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On February 19, 1976, immediately after becoming Attorney General of Alabama, William Joseph Baxley II reopened the investigation into the murder of three little girls, who had been killed in the infamous 1963 bombing of the 16th Street Baptist Church in Birmingham. The little girls were killed, in church, on Sunday morning.

Condoleezza Rice was a friend of the little girls.

The tragedy sickened America and was an important factor in destroying white resistance to ending racial segregation.

As everyone knows, it was racially motivated. The little girls were black. Baxley was white.

Baxley--of course--was sickened, horrified, and outraged by this incident--as were all decent people everywhere--and it is my understanding that the fact that the investigation had been closed without finding and prosecuting the killers was a major reason for Baxley's wanting to become Alabama Attorney General.

His investigation eventually led to prosecution and conviction.

Upon reopening the investigation, Baxley received a threatening letter from the Ku Klux Klan that included insults and a death threat.

This was Baxley’s reply--under the official letterhead of the State of Alabama:

OFFICIAL LETTERHEAD OF THE STATE OF ALABAMA
My response to your letter of February 19, 1976 is - kiss my ass.

Sincerely,
Bill Baxley
Attorney General
State of Alabama

I do not customarily use such language. However, considering the circumstances and those to whom the response was directed, it could not be more suitable.

Therewith, Baxley became one of my heroes. He still is.