ether by the Negroes of the south. This was an act of violence against them by the white people. It was “Youth Day” at the 16th Street Baptist Church on the ill-fated Sunday morning. The Negro congregation was crowded with about 400 adults and 80 children. Suddenly, a car driving down the road slowed down as it passed the church and someone threw a bomb inside the building. As the church blew up in flames, four little girls were killed while sitting in Sunday school and dozens were injured. Birmingham became a riot. Fires were reported all throughout the city and angry Negroes threw stones at cars driven by whites. When a young Negro boy refused to stop throwing stones, city police shot and killed him. Another young boy was shot and killed while riding his bike in a suburban part of the city. Hate was obviously still prevalent at this time. Negroes were still living in fear (“1963”).The Civil Rights Movement has proven to have an enormous impact on the United States and the world. Because of America’s most respected and devoted citizens, such as Rosa Parks, MLK Jr., Malcolm X and Anne Moody, African-Americans and all minorities have equal rights to every privilege, law and punishment. We, black and white, attend the same schools, churches and shop in the same grocery stores; we live in the same neighborhoods and swim in the same pools. America is the diverse yet unified country that it should be. As a result of the success of the movement, the rest of the world admires the U.S. and what it stands for. Without the leaders of the Civil Rights Movement, who knows where we would be in the world society. I wonder. I really wonder. ...
