(Birmingham, AL) — The 4 Little Girls Memorial Fund, which has provided college scholarships for three decades in memory of the four young girls killed in the heinous bombing of the Sixteenth Street Baptist Church on September 15th, 1963, will host a 50-Year Commemorative Tribute and Fundraiser Saturday, September 14, 2013, 5:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m., at the Birmingham Civil Rights Institute.
The September 14thevent is a fundraiser for scholarships with admission by invitation or ticket only. Special guests will include family members of the four little girls, former and current Memorial Fund scholarship recipients, as well as local, state and congressional dignitaries.Â
Established in 1983 as a 501(c)3 private foundation by AmSouth Bank (now Regions) and The Birmingham News, the 4 Little Girls Memorial Fund strives to honor and preserve the memory of Addie Mae Collins, Denise McNair, Carole Robertson and Cynthia Wesley who died 50 years ago in the church bombing that helped turn the national tide against racial hatred and discrimination.
The 4 Little Girls Memorial Fund has awarded more than $250,000 in scholarships to 69 exceptional students since the first grants were made for the 1984-85 school year. By raising funds and awarding scholarships annually, the Fund helps deserving students fulfill their dream of getting a college education – an opportunity that Addie Mae, Denise, Carole and Cynthia did not have.
“The heartbreaking deaths of Addie Mae, Denise, Carole and Cynthia 50 years ago became the catalyst for landmark Civil Rights legislation intended to promote justice and equality for all. Over the ensuing years,” said Attorney Gail Pugh Gratton president of the board and cousin of Carole Robertson. “The Memorial Fund has paid homage to the girls’ ultimate sacrifice by paving new pathways for opportunity and success through college scholarships.”
“As Birmingham marks the 50thanniversary of September 15, 1963, we invite the public to join us in honoring the lives and memory of Addie Mae, Denise, Carole and Cynthia by making a contribution to the 4 Little Girls Memorial Fund,” Gratton added.
Odessa Woolfolk, president emerita of the Birmingham Civil Rights Institute, serves as the board’s vice president.
Lisa McNair, whose sister Denise also perished in the bomb blast, and Greg Hodges, long-time Memorial Fund board member, are serving as co-chairs of the 4 Little Girls Memorial Tribute. TheSeptember 14thevent is part of the City of Birmingham’s 50 Years Forward celebration.
In commemoration of 50 Years Forward,individual tickets to the 4 Little Girls Memorial Tribute are $50(of which $40 is tax deductible) and all proceeds will benefit the 4 Little Girls Memorial Fund.Patron tickets, and other sponsorship levels, are also available.
The goal of this college scholarship fund is simple and straightforward – that from the ashes of hatred and destruction might come tolerance, understanding and unity, modeled in lives of meaningful service to this community and world.
232 Scholarships Awarded to Students
Historically, the 4 Little Girls Memorial Fund (originally known as the Memorial Fund for the Four Children) has awarded a total of 232 scholarships – some for one year, most for multiple years – to 69 deserving students at numerous colleges and universities, including Agnes Scott College, University of Alabama, University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB), Alabama A&M University, Alabama State University, Auburn University, Birmingham-Southern College, Cumberland College, Dillard University, Florida A&M University, Georgetown University, Jefferson State Community College, Miles College, University of Montevallo, Talladega College, Tennessee State University and Tuskegee University.
The current scholarship program is targeted to students at Miles College and the University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB) who apply through their school.
For more information and tickets, visit 4LittleGirlsFund.org or email Trust Officer Cara Gober atcara.gober@regions.comor call(205) 264-7132. Find out more on Facebook at www.facebook.com/4littlegirlsfund.
Tax-deductible donationsto the Memorial Fund are also welcomed by mail to:
4 Little Girls Memorial Fund
c/o Regions Bank, as Trustee
1900 5th Avenue North, Suite 2500
P. O. Box 1688
Birmingham, AL 35203
Attention: Cara Gober, Trust Officer
