An emotional rollercoaster...

The only way to describe today's final session is as an emotional rollercoaster. We started off visiting the 16th St. Baptist Church, the site of the KKK bombing that killed 4 little girls on Sept. 15, 1963. The bomb blew through 18" of concrete, took down a staircase, and exploded in the lounge of the girls bathroom, where the 4 girls were.  One other girl was there, but she had gone over to the sink, and survived, although she was blinded in one eye.  One of the most amazing stories about that day is that 4 stain glass windows were blown out in the blast. The center one had an image of Christ, the good shepherd--only the face of Christ was destroyed in that window.  The other incredible fact about that day is that the sermon text and Sunday School lesson for the day was " A Love that Forgives."  The minister actually stood on the steps after an angry crowd began demanding vengeance, and preached that sermon to calm them down.
After the visit, we heard from Rev. Carolyn McKinstry, a survivor of the blast, and best friend of Cynthia Wesley, one of the victims. She has gone around the world now working for peace and reconciliation.  The most amazing thing she read to us was a letter she received from the cellmate of Bobby Frank Cherry, one of the bombers who was finally convicted in 2001.  After Cherry died in prison, his cellmate wrote Carolyn a letter in which he told her that he had, indeed, planted the bomb.  The cellmate wrote that Cherry confessed the crime, and then was led to faith in Christ by the cellmate.  He repented and asked forgiveness.  Amazing grace indeed!  That's the most powerful letter she has received among thousands.  You should get her book, While the World Watched, and read her incredible story.
But we weren't done yet.  Next up was Catherine Burks-Brooks, who participated in the 1961 freedom rides.  This is a woman who knew no fear--she said that she never "stepped aside" for whites when she encountered them on the sidewalk, instead, she bumped them. She ended up being arrested along with John Lewis (now Congressman from Georgia) and driven around by Bull Connor--she said, "I had a nice conversation with the Bull in the car."  But then Bull let them out after dark in a "sundown town"--a place where "negroes would be killed if they showed themselves outside after dark.  When the group finally found a black family's house and knocked on the door, a man answered, and showed fear to let them in. Catherine, thinking about her mom said, "Let's talk loud, and wake up his wife." When the wife woke up she shouted at her husband, "Let those children come in the door."
The final speaker was G. Douglas Jones, the prosecutor who finally got convictions of two the bombers in 2001, 38 years after the murder.  His story of putting all the pieces together was incredible. He had grown up in segregated Birmingham, was 9 in 1963, and now dedicated his life to bringing these murderers to justice.  An incredible story.
To cap it all off, we had a concert by the Carlton Reese Memorial Unity Choir.  This choir was established in 1959 at the request of Rev. Fred Shuttlesworth.  He wanted a choir to inspire the marchers at the mass meetings.  At one point in 1963, they sang at meetings for 42 nights in a row, inspiring people to lay their lives on the line for the cause of equality. The oldest member now is Mamie Mason, now 81, but one of two original members.  It is incredible to think of her starting to sing her faith in 1959 and still singing strong today. At the end of the concert we all linked arms and sang We Shall Overcome. 
Tomorrow I continue my journey heading to Montgomery to see the Civil Rights Memorial and the site of the freedom riders beating at the Greyhound terminal.
I am emotionally drained at the end of this day! There is so much more to say......

16th St. Baptist Church

This, and the next one, are part of the memorial to the 4 little girls.

The monument at the site of the bomb.

The new window replacing the one that had the face of Christ blown out.

Window sent from school children in Wales--the struggle of the Blacks

Rev. Mckinstry (I didn't realize that the picture taker didn't focus it.)

Catherine Burks-Brooks--note the African theme and the mug shot she's holding! She's proud of that mug shot--taken by the Jackson, MI police when she was arrested as a freedom rider.

The Carlton Reese Memorial Unity Choir

Sorry--out of place--but beyond this Exit sign, just to the right is the site of the bomb blast that killed the 4 girls:

 Addie Mae Collins, Cynthia Wesley, Carol Robertson, Denise Mc Nair