birmingham+campaign

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Birmingham Alabama was one of the most segregated towns in the south. The Southern Christian Leadership Conference (SCLC) led the boycotts in Alabama. These boycotts began in January 1963. In these campaigns they boycotted downtown stores; sit in demonstrations at only white places. On April 3 the desegregation campaign was put into effect with series of mass meetings, direct actions, lunch counters sit ins, marches on city hall, and boycott of downtown merchants. In the first three days 35 people and 42 more were arresting in a march to City Hall. To end this protests the government sent police and police dogs the next day to attack the crowd of African Americans and this is when the violence broke out. April 10th the government officials obtained a court order barring demonstrations. The campaigns were losing their power and new protesters after Martin Luther King Jr was arrested for leading marches after the court order.

To recruit new volunteers the Birmingham Campaign decided to recruit students. In May 6000 high school students and college students were trained in nonviolence protests. May 2nd, 1000 students march downtown Birmingham and 900 were arrested. The police attacked the crowd with clubs, dogs, and firefighters fired high powered hoses in the crowd. Even thought the African Americans endured brutal and violence beatings most people didn’t retaliate but 200 people were arrested. 300 African Americans crowded into Birmingham and disrupted traffic. After May 10th lunch counters, restrooms, and water fountains were desegregated.