1963: 100 Years after the Emancipation Proclamation
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One hundred years after the signing of the Emancipation Proclamation, 1963 was a crucial and volatile time in the fight for civil rights. The Emancipation Proclamation declared the freedom of Black people from enslavement, but they were still fighting for those rights a century later. The hope of living the American dream after freedom was marred by inequality, segregation, racism, and discrimination. While things are much better than they were in 1963, we must not forget, and in fact, we need to study those events because they offer insight into the present and future.
In 1963, there were several events that would leave America stunned and saddened, but there were also glimpses of persistence, resistance, and hope. Birmingham, Alabama, was at the epicenter of the fight at that time. As we learned last week, George Wallace, the newly elected governor of Alabama, had announced that he was in full support of segregation and Jim Crow. Wallace had no love for Black people and did not believe we were worthy of the same rights and privileges as White people. Ministers like Fred Shuttlesworth, Ralph Abernathy, and Dr. Martin Luther King focused their attention on Birmingham. The organized nonviolent protest but the protestors in Birmingham were attacked with fire hoses and dogs. This violence received national attention and elicited worldwide sympathy.
John F. Kennedy was president in 1963, and he played a complex role in the Civil Rights Movement. He offered great support, but he also faced several limitations that ultimately affected the progress of the movement. Amidst mounting pressure from civil rights leaders and Northern sympathizers, on June 11, 1963, President Kennedy delivered a televised speech in which he proposed a comprehensive civil rights bill, stating that "we are confronted primarily with a moral issue" and calling for an end to segregation.
One day later, on June 12, 1963, civil rights activist Medgar Evers was tragically assassinated in Jackson, Mississippi. Evers had been a tireless advocate for racial equality, working as the field secretary for the Mississippi NAACP. His murder was a stark reminder of the immense risks faced by those who dared to challenge the status quo of racial segregation and discrimination. Evers' assassination is a sobering reminder of the sacrifices made by countless individuals in the pursuit of civil rights. In the present day, as the struggle for justice and equality continues, it is imperative to remember those who have laid down their lives for the cause. Medgar Evers' legacy should inspire us to persist in the face of adversity and to champion the values of justice and equality.
Following Evers' murder in June, Dr. Martin Luther King and many other religious leaders met with President Kennedy, Robert Kennedy, and Lyndon B. Johnson at the White House to discuss the administration's efforts to confront and eliminate racist practices and ideology, such as segregation, the denial of voting rights, and discriminatory employment practices.
On August 28, 1963, hundreds of thousands of people gathered on the National Mall in Washington, D.C., for the March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom. There were many speakers, but the highlight of this historic event was Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.'s iconic "I Have a Dream" speech. In this address, Dr. King spoke about his vision of racial equality in America, where people would be judged not by the color of their skin but by the content of their character. The "I Have a Dream" speech is still very much relevant today as we call for social and racial justice. Its enduring message reminds us that the fight for equality is not just a part of history, but one that continues. The themes of unity, justice, and nonviolence are just as relevant today as they were in 1963. Stay tuned.
Sophia Brewer (M.L.I.S.) is Collection Development and Serials Librarian, Grand Rapids Community College; Co-President of the Greater Grand Rapids History Council; member of the Grand Rapids Study Club and serves on the Grand Rapids Public Library, Board of Library Commission- ers (Elected 2016-2021). She is a former Head of Programs, Grand Rapids Public Library and former Branch Manager, Madison Square Branch, Grand Rapids Public Library Congresswoman
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