16th Street Baptist Church Bombing Victims Congressional Gold Medal
Coin Description
The Story
This medal commemorates the lives of four little girls who died in the 16th Street Baptist Church bombing of 1963:
- Addie Mae Collins
- Denise McNair
- Carole Robertson
- Cynthia Wesley
Fifty years ago, the senseless and premature death of these four little black girls at the 16th Street Baptist Church in Birmingham, Alabama sparked a surge of momentum that led to the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and Voting Rights Act of 1965. On that tragic Sunday, September 15, 1963, the world took notice of the violence in the struggle for civil rights.
The 16th Street Baptist Church remains a powerful symbol of the movement for civil and human rights, and the ultimate sacrifices made by Addie Mae Collins, Denise McNair, Carole Robertson and Cynthia Wesley are emblematic of many others who have lost their lives for the causes of freedom and equality. Their legacy will live on for generations to come.
The bronze medal pictured is a duplicate of the Congressional Gold Medal.