The Lone Survivor: Who nobody cares to know

We hope this petition finds you doing well. We are writing in support of Mrs. Sarah Collins Rudolph. 

During this past March 2015, a group of students and staff visited the city of Birmingham, Alabama where we got the opportunity to tour the 16th Street Baptist Church and had lunch with Mrs. Sarah Collins Rudolph and her husband, George C. Rudolph. A total of 38 students and staff from The Paul Robeson Cultural Center and members of the BLUEprint Mentoring Program were able to hear the true of story of the bombing from the lone survivor herself. 

A woman whose story no one truly knows and frankly some tend to neglect and invalidate. Her name is Mrs. Sarah Collins Rudolph and she is a true American hero who should be taught in our history books. When she was just a young child herself, sister and a few friends were walking to the 16th St Baptist Church to get ready for Sunday school. She recalls that day as clear as if it just happened yesterday, saying “They were so excited that day”. While her and four other young girls were getting dressed and ready in the lady’s lounge suddenly there was a big bang that went off. All of the girls were buried under the rumble and found murdered, except one lone survivor. Directly after the bombing she was blinded in her eyes from the shattered glass that hit her face.

Mind you she was only a small child, her husband, George C. Rudolph (a Vietnam War veteran) stated that “She made it through a war.”  She made it through this with no recognition from the state or federal government; for example the girls who were murdered received a medal, but where is Sarah’s medal/recognition?. This war was from not only the KKK members who set flame to the bomb, but also from within herself.  After fighting though many personal trials she has now began to surface and tell the unheard story of the lone girl survivor of the infamous 16th St. Baptist Church Bombing. Now she is still faced with many difficulties from that sad day from financial and medical issues. We feel that the government should take full responsibility for Mrs. Sarah Collins Rudolph financial obligations towards her medical bills. As well as reaching out to the other 20 church members who were effected that day just 50 years ago.  Her sister who was murdered that day, had a funeral and burial that was very nice after this massacre.

Later down the line the family decided to move the body to a better site only to find out that the body that was buried was not a little girl. Now they have never been able to locate the remains and we would feel as if that is crucial and is due to the family to have the actual remains. I challenge you and everyone that you affect to take this matter seriously and make a way for her to be assisted as an American Hero from the Civil Rights era. I hope and pray that you accept the challenge and listen to the hundreds of Penn State faculty, staff and students that have signed their name in support of helping recognize that this story is one that needs to be heard.  As Americans we need to be held accountable for taking care of our hero’s and Mrs. Sarah Collins Rudolph deserves restitution now!  

We ask that you please sign this petition in order for us to raise awareness regarding this issue and recognize this true American Hero.