-Nazis at Black Lives Matter demonstrations in Knoxville, Tennessee; Washington, D.C.; and Dallas just days after police killed George Floyd in Minneapolis. Addie Mae Collins, Denise McNair, and Cynthia Wesley were then interred during joint funeral attended by over 8,000 mourners. Vernon Merritt photo, More than 1,600 people attended the memorial service for Carole Rosamond Robertson on Sept. 17, 1963. As director of theCivil Rights Memorial Center, also operated by the SPLC, I honor the girls spirits every day by making sure that the world never forgets their names names that should be remembered just like those of other unarmed Black people who have been killed recently, includingGeorge Floyd,Breonna Taylor,Tony McDade,Sean Reed,Yassin Mohamed,Ahmaud Arbery,Rayshard Brooksand too many more. "The answer should be, "We all did it." Your new password must contain one or more uppercase and lowercase letters, and one or more numbers or special characters. Members of the Ku Klux Klan planted a box of dynamite at the church, which was a major organizing center for the black community and civil rights protests. Addie Mae Collins was born in Birmingham, Alabama, on April 18, 1949. The murders sparked nationwide outrage and energized the civil rights movement. cemeteries found within kilometers of your location will be saved to your photo volunteer list. The whole church shook. Photos larger than 8Mb will be reduced. Community Rules apply to all content you upload or otherwise submit to this site. Sisters tell of surviving 1963 church bombing - JournalStar She also played baseball and was a member of the Brownies. She was a member of the Sixteenth Street Baptist Church in Birmingham which was, due to the spacious basement auditorium, the center for meetings of the civil rights movement. Addie Mae Collins, Denise McNair, Carole Robertson, & Cynthia Wesley, Includes text, author, text categories, vocabulary terms, text dependent questions with answers, Includes text, author, vocabulary terms, text dependent questions. Are you sure that you want to delete this memorial? Your account has been locked for 30 minutes due to too many failed sign in attempts. Civil Rights Figure. GREAT NEWS! Fear and resentment of our nations growing diversity are at the heart of the hate that has been swelling across America for years. There is 1 volunteer for this cemetery. Copyright 1998 NPR. Are you sure that you want to delete this photo? George Wallacefor creating the toxic climate that led to the church bombing. The scene infuriated her husband, Joe DiMaggio, who felt it was exhibitionist, and the couple divorced read more, Thirteen-year-old Melissa Benoit disappears in her hometown of Kingston, Massachusetts, on her way home from a friends house. Windows were blown out of nearby businesses as was a stained glass window at the church depicting Christ leading children. The Rev. Denise McNair performed in plays, dance routines and poetry readings to raise money for muscular dystrophy research. Please try again later. Your account has been locked for 30 minutes due to too many failed sign in attempts. And this isn't just an old story from Victorian times. Carole Rosamond Robertson (1949-1963) - Find a Grave Memorial Family members linked to this person will appear here. On September 15, 2008, the venerable Wall Street brokerage firm Lehman Brothers seeks Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection, becoming the largest victim of the subprime mortgage crisis that would devastate financial markets and contribute to the biggest economic downturn since the read more, Frankie Valli (born Francis Casteluccio) had been hard at work trying to become a star for the better part of a decade before the Four Seasons achieved their breakthrough. Martin Luther King Jr. and other leaders used as a meeting place, training ground and rallying point for the Birmingham Childrens Crusade and other direct actions for civil rights. The bomb detonated at 10:19 a.m., killing Cynthia Wesley, Carole Robertson and Addie Mae Collinsall 14 years oldand 11-year-old Denise McNair. Learn about how to make the most of a memorial. Addie Mae Collins was one of the four little girls murdered in the 16th Street Baptist Church bombing back in 1963. Are you adding a grave photo that will fulfill this request? All rights reserved. So it should come as no surprise that weve seen this dangerous and inherently violent ideology once again become part of themainstream political realm. Wallace and his advisers have been sowing the seeds of this disaster," the Lawyers Committee for Civil Rights Under Law stated. All photos appear on this tab and here you can update the sort order of photos on memorials you manage. And we must hold our leaders accountable for their words