I am of Her

My mother was not afraid of anything, and by that, I mean she did not fear the powerful. In the wake of the killing of four little girls like me, she pushed the color line with me in tow. I was to be on the frontlines of a movement, and so were all the other Negro children of my generation in the South who were called to do something that had not yet been done, something the nation still was not yet quite ready to do.

1. Hurricane Andrew was a destructive Category 5 storm, highest sustained winds 175 mph, that struck South Florida in August 1992, the eyewall moved across Homestead and Florida City which sustained substantial damage. Hurricane Andrew Fact Sheet
| III. (2017). Property damage $27. 3billion (192, US), and 65 deaths.

  2. Fort Valley State College A public and historically black university in Fort Valley, Georgia. Founded in 1895.

3. Jim Crow referred to de facto social customs and de jure state and local laws in the southern United States that codified racial discrimination against African Americans and other non-whites, this included education, transportation, housing, employment and recreation enacted in the 19th century (after Reconstruction) and early 20th century. Prior to this, Jim Crow was a popular character in 19th century ministry, where white men donned blackface and enacted the character in entertainment shows.  See A. Costly (2019). A Brief History of Jim Crow - Constitutional Rights Foundation; and Jim Crow Museum of Racist Memorabilia, Ferris State University.

4. The Birmingham Protests and the Children’s Crusade was organized by the Southern Christian Leadership Conference, and the Alabama Coalition for Human rights Southern Christian. The protests were held in April and May 1963, The Children’s Crusade began May 1963 a series of nonviolent protest marches, with youth, 6 to 18 years old, were hosed, physically attacked by police dogs, and jailed. American Freedom Stories, Children's Crusade of 1963. See also C. Levinson. We've got a job: The 1963 Birmingham Children's March. United States: Peachtree Publishing Company (2018).

5. The Sixteenth Street Baptist St. Church, Birmingham, AL. was a large and prominent church in the African American community. Youth participating in The Children Crusade met here and left from this church for their march (May 1963). In September 1963, the church was bombed by white supremacist terrorist group killing four girls, Addie Mae Collins, Denise McNair, Carole Robertson, and 11-year-old Cynthia Wesley. See George, D., McKinstry, C., McKinstry, C. M. (2011). While the world watched: A Birmingham bombing survivor comes of age During the Civil Rights Movement: Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., and Four Little Girls, Spike Lee, Director.