On New Year's Day, 1962 the undefeated Alabama Crimson Tide beat Arkansas 10-3, giving Bear Bryant his first national championship. Over the same weekend Bear's professed number one fan, "Bull " Connor, had the Birmingham city parks -- 1,500 acres, valued at $9 million -- posted with "No Trespassing" signs and announced that he would sell off the people's property to private investors rather than integrate.  After golfers sneaked onto the public links to play anyway, the holes were plugged with cement.

SID SMYER, PRESIDENT -
​BIRMINGHAM REALTY COMPANY

FRED SHUTTLESWORTH, PASTOR - BETHEL BAPTIST CHURCH

JAMES HEAD, OWNER -
​HEAD OFFICE SUPPLY

Direct Action is a film that explores a pivotal story beyond the headlines during the civil rights turmoil that gripped Birmingham, Alabama between the years 1961-63. Local and national black activists rallied thousands of citizens in protests and boycotts against segregation while the shocked world looked on. Out of the public eye pragmatic businessman Sid Smyer fronted a reformist white business movement who met secretly with black leaders in support of gradual integration. But Birmingham officials led by Public Safety Commissioner “Bull” Connor thwarted their efforts by enacting and enforcing local segregation laws. Facing alienation from peers and hostility from the local government, Smyer, other businessmen and a small group of lawyers orchestrated the historic change in government that ousted Bull Connor with the other commissioners and helped dramatically alter Birmingham’s social-economic and political future.

DAVID VANN, ATTORNEY

TOM KING, MAYORAL CANDIDATE
​1961 & 1963

"BULL" CONNOR, PUBLIC
SAFETY COMMISSIONER

Support for this production is provided by:

Alabama Humanities Foundation 
Alabama State Council on the Arts 
Vulcan Materials Foundation
Baker Donelson Bearman Caldwell & Berkowitz, PC
Alabama Law Foundation

Additional support is provided by:
Judyth A. Wier
Chervis Isom
Richard Berkowitz
MotorSports Productions, Inc.
Debra Santiago
​

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Without our generous contributors, this film would not have been able to come to life. If you would like to support the producers in future projects, please contact us.
 
We thank you!   Your support is greatly appreciated.
Please mail your comments or contributions to:
 
Birmingham International Educational Film Festival
PO Box 511
Helena, Alabama 35080
 
 
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We are a non-profit, 501(c)(3) qualified organization and your donation is tax deductible as provided for by law.