There are a multitude of authors who write historical fiction romance, but sometimes it can be difficult sorting through them to find the best writers. Stephanie Laurens is a renowned historical fiction romance author who encompasses mystery, drama, and intrigue in most of her writings. The Jefferson County Library Cooperative downloadable collection has a large number of ebook/audiobooks written by author Stephanie Laurens available for checkout.

Laurens is well known for her series such as the Cynster and Bastion Club novels, as well as her single novellas and regency novels. One of Laurens' most popular series is the Black Cobra Quartet. This popular series is full of spellbinding and captivating intrigue and mystery. This top-rated series centers around four top officers of the British Crown fighting against a deadly foe known as the Black Cobra. There are many mindboggling twists and turns that are exciting and fascinating and will keep you mesmerized though out.

Although we have many titles by Stephanie Laurens, there are many other authors who write excellent historical fiction romance available in our downloadable collection. Just type the string of words “historical fiction romance” into the keyword search box in the classic or Encore catalog and choose either eBooks or downloadable audiobooks from the list of formats on the left side of the page.

Submitted by Karyn Davis-West
Information/Circulation Department
Central Library

The Carlton Reese Memorial Singers marched and demonstrated during Birmingham's civil rights movement. Come hear them express themselves through freedom songs, gospel music, and testimonies. Wednesday, February 6, noon.

To commemorate the 50th anniversary of Birmingham's civil rights struggle, the Birmingham Public Library is sponsoring the Year of Birmingham, a 12-month series of lectures, documentary films, performances and panel discussions.

Feed your body and mind at BPL's Brown Bag Lunch programs. You bring the lunch and we'll bring the drinks. Central Library, Linn Henley Research Building, Arrington Auditorium, 4th floor. For more information call 226-3604 or visit www.bplonline.org.

The Passage of Power: The Years of Lyndon Johnson
Robert Caro

Very rarely has a politician’s political fortunes been where one is at height of power, then fallen to near-powerlessness, then in a moment back to the heights. Robert Caro’s fourth volume about the life of Lyndon Johnson tells the story of Johnson’s clumsy attempts to run for president in 1960 while leader of the Senate, then the offer of the vice president by John F. Kennedy, despite the intense dislike of Johnson by Robert Kennedy.

Johnson then spent the next couple of years isolated in the office of vice president. So used to power, Johnson languished and was marginalized while John and Robert Kennedy grew more powerful and more popular with the American public. Desperate to have some influence on events, Johnson tried to exert his viewpoints on current events such as the Cuban missile crisis and the civil rights movements. These attempts at influence were quickly squashed by the Kennedys. Entering the fall of 1963, Johnson’s political fortunes were at the lowest ebb: a Senate investigation committee and Life magazine was about to look into some of Johnson’s business dealings, and there was the potential of John Kennedy dropping Lyndon Johnson from the ticket for the next presidential election. All of that changed in a few seconds in Dallas on November 22, 1963.

After Kennedy’s assassination, Lyndon Johnson was able to pull the country together and to prove to the many doubters that he could lead the country under extremely stressful situations. Johnson chose to continue Kennedy’s programs, especially the 1963 Civil Rights Bill when everyone felt that it was a lost cause. The book ends with the passage of the Federal Budget and the upcoming civil rights battles. Also on the horizon is the upcoming election and the dark specter of Vietnam.

An outstanding book, I thoroughly enjoyed it and learned much about modern political life. I was amused at the conflict between Robert Kennedy and Lyndon Johnson, and felt heartbroken with Robert Kennedy with his brother’s assassination. A thoroughly excellent book and eagerly await Caro’s final volume.

Submitted by Vincent Solfronk
Youth Department
Central Library

Tonight's workshop, Gifts of a Wordsmith, will be held from 6:00 to 8:00 p.m. in the Storycastle on the second floor of the Central Library.

Featuring special guest Yogi E.C. (Yolanda Carter), poet, artist, and author of the book Eternal Communicator/Chameloen Assassin, a collection of poetry accompanied by photography by Marika N. Johnson. Yogi's resume includes commissioned work for ABC 33/40’s Freedom Riders, being a finalist for Turner South Television’s In My South competition, and vocals for Alabama Public Television’s soundtrack for the Emmy Award Nominated documentary, Mr. Dial Has Something to Say.

Gifts of a Wordsmith is held every first Tuesday at the Central Library.

