"1963 on the Page" Colin Kaepernick Visits Birmingham Classrooms Where Children's Crusade Research Became Graphic Novels

Colin Kaepernick spent part of Tuesday inside the J.H. Phillips Academy auditorium, stopping at tables lined with illustrated books created by Birmingham middle schoolers studying the 1963 Birmingham Children's Crusade. He paused to examine artwork, flip through pages and speak with students about the work they spent the school year assembling.

Sixth through eighth graders used Lumi Story AI, a program founded by Kaepernick, to transform source material into graphic novels featuring dialogue, artwork and reconstructed scenes. Rather than submitting traditional reports, participants organized research into comic style narratives designed to present documented events through a visual format.

Graphic novels, exhibit boards and student explanations filled the venue, as reported by Birmingham City Schools. Families, educators, district personnel and invited guests moved from table to table examining work produced through the district's connection with Lumi.

Standard reports were replaced by illustrated narratives built from archived material. Dates, names and documented events were transformed into comic style pages designed to make the subject matter more accessible to readers.

Conversations centered on scene selection, artwork and the decisions behind each volume. Recognition went to entries noted for visual execution and careful use of source material.

Artificial intelligence played a supporting role. Drafting, editing and organization remained with the students while Lumi assisted with structure and formatting.

Lumi arrived in Birmingham City Schools through an agreement announced last year between the district and Kaepernick's organization. Tuesday's gathering offered families and school employees a first look at completed volumes produced through the effort.

Before leaving, Kaepernick stopped beside several exhibits, turning pages and discussing books inspired by the young people who filled Birmingham streets during the 1963 demonstrations. Speech bubbles, illustrations and panel layouts allowed viewers to follow those experiences through work created by local students.