Recently, there was an article about my sister and me in People Magazine, August 11, 1997. I am grateful for the opportunity to finally come out in the open and have my message heard by others. I am grateful to Gail Wescott for spending the time that it took to get our story in writing.

I do want to make sure that no wrong ideas are birthed as a result of this article. It was not my intent for any old feelings of hatred to be stirred up because of what happened in the past. I know that forgiveness is the key ingredient for healing to take place. I was disappointed at first that this and other information was not included in the article. I then realized that the Internet would be one of many better alternatives to speak out the things in my heart.

Since the article was published, many messages have come in from all over. People have really warmed to the idea of moving Addie Mae Collins’ coffin to a new grave, one which is looked after more carefully. While a monument in stone has been erected at the Civil Rights Historical District in downtown Birmingham, Alabama; the graves of three of the girls, including Addie Mae, have fallen into disrepair, overgrown with weeds.
*See Update To Letter - Find out what happened when we tried to move the grave of Addie Mae Collins to a better cemetery.

I am in the process of writing a book. This will not be just a book about the events of that unhappy day, but rather, a story of hope and encouragement. In other words, we grow not only from looking at the past, but looking forward to a brighter future. I want to tell how I overcame the fallout of that tragedy and the progress I continue to make even today. But even more than that, I want to tell how God is looking for a people who will be willing to bring unity to a nation, and to do it without the concern of race, creed, or the color of one’s skin. Visit this website often for updates on the progress of the book and for information about its release to the public.