While the World Watched: A Birmingham Bombing Survivor Comes of Age during the Civil Rights Movement

The name “Carolyn” means “strong one” or “little champion.” Describe the implications of these meanings on McKinstry’s character. How does she embody these traits? Provide three examples of these traits in action.

Describe McKinstry’s relationship with her family. Who was she especially close to, and why? Which relationships are less explored in the text, and why?

How did McKinstry change after the Sixteenth Street Baptist Church bombing? Trace her arc and consider whether she did indeed come full circle, and analyze what steps it took to arrive back in Birmingham.

McKinstry describes Martin Luther King Jr. and President John F. Kennedy as the “saviors” of Birmingham’s Black community. Why did McKinstry so admire these men, and how did their assassinations affect her? How does McKinstry discuss their assassinations within the context of their differing races?

McKinstry’s memoir provides an eyewitness account of one of the most tumultuous periods in American history. How does her perspective as a young Black girl affect her story? How is her story different from other civil rights-era literature you might have encountered?

McKinstry closes her memoir with a call for people to stand up against injustice and reach out to others with love and compassion. Can you think of a time when you have done this? Can you think of a time when you have instead acted or reacted with anger and hatred? How did each instance feel, and what was the result?

Does McKinstry portray herself as a victim, a survivor, or both in her memoir? What does your answer tell you about her identity?

How might McKinstry’s experience have been different if she had access to mental health and counseling services?