Thanks to the efforts of the Birmingham Volunteer Lawyers Program (BVLP), Jefferson County citizens who are attempting to represent themselves in either the county’s District or Domestic Relations Courts can receive free advice from experienced attorneys. Known as “Attorney for the Day,” it is a pro bono service that seeks to make the court process a little bit easier to navigate for those who cannot afford to pay for a lawyer. Although all courts try to make the justice system accessible to the general public, they still use very technical legal language in the conduct of their affairs and still require plaintiffs and defendants to follow very complicated procedures. Having an experienced attorney available to provide assistance to self-represented litigants can help overcome these bureaucratic roadblocks and thereby make the justice system run much more effectively for citizens and much more efficiently for court officials.

The local attorneys who staff the BVLP’s help desks at the District and Domestic Relations Courts can provide advice on various legal matters including explanation of court rules and procedures, preparation and filing of court forms, and planning for your court appearance. Please remember, however, that the assistance given by the volunteer attorneys is done on a pro bono basis and should not be expected to go beyond the help desk setting.

The Attorney for the Day program is offered on a first come, first served basis and does not require an appointment. Those interested in the service can simply come to the help desks at the following locations, days and times:

Jefferson County District Court Help Desk
Jefferson County Courthouse, Room 540
716 Richard Arrington Jr. Blvd., Birmingham, AL 35203
Mondays and Thursdays, 8:30 a.m. to 12  p.m.

Jefferson County Domestic Relations Court Help Desk,
Domestic Relations Building, ground floor
2124 Seventh Avenue North., Birmingham, AL 35203
Wednesdays, 8:30 a.m. to 12:00 p.m.

For further information about the Attorney for the Day program, please contact the BVLP at 250-5198.

The Birmingham Volunteers Lawyers Program was created in 1995 by the Birmingham Bar Association and Legal Services Alabama to provide local attorneys with a more effective means of designing and delivering pro bono services. More information about the activities of the BVLP can be found on their website.

For those wishing to research legal questions and concerns on their own, the Birmingham Public Library is a good place to start. Although library staff cannot offer legal advice, they can help you locate information on a variety of legal issues. The library’s Legal Self Help Subject Guide provides a useful compilation of resources with which to begin your research.

Jim Murray
Business, Science and Technology/Social Sciences Department
Central Library

For the first time ever, the Birmingham Public Library is participating in the Birmingham Home and Garden Show, from February 14th-17th, 2013, at the BJCC! 

If you order your tickets online, make certain to use the promotional code "LIBRARY" for $4 off the regular cost.

The show has some great highlights, including celebrity chef Chris Crary (Bravo TV’s Top Chef ), Lifestyle Guru and Master Designer, Chris H. Olsen , the voice of the Crimson Tide Eli Gold and Auburn Tigers announcer Rod Bramblett , as well as Carmen Johnston, garden lifestyle expert for the Southern Living Plant Collection. Here are the show's celebrity bios.

Check out some of these gorgeous gardens to be featured too. 

We will be offering story times by some of our amazing library storytellers.

We will demonstrate how to use BPL's e-services, download e-books and music, and sign people up for BPLinks (the weekly e-newsletter) which will enter you into a contest for gift certificates to The Outlet Shops of Grand River. 

We'll be displaying library books on DIY, home improvement, cooking, gardening, and more.

So, please do take advantage of your library discount today (and come by our booth during the show to say hello)! 

Kids getting ready to do a donut craft after BPL storytellers entertained them with a performance of Laura Numeroff's If You Give a Dog a Donut, the 13th book in Numeroff's If You Give A series. What a wonderful experience it is to see the eyes of pre-school children light up to storytelling. Pre-school story times can and do make a difference in the lives of these little ones. Our story times include a combination of books, and book related activities such as songs, crafts, and puppets. It has been proven that activities such as reading, singing, and playing with children can impact a child’s brain development and help with pre-reading skills they need to start school. Storytimes also provide an opportunity for children to interact with one another, engage in dramatic play, learn new words and concepts, and help to gradually increase their attention spans. Storytime can be one of the most influential factors in a child’s educational development. To take advantage of this and more, join the wonderful story tellers at the Powderly Library each Tuesday morning at 10:30 a.m. Come prepared for a half hour of books, fun, and activities!

Visit Birmingham365.org for a complete list of Birmingham Public Library events for children, teens, and adults.

