Reverend Gwen Webb remembers her role in ‘The Children’s March’ in Birmingham, fight for equal rights
ANNOUNCER: YOU’RE WATCHING WVTM 13 NEWS. IAN: WELCOME. IN MAY 1963, ALL EYES WERE CENTERED ON BIRMINGHAM. BRITAIN: THE WORLD WATCHED POLICE AND FIREFIGHTERS TERRORISING CHILDREN FOR PEACEFULLY PROTESTING AGAINST SEGREGATION AND RACISM. WVTM 13’S BREA DOUGLAS EXPLAINS THE ROLE CHILDREN PLAY AT HOME IN ACHIEVING EQUAL RIGHTS NATIONWIDE. EVEN AS A LITTLE GRONGWI GIRL IN BIRMINGHAM, GWEN WEBB KNEW SOMETHING WAS WRONG. DATING IN THE 1950S WITH HER GRANDMOTHER WAS NEVER NORMAL. >> BRING US ALL AND CARRY US TO THE BACK DOOR OF THE BUS AND ME BE THE SEARCH I IDSA BUT MAMA YOU ALREADY ON THE BUS. WHY ISN’T IT JUST COMING IN AND WALK DOWN THE AISLE WITH YOU ON S? >> EXPERIENCES LIKE THIS THROUGHOUT HIS CHILDHOOD INSPIRED WEBB TO ACT. AT 14, SHE JOINED HUNDREDS OF STUDENTS RECRUITED BY CIVIL RIGHTS ACTIVIST JAMES BEVEL TO PARTICIPATE IN THE CHILDREN’S MARCH IN MAY 1963. ONLY WORSE. >> YOUNG PEOPLE HAVE ALWAYS BEEN AT THE FOREFRONT OF CHANGE. >> BARRY MCNEALY IS A HISTORIAN AT THE BIRMINGMHA CIVIL RIGHTS INSTITUTE. DURING THE 1960S, SOME ADULTS WERE HERITANT TO COMMIT TO PROTESTS FOR FEAR OF LINOSG THEIR JOBS. INSTEAD, CHILDREN TOOK THE CAUSE AND WERE BRUTALIZED FOR HER ON MAY 2 AND 3 KNOWN AS D DAY AND DOUBLE D DAY. >> WHEN YOU TALK ABOUT FIREFIGHTERS USING WATER HOSES THAT COULD REMOVE BARK FROM TREES AND LITERALLY WASH CHILDREN ACROSS THE STREET, THIS KIND OF THINGS STICKS INTO YOUR MEMORY >> IT WAS SO STRONG IT WAS LIKE PINS STICKING INTO YOUR EN — SKIN. THE FIRE HOSES HAVE EXTENSIONS SO THE WATER CAN COME OUT STRONGER ON US. WE WERE TEACHED TO RESTRAIN YOUR BROTHER AND SISTER AT ALL COSTS >> BUT THE FIREFIGHTERS DID NOT ARREST WEBB OR THE OTHER CHILDREN. THEY CONTINUED TO PROTEST EVEN GETTING ARRESTED. WEBB SPENT SEVEN STRAIGHT DAYS IN JAIL. >> I DIDN’T SEE IT AS BEGIN RAGES. — COURAGEOUS. NONE OF US HAS DID IT BUT WE HAVE SEEN IT OUT OF NESSITY JUST BECAUSE WE HAVE BEEN ABUSED ALL OUR LIVES BY THE POWERS TH BAT ON SUNDAY MAY 15,963 AT THE HIGHEST OF THE CHILDREN’S MARCH , FIREFIGHTERS REFUSED TO CONTINUE TO SPRAY CHILDREN WITH SEHOS, DEFYI BNGULL CONNORTHE, THEN PUBLIC SAFETY COMMISSIONER, OBTAINING THE NAME MIRACLE SUNDAY. >> ONE OF THE FIREFIGHTERS IS REPORTED AS SAID WE CAME HERE TO PUT OUT FIRES NOT PEOPLE AND THIS EMOTION CROSSED THROUGH BECAUSE WE ARE ALL HUMANS A SNDOME OF US TAKES A LITTLE LONGER TO RESPOND TO THE IDEA OF DECENCE BUT WHEN WE ANSWER IT, WE ANSWER WE.LL >> 46 YEARS AFTER CHILDREN’S MARCH, FORMER PRESIDENT BARACK OBAMA TAKES OATH TO OICFF IN 2015, PLAN G INVITED TO WHITE HOUSE FOR HIM MEET WITH FORMER FIRST LADY MICHELLE OBAMA. >> WHO WOULD THOUGHT THIS LITTLE BLACK GIRL WITH DARK SKIN AND CRUNCHY HAIR WHO WALKED FOR FREEDOM, WENT TO PRISON FOR FREEDOM TO NOT JUST MEET BUT IN THE PRESENCE OF THE FIRST BLACK PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA AND HIS LOLYVE FEWI. THIS IS SOMETHING THAT WAS AN EXPERIENCE I DREAMED NEREV WAS POSSIBLE >> SHE SACRIFIED HER CHILDHOOD FOR EQUAL RIGHTS AND PAVED THE WAY FOR A BLACK MAN TO HOLD THE HIGHEST OFFICE IN THE LAND. PEOPLE SAY, WILL YOU DO THIS AGAIN? IF THE SITUATION CALLED HIM, GUESS WHAT, I WOULD DO IT AGAIN. D AN FOR THIS, WE SAY THANK YOU. BRITAIN: HORRIFIC IMAGES OUT OF BIRMINGHAM DURING CHILDREN’S MARCH MOVED PRESIDENT JOHN F. KENNED
Reverend Gwen Webb remembers her role in ‘The Children’s March’ in Birmingham, fight for equal rights
Updated: 11:02 a.m. CST Feb 9, 2022
In May 1963, all eyes were on right here in Birmingham. The world has seen police and firefighters terrorizing children for peacefully demonstrating against segregation and racism. Children have played an important role in the fight for equal rights nationwide. Watch the video above to learn more. “It was so strong I felt like pins were sticking to my skin,” Webb recalled. “The fire hoses had extensions so the water could come out harder on us. We were taught to hang on to your brother and sister at all costs.” “When you talk about firefighters using water hoses that could strip bark off trees and literally wash children up and down the street, that sort of thing is seared into your memory,” Barry said. McNealy, a historical expert. at the Birmingham Civil Rights Institute.
In May 1963, all eyes were on right here in Birmingham. The world has seen police and firefighters terrorizing children for peacefully demonstrating against segregation and racism. Children have played an important role in the fight for equal rights nationwide. Watch the video above to learn more.
“It was so strong it was like pins were sticking into your skin,” Webb recalled. “The fire hoses had extensions so the water could come out harder on us. We were taught to hang on to your brother and sister at all costs.”
“When you talk about firefighters using water hoses that could strip bark off trees and literally wash children up and down the street, that sort of thing is seared into your memory,” Barry said. McNealy, a historical expert. at the Birmingham Civil Rights Institute.
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