But for Birmingham: The Local and National Movements in the Civil Rights StruggleBirmingham served as the stage for some of the most dramatic and important moments in the history of the civil rights struggle. In this vivid narrative account, Glenn Eskew traces the evolution of nonviolent protest in the city, focusing particularly on the sometimes problematic intersection of the local and national movements. Eskew describes the changing face of Birmingham's civil rights campaign, from the politics of accommodation practiced by the city's black bourgeoisie in the 1950s to local pastor Fred L. Shuttlesworth's groundbreaking use of nonviolent direct action to challenge segregation during the late 1950s and early 1960s. In 1963, the national movement, in the person of Martin Luther King Jr., turned to Birmingham. The national uproar that followed on Police Commissioner Bull Connor's use of dogs and fire hoses against the demonstrators provided the impetus behind passage of the watershed Civil Rights Act of 1964. Paradoxically, though, the larger victory won in the streets of Birmingham did little for many of the city's black citizens, argues Eskew. The cancellation of protest marches before any clear-cut gains had been made left Shuttlesworth feeling betrayed even as King claimed a personal victory. While African Americans were admitted to the leadership of the city, the way power was exercised--and for whom--remained fundamentally unchanged. |
Contents
Two Bombingham | |
Three Bulls Birmingham | |
Four The Local Movement | |
Five Businessmens Reform | |
Six Momentum | |
Seven Another Albany? | |
Eight The Childrens Crusade | |
Nine But for Birmingham | |
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A. G. Gaston Abernathy ACMHR meeting ACMHRSCLC African Americans Alabama Christian Movement Albany Movement April arrested Arthur Shores Atlanta attorney Bearing The Cross Big Mules biracial Birmingham campaign black community bombings Boutwell BPH BPLDAM Bull Connor Burke Marshall businessmen Census citizens city commission city's civil rights movement commissioner Committee Conference Connor Papers Council court December demonstrations desegregation direct action elite federal Freedom Ride Garrow integrationists jail January Jefferson County June Kennedy King Papers King's leaders March Martin Luther King mass meeting Mayor Miles College Montgomery Morgan Papers Movement for Human NAACP negotiations Negro leadership class nonviolent October officers organization Park Police Report policemen political PostHerald president Press protest race reform race relations racial Reverend SCLC SCLC Papers SCLC's segregation September sitins Smyer SNCC Southern strategy struggle traditional Negro leadership University Vann vigilantes vote voters Walker white power white power structure