Four Spirits Statue, Memorial to 16th Street Baptist Church Bombing Victims, Unveiled
City and civil rights leaders in Birmingham unveiled the “Four Spirits” statue in Kelly Ingram Park Saturday memorializing the victims of the 16th Street Baptist Church bombing, one day before the 50th anniversary of that tragedy.
On Sept. 15, 1963, a bomb placed by Ku Klux Klansman exploded before Sunday services killing four girls – 14-year-olds Addie Mae Collins, Carole Robertson, Cynthia Wesley and 11-year-old Denise McNair. The bombing shocked the public, helping lead to passage of the Civil Rights Act a year later. However, other than a plaque on the side of the church there has been no permanent memorial to the victims in Birmingham.
“This is not just a statue that’s significant to Birmingham,” said Drew Langloh, board member of Four Spirits, Inc. which commissioned the statue. “It’s significant to every person in this country that has struggled for the last 50 years.
Birmingham-born artist Elizabeth MacQueen created the bronze and steel statue. The four girls are depicted with with life-sized figures, while six doves fly above. The doves represent the four bombing victims plus two others who died the same day in Birmingham.
A white teenager shot 13-year-old Virgil Ware while riding on the handlebars of his brother’s bicycle. A police officer shot 16-year-old Johnny Robinson. Robinson was reportedly with a group of black teenagers throwing rocks at cars driven by white teens. One car displayed the Confederate flag. The two groups exchanged racial slurs.
The memorial also notes Sarah Collins Rudolph, the sister of Addie Mae Collins. Rudolph survived the bombing, but has dealt with severe injuries.
Rev. Joseph Lowery, former president of the Southern Christian Leadership Conference, drew from Rev. Martin Luther King Jr.’s eulogy to the bombing victims as he spoke to the crowd Saturday afternoon.
“Don’t let anybody tell you these children died in vain,” Lowery said. “We wouldn’t be out here right now had they not gone home before our eyes.”
The statue sits diagonally from the 16th Street Baptist Church at the northwest entrance to the park. The design, construction and installation cost $250,000. The name “Four Spirits” comes from a novel by Birmingham-born author Sena Jeter Naslund. Her book of the same name uses civil rights era Birmingham as a backdrop.
Click to see more pictures from the statue unveiling.
~ Andrew Yeager, September 15, 2013
Alabama regulators approve two-year electric rate freeze and two solar projects for a Meta data center
Critics say the rate freeze will only delay financial burdens on Alabama Power customers while preserving a high profit rate for the utility.
Auburn tabs USF’s Alex Golesh as its next coach, replacing Hugh Freeze on the Plains
The 41-year-old Golesh, who was born in Russia and moved to the United State at age 7, is signing a six-year contract that averages more than $7 million annually to replace Hugh Freeze. Freeze was fired in early November after failing to fix Auburn’s offensive issues in three seasons on the Plains.
Alabama Power seeks to delay rate hike for new gas plant amid outcry
The state’s largest utility has proposed delaying the rate increase from its purchase of a $622 million natural gas plant until 2028.
Former U.S. Sen. Doug Jones announces run for Alabama governor
Jones announced his campaign Monday afternoon, hours after filing campaign paperwork with the Secretary of State's Office. His gubernatorial bid could set up a rematch with U.S. Sen. Tommy Tuberville, the Republican who defeated Jones in 2020 and is now running for governor.
Scorching Saturdays: The rising heat threat inside football stadiums
Excessive heat and more frequent medical incidents in Southern college football stadiums could be a warning sign for universities across the country.
The Gulf States Newsroom is hiring an Audio Editor
The Gulf States Newsroom is hiring an Audio Editor to join our award-winning team covering important regional stories across Mississippi, Alabama and Louisiana.
