Early Civil Rights Work and the Birth of the Movement

- In 1963, a new campaign was launched in Birmingham, Alabama, to highlight the effectiveness of nonviolent protest.

- Rev. Fred Shuttlesworth, head of the Alabama Christian Movement for Human Rights (ACMHR), invited MLK and fellow SCLC members to Birmingham.

- On April 3rd, 1963, the campaign began with sit-ins at five department stores.

- MLK and other civil rights leaders issued The Birmingham Manifesto, demanding: 

 1. Desegregation of all store facilities. 

 2. Hiring of Black employees in local businesses. 

 3. Formation of a bi-racial committee to create a timeline for total desegregation.

- On April 13th, 1963 (Good Friday), MLK was arrested and placed in solitary confinement. While in jail, he wrote the "Letter from Birmingham Jail," outlining the reasons for the Civil Rights movement and defending nonviolent action.

- On May 2nd, 1963, the Children’s Crusade began with a 1,000-strong march through Birmingham, followed by a 6,000-strong march the next day.

- On May 3rd, 1963, Police Chief Eugene "Bull" Connor ordered fire hoses and police dogs to be used against protesters.

- The violent scenes horrified the public, but MLK continued the protests, leading to mass arrests of school-aged demonstrators.

- On May 10th, 1963, US Attorney General Robert F. Kennedy brokered an agreement between MLK and local businesses. The agreement met all three demands in the Birmingham Manifesto.

- The events in Birmingham inspired further protests across the USA.