Birmingham Civil Rights National Monument
Birmingham, Alabama
A statue on display in Kelly Ingram Park depicts a police and K-9 officer being unleashed on a non-violent protestor.
Site of Civil Rights rallies, demonstrations and confrontations.
There are six sites located within the national monument district. The first of these is Kelly Ingram Park (formerly West Park). In the 1960s, Kelly Ingram Park was the epicenter of the nation’s civil rights movement. The park became the focus of civil disobedience for Blacks demanding equality as images of water cannons and police dogs being unleashed on non-violent protesters including children were broadcast on TV and printed in newspapers. Today, statues and markers commemorate the bravery of the protesters, collectively known as the “Freedom Walk.” The park serves as the start of the Birmingham Civil Rights Heritage Trail.
Across the street from the Park is the Birmingham Civil Rights Institute. The permanent exhibits at the Institute provide an overview of what occurred in Birmingham. Also here is the Alabama Jazz Hall of Fame.
Another important site within the Civil Rights District is the 16th Street Baptist Church, a meeting place for civil rights activists. Early in the morning on Sunday, September 15, 1963, four white supremacists exploded a box of dynamite under the steps of the church killing four children on their way to Sunday School. At the funeral for three of the girls, Rev. King spoke about life being “as hard as crucible steel.” More than 8,000 mourners attended the service including 800 white and Black clergymen. No city officials braved the crowds to attend.
The tragedy brought national attention to racial inequalities in the South and compelled President Lyndon B. Johnson to sign the Civil Rights Act of 1964. The district also includes the St. Paul United Methodist Church, the Masonic Temple, and the A.G. Gaston Motel. Other sites are the Bethel Baptist Church, which played a pivotal role in the civil rights movement and was bombed three times and baseball enthusiasts will enjoy the Negro Southern League Museum.
Firemen Blasting Demonstrators, Birmingham, Alabama, May 3, 1963. Photo by Charles Moore. See more of Charles Moore’s photography of that horrendous day in Kelly Ingram Park.