Exploring Character Development in The Watsons Go to Birmingham - 1963

Influenced by the tumultuous time period in which it is set, The Watsons Go to Birmingham - 1963, gives a fictional account of one family who travels from their comfortable home in Flint, Michigan to visit relatives in Birmingham, Alabama during the heart of the Civil Rights era. For Kenny and Byron, two brothers, the events experienced in Birmingham drastically affect their thoughts and behaviors. After reading The Watsons Go to Birmingham – 1963, students will write an informational essay in which they compare and contrast the changes that take place within Kenny and Byron as a result of their experiences in Birmingham.