1. The History Behind the Ballad / Ballad of Birmingham / 4 Little Girls Introducing the Selections Literary Skills Focus: Ballad Reading Skills Focus: Comparing Historical Accounts Across Genres Writing Skills Focus: Think as a Reader/Writer Feature Menu

2. A writer who wants to emphasize the emotional impact of an event might write a ballad. A ballad is a poem that tells a story using steady rhythm, simple rhymes, and a repeated refrain. The History Behind the Ballad / Ballad of Birmingham / 4 Little Girls Literary Skills Focus: Ballad

3. The writer of a ballad will shape ideas by using rhythm and rhyme. Rhythm is a musical quality based on repetition, like the rhythm of a drumbeat. Ballads “No, baby, no, you may not go, For I fear those guns will fire. But you may go to church instead And sing in the children’s choir.” “Ballad of Birmingham” from Cities Burning by Dudley Randall. Copyright © 1968 by Broadside Press. Reproduced by permission of the Dudley Randall Literary Estate. How do these lines from “Ballad of Birmingham” use rhythm? The History Behind the Ballad / Ballad of Birmingham / 4 Little Girls Literary Skills Focus: Ballad

4. Listen for the rhythm of the following lines from “Ballad of Birmingham” by Dudley Randall. “Mother dear, may I go downtown Instead of out to play, And march the streets of Birmingham In a Freedom March today?” “Ballad of Birmingham” from Cities Burning by Dudley Randall. Copyright © 1968 by Broadside Press. Reproduced by permission of the Dudley Randall Literary Estate. How would you describe the rhythm? Is it energetic? mournful? The History Behind the Ballad / Ballad of Birmingham / 4 Little Girls Literary Skills Focus: Ballad

5. Listen for the rhyme in the following lines from “Ballad of Birmingham” by Dudley Randall. The mother smiled to know her child Was in a sacred place, But that smile was the last smile To come upon her face. “Ballad of Birmingham” from Cities Burning by Dudley Randall. Copyright © 1968 by Broadside Press. Reproduced by permission of the Dudley Randall Literary Estate. Where does Randall use rhyme? The mother smiled to know her child Was in a sacred place, But that smile was the last smile To come upon her face. “Ballad of Birmingham” from Cities Burning by Dudley Randall. Copyright © 1968 by Broadside Press. Reproduced by permission of the Dudley Randall Literary Estate. What is the effect of using rhyme in this way? The History Behind the Ballad / Ballad of Birmingham / 4 Little Girls Literary Skills Focus: Ballad [End of Section]

6. Writers can choose different genres, or literary forms, to respond to a historical event. The History Behind the Ballad / Ballad of Birmingham / 4 Little Girls Reading Skills Focus: Comparing Historical Accounts Across Genres The form a writer chooses reflects his or her purpose: to explainto produce emotionto share ideas

7. A writer who wants to explain a historical event might write a nonfiction account. Nonfiction accounts are true-life stories of people, things, or events. The History Behind the Ballad / Ballad of Birmingham / 4 Little Girls Reading Skills Focus: Comparing Historical Accounts Across Genres

8. A historian probably would not use rhythm and rhyme, but would take a different approach. For example, a historian might use information from interviews or research. The History Behind the Ballad / Ballad of Birmingham / 4 Little Girls Reading Skills Focus: Comparing Historical Accounts Across Genres

9. Another writer might offer personal commentary when writing a review of a documentary film. Notice how Roger Ebert inserts personal remarks in his review of “4 Little Girls”: The four little girls never got to grow up. Not only were their lives stolen, but so were their contributions to ours. I have a hunch that Denise McNair, who was 11 when she died, would have made her mark. The History Behind the Ballad / Ballad of Birmingham / 4 Little Girls Reading Skills Focus: Comparing Historical Accounts Across Genres

10. To compare different accounts inspired by the same historical event, ask: Why did the writer choose this form? What is his or her purpose? The History Behind the Ballad / Ballad of Birmingham / 4 Little Girls Reading Skills Focus: Comparing Historical Accounts Across Genres

11. Vocabulary

12. The History Behind the Ballad / Ballad of Birmingham / 4 Little Girls Vocabulary literally adv.: actually; without exaggeration. charisma n.: personal charm. rationalizations n.: excuses made for behavior. infamous adj.: having a bad reputation; notorious. The History Behind the Ballad 4 Little Girls

13. If your friend takes you literally, he or she takes words at their exact meaning. When you say, “It’s raining cats and dogs,” your friend literally believes that cats and dogs are pouring from the sky! What would it literally mean if a group of people were “all in the same boat?” The History Behind the Ballad / Ballad of Birmingham / 4 Little Girls Vocabulary

14. Why was Nathaniel annoyed? When Chantelle said she’d be over in a few minutes, Nathaniel took her literally. When she arrived an hour later, he was clearly annoyed with her. The History Behind the Ballad / Ballad of Birmingham / 4 Little Girls Vocabulary

