This Day in Black History: Young Demonstrators March in Birmingham
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May 11, 2012
From Black First: 2,000 years of extraordinary achievement
On this date in 1963, young demonstrators marched on the Birmingham, AL City Hall for civil rights.
Inspired by Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., the protest began in the middle of bomb blasts and police brutality. City Commissioner of Public Safety, “Bull” Connor, ordered the arrest of 900 young people in two days. Later, police attacked the youths with high-pressure fire hoses and dogs.
Despite pleas for non-violent demonstration, rioting continued for days when a truce was declared. A settlement desegregating some city facilities was announced later in that month.
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