Thomas Edwin Blanton Jr.

American murderer (1938–2020)

Thomas Edwin Blanton Jr. (June 20, 1938 – June 26, 2020) was an American terrorist and convicted felon. At the time of his death, he was serving a life sentence for his role in the 16th Street Baptist Church bombing in Birmingham, Alabama in 1963, which killed four young African-American girls (Carole Robertson, Cynthia Wesley, Addie Mae Collins, and Denise McNair).[1]

Blanton was the son of Thomas Edwin "Pops" Blanton Sr., who was a known racist in the Birmingham, Alabama area, and his wife.[2]

On June 26, 2020, Blanton died at William E. Donaldson Correctional Facility in Bessemer, Alabama of natural causes while serving his life sentence. He was 82 years old.[3][4]

References

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  1. Sack, Kevin (May 2, 2001). "Ex-Klansman Is Found Guilty in '63 Bombing". The New York Times. Retrieved February 5, 2009.
  2. Clary, Mike (14 April 2001). "Birmingham's Painful Past Reopened". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved 21 June 2014.
  3. Thomas Blanton, 16th Street Baptist Church bomber, dies in prison
  4. Genzlinger, Neil (June 26, 2020). "Thomas Blanton, Who Bombed a Birmingham Church, Dies at 82". The New York Times. Retrieved June 26, 2020.