Recently Rated:
Stats
Category: History
Welsh youth to strengthen ties with Birmingham, Alabama on 60th anniversary of church bombing
By Ceri Shaw, 2023-09-11
Four children died when the first and largest black church in Birmingham, Alabama was bombed on 15 September 1963 – a tragic day that became a defining moment for the Civil Rights Movement in the USA.
To mark the 60 th anniversary of the 16 th Street Baptist Church bombing, representatives of Wales’ largest youth organisation, Urdd Gobaith Cymru, will visit Birmingham, Alabama to show solidarity with its African American community.
Next week, 13 Urdd Gobaith Cymru Ambassadors who were responsible for the Urdd’s 2023 Anti Racism Peace and Goodwill Message are to visit the region and learn more about its rich Civil Rights history.
Urdd Chief Executive Siân Lewis explains : “We are delighted to continue developing our relationship with the African American community in Birmingham, Alabama and to give Urdd members the opportunity to learn more about the history and events of Alabama.
“Earlier this year, our young people created a powerful Peace and Goodwill Message which throws a spotlight on anti-racism, clearly stating that if people see racism, we need to ‘Call. Them. Out’. It’s fitting that we’ll be visiting Birmingham on this important anniversary with the students who created this impactful message, which was heard and shared by thousands across the world.”
Sian Morgan Lloyd, senior lecturer at Cardiff University’s School of Journalism, Media and Culture, who is accompanying the ambassadors on the trip, said : “We feel privileged to be travelling to Birmingham Alabama with Urdd Gobaith Cymru, as we explore the history of the Civil Rights movement, fostering new friendships along the way. The students, who worked on this year’s Message of Peace, are passionate about using their voices as a means of change. I have no doubt that this trip will inspire and motivate them even further.”
The trip will include visits to historically significant buildings and organisations that were key to the civil rights movement, such as Rosa Park’s House, the Birmingham Civil Rights Institute, the A.G. Gatson Motel and the Legacy Museum, as well as a workshop with young people in Birmingham.
Welsh ties with Birmingham, Alabama were formed in the immediate aftermath of the vicious bombing. A campaign by artist John Petts and the Western Mail resulted in the people of Wales donating a stained-glass window to the church which is still known as the ‘Wales Window’ by Birmingham residents today.
In 2019 an official visit to the church by Siân Lewis, the Urdd’s CEO, and then Welsh Education Minister Kirsty Williams strengthened these ties. This resulted in a partnership between the Urdd and the University of Alabama at Birmingham and a renewed desire to provide opportunities for young people on both sides of the Atlantic to learn more about each other’s cultures and traditions.
The partnership with Birmingham, Alabama forms part of the Urdd’s International Strategy to engage young people from around the world with the young people of Wales. Since its establishment in 1922 the Urdd has nurtured over 4 million youngsters to be proud of their country, open to the world and living embodiments of our language and culture, along with the universal values which we cherish in Wales.
Urdd i dalu teyrnged 60 mlynedd ers ffrwydrad eglwys yn Alabama
Ar 15 Medi 1963, lladdwyd pedwar o blant mewn ffrwydrad terfysgol yn eglwys ddu gyntaf a mwyaf Birmingham, Alabama, a hynny yn ystod yr ymgyrch Hawliau Sifil yn America.
Union 60 mlynedd ar ôl ffrwydrad Eglwys y Bedyddwyr ar 16th Street mi fydd cynrychiolwyr o’r Urdd yn ymweld â’r rhanbarth er mwyn dangos undod gyda’i chymuned Affricanaidd-Americanaidd.
Wythnos nesaf, bydd 13 o Lysgenhadon yr Urdd a fu’n gyfrifol am Neges Heddwch ac Ewyllys Da Gwrth-hiliaeth 2023 yn cael y cyfle i ddysgu mwy am hanes hawliau sifil cyfoethog Birmingham, Alabama.
Eglura Prif Weithredwr yr Urdd, Siân Lewis : “Rydym mor falch o’r cyfle i gryfhau ein perthynas gyda’r gymuned Affricanaidd-Americanaidd ym Mirmingham, Alabama a rhoi cyfle i aelodau’r Urdd ddysgu mwy am hanes a digwyddiadau’r rhanbarth.
“Yn gynharach eleni, lluniodd ein pobl ifanc Neges Heddwch ac Ewyllys Da hynod bwerus sy’n taflu’r chwyddwydr ar wrth-hiliaeth, gan nodi’n glir, os yw pobl yn dyst i hiliaeth, bod angen i ni eu ‘Galw. Nhw. Allan.’ Mae’n briodol iawn, felly, ein bod ni’n ymweld â Birmingham ar y dyddiad pwysig hwn yng nghwmni’r myfyrwyr a greodd y neges ddylanwadol hon ac a glywyd a rannwyd gan filoedd ledled y byd.”
Dyma a ddywedodd Sian Morgan Lloyd, uwch-ddarlithydd yn Ysgol Newyddiaduraeth, y Cyfryngau a Diwylliant Prifysgol Caerdydd, sy’n mynd gyda’r llysgenhadon ar y daith : “Rydyn ni’n teimlo’n freintiedig i gael teithio i Firmingham, Alabama gydag Urdd Gobaith Cymru, wrth inni ymchwilio mwy i hanes y mudiad Hawliau Sifil, gan ddod i adnabod a meithrin cyfeillion newydd ar hyd y ffordd. Mae’r myfyrwyr, a fu’n gweithio ar y Neges Heddwch eleni, yn frwd dros ddefnyddio’u llais i greu newid. Does gen i ddim amheuaeth y bydd y daith hon yn eu hysbrydoli a’u hysgogi hyd yn oed yn fwy.”
