Black History Knowledge — May 11

What happened on this day. These are the May 11 moments in Black history worth knowing, remembering, and passing on.

May 11, 1963 — Birmingham bombings ignite unrest

Category: Civil Rights / Birmingham Campaign / White Supremacist Violence

Bombs hit the A. G. Gaston Motel, where civil rights leaders had stayed, and the home of Rev. A. D. King, Martin Luther King Jr.’s brother.

Why it matters: The bombings exposed the violent backlash to the Birmingham campaign and helped intensify federal attention on civil rights.

May 11, 1970 — Henry Marrow is attacked in Oxford, North Carolina

Category: Racial Violence / Civil Rights After the 1960s / Community Boycott

Henry “Dickie” Marrow, a Black Army veteran, was shot and beaten by white men in Oxford, North Carolina. He died the next day, May 12.

Why it matters: His killing sparked protest, boycotts, and renewed civil rights activism, showing that racial violence and segregationist power continued after the major civil rights laws.