Birmingham hosted the 1963 civil-rights campaign that led to the desegregation of public facilities. The campaign targeted segregation in downtown stores, restaurants, and other businesses in one of the South’s most rigidly segregated cities.
Organized by the Southern Christian Leadership Conference and local activists, the campaign used marches, sit-ins, boycotts, and mass arrests. When adult participation declined, thousands of young people joined demonstrations in May 1963.
Televised images of police dogs and fire hoses used against protesters shocked audiences across the United States. Negotiations followed, and Birmingham businesses began desegregating facilities. The campaign also increased pressure on President John F. Kennedy’s administration to support comprehensive civil-rights legislation.