Review Desegregation and the Birmingham Church Bombing

Name:
Instructor:
Institution:
Date:
Annotated Bibliography
Branch, Taylor.The King Years: Historic Moments in the Civil Rights Movement. Simon and Schuster, 2013.Print.


The main fact of this book is a view of the civil rights movement. I find each chapter is a whole narrative of a specific significant event during this struggle. There is actually little or no need for supplementary sources of information, as this book is well detailed and analytical enough in its narration of the specific details thereof. The book even provides real quotes and statistical references for more relevance. For example, it clearly states the age of Martin Luther King at the time he was giving his speech (26) and the time of his death (38). There are also quotes from the policemen who sarcastically state that they are ‘on top while others are at the bottom’ in relation to social order. This is especially so during Watts riots. This book is captivating and sad at the same time, as the characters involved are either shortchanged or fail to perform their duties as required. It is however a good source of historical information.
Top of Form
McKinstry, Carolyn M, and Denise George. While the World Watched: A Birmingham Bombing Survivor Comes of Age During the Civil Rights Movement. Carol Stream: Tyndale House Publishers, 2011. Internet resource.
The main facts of this book are the segregation and civil injustice made worse by the Jim Crow laws and the events in the South, such as bombings and assassinations . These were laws aimed at completely ensuring marginalization along racial lines. A certain quote from the book "…Blacks were not worthy to be categorized as humans, but rather semi-humans…" encompasses the main theme of the book. This book provides a first-person point of view of the experiences and events that went on during this time. All these were essentially the preludes of the civil rights movement. I find this book very informative and ordely,since it gives a chronological account of how far the country has come, in terms of racial segregation or union thereof. I agree with the book that the country can be proud of the massive steps it has made in terms of racial relations and equality over the years. There is more unity and tolerance. This book however, leaves a caveat; that there is still much to be done before the racial lines becomes insignificant.
National Park Service. "16th Baptist Church Bombing."N.d. Web 21st Feb.2016.
"Just before 11 o'clock, instead of rising to begin prayers the congregation was knocked to the ground. As a bomb exploded under the steps of the church, they sought safety under the pews and shielded each other from falling debris. " This is the excerpt from the second paragraph of the article as it narrates the experience of the bomb.This article provides a combination of textual and pictorial description of the Birmingham church bombing as it tries to relate to the present state of things. The facts of this book are the main issues surrounding the event, such as its relevance, the aftermath, the reason as to why that church was bombed, and the likelihood of justice for all the parties involved. While going through the article, one gets the feeling that this piece aims at reuniting the past and the present. It is written in a reconciliatory tone which is different from the previous articles and books. It helps for individuals seeking closure of the event.
Top of Form
Currie, Stephen. The Birmingham Church Bombings. Detroit, MI: Lucent Books/Thomson Gale, 2006. Print.
The main facts in this book are the issues of segregation and deep hatred.As I read through the book, I came to note that the story of the Birmingham church bombing not only speaks of the superficial differences evident among the people in the society at that time, but also the deep-seated discord and segregation. This book highlights the real perils associated with the segregation going on at this time in the country. The fact that every activity and process was split along the racial lines, clearly spoke of a deeply divided country. It gives the statistics, for example, that virtually more than half of the institutions were banned for blacks. It also provided an in-depth view into the Birmingham church bombing, thereby helping in the clarification of assumptions, as well as rectification of stereotypes about it. This is a particularly interesting re...