By Tiffany Nyamao
What does an average Sunday look like for my family or my friends? For some, it is getting ready for Sunday football–wearing your favorite jersey and eating hotdogs as you cheer for your favorite team. For others, it is getting brunch with your friends and spilling the latest tea. For some, it is putting on your Sunday best and heading to church. Sunday’s are what we do to relax, recharge and get ready for a new week.
On Sunday, Sept 15. 1963, 4 little girls were doing what we also may do on a Sunday at the 16th Street Baptist Church. Laughing and giggling in the bathroom as they get ready for service. (Fact Check — since I was taught wrong in history class — No they were not on any stairs before the bombing, they were in the bathroom. The bomb was also outside the church under some stairs and not thrown inside.) The same joy and happiness we share on Sunday was ripped away from them and their family on this day. Later in the same evening, 16-year-old Johnny Robinson was shot by a police officer. Also within the same day, 13-year-old Virgil Ware was shot by White teens — Eagle Scouts — who had just come from a segregationist rally (link). Despite their age, 6 children in total died that day simply because they were black. Sounds familiar?
Today, we visited the 16th Street Baptist Church. It was the first Colored Baptist Church of Birmingham, Alabama built by Mr. Wallace Rayfield, the state’s only Black architect. To me it serves as a reminder of African Americans continuing to strive for excellence and equality despite opposition. As someone who has a religious background, the church reminded me of my role in the civil rights movement as the church served as the headquarters for the civil rights mass meetings and rallies in the early 1960’s and many other events or programs. I also loved how the church never let the hate stop them from continuing to hold service and make change in their community. It reminds me that we continue to work even in the midst of tragedy, which is a common theme in many of the other museums we visited.
To understand more of this idea of black excellence, we visited the Birmingham Civil Rights Institute, which builds on the legacy of African Americans in Birmingham. The city was originally supposed to be a “magic” city because of its natural resources. Despite the city being built on the backbone of African American labor, as are many American cities, it only favored white Americans who wanted to enforce a strict color line in culture and law. Thus, it became one of the segregated cities in the country. You could feel this as you walked through the white and black classrooms, drinking fountains, healthcare systems, work opportunities and much more. Walking through this exhibit made me question how much has changed today as African Americans and other minorities disproportionately lack access to the same opportunities. Back then it may have been physically felt through signs, posters, and words, but at times it feels like the same story just hidden. Despite this history, the African Americans in Birmingham continued to fight for their civil rights in different ways. My favorite exhibit was the Children’s March which reminded me of the importance of youth and young adults fighting for justice and equal rights. We can’t complain for change if we don’t stand for something is a key theme of these marches and something I hope to take with me as I continue to fight for change.