Black and White: The Confrontation between Reverend Fred L. Shuttlesworth and Eugene "Bull" Connor

Outstanding non-fiction book about the 2 key figures in the civil rights movement that are often overlooked. Great conversation starters about different perspectives, violent vs. non-violent protests, power struggles, use of the media an religion, to name just a few. Brimner did a great job of frontloading the plot of the story with background information that readers may not be familiar with. This is a non-fiction book that is a page turner, that reads like fiction. Don't overlook the first page (instruction on proper non-violent behavior on buses). The photographs are wonderful and add significant perspective to the text - especially those at the end of the book.

At the center of the fight for civil rights in Birmingham AL were show more Reverend Fred L. Shuttlesworth and Eugene "Bull" Connor. From his pulpit, Shuttlesworth fought for racial equality, while Commissioner Connor fought for the status quo. show less

Brimmer, L.D. (2011). Black & white: The confrontation between Reverend Fred L. Shuttlesworth and Eugene “Bull” Connor. Honesdale, PA: Boyds Mills Press/Calkins Creek. 112 pp. ISBN: 978-1-59078-766-3. (Hardcover); $16.95.

Let’s do our students a favor this year and introduce them to some important new characters of the Civil Rights Movement. We do not have to ignore Martin Luther King or Rosa Parks, especially if we use Black & White as one of our resources. This book features the vibrant and energetic Reverend Fred L. Shuttlesworth and the tenacious and loud Eugene “Bull” Connor. Set in Birmingham, Alabama, which we are told was also called, Bombingham, due to the explosive racial tension that filled its streets. Readers will show more especially appreciate the nuanced look at the Black community, “…Fred had found a regular preaching job at the First Baptist Church. This congregation was largely made up of conservative Negro professionals.” (p. 16). “Black professionals quickly organized to negotiate with white business leaders over the park issue. They squeezed Fred out of those negotiations, using the pretext that he was no longer a Birmingham resident.” (p. 70). “Many of Fred’s ACMHR followers believed he was being slighted, and they resented it. Mostly poor or working class, his loyalists viewed the black professionals as newcomers to the struggle for equality because they had not challenged Jim Crow the way the ACMHR had.” (p. 71). Connor was a public commissioner who could serve as the embodiment of Jim Crow. His base included all those who either actively supported the racial status quo as their God given right or who feared the changes that racial integration might bring. Shuttlesworth was the energizer bunny of the Birmingham civil rights campaign. His house was bombed, he was beaten and hospitalized, he was jailed, and he lived under constant daily threats. None of the assaults, threats, or arrests weakened Shuttlesworth’s commitment to equality, which he preached from the pulpit and protested from the streets. These two men serve as icons of the Civil Rights Movement; this book will be a welcomed addition to both high school and middle school libraries. show less

This book is book the erupted violence for the equal rights for all in Birmingham Alabama. I like this book because it shows and tells you what people of color had to go through to get these rights. I would use this book in my classroom because it would be a great history to teach and read from. This would be great for fifth graders

A concise, well-written and exceptionally designed account of the clash between the Civil Rights leader Shuttlesworth and arch-segregationist Connor is Birmingham, Alabama.

This is a fascinating book done in a creative way where you can see and discuss different people's perspective on the same issue and events. I could use it to talk about interesting text features as well as the obvious issue of civil rights.

A great resource for the civil rights. It explains with pictures the life of Reverend Fred Shuttlesworth who was a catalyst for the civil rights movement and his lifelong battle with Eugene "Bull" Connor.

Absolutely loved this book. Once again, I love how it takes a small story of the civil rights movement and makes it well known to a wider audience.