See personal photos of Birminghamâs civil rights movement by Chris McNair, father of bombing victim
Birmingham’s Chris McNair had a long life as an elected official, serving in the state legislature on and the Jefferson County Commission, and as an advocate after his daughter, Denise McNair died in the bombing of 16th Street Baptist Church in 1963.
But McNair was also an accomplished photographer, and his lens caught many people and details that often would otherwise have gone unrecorded in pre-integration Birmingham: Weddings, graduations, parties. He took many pictures of the Birmingham Campaign and went to Atlanta in 1965 for Martin Luther King Jr.’s funeral.
Many of those photos still exist as prints and negatives in his family’s basement. The McNair family hopes to eventually work with an archive to showcase more of them them.
On the day of the Birmingham church bombing, McNair apparently had his camera with him when he raced to the site. Two images show the church signboard, and the devastation visible on the outside.
See some images below of Birmingham in 1963.
Civil Rights leaders Rev. Martin Luther King Jr., Rev. Fred L. Shuttlesworth, Andrew Young (in dungarees) and Rev. Ralph David Abernathy hold a news conference at the A.G. Gaston Motel following their release from the Birmingham city jail on April 16, 1963 in Birmingham, Alabama. (Photo by Chris McNair/Getty Images)Getty Images
American religious and Civil Rights leaders Reverends Ralph Abernathy (1926 – 1990) (center left) and Dr Martin Luther King Jr (1929 – 1968) (center right) smile and greet supports as they as released from jail, Birmingham, Alabama, April 20, 1963. King had been arrested, along other demonstrators including Abernathy and Fred Shuttlesworth, during the Birmingham Campaign (a series of pro-integration marches and events) and, while imprisoned, had penned the influential ‘Letter from a Birmingham Jail,’ partly on scraps of paper and partly on a notepad provided by his attorney (who included Orzell Billingsley). (Photo by Chris McNair/Getty Images)Getty Images
Following completion of their college registration process, American students Vivian Malone (1942 Ð 2005) (center left) and James Hood (1942 Ð 2013) (center right) are interviewed at the door to Foster Auditorium on the campus of the University of Alabama, Tuscaloosa, Alabama, June 11, 1963. Their registration had been delayed by Alabama Governor George Wallace who, as anti-integration protest, had blocked the entrance for approximately four hours before being removed by the Alabama National Guard, several of whom are pictured here, along with unidentified members of the press and others. (Photo by Chris McNair/Getty Images)Getty Images
View, over the heads of photographers, as American politician & Alabama Governor George Wallace (1919 – 1998) is interviewed through wire-mesh security door, Tuscaloosa, Alabama, June 11, 1963. The same day, Wallace performed a protest against the integration of the University of Alabama by standing in a doorway at the campus’ Foster Auditorium for approximately four hours in an attempt to block the registration of students Vivian Malone and James Hood–Wallace was removed by the Alabama National Guard. (Photo by Chris McNair/Getty Images)Getty Images
Bombing victim Denise McNair in front of her home with her mother Maxine McNair on Mother’s Day 1963(Photo by Chris McNair/Getty Images)Getty Images
Dr. Martin Luther King speaks at a Civil Rights meeting at 16th Street Baptist Church in 1963 in Birmingham, Alabama. (Photo by Chris McNair/Getty Images)Getty Images
Protesters march and hold signs demanding Human Dignity in 1963 in Birmingham, Alabama. (Photo by Chris McNair/Getty Images)Getty Images
A view of the marquee announcing services on the day of the bombing of the 16th Street Baptist Church on September 15, 1963 in Birmingham, Alabama. (Photo by Chris McNair/Getty Images)Getty Images
A view of police activity outside the bomb damaged 16th Street Baptist Church on September 15, 1963 in Birmingham, Alabama. This is the only photo Chris McNair shot after the bombing of the Church. His only child, Denise McNair was killed in the bombing. (Photo by Chris McNair/Getty Images)Getty Images