A bomb exploded at the 16th Street Baptist Church in Birmingham, Alabama, killing four African American girls. The church had been a central meeting place for civil rights leaders, and the attack by Ku Klux Klan members outraged the nation. It marked a pivotal and tragic moment in the Civil Rights Movement.

John C. Calhoun (1782–1850) – A leading political theorist and advocate for states' rights, Calhoun served as Vice President, Secretary of War, and a long-time Senator. He was a dominant figure in pre-Civil War American politics, known for his defense of slavery and the doctrine of nullification. Though his views are deeply controversial today, he played a significant role in shaping early constitutional debates. Calhoun believed strongly in limited federal government and regional autonomy. His ideas, though divisive, sparked critical national conversations about federalism and the nature of the Union.

As Secretary of War under President James Monroe, Calhoun reorganized the U.S. military by creating the Bureau system and championed West Point’s expansion as a professional training ground. He also played a key role in the controversial decision to send General Andrew Jackson into Spanish Florida, a move that pushed the U.S. closer to acquiring the territory. Though Calhoun supported the incursion, it later strained his relationship with Jackson when both men clashed politically during Jackson’s presidency. Their feud symbolized the growing rift within the Democratic Party over federal authority and Southern interests.