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Metro Roundup: Black History Month comes alive in Birmingham

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Photo by Erin Nelson.

Black History Month is observed each February and gives the nation an occasion to celebrate the enormous contributions that African Americans have made to this culture.

The extent of those contributions has often not been properly appreciated, a fact noted by President Gerald Ford, who officially recognized Black History Month in 1976.

Ford urged Americans to “seize the opportunity to honor the too-often neglected accomplishments of African Americans in every area of endeavor throughout our history.”

Observing Black History Month is certainly appropriate in Birmingham, the site of some of the most important events of the civil rights movement in the 1960s.

Among the most indelible images of that era is the news footage of African Americans in Birmingham being attacked by police dogs and fire hoses as they demonstrated for equal rights.

Not only that, but this tradition of protest continued in the city last summer when hundreds of people of all colors took part in Black Lives Matter demonstrations in the wake of the death of George Floyd.

Those protests also led Birmingham Mayor Randall Woodfin to order the removal of the Confederate Soldiers and Sailors Monument that had stood in Linn Park since 1905.

Much of this local history occurred in a relatively small area downtown, making it easy for visitors to do a walking tour.

In 2017, President Barack Obama designated half of the Birmingham Civil Rights District as a U.S. National Monument, to be administered by the National Park Service.

The following are brief descriptions of some important facilities and historic sites downtown or in nearby neighborhoods.

THE BIRMINGHAM CIVIL RIGHTS INSTITUTE

The BCRI, located near Kelly Ingram Park and Sixteenth Street Baptist Church downtown, offers an interactive look at the role the Magic City played in the civil rights era. There are such artifacts as a Freedom Rider bus and the door from the jail cell where Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. wrote his “Letter From A Birmingham Jail.” The exhibition “A. G. Gaston: The Man and His Legacy” is currently on view. After closing temporarily due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the facility reopened in October. For hours and safety protocols for visitors, go to the website.

KELLY INGRAM PARK

Kelly Ingram Park was the site of major protests during the civil rights era. In May 1963, the city’s Commissioner of Public Safety, Bull Connor, turned fire hoses and dogs on protesters in the park, drawing worldwide condemnation. Today the site honors civil rights heroes, including Martin Luther King Jr., with statues. The park also features the starting point for the Birmingham Civil Rights Heritage Trail at 6th Avenue North and 16th Street. Designed as a self-guided tour, the route includes signs marking the locations of key civil rights events downtown.

SIXTEENTH STREETBAPTIST CHURCH

During the civil rights movement, Sixteenth Street Baptist Church hosted numerous large meetings, including training sessions in civil disobedience. In September 1963, a racist bombing killed four young girls at the church and generated international outrage that is credited with helping pass the Civil Rights Act of 1964. Rev. Arthur Price Jr. told Iron City Ink in 2018 that the church attracts 50,000-75,000 visitors annually who tour the church. For tour information, go to the website.

4TH AVENUE HISTORIC BUSINESS DISTRICT

No visit to downtown Birmingham is complete without a stop in this historic African-American commercial district. It is the site of numerous historic structures, including the Carver Theatre, as well numerous family-owned shops and restaurants. It also hosts the annual Taste of 4th Avenue Jazz Festival.

THE BALLARD HOUSE

HISTORIC BETHEL BAPTIST CHURCH

Historic Bethel Baptist Church served as headquarters for the Alabama Christian Movement for Human Rights, which applied both legal and nonviolent directaction against segregation. It was pastored by Rev. Fred L. Shuttlesworth, a leader of the Birmingham civil rights movement. The church and its parsonage were bombed three times. For information about tours, go to the website.

ST. PAUL UNITED METHODIST CHURCH

Founded in 1869, St. Paul is one of the oldest African-American churches in Birmingham, according to the BCRI website. During the civil rights demonstrations in the city in 1963, St. Paul hosted mass meetings as well as held training sessions in nonviolent civil disobedience for the young demonstrators who participated in the Children’s Crusade marches. Tours by appointment only.

OLD SARDIS BAPTIST CHURCH

Located in the Enon Ridge neighborhood in the Smithfield community in Birmingham’s western section, Old Sardis Baptist Church was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 2005. The church was a key meeting place for strategic planning during the civil rights movement. One section of Smithfield was dubbed “Dynamite Hill” due to the frequent racially motivated bombings that occurred in the area in the 1950s and 1960s. Not open for public tours.

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