University of Alabama hosts exhibit honoring church bombing victim

By WVUA 23 News Reporter Gracie Johnson

The University of Alabama’s Intercultural Diversity Center is honoring Black History Month by partnering with the Birmingham Civil Rights Institute for an exhibition.

One Little Girl: Denise McNair and the 16th Street Baptist Church Bombing is displayed at the University Student Center and includes an array of photos from McNair’s childhood as well as personal belongings before she and Addie Mae Collins, Carole Robertson and Cynthia Wesley lost their lives Sept. 15, 1963.

“It’s super, super important to not only honor her life but bring attention to what happened at the 16th Street Baptist Church bombing, but also to be able to come and hear about the documentary about what transpired,” said IDC Assistant Director Shemaiah Kenon.

The exhibit will serve as an opportunity for visitors to stop by and learn about the tragic bombing and who McNair was before she died at 14.

While it’s the IDC’s first major partnership, the organization hosts events each month recognizing cultures and experiences that are often overlooked.

“There are things like International Persons of Disability Day that we bring awareness to,” Kenon said. “Or Italian American Heritage Month. So there are so many other heritage months that don’t receive as big a focus as Black History Month that we want to bring that attention to.”

The exhibit is open to the public every day from noon to 5 p.m. through March 19. It’s located in the Intercultural Diversity Center inside the UA Student Center (formerly the Ferguson Student Center), Room 2100.