Sheyann Webb facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Sheyann Webb-Christburg
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Sheyann Webb at age 8
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| Born | February 17, 1956 Selma, Alabama, U.S.
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| Parent(s) | John and Betty Webb |
Sheyann Webb-Christburg, born on February 17, 1956, is a brave civil rights activist. She is famous for being called Martin Luther King Jr.'s "Smallest Freedom Fighter." She also helped write a book called Selma, Lord, Selma. When she was only eight years old, Sheyann joined the first march from Selma, Alabama to Montgomery, Alabama on March 7, 1965. This march, which crossed the Edmund Pettus Bridge, is known as Bloody Sunday.
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Early Life in Selma
Sheyann Webb was born in Selma, Alabama, on February 17, 1956. Her parents were John and Betty Webb. She grew up in a big family with eight children. As a child, Sheyann went to public schools in Dallas County, Alabama that were only for Black students. Later, she was one of the first Black children to attend a school that used to be only for white students. This was a difficult time for her.
Starting Her Activism
In January 1965, something unusual happened in Alabama. Sheyann and her friend Rachel West saw a group of Black and white people together. They followed them into Brown's Chapel AME Church. There, they took part in their first civil rights meeting.
Sheyann became very excited about this work. She started skipping school and sneaking out of her house at night. She went to meetings and protests, even though her parents warned her not to. She even brought "freedom fighters," like James Reeb, home to stay. This was her way to try and avoid getting into trouble.
Sheyann and Rachel met Dr. King soon after they started going to meetings. Sheyann says meeting Dr. King was one of the most important moments in her life. She described him as a "strong" and "patient man." She felt he could speak in a way that everyone, no matter their age, could understand. Sheyann was only eight years old and did not know much about the movement at first. She "grew up in the movement" and slowly understood what was happening. She believes Dr. King was the reason she stayed involved, even after she grew up.
The Day of Bloody Sunday
The march from Selma to Montgomery was planned after Jimmie Lee Jackson died. He was a member of the Southern Christian Leadership Conference (SCLC). He was hurt and shot during a peaceful march for voting rights in Marion, Alabama. Because of Jackson's death and the strong desire for voting rights, a big march was planned. It was set for March 7, 1965. The goal was to march across the Edmund Pettus Bridge to the state's capital. This was a protest against unfair treatment.
Before Bloody Sunday, people talked about what might happen during the march. They knew it might not be easy to finish. Sheyann said she was scared on the morning of the march. Even with the warnings from the night before, she was not ready for what she saw.
Sheyann Webb was nine years old. She marched with her teacher, Margaret Moore. She was among the protesters who were attacked. They were hit with billy clubs and sprayed with tear gas. Another protester, Hosea Williams, picked up Sheyann. He helped her escape the violence. She ran home "like [she] was running for [her] life." After this first difficult march, Sheyann still wanted to go back to Brown's Chapel Church. She was ready to march again. She even wrote down her funeral plans the night of Bloody Sunday.
The Other Marches
The Selma to Montgomery marches happened from March 7 to March 25. The second attempt to march from Selma to Montgomery was on March 9, 1965. This march later led to the death of James Reeb. The third and final march began on March 21, 1965. Sheyann took part in this last march without her parents' permission. She did not march the whole way. She was picked up in a van and driven to Montgomery with Dr. King's secretaries. Her parents were told where she was and that she was safe. Soon after, she was picked up and driven home.
However, her parents' support for her activism grew. Her father drove her back to Montgomery the next morning. This allowed her to finish the march. Because she took part in the march, Sheyann was suspended from her mostly white school.
Later Life and Achievements
Sheyann's involvement in the Selma to Montgomery marches and her time with Dr. King inspired her. She went on to earn both her bachelor's degree and master's degree. With Rachel West Nelson, she wrote Selma, Lord, Selma. This book came out in 1980 and was edited by Frank Sikora. The book was later made into a Disney television movie with the same name. The story also found its way into school textbooks.
See also
