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1963 - Children’s Crusade Begins with 2,500 Arrests in Birmingham

On May 2, 1963, more than 2,500 African American children, teenagers, and a few white allies were arrested in Birmingham, Alabama, during a mass protest against racial segregation. Known as the start of the Children’s Crusade, this pivotal moment in the Civil Rights Movement saw young people leave school to march peacefully for justice. Despite their nonviolent stance, many were met with fire hoses, police dogs, and mass incarceration under the orders of Public Safety Commissioner Bull Connor. The shocking images of children being brutalized gained national attention and pressured federal authorities to take action, ultimately helping to pave the way for the Civil Rights Act of 1964.