because those words inspire others to act, sometimes with deadly consequences. Just as the deaths of the four girls in Birmingham led to public outrage and a renewed commitment to civil rights, the Black Lives Matter demonstrations against police brutality this year have ushered in a renewed sense of hope that our nation may one day find a meaningful way to address systemic anti-Black racism not only in law enforcement, but also in all of our institutions and society at large. Resend Activation Email, Please check the I'm not a robot checkbox, If you want to be a Photo Volunteer you must enter a ZIP Code or select your location on the map. Efforts to prosecute the other three men believed responsible for the bombing continued for decades. Cherrys trial was delayed after judges ruled he was mentally incompetent to stand trial. Flowers added to the memorial appear on the bottom of the memorial or here on the Flowers tab. In the rubble of the 16th Street Baptist Church were the bodies of Addie Mae Collins, 14, Denise McNair, 11, Carole Robertson, 14, and Cynthia Wesley, 14. Addie Mae Collins, 14, and Denise McNair, 11, were in the choir. Your new password must contain one or more uppercase and lowercase letters, and one or more numbers or special characters. Drag images here or select from your computer for Cynthia Dionne Wesley memorial. Photo byThe Washington Post Photo/Hal Yeager/Getty Images. Sarah Collins, Addie Mae's sister, lost her right eye. Try again later. Thanks for using Find a Grave, if you have any feedback we would love to hear from you. Seated left to right: Caroles sister, Dianne, and parents, Alvin Robertson Sr. and Alpha Robertson. Prior to the bombing, how had the children in Birmingham made history? No one can know with certainty who took the body or why, but many are convinced that her body joined the untold thousands of anonymous black cadavers on anatomists' tables. That spring, their own church had been the center of a campaign against segregation. Despite the outrage and an FBI investigation, however, no one was charged with the crime. For the youngsters, many of whom had marched proudly with Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., it was another in a series of momentous events that year. The authoritative record of NPRs programming is the audio record. The Life Summary of Addie Mae. Four girls, Addie Mae Collins (age 14), Denise McNair (age 11), Carole Robertson (age 14), and Cynthia Wesley (age 14), were killed in the bomb blast. With its large African American congregation, the 16th Street Baptist Church served as a meeting place for civil rights leaders like Martin Luther King, Jr., who once called Birmingham a symbol of hardcore resistance to integration. Alabamas governor, George Wallace, made preserving racial segregation one of the central goals of his administration, and Birmingham had one of the most violent and lawless chapters of the Ku Klux Klan. The missing body - R&R Hotspot - Black History and Culture | Facebook Addie Mae Collins, Denise McNair, and Cynthia Wesley were interred during joint funeral attended by over 8,000 mourners. No animated GIFs, photos with additional graphics (borders, embellishments. An anti-integration demonstration planned in Midfield for that night was cancelled, but not before someone hanged President Kennedy in effigy before a cheering crowd. She also participated in Saturday dance lessons and the science club. They've filed suit against the funeral home, and have filed a claim against the city of Birmingham. We are a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising You can always change this later in your Account settings. This account already exists, but the email address still needs to be confirmed. In 1997 a documentary film on the bombing called "4 Little Girls" was released. Later that day, 13-year-old Virgil Ware, riding on the handlebars of a bicycle in Docena, was shot by two young white men. You have chosen this person to be their own family member. Thanks for using Find a Grave, if you have any feedback we would love to hear from you. No one else has ever been tried for the Sixteenth Street bombing. The federal Uniform Anatomical Gift Act, passed in 1968, effectively led to the end of grave robbing and the deliberate bias that went with it. Soon afterward, the read more, Nikita Khrushchev becomes the first Soviet head of state to visit the United States. Oops, something didn't work. The girls had been dressed in their Sunday best, ready to sing and act as ushers at the adult service, and only a few minutes before the explosion they had been together in the basement women's . In May 1963, city and civil rights leaders negotiated the integration of public spaces, sparking widespread violence. You may not upload any