Shocked by the 1963 church bombing in Birmingham that killed four young girls , Nash and James Bevel committed to raising a nonviolent army in Alabama . Their goal was the vote for every black adult in Alabama , a radical proposition at the time . Alabama and other southern states had effectively excluded blacks from the political system since disenfranchising them at the turn of the century . After funerals for the girls in Birmingham , Nash confronted SCLC leadership with their proposal . She was rebuffed , but continued to advocate this " revolutionary " nonviolent blueprint
church bombing in Birmingham
16th Street Baptist Church bombing
Diane Nash