Bomb Magnet: Bethel Baptist Church Bombings The world suddenly erupted into chaos. It shook and slid, and windows shattered. Beams fell and the roof collapsed without any support. Dark smoke filled the air, as the trembling earth recovered from the shock of the noise. Slowly, the dust settled, the only sound an occasional crash as the debris found stability. A murmur rose as heads poked out of houses and into the cold air, holding whatever weapon they could find. A cry went up when they spotted the church, the parsonage had been reduced to rubble and smoke, and there was not a person to be seen. Then the pile of waste began to shake, sliding away from the feet of Reverend Shuttlesworth, his family, and all those who had been in the building. He knew this was a scare tactic, but no one was hurt, and he was only…show more content… (1) Reverend Fred Shuttlesworth had just become a leader of a newly formed replacement for the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) which had been banned in Alabama. (6) The new replacement organization the Alabama Christian Movement for Human Rights (ACMHR) was formed that June. The bombing was most likely a scare tactic to get him to stop their efforts for desegregation. (2) The bomb was placed outside the reverends bedroom in the parsonage, (1) and sixteen sticks of dynamite were used. He may well have died if the blast had not thrown him from his bed. (2) His family was in the building, but neither the Reverend, nor his family were injured at all, and many called it modern day miracle. (3) Many of those in the neighborhood, came out to see what had happened. Many came out with guns, ready to fire at the perpetrator, which the Reverend then scolded them for, giving a sermon on peace in the rubble of his home. (1) The bombing didn't discourage him from proceeding with his scheduled protest, which was a success.
