Bloody Tuesday (1964) facts for kids

Bloody Tuesday was a march that happened on June 9, 1964. It took place in Tuscaloosa, Alabama, during the Civil Rights Movement. Reverend T. Y. Rogers organized and led this march. Its goal was to protest against separate drinking fountains and restrooms in the county courthouse.

A group of peaceful African Americans walked from The First African Baptist Church. They wanted to reach the Tuscaloosa County Courthouse. However, they were stopped very close to the church. Police officers and an angry group of white citizens attacked them. Many protesters were beaten, arrested, and tear-gassed.

This event was similar to "Bloody Sunday" in Selma to Montgomery marches, which happened a year later. That event received a lot of news coverage. But "Bloody Tuesday" had no journalists to report on it. During "Bloody Tuesday," 33 people, including children, needed hospital care. Also, 94 African Americans were arrested. All this happened right outside the church. The marchers never even reached the courthouse.

Why Did the March Happen?

Throughout the 1960s, many protests took place in Alabama. During this time, Martin Luther King Jr. was a famous leader. He worked hard for equal rights. One important protest happened on June 9, 1964, in Tuscaloosa. Reverend T. Y. Rogers organized it. King had chosen Rogers to lead Civil Rights activities in Tuscaloosa.

Documents from the Tuscaloosa County Sheriff's office showed that officials expected challenges to state laws in the summer of 1964. The sheriff's office even had a copy of King's "Handbook for Freedom and Army Recruits." This handbook suggested that many civil rights activities would happen across Alabama in 1964.

The handbook also said that volunteers would be called to "report to duty." They would join protests and marches. Tuscaloosa was expected to be one of the first towns to lead these movements. When the police learned about the planned march, they saw it as a threat.

What Was the March's Goal?

The main reason for the march was to remove segregated drinking fountains and restrooms. These were inside the Tuscaloosa County Courthouse. This was part of a larger effort by African Americans across Alabama. They wanted to end segregation in public places.

When the new courthouse was being rebuilt, officials promised it would be fully integrated. But this promise was not kept. At the dedication on April 12, 1964, African Americans saw Jim Crow signs still displayed. These signs showed separate facilities for African Americans.

The Tuscaloosa Citizens for Action Committee (TCAC) wanted these signs removed. They met with the County Commission. They asked for the courthouse to be integrated as promised. But all their requests were turned down.

Despite this, the TCAC was determined to get an integrated courthouse. They started meeting weekly to plan. Every Monday night, Reverend T. Y. Rogers held large meetings at The First African Baptist Church. They planned a march to protest the segregated facilities. Police Chief William Marable said they could not march. But the group decided to march anyway, even if it meant being arrested.

The Night Before the March

On June 8, 1964, the night before the march, protesters gathered. They met at the First African Baptist Church. This was where the march would start the next day. Reverend T. Y. Rogers gave one last speech. He was the church's pastor and the head of the Tuscaloosa Citizens for Action Committee.

Reverend Rogers came to The First African Baptist Church after Martin Luther King Jr. chose him. King wanted him to lead the movement in Tuscaloosa in 1964. Rogers was a hopeful and determined leader. He got many people involved in the march, from teenagers to adults.

His meetings grew bigger each week. More people attended the Monday night gatherings. The citizens became more excited. They would sing We Shall Overcome, stomping and clapping. Rogers wanted to take action because their requests had been denied. He convinced people how important the march was.

During their last meeting, Reverend Rogers gave instructions for the next morning. He explained how the march should go. He told them not to stop marching for any reason. He said if someone fell, they should walk over them and keep going. He explained that if they wanted to make a difference, they needed to act now. The audience left the church that night ready to return the next morning. They knew they might be arrested because they were marching without a permit.

The Day of the March

On June 9, 1964, around 9 AM, over 500 people gathered at the First African Baptist Church. Many knew they were going against the police ban on the march. The protesters organized inside the church. Then, led by Reverend Rogers and other TCAC leaders, they stepped outside.

They were met by Tuscaloosa Police and white neighbors. Many in both groups had clubs, sticks, or cattle prods. Police Chief William Marable confronted Reverend Rogers. He asked if Rogers still planned to march. Rogers said yes. Then, he and the other TCAC leaders were arrested.

The rest of the marchers continued, trying to reach the courthouse. But police and bystanders forced them back into the church. The marchers had started to line up two by two outside the church doors at 10:15 AM. Marable arrested Rogers and other leaders before the march could leave the church. When police told them to go back inside, the marchers ignored them. They kept walking out the doors.

Before the marchers could go even 50 feet, chaos broke out. The police became very violent. They were waiting outside the church with billy clubs. They charged the marchers. Protesters were beaten by police and pushed back inside the church. Police also fired tear gas through the windows.

Police tried to arrest all protesters, both inside and outside the church. But a few managed to escape. On top of the police violence, an angry group of white residents also attacked the group. They used billy clubs, baseball bats, cattle prods, fire hoses, and other weapons. The farthest any protesters got was the Van Hoose funeral home. Then they were beaten and arrested.

Many people suffered serious injuries. For example, 21-year-old Maxie Thomas almost lost an eye. In total, 94 people were arrested by police. Also, 33 men, women, and children were hospitalized because of the incident. The number of injured people was similar to "Bloody Sunday" the following year.

What Happened Next?

After the harsh events of June 9, 1964, the Tuscaloosa Citizens For Action Committee saw some progress. This happened despite the difficulties they faced.

Later in June that year, Rogers and his committee still wanted the segregation signs removed. Rogers took city officials to court over the issue. On June 25, 1964, Federal Judge Seybourn Lynne ordered the county to remove the unfair signs. In less than a week, they were gone.

The group also eventually got their peaceful march to the courthouse later that summer. However, it took time. Rogers had to keep trying to work out a deal with the police. The Civil Rights Act of 1964 also helped make the second march happen.

Police did not keep many records of "Bloody Tuesday." This is why there are few details about this event. Local newspapers did not report much on the violence in their first stories. The Tuscaloosa News even claimed that protesters threw bottles and rocks at officers, injuring some. On the second day, newspapers reported more on violent events. But they still seemed to favor the police and officials.

One article said that marches could only be allowed if police were in charge, with no interference from protesters. Mayor George M. Van Tassel said that Tuscaloosa had been patient with the protest groups. He claimed that while their actions were regrettable, authorities had warned them about violence if they marched. He said protesters ignored these warnings, giving police no choice but to step in. This event was largely forgotten during the Civil Rights Era. It was not seen as a major part of that time.

Why Wasn't This in the News?

"Bloody Tuesday" was very similar to other local movements during the Civil Rights Movement. Examples include the Stand in the Schoolhouse Door or the Selma to Montgomery marches. But one big difference was that journalists and national news were not there to cover it.

Certain things at the time prevented it from getting much media attention. For example, no national TV networks were told about the march. Also, it did not involve a famous leader like Martin Luther King Jr. Today, it can be hard to find much information about this event. Most timelines and history websites often skip over it and go straight to "Bloody Sunday."