---
title: A Flower Tries to Grow in Birmingham
url: https://propagandaarchive.org/collection/a-flower-tries-to-grow-in-birmingham-berryman-1963/
description: A rose whose petals are labelled RACIAL ACCORD is about to be cut at the stem by a pair of scissors, held in a hand whose finger ring is labelled
section: Collection
---

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3. A Flower Tries to Grow in Birmingham

**Content note:** 1963 US newspaper cartoon on the Birmingham, Alabama bombings and riots during the civil rights campaign, shown as published. This object is shown as it was published. [Why](https://propagandaarchive.org/about/#as-it-was)

[![A Flower Tries to Grow in Birmingham, 1963 US cartoon: A rose whose petals are labelled RACIAL ACCORD is about to be cut](https://propagandaarchive.org/collection/images/a-flower-tries-to-grow-in-birmingham-berryman-1963.jpg)](https://propagandaarchive.org/collection/images/a-flower-tries-to-grow-in-birmingham-berryman-1963.jpg)

# A Flower Tries to Grow in Birmingham

A rose whose petals are labelled RACIAL ACCORD is about to be cut at the stem by a pair of scissors, held in a hand whose finger ring is labelled EXTREMISTS. The two blades are labelled BOMBS and RIOTS. The cartoon argues that violence by extremists endangers racial agreement; the technique is a virtue-word symbol, 'racial accord', set against named threats.

## Propaganda techniques used in this cartoon

[Glittering generalities](https://propagandaarchive.org/techniques/glittering-generalities/)

## Text on the object

Original (English) · read from the image, not independently checked

```
RACIAL ACCORD
EXTREMISTS
BOMBS
RIOTS
JIM BERRYMAN WASHINGTON STAR
```

[← L'etat, C'est Moi](https://propagandaarchive.org/collection/berryman-letat-cest-moi-1963/) [Zentralbild "Terror in Südvietnam": woman and children before a burning house →](https://propagandaarchive.org/collection/gdr-zentralbild-terror-in-suedvietnam-mother-children-1963/)

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