BRUTALITY, BILLY CLUBS & BRAVERY
By Mollie
In 1963, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. spoke at the 16th Street Baptist Church in Birmingham. Freeman Hrabowski III, a participant in the Children’s Crusade, paraphrased King in saying that “If the children participate [...] in this peaceful demonstration, all of America will see that even children understand the difference between right and wrong and that children want the best possible education” (Birmingham and the Children’s March, 2013). James Bevel, a member of the Southern Christian Leadership Conference, took action and organized a non-violent children's march. He realized adults could be targeted by the white community and police and get fired from their jobs. The plan was for children ages six to eighteen to protest for a week to banish segregation in Birmingham. The participants were taught acts of nonviolence and knew that marching could lead to arrest or violence.
On May 2, the Children’s Crusade of 1963 began. More than 1,000 kids marched out of the 16th Street Baptist Church for their freedom. They walked in groups of 50 singing freedom songs and waving signs. However, they were met by the police and around 1,000 were arrested. In response, hundreds of children participated in a peaceful march the next day. They encountered violence from the police under Bull Connor, the Birmingham sheriff. Across the street from the church in Kelly Ingram Park, police used billy clubs, attack dogs, and fire hoses on the children. The high-pressured water ripped through their pants and police dogs pinned them to the ground.
Yvonne Turner said to her son that morning, “They have dogs up there today and they have water.” He responded, “We know it. We’re going anyway” (Birmingham Civil Rights Institute).
The children kept on walking despite the violent acts towards them. The police arrested them, but because jails were full, they held them at makeshift jails at the fairgrounds. In the last days, adults joined the peaceful protest. The Children’s Crusade became a national event, made the newspapers, and was televised. Then, on May 8, a truce was ordered and on May 10, the jailed children were freed and Birmingham desegregated public facilities.
The Children’s Crusade brought national attention to segregation in Birmingham and pressured laws to change. It was not easy but it was accomplished due to the children’s courageous young voices.