Looking back but pressing forward
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. – Sixteenth Street Baptist Church will commemorate the 51st anniversary of the church bombing on September 15th at 9:30 a.m. The Carlton Reese Memorial Choir will render music and there will be a time for reflection. The church bells will toll at 10:22 a.m. and a memorial wreath will be laid immediately following the service.
When asked why the church observes the bombing each year, Rev. Arthur Price, Jr., Pastor, stated, “We feel it is our responsibility in honor of the lives that were lost here, to always remember their sacrifice and what their loss has meant and continues to mean, not only in our city, our country, but in our world. Birmingham is a different Birmingham, a changing Birmingham, so very different than what it was 51 years ago. We stand as witnesses to everyone who will hear, that God’s grace and mercy is available to all as we continue to seek peace and cohesion in our nation and globally. May we always remember Cynthia Wesley, Carole Robertson, Denise McNair and Addie Mae Collins.”
About Sixteenth Street Baptist Church
Sixteenth Street Baptist Church was the chosen venue for the organization of mass meetings and demonstrations during the turbulent 1960s in Birmingham, Alabama. On September 15, 1963 the church was bombed, killing four young girls, Addie Mae Collins, Denise McNair, Cynthia Wesley and Carole Robertson. This act of terrorism shocked the world and galvanized the American Civil Rights Movement. Today Sixteenth Street, a vibrant and thriving ministry, continues to tell its story of redemption, forgiveness and hope to thousands of visitors worldwide. For more information about the church and/or tour schedules, go to www.16thStreetBaptist.org or call (205) 251-9402.
