On 2nd May 1963, a children crusade in Birmingham became a pivotal point of the civil rights movement through which the youngest citizens engaged in activism, which opened the eyes of the nation. Most African American children participated in the Children's Crusade in Birmingham, Alabama. The civil rights movement was part of their lives.
The civil rights leaders in early 1963 in the Southern Christian leadership conference (SCLC) along with other civil rights movements developed a plan to desegregate Birmingham which had discriminatory practice in public life and employment.
The demonstrations were led by Dr Martin Lurther Jr., Reverend Ralph Abernathy where thousands of African American protestors in Birmingham demonstrated. SCLC leader James Bevel set up a plan for a "Children's Crusade" which they thought may turn the tide in Birmingham where thousands of children were trained on non-violent tactics. They marched to address the mayor of Birmingham but were not met with a peaceful response. On the first-day hundreds were arrested and on the second day, Bull o'Connor ordered the police to spray children with powerful water hoses, use police dogs and use butons to hit them. The circulation of photographs and footage of the violent crackdown led to a public outcry. The children crusade brought significant victory in Birmingham where on ay 10th an agreement was reached to desegregate business and free all that were jailed during the protest.
