Born on January 14 th 1914 in Washington, D.C. Moved to Detroit
at the age of nine Parents were Ada Viola ( teacher) and Arthur
George Clyde (minister) Ruby Hudson, May 27, 1935 Vivian Spencer,
May 4 1957 Died on August 5, 2000 at age 86
Slide 4
Published first poem at the age of 13 in the Young Poets Page
of the Detroit Free Press Graduated high school at the age of 16
Joined the U.S. Army Air Corps in July of 1943 Worked for Ford
Motor Company, the U.S. Postal Service, and several libraries
throughout his life Earned a BA in English in 1941 and a Masters in
Library Science in 1951 Founded the Broadside Press
Slide 5
Written after the bombing of the 16 th Street Baptist Church in
Birmingham, Alabama Tells the tragic death of a little girl whose
mother thought she was safer in church Various versions may include
different wording She clawed in bits of glass and brick Then lifted
out a shoe. 'O, here's a shoe, but where's the foot, And, baby,
where are you?'
Slide 6
Church bombing in 1963 21 wounded and 4 girls died Originally
blamed on Governor of Alabama Later Robert Chambliss, member of
KKK, was arrested and charged with murder and illegal possession of
dynamite in 1963 but was found not guilty for murder Went to trial
again in 1977 FBI announced in 2000 that four men were
involved
About the 1963 Birmingha, Bombing. Modern American Poetry.
Online.
http://www.english.illinois.edu/maps/poets/m_r/randall/birmingham.htm
Dudley Randall Biography - A Poet from an Early Age, Civil Rights
Movement Inspired Randall, Broadside Press Published Black Poetry.
Online. Gutstein, Dan. BLETWAY: A Poetry Quarterly. Online. Image.
African American Registry. Online. Madgett, L. Naomi. Dudley
Randalls Life and Career. Modern American Poetry. Online. On Ballad
of Birmingham. Modern American Poetry. Online.
http://www.english.illinois.edu/maps/poets/m_r/randall/ballad.htm
Tennessee State University: The Ballad Of Birmingham. YouTube.
Online. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cHxG2b4rAlA