BIRMINGHAM, 1963

1.  Bibliography

Weatherford, Carole Boston. 2007. Birmingham, 1963. Honesdale, PA. ISBN 9781590784402

2.  Plot Summary

In this moving book, Weatherford gives the tragic account of the hate crimes committed against 1960’s Birmingham from the point of view of the fictional narrator, a young girl whose 10^th birthday was the day of the bombing of 16^th Street Baptist Church.  In August of 1963, the Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King moved an audience with his speech, “I Have a Dream,” and the very next month the church was bombed, injuring twenty and killing 4 young girls.  The narrator takes us through her experience of the time leading up to the fateful day, from marching in protest and going to jail, to rehearsing for her church’s Youth Day solo which was to occur the day of the bombing.  The book ends with in memoriam with beautiful words spoken about each girl whose life was lost that day. 

3. Critical Analysis

It takes great skill to write a children’s poetry book about 1960’s Birmingham and all of the tragic events that unfolded during that time.  Weatherford expertly uses the free verse from a child-narrator’s voice to tell the story in a way that is sad and moving, yet still appropriate for children.  The rhythm of the poetry is felt in the simple, yet powerful short sentences that comprise the verse.  There is a subtle anticipation in having few words on each page, a sort of tension that builds as the tragedy unfolds.  Rhyme is not utilized, but it is an appropriate choice by the author due to the serious nature of the content.  Through the repeated phrase, "The day I turned ten," children and adults alike are reminded of the number of young children who were terrorized, injured, or killed in the events of Birmingham, 1963.  Though the narrator is fictional, the reality is all too real.  The emotion conveyed is deep and complex, and will surely provoke many thoughts and conversations long after the book has been read.  Children may not fully relate to the tragic happenings described, but the reality is brought home when the narrator speaks of having no birthday cake, of witnessing her daddy cry for the first time, or when she wonders if she "could ever play outside again" because of the fear the terror has brought.  The photos which illustrate the book were taken from the pages of history itself and further concrete the reality of the racism and hate crimes that abounded during that regrettable time.  Photos of the civil rights demonstrators, photos of marchers being hosed down, photos of the church, photos of the devastation left in the wake of the bombing create a clear picture for the reader of times that can never be forgotten, no matter how painful the reality was.  The tribute written in memoriam for each child who lost her life in the bombing is especially moving.  Each tribute is covered in a 2 page spread with a photo of the child and special details about her personality and contributions to the world, and the reader feels as if the victim would have been a friend. The black background behind each picture is a somber reminder of the pain of loss.  This book will create awareness, the desire to learn more, and the resolve to remove injustice from the world. 

4.  Review Excerpts

 "Exquisitely understated design lends visual potency to a searing poetic evocation of the Birmingham church bombing of 1963. The unnamed fictional narrator relates the events of ''[t]he year I turned ten,'' this refrain introducing such domestic commonplaces as her first sip of coffee and ''doz[ing] on Mama's shoulder'' at church...It's a gorgeous memorial to the four killed on that horrible day, and to the thousands of children who braved violence to help change the world." --Kirkus Reviews, Starred Review

“An emotional read, made even more accessible and powerful by the viewpoint of the child narrator." --School Library Journal, Starred Review

5.  Connections

*Read Christopher Paul Curtis' novel The Watsons Go to Birmingham 1963 (1995) as well as the histories of the role of children in the civil rights movement of that time. 

*Read Larry Dane Brimner’s Birmingham Sunday (Orbis Pictus Honor for Outstanding Nonfiction for Children (Awards)).