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The Watsons Go To Birmingham Essay

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In the fictional novel, The Watsons Go To Birmingham there were several historically accurate cultures and events from the 1960’s. Most of the story is based on the mother wanting to go to Alabama, because that’s where her family is. However her husband doesn’t think it is a good idea because he knows there is segregation down in the south, and he doesn’t want his kids to see all the hatred for people of a different skin color. Their children have not been exposed the separation of different skin colors because they live in Flint, Michigan, where there is not a lot of conflicts about segregation. Yet, at some point the family decides to make the long trip to Birmingham. Before they leave for their trip, their dad goes and buys a record player …show more content…

It is also pitch black dark because there were no lights, and the Watson’s were a little bit scared. When they finally arrive in Birmingham they go to meet their Grandma Sands and that is where they will stay while they are in Alabama. One day Kenny decides to go swimming because it is so hot but he ignores the signs and his Grandma’s warning not to swim in the Collier Lake because of whirlpools. Kenny thinks the signs were put up just to not allow anyone to use the lake. This is a tactic that was used during the Civil Rights Movement by some people. But, the signs were real, Kenny did get in a whirlpool, but was saved by his brother Bryon. One Sunday Kenny sees his little sister, Joey getting ready for Sunday school. He was in the backyard dozing off when he heard a noise and heard his mother scream. Then Kenny hears a neighbor shout that Joeys church had been bombed. Thankfully Joey was didn’t get hurt, because she had went outside, before the church was bombed because it was too hot for her. Although this church bombing was fictional there were many bombing of churches in the south during the

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