Question

Identify two or three criticisms they gave of the political demonstrations and protests which were taking place in Birmingham

Answer 1

Criticism of the Birmingham protests included the provocatively non-violent tactics inviting violent police responses and the argument by some white leaders for slower progress on desegregation. The use of children in protests also drew significant backlash after the excessive brutality they faced.

Step-by-step explanation:

The criticisms of the political demonstrations and protests which took place in Birmingham in 1963 primarily centered around the violent responses they provoked, particularly from law enforcement. First, the strategic use of non-violent protests led by the Southern Christian Leadership Conference (SCLC) and Martin Luther King, Jr. was criticized by some for inviting violent reactions, as seen when peaceful protestors were met with aggressive actions from the police, including the use of fire hoses and attack dogs against children.

Secondly, the demonstrations were critiqued by some white religious leaders and city officials who believed that these demonstrations would disrupt peace and that civil rights activists were pushing for desegregation too hastily. Moreover, criticism arose from the use of children in mass demonstrations, the most notable being the Children's March, which led to the arrest and mistreatment of hundreds of young protesters, prompting national outrage and criticism.

Answer 2

The correct answer is the following.

The Birmingham protests were a series of protests held in Birmingham, Alabama, during April 1963. People were protesting against racial segregation. Among the organizers of the protests were Martin Luther King Jr., Fred Shuttlesworth, and Wyatt Tee Walker. Criticism was part of the response to the Birmingham protests.

Critics were tough on the code name of protests: project “C”, meaning Confrontation. Critics did not like the idea protests confronted the government with their boycotts to stores and marches through downtown streets. Eugene Bull Connor, a Birmingham’s Safety Commissioner critique the protests and got laws passed that said the protests were illegal. On April 12, Luther King Jr. was arrested with other protesters. On jail, King wrote the famous “Letter from Birmingham Jail”. Other people critiqued King for considered he took extremist measures to expose the topic of racial segregation, and for confronting the public force. Others critique him for utilizing black kids in the protest, saying that those were theatrical events to capture people’s attention.