jan 3, 1963 - Birmingham Campaign, Alabama, 1963 [SOCIAL]

Description:

Organised by the SCLC; King accepted invitation by baptist minister in this rigidly segregated city. King knew the police chief, Eugene 'Bull' Connor was a vicious racist, and likely to resist with force, which would bring the publicity they needed. As predicted, Bull Connor violently reacted to King's use of school children, ordering police dogs and water cannons to be used on the protesters. The cameras rolled and the rest of the nation and the outside world, watched as children were fire-hosed, some as young as eight.

The Birmingham campaign can be seen as a turning point because it convinced JFK that federal action on civil rights was needed; it was this campaign which convinced him of the need for a civil rights act.

Further pressure on JFK was provided by the well-organised and well attended March on Washington, culminating with the 'I have a dream' speech of MLK, in August 1963.

Evidence of own actions helping civil rights

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