Birmingham 1963: How a Photograph Rallied Civil Rights Support (Captured History)

In May 1963 news photographer Charles Moore was on hand to document the Childrens Crusade, a civil rights protest. But the photographs he took that day did more than document an event; they helped change history. His photograph of a trio of African-American teenagers being slammed against a building by a blast of water from a fire hose was especially powerful. The image of this brutal treatment turned Americans into witnesses at a time when hate and prejudice were on trial. It helped rally the civil rights movement and energized the public, making civil rights a national problem needing a national solution. And it paved the way for Congress to finally pass laws to give citizens equal rights regardless of the color of their skin.

Shelley Tougas worked in journalism and public relations before writing children’s books. She is the author of Little Rock Girl 1957: How a Photograph Changed the Fight for Integration, which was among Booklist’s 2011 Top Ten Editors’ Choices. Shelley lives, writes, and reads in North Mankato, Minnesota.