Submitted by Loretta Bitten
Powderly Library

Beautifying your yard doesn’t have to be a laborious task if you plan ahead. The winter off-season is the perfect time for pre-planning your landscaping projects. Start with a clear plan of what you want to achieve. Whether you want to revamp your whole yard or improve upon your current landscape features. If you’re short on ideas how to proceed, the Birmingham Public Library has landscaping books to provide you with the necessary information for your project.

For those who enjoy the convenience of the library’s electronic resources, we have put together several Home & Garden Subject Resource guides that will assist you with your landscaping needs.

If you need further assistance, please do not hesitate to contact your local Birmingham Public Library.


Update: We the people of the Birmingham Public Library will have a booth at the upcoming Bham Home and Garden Show, so make sure you come see us! If you order your tickets online, you can get a 40% discount by entering the promo code "Library" right here! See you there!

Submitted by Business, Science & Technology Department
Central Library

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I love my Kindle Fire and I enjoy the many wonderful features of the device:  Wi-Fi web browsing, Android apps for Kindle, e-reader, cloud storage, and more.  I was excited when Overdrive began to offer e-books for Kindle.  It is so easy to access them when you check out because the Overdrive site links you directly to Amazon.com to download the books to your Kindle Fire. 
Overdrive has now made it possible for me to download audiobooks and even more e-books.  Overdrive Media Console, which has been available for Apple devices and Android phones for some time, is now available for Kindle Fire.  All Android apps are not compatible with the Kindle Fire, so it’s great that the Overdrive app is now available.  I downloaded the free app and I can use it to access both MP3 audiobooks and EPUB e-books.  As a result, the number of titles I have access to has expanded dramatically.

To discover more fun ways to use your Kindle Fire, check out one of these titles from your local library:      

The Carlton Reese Memorial Singers marched and demonstrated during Birmingham's civil rights movement. Come hear them express themselves through freedom songs, gospel music, and testimonies. Wednesday, February 6, noon.

To commemorate the 50th anniversary of Birmingham's civil rights struggle, the Birmingham Public Library is sponsoring the Year of Birmingham, a 12-month series of lectures, documentary films, performances and panel discussions.

Feed your body and mind at BPL's Brown Bag Lunch programs. You bring the lunch and we'll bring the drinks. Central Library, Linn Henley Research Building, Arrington Auditorium, 4th floor. For more information call 226-3604 or visit www.bplonline.org.

On Friday, February 1, Bards & Brews travels to the beautiful Vestavia Hills Library in the Forest for the very first time. The Birmingham Public Library’s (BPL) popular poetry performance/beer tasting series begins at 6:30 p.m. with live music featuring Taylor Flannagan, and poetry performances start at 7:00. The February session will be OPEN MIC. Emcee Brian “Voice Porter” Hawkins will deftly guide both novice and veteran poets through an evening of verse with topics that run the gamut from romantic relationships to the local political scene. The program is free of charge and open to the public.

Craft beer will be available for sampling courtesy of Back Forty Beer Co., and light refreshments will be served. Attendees must be 18 years or older to be admitted, and 21 years or older to be served. IDs will be checked.

Bards & Brews is usually held on the first Friday of the month at various locations around town. The March 1 session will be held at the Five Points West Regional Library located at 4812 Avenue West and will be open mic. Check out the Bards & Brews page on Facebook for more information. This program is made possible by grants from the Alabama State Council on the Arts and the National Endowment for the Arts.

On Friday, February 1, Bards & Brews travels to the beautiful Vestavia Hills Library in the Forest for the very first time. The Birmingham Public Library’s (BPL) popular poetry performance/beer tasting series begins at 6:30 p.m. with live music featuring Taylor Flannagan, and poetry performances start at 7:00. The February session will be OPEN MIC. Emcee Brian “Voice Porter” Hawkins will deftly guide both novice and veteran poets through an evening of verse with topics that run the gamut from romantic relationships to the local political scene. The program is free of charge and open to the public.

Craft beer will be available for sampling courtesy of Back Forty Beer Co., and light refreshments will be served. Attendees must be 18 years or older to be admitted, and 21 years or older to be served. IDs will be checked.

Bards & Brews is usually held on the first Friday of the month at various locations around town. The March 1 session will be held at the Five Points West Regional Library located at 4812 Avenue West and will be open mic. Check out the Bards & Brews page on Facebook for more information. This program is made possible by grants from the Alabama State Council on the Arts and the National Endowment for the Arts.

Jessie Crawford This Saturday’s Local Authors Expo at the Birmingham Public Library, which will be from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., will be full of authors who followed a dream of writing a book.

