About
Kids in Birmingham 1963 was created during the 50th anniversary of the “Year of Birmingham,” a turning point in America’s struggle for civil rights. We offer a place for people to tell their personal stories of coming of age in that turbulent time, stories that may otherwise be left out of the history. If you lived in Birmingham, Alabama, in 1963, we invite you to share your story.
Read about the ways we kids – black and white, activists or observers – experienced that year. And what we think about it now.
Our unique offering: direct contact for phone or e-mail interviews with the very people who lived the history.
Journalists: During its first year, the Web site’s storytellers lent our voices to pieces in The Birmingham News, Weld for Birmingham, The Washington Post, and Wales Arts Review. To contact one of the site’s storytellers, visit the Press Room tab or send your interview request to KidsInBirmingham1963@gmail.com.
Students, teachers, youth leaders: Our stories are primary source materials that bring history to life. Visit the Class Room tab for tips on helping young people connect personally with the ongoing struggle for human and civil rights. The Kids in Birmingham 1963 Lesson Plan is ready to go, designed by skilled teachers for 4th-12th graders.
About the stories: All but two of the stories are first-person accounts by people who were children or youth in Birmingham in 1963. (The exceptions: Marti Turnipseed died in 1972, and her story is told in third person; Lawrence Bentley was an 8-year-old in Detroit in 1963 who closely followed events in Birmingham.)
Minor edits have been made to some stories for the sake of clarity, in collaboration with the authors. Original submissions are available on request by writing to KidsInBirmingham1963@gmail.com.