55th Anniversary of 16th Street Baptist Church Bombing

Floor Speech

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Ms. SEWELL of Alabama. Madam Speaker, I rise today to remember the 55th observance of the bombing of 16th Street Baptist Church in Birmingham, Alabama, and to commemorate the lives and legacy of four precious little girls--Addie Mae Collins, Denise McNair, Carole Robertson, and Cynthia Morris Wesley--who were murdered during that devastating attack 55 years ago.

On September 15, 1963, at 10:22 a.m., the four little girls were getting dressed in the bathroom downstairs in the church, preparing to sing in the church choir. The morning of the bombing, some 200 church members were in the building getting ready for the 11 o'clock service.

When the bomb detonated on the church's east side, it caused the interior walls of the church to cave in and sent mortar and bricks flying from across the front of the church. Most of the parishioners were able to evacuate the building as it filled with smoke, but the bodies of four little girls were found beneath the rubble in the basement restroom.

The bombing was a racially motivated act of terrorism, Madam Speaker, orchestrated by four suspected members of the Ku Klux Klan. As part of the attack, the men planted 19 sticks of dynamite outside the basement of the church.

Along with the murder of the four little girls, a dozen other people were injured, including Sarah Collins Rudolph, the younger sister of Addie Mae Collins. Sarah had been in the basement with her sister and the other girls getting ready for church--yes, getting ready for church service.

The attack would later be described by Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., as one of the most vicious and tragic crimes ever perpetrated against humanity.

As the day continued, thousands of African Americans protested, gathering in scenes across the State. Governor Wallace, at the time, soon called in the police to break up the protests. Dozens of people were arrested, and two young Black boys were also killed that day: Johnnie Robinson, 16, and Virgil Ware, 13. Robinson was shot by a police officer, and Ware was killed by two White youths within hours of the bomb detonating.

Following the attack, several people were suspected, but no one was immediately brought to justice. It wasn't until 14 years later, in 1977, when then-Alabama Attorney General Bob Baxley reopened the case and the investigation began to make headway. Eventually, Klan leader Robert Chambliss was finally brought to trial and convicted of the murders.

It would take another 20 years before the other Klansmen accomplices were brought to justice. It was then-U.S. Attorney Doug Jones who brought justice, leading to the convictions of Thomas Blanton and Bobby Cherry.

The events that took place in Birmingham, Alabama, on September 15, 1963, became a major catalyst for the civil rights movement. The loss of four young girls was not in vain for, you see, we got the passage of very important historic civil rights legislation because of their sacrifice: the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and the Voting Rights Act of 1965.

Today, as we continue to seek justice and equality for all people, Madam Speaker, we must appreciate just how far we have come. Every gain in the battle for civil rights has come at a high cost, paid for by those who believed in a vision and a dream bigger than themselves. In order to see results, we must continue to fight, further their legacy and their work each and every day.

On a personal note, it is never lost on me that I get to walk the Halls of Congress today because four little Black girls lost their lives, so they can't.

It is humbling and inspiring to know that my very presence in this institution was because of the personal sacrifice of others. I was honored that my first bill to pass Congress was to pay tribute to Addie Mae Collins, to Carole, to Cynthia, and to Denise posthumously, when the Congress of the United States gave a Congressional Gold Medal in 2013 on the 50th anniversary of their deaths.

I want to thank Pastor Price and the amazing congregation of 16th Street Baptist Church in Birmingham, who tirelessly keep the flame and memory of this tragic incident alive and preserves this historic church for future generations.

Madam Speaker, on behalf of the Seventh Congressional District and the State of Alabama, I ask my colleagues to join me in remembering the 55th observance of the 16th Street Baptist Church bombing and in honoring the life and legacy of four little girls, Addie Mae Collins, Denise McNair, Carole Robertson, and Cynthia Morris Wesley.

The events 55 years ago shaped the future of our Nation and continues to have a lasting impact on our quest for equal justice and our pursuit for a more perfect union.

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