One of them is Jessie Crawford, a retired civil service worker from Birmingham, AL, who didn’t realize he had material for children’s books until his granddaughter pointed it out to him.

Crawford and his wife had been keeping their granddaughter, Noni Crawford, ever since she was a baby. When she learned to talk, Jessie Crawford recorded the child’s cute sayings about her "Pop Pop'' in a notebook. In Noni Crawford’s eyes, there was nothing that her “Pop Pop’’ couldn’t do,’’ Jessie Crawford said.

“She was always bragging on her grandfather,’’ he said, adding that he recorded her comments for five years.

When Noni Crawford was about seven or eight years old, she found the notebook in one of his folders, liked what she saw and said, “Pop Pop, this would make a great book. You’ve got to write a book.’’ Jessie Crawford followed her suggestion and got to writing.

Today, he’s self-published nine children’s books, including books on bullying, Valentine's Day and breast cancer. Most of his books are about Leroy, an inquisitive 13-year-old boy raised by a single parent.The book on breast cancer is called “Leroy Wears Pink’’ and the book on Valentine's Day is called "Leroy's Valentine.''

The books are illustrated by Miles College graduate Damion Paschal. Jessie Crawford thanks his granddaughter, now 10, for inspiring him. Here, he offers tips on getting started as an author:

1. Write every day, even if it’s just a little bit. It keeps your thought processes going and keeps the story alive. 
2. If you feel stuck, just start. Convince yourself you can do it. 
3. If you don’t know what to write, look at your life. Life stories can be rich in content. Look at stories from friends, family, etc. 
4. Stay focused. Don't let outside distractions discourage you. 

"I'm a just an old-fashioned, country storyteller,'' he said. "The biggest satisfaction comes to me when someone picks up my books and and says, 'I really enjoyed it.'"

For more information about Crawford’s books, go to www.jessiecrawfordbooks.com. Saturday’s expo will feature nearly 100 authors with books that cover fiction, non-fiction, inspiration, civil rights, cooking, sports and more. For a list of the authors and a publishing company scheduled to appear at the expo, go to http://www.bplonline.org/programs/LocalAuthors/.

The next adult poetry workshop, Gifts of a Wordsmith, will be held Tuesday, February 5, from 6:00 to 8:00 p.m. in the Storycastle on the second floor of the Central Library.

Featuring special guest Yogi E.C. (Yolanda Carter), poet, artist, and author of the book Eternal Communicator/Chameloen Assassin, a collection of poetry accompanied by photography by Marika N. Johnson. Yogi's resume includes commissioned work for ABC 33/40’s Freedom Riders, being a finalist for Turner South Television’s In My South competition, and vocals for Alabama Public Television’s soundtrack for the Emmy Award Nominated documentary, Mr. Dial Has Something to Say.

Gifts of a Wordsmith is held every first Tuesday at the Central Library.

Last week I posted some pictures on West End's Facebook page. It was a picture of the apartment building behind the library and the roof had been blown off. Part of the roof was in a tree and the other part was on the parking lot and grounds of the apartment complex. Because of this I started thinking about home improvement resources.

Books
Advanced Home Wiring: Current with Codes Through 2014

Bookcases, Cabinets & Built-ins

The Complete Guide to Roofing, Siding & Trim

Home Repair That Pay$ Off: 150 Simple Ways to Add Value without Breaking Your Budget

Home Repair without Despair : Smart Ideas for Saving Thousands

Installing Kitchen Cabinets Made Simple

New Bathroom Ideas That Work

Old Electrical Wiring: Evaluating, Repairing, and Upgrading Dated Systems

Plumbing

Plumbing : Step-By-Step

Roofing : Step By Step

Transforming Your Kitchen with Stock Cabinetry: Design Select, and Install for a Custom Look at the Right Price

Wiring Simplified: Based on the 2011 National Electrical Code

DVDs
So, You're Renovating! Vol. 8. Roofing 

How to Repair Old Windows

This Small Space: Season One

Websites
Home & Garden Television (HGTV)

Submitted by Maya Jones
West End Branch Library

Flow Tactics Teen Poetry Workshop for grades 6-12 is held the first Saturday of every month, 2:00-4:00 p.m., in the Youth Department Story Castle at Central Library. February's workshop is scheduled for Saturday, February 2.
John Paul Taylor of Real Life Poets, Inc. is the coordinator. For more information, call Taylor at 585-8271 or email him at johnpaul@reallifepoets.org.

