AJ asks,
In class the other day we watched a video on the civil rights movement in Birmingham, Alabama. This was unlike other videos in which it didn't give most of the praise to Martin Luther King Jr. but intsead to the children of Birmingham. It showed D-Day in which all the students left school and went on a march to the 16th Street Baptist Church. They continued to go back and do civil marches and cause interruption in the white streets. They eventually had dogs and fire hoses sprayed at them yet they continued to go back.
My question to the class is that if you were a black teenager in this time period living in Birmingham, Alabama would you have participated in these stands and marches against the white police? Would you have risked getting kicked out of school, getting in trouble with your parents and going to jail? Would you have been brave enough to stand in there when dogs are being brought in and the hoses are being brought out?
18 comments:
Well this is a tough one…
I think that I would have followed with the other children of Alabama and proceeded with D-Day. At the time they were unsure of what was going to be the consequences of their actions and I think that is partly with so many followed. Some knew that there could possibly be police brutality but I am sure that no one was expecting the dogs or the water hoses. Although I would have been scared out of my mind, and gone to jail, I would have been part of a movement that helped to change history. I doubt that I would stand there and let them shoot high pressure water at me but I would do something.
_Alyssa
I feel if I was black in that time period or in anytime period, I would stand up for my rights. Whether it was sit ins or just marching. Being in jail for a few days wouldn't be the problem, my parents would most likely be. But even then I would do what I wanted and that would be to stand up for what I believed in.
Daniel
In that time period yes I would have definitely taking part in D-Day and other protests and events. I think if I was a black American then, it would be my duty to stand out for civil rights. If I did not have these rights, I would have no other option then to speak out. Regardless of the dogs and hoses, my participation in these events were for the justice of people. Ofcourse I would be scared, I think everyone was.
If I was a black teenager back then, I would have wanted to stand up for my rights in any way possible. My parents would have wanted to speak out against white racists but since adults couldnt, in fear of losing everything for their families my parents would have been proud of me standing up for our rights even if it meant going to jail for a period of time.
I would have definately followed the children just because why miss out on all the fun? I would want to go where all the action is happening. It also would show that i'm taking a stand for what i believe in. I also thought it showed that children arent that naive and immature. It takes alot of guts to do what they did. I would go there and try to make a difference for my heritage and background. I would have been a little scared about getting possibly killed but still would have went just to show my support in the worthy cause.
THanks,
Mike
its kind of tough to answer this because you dont really know what you would do unless you were actually in the situation. i think what i would do is go out on fight for my rights like the children did on D-Day. it was very intense out on the streets and i think the kids didnt really know what they were getting into. at that time it would be the only way to get my point across and stand out for equality. it would be extremely scary, but the kids were very brave and i think they made a big impact of black peoples image for the future.
-emily
Oh I for sure would have joined in on D-Day. I mean I might have been a little scared not knowing what could happen, but I'd be so excited about what I was doing it for and knowing that something great could come from this.
Haha plus, the water wouldn't scare me...I pretty much live in the water! kidding
brit
If I was a black teenager in that time period, I would have taken part in D-Day. I think it is important to stand up for your rights, and action definitly needed to be taken. I think it would be worth getting in trouble becuase I could help get civil rights for minorities. When it comes down to it, I think that most people would participate in D-Day if there was a true threat to their rights.
-Natalie
If I was a black teenager in that time period, I would have taken part in D-Day. I think it is important to stand up for your rights, and action definitly needed to be taken. I think it would be worth getting in trouble becuase I could help get civil rights for minorities. When it comes down to it, I think that most people would participate in D-Day if there was a true threat to their rights.
-Natalie
If I was a teenager back then, I definitely would have participated in the marches. It would have been a really good way to stand up for what I believed in. If I wanted a better future, then I would risk being kicked out of school or put in jail. It sounds backwards, but that was the only way to make a statement. I would also feel so proud that I stood up for my rights and didn't back down.
I think that I would have participated in the children's marches on D-Day. I know it is easy to say this now but I believe that if everybody else was doing it and it was the thing to do, why not join in? I am a tough kid and I think I could have taken the beating from the police and dogs if I continually thought about how good the outcome will be in the end. There would be no way I could sit back and watch these marches when little 6 year old boys are participating in them.
AJ
I think that I would have participated with the other kids and risked the consequences. It is great to be part of something so influential and so massive. And it was obvious from the movie that the children who did participate were proud to make a difference and act for somehting that they really believed in. Looking back on what they did, the people who were interviewed realized that it was not only fun to help with the progress of the civil rights movement, but also to be with their peers all day, whether on the streets or in jail. I definitely would have participated.
I think that if back then in that time period I was black I would've participated in the marches and stands aganist the white police. If the adults wouldn't do it, someone had to. If I had to fight for my rights, that was the way to do it back then. I would've risked getting kicked out of school to stand up for what i believe in. I may have been a liitle scared to go to jail, but that was the point, to fill up the jails. I may have done something other that get attacked by dogs and get it by pressurized water, but I may have still done something to help.
-Nicole
I think that a lot of people would have hesitated to join in on D-Day if they had known what was truly about to be handed to them - seeing what the police did is pretty intimidating. Yet, I am positive that if I had been in the situation, I would have participated. There would have been no way that I would miss out on such an amazing opportunity to make a difference and take a stand. I would not have wanted to just chill at home knowing all my friends were out there showing the world what they were worth.
-Ellie
Well, when I first read your question of if I would follow the children of Alabama and fight for my rights, I thought of course. And now that that I think of it I don't think I would have been able to bare with the water and the dogs and the feeling of being in jail. The children didn't know what would happen to them, so I would probably gone along with them to protest for my rights too. In the video I felt like all the children became one and supported eachother to help their future in this country.
Its hard to answer that question because I havn't personally experienced what it is like to not go where ever I want and be treated as an inferior. I think it depends all on how much you want to be equal to the other white children.
neha
If i was a black teenager in that time period in birmingham AL i am absolutly positive that i would join the marches on the the streets. I know that there are alot of things at risk but it would be worth fitghing for my rights. I can easily say here that i would be brave enough to stand there when they brought out the dogs and the hoses but i bet if i was there i would be a little frightened. But i would for sure risk all those things because it would be for a good cause.
sorry i forgot to put my name on my comment but it was mine.
BOB
I would have joined the marches. If everyone in my class was doing it then there isn't really any risk of getting kicked out of school, because they weren't going to kick the entire class out. I think I would be really scared to go to jail but it would be easier because all of my friends would be going along with me.
-Jason
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