We have set your language to Oops, something didn't work. Although the town detective talked to everyone who lived on the path between the two houses, no one admitted to having seen Benoit. Share this memorial using social media sites or email. Addie Mae Collins (born April 18th, 1949 age 14) The daughter of Julius and Alice Collins, Addie was one of seven children and was described as a sweet girl who enjoyed attending church and . We strive for accuracy and fairness.If you see something that doesn't look right,contact us! Alabama State Office Director Addie Mae Collins was an outgoing, artistic girl who - as a Black teenager in 1963 - happily went door to door in the white neighborhoods of Birmingham, Alabama, to sell aprons and potholders that her mother had stitched together to make ends meet. https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/6433296/cynthia-dionne-wesley. Addie Mae Collins, Denise McNair, Carole Robertson, & Cynthia Wesley, Includes text, author, text categories, vocabulary terms, text dependent questions with answers, Includes text, author, vocabulary terms, text dependent questions. She was buried at Greenwood Cemetery in Birmingham, but her body has been. Are you sure that you want to delete this photo? Four girls, Addie Mae Collins (age 14), Denise McNair (age 11), Carole Robertson (age 14), and Cynthia Wesley (age 14), were killed in the bomb blast. It was Youth Sunday at Sixteenth Street Baptist Church in Birmingham, Alabama. Login or create an account to save resources to your bookmark collection. God still has a way of wringing good out of evil, he told the mourners. Try again later. Addie Mae Collins' younger sister, Sarah, had been with the four girls when the bomb exploded, but survived the attack as did the other 22 children in the basement. Marchers at a civil rights demonstration in Washington, D.C.,on Sept. 22, 1963, hold posters reading No More Birminghams, in response to the 16th Street Baptist Church bombing. A stretcher waits to carry away any more victims found. There is a problem with your email/password. You can always change this later in your Account settings. With the force of 19 pieces of dynamite hidden under the stairs, the blast from the 16th Street Baptist Church bombing in Birmingham left a large crater at the base of the church and blew out the windows of the building on the other side of the street. This browser does not support getting your location. Though Cash died in 1994, Cherry and Blanton were arrested and charged with four counts of murder in 2000. The family had had plans to move her body because Greenwood Cemetary had become run down and was a playground for vandals. The bomb collapsed a basement wall, killing Addie Mae Collins, Cynthia Wesley, Carole Robertson - all 14 - and Denise McNair, 11, in a lounge they used for changing into their choir robes. Photo by AP Images. No animated GIFs, photos with additional graphics (borders, embellishments. Failed to remove flower. It was thirty years before her sisters could bear to visit her grave, and when they saw its neglected state, they immediately arranged to have Addie Mae moved to another, better-maintained cemetery. 0 cemeteries found in Birmingham, Jefferson County, Alabama, USA. The email does not appear to be a valid email address. You need a Find a Grave account to continue. One. After the blast, Christ's head was blown away. Select the Student Version to print the text and Text Dependent Questions only. The email does not appear to be a valid email address. program Oops, we were unable to send the email. If you notice a problem with the translation, please send a message to [emailprotected] and include a link to the page and details about the problem. From left to right: Denise McNair, 11; Carole Robertson, 14; Addie Mae Collins, 14; and Cynthia Wesley, 14. Another 22 people were injured in. Noting that no timing device was found, he disputed the . Martin Luther King Jr. had delivered his I Have a Dream speech to the largest civil rights march in history only 18 days earlier. To use this feature, use a newer browser. Year should not be greater than current year. Addie Mae Collins was a 14-year-old murder victim whose 1963 death focused public attention on racial violence in the South. The NAACP questioned the speed of the investigation and whether all resources available were being utilized. Are you sure that you want to report this flower to administrators as offensive or abusive? The whole world had watched in awe as the children in Birmingham made history. Collins was killed in the blast along with Denise McNair, 11, and Carole Robertson and Cynthia Wesley, both 14. The Birmingham News reported it was the 41st bombing in the city in the past 16 years. Another two suspects were charged and convicted in 2001 and 2002, a fourth suspect died before charges were brought. Please ensure you have given Find a Grave permission to access your location in your browser settings. The murders touched off nationwide outrage. At 10:19 AM the bomb exploded, blowing a hole in the east side of the church, shattered windows, walls, and doors and injuring or killing 24 people. Three men were convicted of murdering Addie Mae Collins long after her death, in trials held between 1977 and 2002. This relationship is not possible based on lifespan dates. At about 10:22 AM, as 26 children were entering the basement assembly room for closing prayers, the bomb exploded, blowing a hole in the east side of the church and injuring dozens. YouTubes privacy policy is available here and YouTubes terms of service is available here. Weve updated the security on the site. (Tom Self/ Birmingham News), A newspaper clipping shows police officers in the immediate aftermath of the bombing of the Sixteenth Street Baptist Church in Birmingham, Ala., Sunday, Sept. 15, 1963. She died on 15 September 1963 in Birmingham, Alabama, USA. Rudolph, who spoke to the press following a service at the church marking the anniversary of the bombing on Monday, said the family tried to exhume Addie Mae Collins around the year 2000, in order . On Sept. 15, 1963, she and three other girls were killed by Ku Klux Klan members who planted. Known as "Bombingham" for the 50 racially motivated bombings that took place there between 1945 and 1962, Birmingham, Alabama remained completely segregated in the early 1960s and was a prime focus of the civil rights movement. This year, relatives of Addie Mae Collins, one of the girls that was killed, wanted to move her body to another burial site and found that it wasn't there. Birmingham, Jefferson County, Alabama, USA. All Rights Reserved. Fear and resentment of our nations growing diversity are at the heart of the hate that has been swelling across America for years. Steve Chiotakis (Chee-uh-TAKE-iss) reports from member station W-B-H-M. The Collins family appears in the 1997 Spike Lee film 4 Little Girls, a documentary on the bombing and its political significance. Thanks for your help! The 16th Street Church, frequently used as a meeting place for leaders including .css-47aoac{-webkit-text-decoration:underline;text-decoration:underline;text-decoration-thickness:0.0625rem;text-decoration-color:inherit;text-underline-offset:0.25rem;color:#A00000;-webkit-transition:all 0.3s ease-in-out;transition:all 0.3s ease-in-out;}.css-47aoac:hover{color:#595959;text-decoration-color:border-link-body-hover;}Martin Luther King Jr. and Ralph D. Abernathy, was an obvious target for this activity. Cherrys trial was delayed after judges ruled he was mentally incompetent to stand trial. The right computer monitor canmake or READ THE REST, We thank our sponsor for making this content possible; it is not written by the editorial staff nor does it necessarily reflect its views. ). George Wallacefor creating the toxic climate that led to the church bombing. First off, Medical Apartheid is a must-read, detailing the disturbing history of how medical science has used black Americans, living and dead, as part of experimentation and training. Following his victory, Ali retired from boxing, only to make a read more. Birmingham "is synonymous to barbarism" and "needs to be protected against itself," said New York City Mayor Robert Wagner. This is a carousel with slides. Her family says someone is. Copyright 1998 NPR. Service, a Creative Commons Before this day was over, the whole world would mourn. Addie Mae Collins, Denise McNair, and Cynthia Wesley were then interred during joint funeral attended by over 8,000 mourners. Denise McNair, 11, staged plays, dance routines and poetry readings in her familys carport to raise money for muscular dystrophy research. of The man at right is unidentified. Civil rights leaders tried to channel the grief and rage that spread through the black community, but there was little comfort in their efforts. You may not upload any more photos to this memorial, This photo was not uploaded because this memorial already has 20 photos, This photo was not uploaded because you have already uploaded 5 photos to this memorial, This photo was not uploaded because this memorial already has 30 photos, This photo was not uploaded because you have already uploaded 15 photos to this memorial. This year, relatives of Addie Mae Collins, one of the girls that was killed, wanted to move her body to another burial site and found that it wasn't there. Children are little people, little human beings, and that means white people. Use of and/or registration on any portion of this site constitutes acceptance of our User Agreement, Privacy Policy and Cookie Statement, and Your Privacy Choices and Rights (each updated 1/26/2023). You have chosen this person to be their own family member. Download the official NPS app before your next visit. Oops, some error occurred while uploading your photo(s). Plaster and debris fell around the people in Sunday School upstairs. Original caption: Juanita Jones, center, comforts her sister, Maxine McNair, whose daughter Denise McNair died earlier that day in the Sixteenth Street Baptist Church bombing. People everywhere died.". Death Year: 1963, Death date: September 15, 1963, Death State: Alabama, Death City: Birmingham, Death Country: United States, Article Title: Addie Mae Collins Biography, Author: Biography.com Editors, Website Name: The Biography.com website, Url: https://www.biography.com/crime/addie-mae-collins, Publisher: A&E; Television Networks, Last Updated: September 4, 2019, Original Published Date: April 3, 2014. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate, or jump to a slide with the slide dots. Check out how leafcutter ants work in spectacular close-up video, Weird science and tech are bringing magick back, Look into the empty eyes of an ancient, giant fish, Start your musical journey with the Populele Smart Ukulele, now only $159.99, Enjoy a new vantage view of your computer with this portable 15.6-inch OLED screen, now only $396, This beautifully refurbished MacBook Pro is a great price for a limited time, Terms They had come together as a group in several stages over the previous four years, changing their name in read more, The Battle of Britain reaches its climax when the Royal Air Force (RAF) downs 56 invading German aircraft in two dogfights lasting less than an hour. Are you adding a grave photo that will fulfill this request? Include gps location with grave photos where possible. Remove advertising from a memorial by sponsoring it for just $5. With California booming, thanks to the 1849 Gold Rush, Americans east and west had been clamoring for read more, Mary Clarissa Agatha Miller, later known as Agatha Christie, is born on September 15, 1890 in Torquay, Devon, England. For more on the ceremony, please visit this story. At 10:22, it exploded. Civil rights leader the Rev. At least one man who says he marched with the accused gunman before the shooting was immersed in white supremacist propaganda,an SPLC investigationhas found. And this isn't just an old story from Victorian times. Ten months later, President Lyndon B. Johnson signed the Civil Rights Act of 1964. Three day after the bombing, funeral services were held for Cynthia Wesley, Addie Mae Collins, both 14, and 11-year-old Denise McNair. Addie Mae Collins was an outgoing, artistic girl who as a Black teenager in 1963 happily went door to door in the white neighborhoods of Birmingham, Alabama, to sell aprons and potholders that her mother had stitched together to make ends meet. Four girlsAddie Mae Collins (age 14, born April 18, 1949), Carol Denise McNair (age 11, born November 17, 1951), Carole Rosamond Robertson (age 14, born April 24, 1949), and Cynthia Dionne Wesley (age 14, born April 30, 1949)were killed in the attack. In 1963, when Addie Mae Collins died, it was still relatively common in the South to harvest bodies from cemeteries and the cemeteries chosen were usually the ones that served the black community. The federal Uniform Anatomical Gift Act, passed in 1968, effectively led to the end of grave robbing and the deliberate bias that went with it. Visit our website terms of use and permissions pages at www.npr.org for further information. The girls had been dressed in their Sunday best, ready to sing and act as ushers at the adult service, and only a few minutes before the explosion they had been together in the basement women's . The service honoring Addie Mae Collins, Denise McNair, Carole Robertson and Cynthia Wesley and two young boys killed shortly after the bombing, Johnny Robinson Jr. and Virgil Ware, recognized Birmingham as the center of the Civil Rights movement and emphasized that the march to justice and equality of all people is not over. Raised and educated at Ashfield, her parents comfortable home, Christie began making up stories as a child. This memorial has been copied to your clipboard. Try again later. Shortly after the church bombing, white supremacist leader Connie Lynch told a group of Klansmen that those responsible for the bombing deserved medals. Lynch said the four young girls who died there werent children. Alabama, U.S., Deaths and Burials Index, 1881-1974, U.S., Newspapers.com Obituary Index, 1800s-current, Thank you for fulfilling this photo request. Sorry! Learn about how to make the most of a memorial. After Alabama Attorney General Bill Baxley reopened the case, Chambliss was convicted in 1977 and sentenced to life in prison. Victims (from left): Denise McNair, 11; Carole Robertson, 14; Addie Mae Collins, 14; and Cynthia Wesley, 14, are shown in these 1963 photos. Windows were blown out of nearby businesses as was a stained glass window at the church depicting Christ leading children. Her mother and her older sister Madge also made up read more, The famous picture of Marilyn Monroe, laughing as her skirt is blown up by the blast from a subway vent, is shot on September 15, 1954 during the filming of The Seven Year Itch. There are no volunteers for this cemetery. Four girls, Addie Mae Collins (age 14), Denise McNair (age 11), Carole Robertson (age 14), and Cynthia Wesley (age 14), were killed in the bomb blast. Martin Luther King Jr. is followed by Revs. An email has been sent to the person who requested the photo informing them that you have fulfilled their request, There is an open photo request for this memorial. "If these cruel and tragic events can only awaken that city and state -- if they can only awaken this entire nation -- to a realization of the folly of racial injustice and hatred and violence, then it is not too late for all concerned to unite in steps toward peaceful progress before more lives are lost," Kennedy said. An overflow crowd attends memorial services at the Sixth Avenue Baptist Church in Birmingham on Sept. 18, 1963, for three of the four Black girls killed in the bombing. Rev. Use the links under See more to quickly search for other people with the same last name in the same cemetery, city, county, etc. Addie Mae Collins was one of the four little girls murdered in the 16th Street Baptist Church bombing back in 1963. At 10:22, it exploded. When the debris was searched for survivors, the bodies of four young girls were found; Cynthia Wesley, Addie Mae Collins, Denise McNair, and Carole Robertson. A box of dynamite with a timer was placed under the front steps steps of the church, near the basement, and was set to go off during Sunday prayers. Are you sure that you want to remove this flower? In the end, more than 20 people were hospitalized with injuries. All photos uploaded successfully, click on the Done button to see the photos in the gallery. Search above to list available cemeteries. Save to an Ancestry Tree, a virtual cemetery, your clipboard for pasting or Print. based on information from your browser. I thought you might like to see a memorial for Cynthia Dionne Wesley I found on Findagrave.com. In the rubble of the 16th Street Baptist Church were the bodies of Addie Mae Collins, 14, Denise McNair, 11, Carole Robertson, 14, and Cynthia Wesley, 14.