more photos to this memorial, This photo was not uploaded because this memorial already has 20 photos, This photo was not uploaded because you have already uploaded 5 photos to this memorial, This photo was not uploaded because this memorial already has 30 photos, This photo was not uploaded because you have already uploaded 15 photos to this memorial. Civil rights leaders tried to channel the grief and rage that spread through the black community, but there was little comfort in their efforts. Victims (from left): Denise McNair, 11; Carole Robertson, 14; Addie Mae Collins, 14; and Cynthia Wesley, 14, are shown in these 1963 photos. Addie Mae Collins: One of the four Birmingham girls You need a Find a Grave account to continue. The NAACP questioned the speed of the investigation and whether all resources available were being utilized. What did Charles Morgan mean when he said, We all did it every person in this community who has in any way contributed to the popularity of hatred is at least as guilty as the demented fool who threw that bomb? He means they may not have physically planted the bomb, but by contributing in other small or large ways to the racist and hatred-filled climate in that city, they, too, should be considered guilty for harming those girls. The Birmingham News. Another two suspects were charged and convicted in 2001 and 2002, a fourth suspect died before charges were brought. The girls had been dressed in their Sunday best, ready to sing and act as ushers at the adult service, and only a few minutes before the explosion they had been together in the basement women's room, talking about the new school year. The Wales Window for Alabama, Unveiling Ceremony, Thomson House, Cardiff, Wales, Thursday 4th February 1965. . "If these cruel and tragic events can only awaken that city and state -- if they can only awaken this entire nation -- to a realization of the folly of racial injustice and hatred and violence, then it is not too late for all concerned to unite in steps toward peaceful progress before more lives are lost," Kennedy said. Collins was killed in the blast along with Denise McNair, 11, and Carole Robertson and Cynthia Wesley, both 14. Whether you need a laptop for READ THE REST. Use of and/or registration on any portion of this site constitutes acceptance of our User Agreement, Privacy Policy and Cookie Statement, and Your Privacy Choices and Rights (each updated 1/26/2023). 0 cemeteries found in Birmingham, Jefferson County, Alabama, USA. Two other suspects were tried and convicted in this case since this book's 1989 publication: Thomas Blanton in 2001 and Bobby Frank Cherry in 2002. Add to your scrapbook. Addie Mae : NPR Carole Robertson, 14, was a high-achieving student who played the clarinet, sang in elementary school choirs and was a member of her high schools marching band. The Collins family appears in the 1997 Spike Lee film 4 Little Girls, a documentary on the bombing and its political significance. Only a few feet away, beneath a stone staircase along the outside wall of the church, a dynamite bomb had been planted eight hours earlier. This is different from intentionally seeking out the bodies of black people because you think they're less human or that their consent matters less, Washington writes. Try again later. Her family says someone is. The Coelacanth species of fish has been READ THE REST, We thank our sponsor for making this content possible; it is not written by the editorial staff nor does it necessarily reflect its views. Try again. In a later statement, the FBI stated that their investigation had been impeded by the lack of witness cooperation in Birmingham. First off, Medical Apartheid is a must-read, detailing the disturbing history of how medical science has used black Americans, living and dead, as part of experimentation and training. Alvin and Alpha Robertson, parents of Sixteenth Street Baptist Church bombing victim Carole Robertson at the funeral for their daughter; Sept. 17, 1963. The tragedy sparked a surge of support for federal civil rights legislation, and it led to an intensive voting rights campaign in Selma, Alabama. Four girls, Addie Mae Collins (age 14), Denise McNair (age 11), Carole Robertson (age 14), and Cynthia Wesley (age 14), were killed in the bomb blast. Missing remains of 1963 church bombing victim believed to be found | WHAM There are dramatic new developments in the search for the missing remains of a key figure in the 1960's civil rights. Browse 63 addie mae collins stock photos and images available, or start a new search to explore more stock photos and images. The family of Carole Robertson attendfuneral services for her on Sept. 17, 1963, in Birmingham. Drag images here or select from your computer for Addie Mae Collins memorial.