Birmingham Civil Rights Heritage Trail
The Birmingham Civil Rights Heritage Trail is an interpretive trail linking historic sites in Birmingham which were important to the Civil Rights Movement of the 1950s and 60s.
The trail was proposed by Birmingham mayor Larry Langford in August 2008. In May 2009 the Birmingham City Council approved $1 million from the sale of a city-owned warehouse to the BJCC to be applied toward creating interpretive signage and marketing materials over three years.
A public presentation of plans for the trail was held on May 12 at Kelly Ingram Park with a video presentation and a performance by the Carver High School choir and Temple Light Mass Choir. As presented the first phase of the trail would be limited to 35 downtown sites, each of which would be highlighted by an individual marker. 12 additional signs will follow the routes of movement marches. 10 map kiosks will orient visitors within the area of the trail while vehicular signs and other indicators at entry points to the downtown area will assist visitors seeking the district.
The first three interpretive signs, describing the "March to Government", were erected on the north side of Kelly Ingram Park on August 17, 2009.
In the future the trail could be utilized by tour buses and for special events. Kiosks and multi-media presentations as well as landscaping and infrastructure improvements would mark future phases of work.
Proposed trail sites
- Birmingham Civil Rights Institute
- Kelly Ingram Park
- 16th Street Baptist Church
- St Paul's Methodist Church
- 6th Avenue Zion Hill Baptist Church
- Ballard-Hamilton residence
- Poole Funeral Home
- A. G. Gaston Motel
- A. G. Gaston Building
- Post Office garage/Shores-Lee Law Offices
- Metropolitan AME Zion Church
- Smith & Gaston Funeral Home
- taxi stand
- Colored Masonic Temple
- Carver Theatre (Alabama Jazz Hall of Fame)
- Urban Impact
- Famous Theater
- Eddie Kendrick Memorial Park
- Alabama Penny Savings Bank/Pythian Temple
- Pizitz building
- J. J. Newberry's
- Loveman's building
- F. W. Woolworth
- Kress Building
- Trailways Bus Station site
- Robert S. Vance Federal Building
- Greyhound Bus Terminal
- Birmingham City Hall
- Boutwell Auditorium
- Linn Park
- Jefferson County Courthouse
- Birmingham Public Library
- Phillips High School
References
- Bryant, Joseph D. (May 5, 2009) "Committee approves Birmingham Mayor Larry Langford's civil rights trail funding plan." Birmingham News
- Mayor's Office of Public Information (May 12, 2009) Embracing Our History: Birmingham Civil Rights Trail
- Hansen, Jeff (August 18, 2009) "First stops on Birmingham Civil Rights Heritage Trail open". Birmingham News