Alabama Attorney General’s 1976 Letter Told KKK Off In 3 Short Words

Michael Krall | October 16, 2014

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In 1970, shortly after being elected Attorney General of Alabama, Bill Baxley reopened the 16th Street Church bombing case – a racially motivated act of terrorism that resulted in the deaths of four African-American girls at Birmingham’s 16th Street Baptist Church in 1963. Baxley’s commitment to the case attracted much hostility, particularly from local Klansmen, and in 1976 he received a threatening letter of protest from white supremacist Edward R. Fields -founder of the “National States’ Rights Party” and “Grand Dragon” of the New Order Knights of the Ku Klux Klan. Fields accused Baxley of reopening the case for tactical reasons.

In an interview recently recorded at WBHM, Baxley spoke to NPR’s Audie Cornish about the letter he received and his response. Listen to the interview.

Baxley continues to practice law in Birmingham.

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Breaking down Alabama’s CHOOSE Act

It’s been a year since Alabama legislators passed the CHOOSE Act allowing families to apply for state funds to use towards homeschool expenses and tuition for participating private schools. The Alabama Daily News’ education reporter Trisha Powell Crain has been diving into how the funds are being used. WBHM’s Andrew Gelderman sat down with her to talk about what we’re seeing so far.