Moonrise Kingdom
—directed by Wes Anderson
—written by Wes Anderson and Roman Coppola

The moon is full in Moonrise Kingdom as those who know Wes Anderson’s films would expect. The moon is always full in his films—always. While this story is told as a children’s fable, it is intended for and is best suited for adults.

Set in 1965 on the fictional island of New Penzance off of the coast of New England, we find two precocious pre-teens set to run away. They meet at a community theatrical production of Noah’s Ark and spend some time afterwards as dedicated pen pals. Their names are Suzy and Sam, played by newcomers Kara Hayward and Jared Gilman. Soon they make the decision to escape. Sam is an outcast orphan who is at Camp Ivanhoe as a Khaki Scout. He deserts his camp much to the dismay of his regimented camp leader, Scout Master Ward played by Edward Norton. Suzy escapes her dysfunctional attorney parents, played by Bill Murray and Frances McDormand. They embark into the wild on their own devices. Sam is heartened by his own sense of survival skills. Suzy, in heavy eye make-up, also feels intrepid and brings along her pet kitten and a battery operated record player to play her favorite French pop records. The rest of the plot involves Suzy’s parents, Sam’s scout troop, their leader, and a local police officer played by an unrecognizable Bruce Willis, all seeking to find them as a storm (turning into a hurricane) approaches.

Other than the two previously unknown leads, the cast includes many well-known actors: Bill Murray, Frances McDormand, Bruce Willis, Edward Norton, Tilda Swinton, Jason Schwartzman, Harvey Keitel, and Bob Balaban. All of the roles are exquisitely performed. Most of these excellent players have worked before with Wes Anderson—the most frequent being Jason Schwartzman and Bill Murray. Moonrise Kingdom marks Edward Norton’s first time to work with the director and he fits into the ensemble so seamlessly that one hopes to see him in future Anderson films.

The music plays a major role in this film. Usually in a movie the music is meant to be merely atmospheric. It is meant to be transparent if not out-right subliminal. Whether plucky or pristine, regal or military, the music of Moonrise Kingdom cannot be missed. In the opening, Suzy (at her home) puts a record on her player with Benjamin Britten music and a narrator explaining the different sections of the modern orchestra, not unlike how baby-boomers might remember Andre Previn using Tchaikovsky’s Peter and the Wolf to illustrate the sounds of various instruments back in the 1960s (the same period as the setting of this film). Beyond the strong presence of the music and the didactic approach, the sheer variety of the musical contributions demands attention as well. Those represented in the film include Benjamin Britten, Henry Purcell, Leonard Bernstein, Peter Jarvis, Hank Williams, Camille Saint-Saens, Francoise Hardy, Franz Schubert, and the well-celebrated contemporary composer Alexandre Desplat, among others. While this music in combination may not seem very euphonic when listened to on a CD, it is beautifully incorporated into the film and plays a major role in the film’s success.

Moonrise Kingdom’s most notable quality is Wes Anderson’s ultra-cultivated style. He is often referred to as quirky, but never zany. Given all the whimsy, there is always an underlying structure that is visually formal and often symmetrical. Anderson’s meticulous style is reflected in Edward Norton’s character, the scout leader. He may come off like a nerd, but all is “by the book” and quite regimented. Anderson often uses dioramas (miniature sets) and this is especially at play in the opening scenes of Moonrise Kingdom as the camera shifts from one room to another, one level to another, Suzy’s home, like in a doll’s house with every decorative detail precisely in place.

It is often said of Wes Anderson’s films, that people will either love them or hate them. I think of that same statement for his film The Life Aquatic (for me his least accessible film). I enjoyed The Royal Tenenbaums, but find Moonrise Kingdom to be his most accessible film to date.

Check out Moonlight Kingdom soon or any other Wes Anderson films (and never worry about the order in which you view them).

And, remember, it is always free at the Birmingham Public Library.

Submitted by David Blake
Fiction Department
Central Library

The Grifters
Jim Thompson

Countless novels have celebrated the American Dream and countless more have indicted it. Few novels have explored the American Nightmare like The Grifters. Jim Thompson has been called the most nihilistic writer in American history. In his novels, no one is redeemed, everyone is damned. Even the straight world, which is only briefly mentioned in this novel of criminals, is implicated in corruption. As William Carlos Williams said, in his introduction to Allen Ginsberg’s Howl, get ready for a tour through Hell.

