BIRMINGHAM, Ala. – The bombing of the 16th Street Baptist Church occurred on Sept. 15, 1963, but it took decades to put the perpetrators on trial. Why did it take so long?
“Birmingham’s 16th Street Baptist Church — The Case for Justice,” a special documentary produced by Public Radio WBHM 90.3 FM, will offer some answers when it airs Thursday, Oct. 17, at 2 p.m. on 90.3 FM and online at wbhm.org.
Greg Bass, who researched and tells the story, talks with former Alabama Attorney General Bill Baxley and former U.S. Attorney Doug Jones, the prosecutors whose determination to solve this case eventually brought the guilty to justice. Also interviewed are 16th Street Baptist Church bombing survivor Barbara Cross, Barnett Wright, author of “1963: How the Birmingham Civil Rights Movement Changed America and the World,” and long-time Birmingham police officer T. K. Thorne, author of “Last Chance for Justice” about the investigation.
“WBHM is proud to work with Greg Bass on this program.” says Rachel Osier Lindley, WBHM’s News Director. “His interviews paint an extraordinarily vivid picture of both the bombers’ prosecutions and this turbulent time in Birmingham’s history.”
Throughout the year, WBHM has produced feature stories focused on commemorating the 50th anniversary of the Civil Rights Movement including Andrew Yeager’s report “The Miss Mary Case” and “A Sunday School Lesson From the 16th Street Baptist Church” by Sarah Delia. These stories and more can be found on the station’s website, wbhm.org.
“This documentary is the capstone to our year-long exploration of this crucial year for Birmingham, for Alabama, and for America,” says Scott Hanley, WBHM’s General Manager. “The lessons learned are invaluable to the community we serve, and help inform our journey, together, as a more civil society.”
WARNING: “Birmingham’s 16th Street Baptist Church — The Case for Justice” contains strong language that some listeners might find offensive.
About WBHM
Public Radio WBHM 90.3 FM, a listener-supported service of the University of Alabama at Birmingham, is “Your NPR News Station” and home to the Alabama Radio Reading Service for the blind and print-impaired. WBHM programming and award-winning regional journalism also can be heard in North Central Alabama on WSGN 91.5 FM through a partnership with Gadsden State Community College and on 104.7 FM in Fort Payne. Listen and give online at WBHM.org and follow the station at WBHM903 on Twitter and Facebook.