Birmingham church bombing wasn’t an isolated act of terrorism – there were dozens of attacks on Black houses of worship during the Civil Rights Movement
More than 100 Black churches across the South were targeted from the 1950s-70s. Another wave of violence followed in the ‘90s – and there have been attacks in recent years, too.
Sept. 15 marks the anniversary of the infamous 1963 bombing of the 16th Street Baptist Church in Birmingham, Alabama. The bomb was planted by members of the Ku Klux Klan and detonated during Sunday school, killing four young girls and injuring 22 others. The church was a hub for civil rights demonstrations and a target for white supremacists due to its prominence in the Civil Rights Movement.
Researchers have found over 1,000 cases of attacks on Black churches during the era, often coinciding with local civil rights activism. Black churches served as the backbone of local organizing, providing resources and safe spaces for Black communities.
Written by urgent.news from The Conversation's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