So why read it? Because looking at the shadow side of life is fascinating, and paradoxically illuminating. Because bad characters, as so many have said, are usually more interesting than good ones. Because the plot is relentlessly compelling. Because Thompson is included in the prestigious Library of America. Because he’s Stephen King’s favorite crime writer.

Roy Dillon is a grifter. He rips people off for money without them knowing it. His relations with three women are the center of this story. Lily, his mother, works for the mob. She tries to get Roy to go straight but doesn’t set an overly inspiring example. Carol is hired by Lily to nurse Roy and hopefully marry him. Moira is Roy’s girlfriend. She wants to recruit him for the big con.

Grifting is fascinating to read about. Watching Roy employ the smack, the twenties and the tat, you may stop and say, “What just happened?” The process upends normal channels of thought, flummoxes standard expectations. You may have to read about a grift here twice just to catch how the victim’s being fooled. That’s the point of it. It’s so subtle the mark never suspects he’s been had. In Thompson’s world, Roy’s life is the logical extension of free enterprise. People are there not to be merely exploited but fleeced. The price Roy pays is he can’t trust anyone.

As for Moira, here’s a jeweler describing a stone she’s brought for him to evaluate:

I mean some of the finest filigreed platinum I’ve ever seen. Practically a work of art. But the stones, no. They’re not diamonds, Mrs. Langtry. Excellent imitations, but still imitations.
Thompson’s double use of language provides a description of Moira as well.

This sort of diamond-hard prose is on every page of The Grifters. It comes out of the hard-boiled tradition, especially Raymond Chandler’s writing. This is hard-boiled at its hardest, something delivered from the black hole at the unacknowledged center of America, a country that’s not supposed to exist. It throws off poisoned sparks that will haunt you for a long time.

Submitted by Richard Grooms
Fiction Department
Central Library

One of the many pieces of history housed in the Archives Department: A scrap of a letter written between 1861 and 1865 to Mrs. Avery from "Co. 'C' 14th Regt. Tennessee Cavalry, Campbell's Brig. Jackson Division Forrest's Corps." It reads, in part, "your kindness to me was unexpected but let me assure you that no one could have appreciated it more than I did. I am a stranger in this place. Please accept my most sincere thanks and (allow) me to be your friend."
Each year the Birmingham Public Library Archives serves thousands of researchers from throughout the Birmingham area and serves as a resource to the world. In 2012, the Archives assisted researchers from 32 states (from Maine to Florida, Maryland to California) as well researchers from Australia, Canada, Denmark, England, France, Ireland, Japan, and Spain.

Our researchers include local people investigating the history of houses and buildings; college students researching class papers, theses, and dissertations; scholars researching articles, books, and museum exhibitions; and film makers working on documentaries and other motion picture productions. To conduct their research, visitors use historic documents such as letters, diaries, and scrapbooks; photographs; maps; architectural drawings; and sound recordings. Most items are stored in files, and a file might contain one photograph or 50 letters. Each file that a researcher requests is pulled by a staff person and delivered to the researcher at their table. Often it is necessary for the staff person to explain the items, how to interpret the information they contain, and instruct the researcher on how to handle fragile documents without causing damage. If the researcher asks for copies, all copies are made by the Archives staff.

The Archives staff track all files pulled each day, and recently we hit a milestone. Over the past decade (2002 to 2012) the Archives staff pulled 1,105,022 files for researchers (and then put those files back). Let’s say that again: one million, one hundred and five thousand, twenty-two files. That’s a lot of trips to the stacks.

Submitted by Jim Baggett
Archives Department
Central Library

Birmingham 1963: How a Photograph Rallied Civil Rights Support
Shelley Tougas

Birmingham 1963 focuses on the controversial Children’s Crusade through which civil right leaders launched Project C (for Confrontation) to jumpstart desegregation in Birmingham, Alabama in 1963. In May, 1965 the Children’s Crusade became a model for nonviolent protest when African American children marched for their rights. This account tells how Charles Moore’s photograph of teenagers being brutally assaulted with fire hoses against a building started up enough controversy to bring attention to the level of discrimination occurring, which effectively obliged the oppressive, white Birmingham establishment to move forward in civil rights. Moore effectively became a protester himself because his picture’s details imparted a power that changed history. All Americans became witnesses to the hate and prejudice that were on trial. The photo rallied the Civil Rights Movement and energized the public by highlighting civil rights as a national problem needing a national solution. Lastly, the picture encouraged Congress to finally pass laws to give all citizens equal rights regardless of the color of their skin.

Additional, information can be found on African-American History Online databases.