15. Why was Nathaniel annoyed? When Chantelle said she’d be over in a few minutes, Nathaniel took her literally. When she arrived an hour later, he was clearly annoyed with her. Nathaniel took Chantelle’s statement literally, believing she would be over in a few minutes—not an hour. He was likely annoyed at her lateness. The History Behind the Ballad / Ballad of Birmingham / 4 Little Girls Vocabulary

16. An infamous person or thing has a bad reputation. You’re likely familiar with the word famous. A famous person, such as an actor or musician, is well-known. An infamous person is also well known, but not for positive reasons. The tragic bombing of the Sixteenth Street Baptist Church became infamous. The History Behind the Ballad / Ballad of Birmingham / 4 Little Girls Vocabulary

17. The mayor’s most infamous activities included: a. holding press conferences b. taking bribes c. donating to charity The History Behind the Ballad / Ballad of Birmingham / 4 Little Girls Vocabulary

18. The mayor’s most infamous activities included: a. holding press conferences b. taking bribes c. donating to charity

19. To remember what charisma means, notice that its definition hides right in the word itself. char iasm The sales team’s charisma helped them acquire and keep new customers. The History Behind the Ballad / Ballad of Birmingham / 4 Little Girls Vocabulary

20. José used his charisma to persuade his boss to give him a day off from work. How did José likely approach his boss? The History Behind the Ballad / Ballad of Birmingham / 4 Little Girls Vocabulary

21. José used his charisma to persuade his boss to give him a day off from work. The History Behind the Ballad / Ballad of Birmingham / 4 Little Girls Vocabulary How did José likely approach his boss? Calm and smiling, José likely approached his boss with an explanation for why he should have the day off. He used his appealing personality to convince his boss.

22. When we give rationalizations, we make excuses for our behavior. These rationalizations usually make us feel better, as though our behavior is justified. What rationalizations might someone make for not exercising? The History Behind the Ballad / Ballad of Birmingham / 4 Little Girls Vocabulary

23. The more rationalizations Kate used to explain why she didn’t do her chores, the more frustrated her parents became. What are some rationalizations that Kate may have offered her parents? The History Behind the Ballad / Ballad of Birmingham / 4 Little Girls Vocabulary

24. The more rationalizations Kate used to explain why she didn’t do her chores, the more frustrated her parents became. [End of Section] What are some rationalizations that Kate may have offered her parents? To rationalize her behavior, Kate may have said she had too much homework or had to attend a school event. The History Behind the Ballad / Ballad of Birmingham / 4 Little Girls Vocabulary

25. The End

26. QuickWrite

27. The History Behind the Ballad / Ballad of Birmingham / 4 Little Girls QuickWrite Think about a specific historical event and write down factual details you know about it. Then, use your imagination to think about how people felt during the event. How does your imagination affect your perception of history? [End of Section]

28. Meet the Writers

29. The History Behind the Ballad Meet the Writer More About the Writer Taylor Branch won the Pulitzer Prize for Parting the Waters, the first book in a trilogy about Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. and the civil rights movement. In addition to writing nonfiction and a novel, Branch took part in nearly eighty late- night conversations with Bill Clinton during his presidency.

30. Ballad of Birmingham Meet the Writer More About the Writer Dudley Randall (1914–2000) grew up in a house filled with books. As an adult, he built on his love of literature by founding a publishing company. The first poem Broadside Press published was “Ballad of Birmingham.” Randall encouraged and supported African American writers, and they, in turn, saw Broadside Press as their own.

31. 4 Little Girls Meet the Writer More About the Writer In 1975, Roger Ebert became the first film critic to win the Pulitzer Prize. He also hosts a TV show in which he offers his opinions on current movies. Ebert has written more than fifteen books about film. [End of Section]

32. Build Background

33. The History Behind the Ballad / Ballad of Birmingham / 4 Little Girls Four young African American girls were killed. On September 15, 1963, in the midst of the struggle for civil rights for African Americans, tragedy struck. A bomb exploded in a church in Birmingham, Alabama.

34. Build Background “The History Behind the Ballad” is from Taylor Branch’s Parting the Waters, which won the Pulitzer Prize in history in 1989. Branch continued his history of the civil rights movement and Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. in his books Pillar of Fire and At Canaan’s Edge. The History Behind the Ballad / Ballad of Birmingham / 4 Little Girls

35. Build Background Film director Spike Lee observed that many people, both black and white, don’t know much about the struggles of the civil rights movement. In 1997, Lee helped raised awareness of that struggle by making a documentary about the bombing in Birmingham in 1963. In “4 Little Girls,” Roger Ebert reviews the film and offers his own reflections on the event. [End of Section] The History Behind the Ballad / Ballad of Birmingham / 4 Little Girls

36. Preview the Selections

37. Taylor Branch presents a historic account of what really happened on that Sunday in 1963. In “Ballad of Birmingham,” Dudley Randall uses poetry to shine light on the dark feelings raised by the tragedy. The History Behind the Ballad / Ballad of Birmingham / 4 Little Girls

38. Preview the Selections [End of Section] While reviewing a documentary about the bombing, Roger Ebert takes time to reflect on the event’s lasting effects. The History Behind the Ballad / Ballad of Birmingham / 4 Little Girls