FOUR FIVE LITTLE GIRLS 👧🏽👧🏽👧🏽👧🏽 👧🏽

With February being Black History Month I have been thinking about who and how to pay homage to an important figure involved in our history. I had a difficult time picking my “favorite” or “most important” event or person, so I decided to choose multiple people from one very tragic event in African American History. While in Birmingham, Alabama on a 10 day Civil Rights trip in the south I had the honor of visiting the church. It was a sacred stop on our trip and while inside emotions and the realization of what happened overwhelmed me in a way I will never forget.

Each day this week I will be doing an individual tribute to five young girls that were injured or killed during the fight for Civil Rights during a bombing. Addie Mae Collins, Denise McNair, Carole Robertson, Cynthia Wesley, and a “5th Little Girl”, Sarah Collins (older sister of Addie Mae Collins). The drawing below includes all five girls including Sarah who lost her eye in the bombing.

In Birmingham, Alabama (nicknamed Bombingham during this time) in the 60s bombings could be compared to shootings of the present day. KKK members and racist whites retaliated against the victories of African Americans as we proudly fought for equal rights. With the newly integrated school system in Alabama (1954) racist whites were unhappy. Think about that... People were unhappy that all children of different colors, backgrounds and ancestors were now able to get the same education, (like we can control how we are born and as if we are any different or less important because of the color of our skin). As a result of these angry racists, violent and tragic acts were being committed against black communities and the people in it including both homes and businesses.

Sunday morning, September 15, 1963 at least 4 members of the KKK were plotting once again to cause chaos, hurt, and pain to African American members of a church and community in a devastating way. It was youth Sunday at 16th Street Baptist Church. This was the largest black church in Birmingham and the meeting site that important people like Martin Luther King Jr. would gather because of its large structure and capacity to hold many people. On this particular Sunday, inside the church members had no idea what the scene that their church would soon be a part of.

Picture this... You are 14 years old. You have dreams, hobbies, a family, goals, and plans for the day and so much further. It’s Sunday and you are in your church’s basement ladies’ room fixing hair, dresses, happy, feeling safe in church while preparing to go sing songs of praise to God, with other young girls some of whom prepare to serve as ushers to welcome in family and other church members to service. At the same time, hateful people will soon set a bomb off and take your precious, innocent, hopeful dreams, plans, and life in their hands. It was such a tragedy that riots were followed by the event. The same day two young African American boys were both shot and killed regarding the same circumstances (Virgil Ware, 13 and Johnny Robinson, 16).

This week I want the names of 5 young girls to be remembered, mourned, as well as celebrated as we recount what our Black History means. The significance of our history and how important it is to remember what the deaths, injuries, pain, and struggle was like not very long ago. We literally were and still are fighting for the same rights as anyone else living in America. The tragedies and hatred we have been shown in America just for our Civil Rights puts a totally different light and perspective on the mindset of people filled with anger. We have come a long way in the fight for Civil Rights and I would say still have a ways to go. It’s so sad that so many people had to loose their lives for our freedom and right to live but this is why we celebrate them and never forget them.