Bydd y daith yn cynnwys ymweliadau â nifer o adeiladau a sefydliadau hanesyddol ac arwyddocaol eraill a oedd yn hynod bwysig i'r mudiad hawliau sifil, megis Tŷ Rosa Park, Sefydliad Hawliau Sifil Birmingham, Motel AG Gatson a’r Amgueddfa Etifeddiaeth yn ogystal â gweithdy gyda phobl ifanc Birmingham.
Ffurfiwyd perthynas rhwng y Cymry a chymuned Birmingham, Alabama yn dilyn yr ymosodiad terfysgol pan ysgogwyd yr arlunydd o Lansteffan John Petts i ddylunio ffenestr liw ar gyfer yr eglwys. Yn dilyn ymgyrch codi arian gan y Western Mail gwireddwyd y freuddwyd a chyflwynwyd y ffenestr i’r eglwys gan bobl Cymru fel arwydd o gefnogaeth ac undod, ac fe’i hadnabyddir hyd heddiw gan drigolion Birmingham fel y ‘Wales Window’.
Yn 2019 bu i ymweliad swyddogol gan Siân Lewis , Prif Weithredwr yr Urdd, a Gweinidog Addysg Cymru ar y pryd, Kirsty Williams gryfhau’r berthynas hon, ac arwain at bartneriaeth rhwng y mudiad ieuenctid a Phrifysgol Alabama ym Mirmingham ac awydd o’r newydd i ddarparu cyfleoedd i bobl ifanc ar ddwy ochr yr Iwerydd ddysgu mwy am ddiwylliannau a thraddodiadau ei gilydd. Ym mis Mehefin eleni, teithiodd Côr yr Efengyl Prifysgol Alabama (UAB) i Gymru i berfformio a dysgu mwy am hanes, iaith a diwylliant ein gwlad.
Mae’r bartneriaeth gyda Birmingham, Alabama yn rhan o Strategaeth Ryngwladol yr Urdd i ymgysylltu phobl ifanc Cymru â phobl ifanc o bob cwr o’r byd. Ers ei sefydlu yn 1922 mae’r Urdd wedi meithrin dros 4 miliwn o bobl ifanc i fod yn falch o’u gwlad, yn agored i’r byd ac yn ymgorfforiadau byw o’n hiaith a’n diwylliant, ynghyd â’r gwerthoedd cyffredinol yr ydym yn eu trysori yng Nghymru.
The History of Wales in Twelve Poems - M. Wynn Thomas - Illustrations by Ruth Jên Evans - Sept 2021
‘I can think of no more deft and authoritative introduction to the literatures of Wales than this gem of a book tracing a path through the riches of the tradition with flair, clarity and wit. This is a must-have guide for the curious and those new to the poetic panorama of Wales through the centuries.’
Gwyneth Lewis , National Poet of Wales 2005–6
Down the centuries, poets have provided Wales with a window onto its own distinctive world. This book gives a sense of the view seen through that special window in twelve illustrated poems, each bringing very different periods and aspects of the Welsh past into focus. Together, they give the flavour of a poetic tradition, both ancient and modern, in the Welsh language and in English, that is internationally renowned for its distinction and continuing vibrancy. This collection is useful to students, academics and the general reader who are interested in Welsh studies. It is very accessibly written, appealing to education/new curriculum market combining poetry with the national, social and cultural history of Wales.
M. Wynn Thomas is Professor of English, and Emyr Humphreys Professor of Welsh Writing in English, at
Swansea University.Ruth Jên Evans is a professional artist whose works combine media, specialising in printmaking from her studio in an old shoe shop in Tal-y-bont, Ceredigion.
CONTENTS
Acknowledgements
Preface
1. ANEIRIN Y Gododdin (extract)
2. ANON. Pais Dinogad
3. ANON. Stafell Gynddylan (from Canu Heledd)
4. GRUFFUDD AB YR YNAD COCH Marwnad Llywelyn ap Gruffudd
5. DAFYDD AP GWILYM Trafferth mewn tafarn
6. HENRY VAUGHAN The World
7. ANON. Hen Benillion
8. ANN GRIFFITHS (DOLWAR FACH) Wele’n sefyll rhwng y myrtwydd
9. GWENALLT Y Meirwon
10. DYLAN THOMAS Fern Hill
11. GILLIAN CLARKE Blodeuwedd
12. MENNA ELFYN Siapau o Gymru
https://www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/
Link above to BBC Radio 4 Web Site Programme
Melvin Bragg did a radio programme. The link is above on the BBC Radio 4 Web Site
It's about Owain Glyndwr who proclaimed himself Prince of Wales and who is buried secretly in Herefordshire - the position of his grave is passed on to the next generation on the death bed. It's somewhere over in the Golden Valley that leads to Hay on Wye. They mention how the Mortimer Marcher Lord of Hereford and Mid Wales sided with him and how the Welsh were finally recognised through his decedents the Tudors. How Owain used the historian Geoffrey of Monmouths Books to try to unite others - who refers to the British being the decedents of the people of Troy.
Owain Glyndwr tried basically to unseat the Norman Marcher rulers in Wales and thus the Norman King Henry of England wanting himself the rule Wales & the West Midlands with Mortimer ruling the South East England.
Many thanks to AmeriCymru reader Owen Evans for the above message and heads up.
