Birmingham remembers the 16th Street Baptist Church bombing, 62 years later

Monday marked the 62nd anniversary of the 16th Street Baptist Church bombing in Birmingham that killed four young Black girls. 

Denise McNair, Addie Mae Collins, Cynthia Wesley and Carole Robertson were killed while in the bathroom after just attending Sunday school. The bombing was a significant moment in the Civil Rights Movement and Birmingham’s history.

Monday’s memorial service at the church included a sermon by Rev. Arthur Price and a talk from former Alabama Attorney General, Bill Baxley, who was responsible for prosecuting one of the bombers, Robert Chambliss. Decades later, two other perpetrators were also convicted. 

“There’s some consolation to know all three of ’em were found guilty by an Alabama jury, and they all died in an Alabama prison,” Baxley told the crowd, which was met with emphatic applause. 

The Carlton Reese Memorial Unity Choir performed hymns throughout the service, including “We Shall Overcome,” which has historically been associated with the Civil Rights Movement. 

At 10:22 a.m. bells tolled after the names of the victims were read, including Virgil Ware and Johnnie Robinson who were killed on the same day in acts of racial violence. 

Outside the church, a wreath was laid at the monument honoring McNair, Collins, Wesley and Robertson.

Vahini Shori is a Report for America corps member covering faith and culture for WBHM.

This reporting is supported by WBHM’s Local Journalism Innovation Fund. Find out more about the fund and how to donate here.