In 1963 , Petts designed and created a stained glass window featuring a Black Jesus for the 16th Street Baptist Church in Birmingham , Alabama , following a racially motivated bombing that killed four African-American girls aged 11 – 14 . Petts , a conscientious objector during World War II , was said to be horrified " as a father and as a craftsman " upon hearing the news . Working with the '' Western Mail '' to raise funds , Petts arranged donations from many thousands of Welsh locals to pay for the window . The window was installed and dedicated in 1965 . In 1970 , the designs for the window were donated to the National Library of Wales . In 2013 , to commemorate the fiftieth anniversary of the bombing , Petts 's original designs were displayed at the National Library of Wales in Aberystwyth until December 14 , 2013 . In September 2018 , BBC World Service reported that the church is concerned that Alabama ’s stormy weather may destroy the window and is appealing to the public to raise funds to preserve it
racially motivated bombing
16th Street Baptist Church bombing
John Petts (artist)