We were greeted with a NAACP "celebratory" tailgate party rather than a true rally. Dissatisfied with this scene and the NAACP leadership's explanation for it, the "Birmingham 7" joined forces with the much larger entourage from Washington, DC, which consisted of approximately 60 students, mostly from Howard University with a small contingent from George Washington University. Together we left the NAACP rally in unity and carried out the first mission for which we were formed. Joined also by one White student and one Black professor from Auburn University, we occupied all four corners of the intersection of North Donohue and West Glenn Streets (a major intersection down the street from Jordan-Hare Stadium.)

For several hours we presented our protest publicly via shouted slogans, handmade signs, direct interaction with pedestrians on their way to the Iron Bowl, and printed materials, including pictures from the Beta Theta Pi and Delta Sigma Phi parties. The students from Howard were very enthusiastic and really helped make the protest a success by their sheer presence; they are definitely to be commended. While we feel the protest was a "phoenix from the flames" success, we will still be monitoring the situation at AU, as the University has NOT met all of the demands that were place on it by the NAACP and others. Instead, they have only taken the first steps towards remedying a big problem. Only time and continued vigilance by concerned citizens will tell what the true outcome will be. It ain't over!

Thanks goes to those here in Birmingham who helped our efforts, including the Malcolm X Grassroots Movement for providing meeting space and advice, those who made signs, and those who made phone calls to help manage logistics. Hopefully, we will be able to rally greater support from the community in future efforts to combat racism and hatred in Alabama.