9 Civil Rights Sites in Alabama
Today kicks off Black History Month! Living in AL we’re known as the birthplace of the Civil Rights Movement. We’ve gathered 9 Civil Rights sites in Alabama that are noteworthy to visit!
16th Street Baptist Church
Despite a tragic past, 16th Street Baptist Church is still today an active church in the Birmingham community. During the civil rights movement, the church served as a meeting place for the organization of marches and other civil rights activities. It was bombed in 1963, resulting in the death of four young girls: Addie Mae Collins, Cynthia Wesley, Denise McNair and Carole Robertson.
Rosa Parks Museum
The Rosa Parks Museum is located at the site of its namesake’s famous arrest in Montgomery. The museum focuses on Rosa Parks’ story and place in the civil rights movement, and features a restored bus and other artifacts.
Selma to Montgomery National Historic Trail
Named a National Historic Trail in 1966, the 54-mile path between Selma and Montgomery marks the same route activists took March 21 – 25, 1965. It begins at the Selma Interpretive Center, right at the foot of the Edmund Pettus Bridge—the site of Bloody Sunday.
Birmingham Civil Rights Institute
The Birmingham Civil Rights Institute is a cultural and educational research center that promotes a comprehensive understanding for the significance of civil rights developments in Birmingham. BCRI reaches more than 150,000 individuals each year though award-winning programs and services.
Civil Rights Memorial
The Civil Rights Memorial is in Montgomery and was created by Maya Lin. The names of 41 people are inscribed on the granite fountain as martyrs who were killed in the civil rights movement. The memorial is sponsored by the Southern Poverty Law Center.
Freedom Rides Museum
The Freedom Riders were civil rights activists who participated in bus trips through the South in 1961 to protest segregated bus terminals. On May 20th, 1961, this group was brutally attacked by a white mob at the Greyhound Station in downtown Montgomery. This rehabilitated bus station has been restored to how it looked in 1961 and is the site of the attack on Freedom Riders when they arrived at the station.
The National Memorial for Peace and Justice
The National Memorial for Peace and Justice is a 6-acre park overlooking Montgomery. This was the first memorial of its kind and recognizes the thousands of lynchings that transpired across the U.S. The memorial was built to be a sobering site where visitors can reflect on America’s history of racial inequality.
Dexter Parsonage Museum
The Dexter Parsonage Museum, once Dr. King’s home, gives guests a glimpse into his personal life. Visitors to the parsonage will experience the actual residence where Dr. King and his young family lived between 1954 and 1960. Built in 1912, this home has been restored to its appearance when he lived there.
Kelly Ingram Park
Kelly Ingram Park is an improved public park that contains emotionally powerful sculptures depicting the civil rights struggle in Birmingham. The park served as an assembly spot for activities of the Southern Christian Leadership Conference and other groups in the movement.
