Teaching the younger generation civil rights 60 years after 16th Street Baptist Church bombing

SHERI TODAY, 110 STUDENTS ARE LEARNING ABOUT BIRMINGHAM. IN 1963 AND WHAT HEALING LOOKS LIKE. 60 YEARS LATER. THIS IS A REAL LIFE HISTORY LESSON FOR SOME OF THEM. BUT THE TEST AFTER TODAY IS WHAT ARE THEY GOING TO DO WITH WHAT THEY’VE LEARNED? PHILLIPS ACADEMY SEVENTH GRADER KELSEY SHORT AND HER BETA CLUB CLASSMATES ARE EAGERLY LISTENING TO CHRISTOPHER PAUL CURTIS, THE AUTHOR OF THE WATSONS GO TO BIRMINGHAM, 1963. I LIKE BEING IN BETA. IT GIVES ME AN OPPORTUNITY TO EXPLORE MORE OF WHAT I COULDN’T SEE IN THE PAST. THE CHILDREN’S BOOK INCORPORATES HER HOMETOWN RACIAL HISTORY, INCLUDING THE DEADLY 16TH STREET BAPTIST CHURCH BOMBING THAT KILLED FOUR LITTLE GIRLS. LATRICIA DILLARD LEADS THE SERVICE ORGANIZATION BETA CLUB. THIS IS GOING TO GIVE OUR STUDENTS SOME FOUNDATIONAL INFORMATION AS WELL AS SOME SKILLS THAT THEY CAN USE SO THAT THEY CAN EDUCATE NOT ONLY THEIR FAMILIES, BUT THEIR FRIENDS, AND THEN BE INSPIRED TO MAKE A DIFFERENCE WITHIN THEIR COMMUNITY AND HOPEFULLY THROUGHOUT THE WORLD. MEMBERS OF THE HISTORIC BETHEL BAPTIST CHURCH ARE IN CHARGE OF THIS 60 YEAR COMMEMORATION EVENT. MARTHA BOYER SAYS IT’S IMPORTANT TO GET CHILDREN INVOLVED IN THE HEALING. SIX DECADES LATER. AND I THINK BY DOING THAT, WE EMPOWER YOUNG PEOPLE TO BE THE CHANGE AGENTS IN THEIR LIVES. AND THAT’S THE MAIN MESSAGE FROM CURTIS, THE AUTHOR. THEY’RE THE ONES THAT ARE GOING TO CARRY THE CROSS FROM NOW ON FOR US. SO WE HAVE TO IMPRESS THAT UPON THEM. HOPEFULLY, AS I SAID, IF I GOT ONE OF THEM, I THINK THEN I’VE DONE A GOOD JOB, A JOB. KELSEY IS READY TO PURSUE. I CAN USE THIS WHEN I’M ANSWERING QUESTIONS THAT OTHER PEOPLE MIGHT NOT KNOW BECAUSE THEY HAVEN’T ATTENDED EVENTS LIKE THIS. WELL, TODAY EACH STUDENT LEFT WITH A SIGNED BOOK AND I’M TOLD BY ORGANIZERS COMMEMORATIVE EVENTS WILL END TOMORROW. AND WE HAVE A TIMES AND WHERE THAT’S HAPPENING ON OUR WEBSITE IF YOU’D LIKE TO GO. AND OF COURSE, ON FRIDAY, THAT WILL MARK 60 YEARS SINCE THE CHURCH BOMBING HERE AT 16TH STREET BAPTIST CHURCH. WE ARE LIVE IN BIRMINGHAM. I’M MAGDALA LOUISSAINT W WVTM 13. WELL, AS MAGDALA JUST MENTIONED TO MORROW OR RATHER FRIDAY MARKS 60 YEARS SINCE THE BOMBING OF THE 16TH STREET BAPTIST CHURCH TO COMMEMORATE THE DAY. WE’LL TAKE AN IN-DEPTH LOOK AT DOCTOR MARTIN LUTHER KING JR’S LETTER FROM A BIRMINGHAM JAIL. THAT’S RIGHT HERE ON WVTM 13, STARTING AT SEVEN. EXCLUSIVE LIVE RADAR TRACKING STORMS. SO YOU’LL KNOW. FIRST, THIS IS WVTM 13 WEATHER. IT’S BEEN A WARM DAY IN TUSCALOOSA. TEMPERATURES PEAKING IN THE MIDDLE TO UPPER 80S. YOU CAN SEE SOME CLOUDS BUILDING OFF IN THE DISTANCE, BUT THE CLOUDS TODAY HAVE REALLY STRUGGLED TO TURN INTO TO ANY SHOWERS OR THUNDERSTORMS. YO