Bloody Tuesday: The Forgotten Attack That Shaped the Civil Rights Movement

The Not Old - Better Show

Welcome to The Not Old Better Show, Smithsonian Associates Interview Series. I’m Paul Vogelzang, and today’s conversation is both powerful and eye-opening. We’re exploring an untold chapter of the Civil Rights Movement, one that’s been overshadowed for decades by other, more well-known events. On June 9, 1964, in Tuscaloosa, Alabama, hundreds of Black men, women, and children gathered at First African Baptist Church to march for equality. What happened next became known as Bloody Tuesday—a day of brutal police violence, where law enforcement, backed by deputized white citizens and Klansmen, attacked innocent protesters with tear gas, fire hoses, and nightsticks. Yet for years, this horrific event remained buried in history.

Our guest today is Smithsonian Associate, historian John M. Giggie, has devoted more than a decade to uncovering this pivotal moment. His new book, Bloody Tuesday: The Untold Story of the Struggle for Civil Rights in Tuscaloosa. You’ll find details in our show notestoday about his upcoming presentation, titled, Bloody Tuesday: The Untold Story of the Struggle for Civil Rights in Tuscaloosa.

We have Dr. Giggie today and he’ll share with us briefly about his upcoming presentation, including work he’s done on the deep scars left by this tragedy, and the incredible resilience of those who survived it. Dr. John Giggie’s will also touches on the ongoing fight for racial justice, reminding us that these stories are not just history—they are still shaping the present.

Smithsonian Associate Dr. John Giggie is an Associate Professor of History at the University of Alabama

Today’s interview will challenge what you think you know about the Civil Rights Movement, and shine a light on the continued importance of reckoning with our nation’s past. Please join me in welcoming John Giggie to the show.

My thanks to Smithsonian Associate Dr. John Giggie. My thanks to the Smithsonian team for all they do for the show. My thanks to executive editor Sam Heninger and my thanks to you our wonderful audience here on radio and podcast. Thanks everybody and we’ll see you next week.

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