Birmingham Civil Rights Archive

Rev. Arthur Price shares firsthand insights on the storied history of 16th Street Baptist Church — from its founding as a community cornerstone to its central role in the 1963 Birmingham Campaign.

A solemn commemoration of the September 15, 1963 bombing that killed four young girls — Addie Mae Collins, Cynthia Wesley, Carole Robertson, and Carol Denise McNair — and galvanized the nation around civil rights.

Survivors, historians, and community members reflect on the devastating 1963 bombing of 16th Street Baptist Church and its lasting impact on Birmingham and the civil rights movement.

A firsthand account from a survivor of the September 15, 1963 bombing — a personal testimony of loss, resilience, and the long road toward justice.

An exploration of Birmingham's historic 4th Avenue North corridor, once the beating heart of Black commerce and culture in the segregated South.

A documentary look at the thriving African American business district that flourished along 4th Avenue North during the era of segregation, preserving community wealth and dignity.

Often called the 'Black Wall Street of Birmingham,' 4th Avenue North was home to Black-owned banks, theaters, hotels, and businesses that sustained the community through decades of Jim Crow.

A Birmingham civil rights veteran reflects on the 60th anniversary of the 1963 campaign, offering perspective on how far the movement has come and the work that remains.

Part one of the remarkable story of Bishop Calvin Woods Sr., a key figure in Birmingham's civil rights movement whose contributions have often gone unrecognized in mainstream history.

The story continues — Bishop Calvin Woods Sr. recounts the sacrifices, strategies, and spiritual foundations that powered Birmingham's freedom struggle.

The A.G. Gaston Motel served as the nerve center for Dr. King and the SCLC during the 1963 Birmingham Campaign. This documentary uncovers its hidden history as a command post for nonviolent strategy.

An examination of how A.G. Gaston — Birmingham's most prominent Black entrepreneur — used his motel to connect civil rights leaders, host strategy sessions, and shield activists from segregationist violence.

A celebration of the historic restoration and reopening of the A.G. Gaston Motel, now part of the Birmingham Civil Rights National Monument and a living memorial to the 1963 campaign.

A tour through the Birmingham Civil Rights Institute — the world-class museum and research center that preserves the story of Birmingham's freedom struggle through immersive exhibits and primary sources.

An immersive journey through the BCRI's permanent galleries, tracing the arc of Birmingham's civil rights history from the era of Jim Crow to the triumphs of the 1963 campaign and beyond.

A visitor's exploration of the Birmingham Civil Rights Institute, one of the most comprehensive civil rights museums in the world and the anchor of the city's historic civil rights district.

In May 1963, thousands of Birmingham schoolchildren marched into the streets, facing fire hoses and police dogs to demand freedom. This is the story of their extraordinary courage.

Organized by Reverend James Bevel, the Children's Crusade brought young people to the front lines of the Birmingham Campaign — their arrests and the images that followed shocked the conscience of the nation.

A documentary overview of Project C — the strategic campaign designed by the SCLC to fill Birmingham's jails, disrupt commerce, and force the Kennedy administration to act on civil rights.

An educational exploration of how young people — from Birmingham's marching students to the youth of the broader movement — played a decisive role in ending legal segregation in America.

An accessible introduction for young learners exploring how ordinary people — including children their own age — organized marches, sit-ins, and protests to fight for equal rights.

A clear, age-appropriate explanation of what segregation was, how it worked in Birmingham and across the South, and why so many people risked everything to end it.

A broad overview of Birmingham's central role in the American civil rights movement, from the founding of the Alabama Christian Movement for Human Rights to the pivotal 1963 campaign.

A documentary special tracing Birmingham's journey from one of the most segregated cities in America to a landmark site in the fight for human dignity and equal rights.

The story of how Birmingham became a turning point in American history — a city where the brutality of segregation was exposed to the world and the movement for civil rights gained unstoppable momentum.

Kelly Ingram Park stands at the epicenter of the 1963 demonstrations — this documentary captures the park's transformation into a national historic landmark and the stories embedded in its Freedom Walk sculptures.

The park across from 16th Street Baptist Church became ground zero for the Children's Crusade, where young marchers faced Bull Connor's fire hoses and police dogs in full view of the national press.

A closer look at the events that unfolded at Kelly Ingram Park during May 1963 — separating myth from documented history and honoring the courage of those who stood their ground.

Dr. King's 'Letter from Birmingham Jail,' written in April 1963 while imprisoned for leading nonviolent protests, is one of the most powerful documents in American history — a defense of direct action and a call to conscience.

A guided breakdown of Dr. King's landmark 'Letter from Birmingham Jail' — its historical context, its theological arguments, and why it remains essential reading on justice, patience, and moral urgency.

An age-appropriate introduction to the life and legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., from his early years in Atlanta to his leadership of the Birmingham Campaign and beyond.

The story of Rosa Parks and the 381-day Montgomery Bus Boycott of 1955–56 — the movement that launched Dr. King to national prominence and proved that organized nonviolent resistance could win.

A fast-paced, comprehensive overview of the Montgomery Bus Boycott — its causes, its key figures, and its lasting impact on the civil rights movement and American law.

An examination of the 1955 Montgomery Bus Boycott, the strategic and spiritual precursor to the Birmingham Campaign, and the moment Black Americans demonstrated the economic power of collective action.

A tribute to Rev. Fred Shuttlesworth — the fearless Birmingham pastor who survived bombings, beatings, and fire hoses to become the indispensable local leader without whom the 1963 campaign could not have been launched.

Rev. Fred Shuttlesworth led Birmingham's civil rights movement before Dr. King arrived — founding the Alabama Christian Movement for Human Rights and defying every attempt to silence him.

Bethel Baptist Church in Collegeville was Shuttlesworth's home congregation and a primary target of segregationist bombings — this documentary tells the story of the church that refused to be destroyed.

An in-depth portrait of Fred Shuttlesworth's enduring legacy as the 'backbone of the Birmingham Movement' — a man whose courage and tenacity made him one of the most consequential figures in American civil rights history.

An audio overview of the Alabama Christian Movement for Human Rights — the Birmingham-based organization founded by Rev. Shuttlesworth that kept the freedom struggle alive through years of violent suppression.

A preview of Birmingham civil rights artifacts preserved in the American experience — physical objects that bear witness to the marches, arrests, bombings, and breakthroughs of the 1963 campaign.

Beyond Dr. King and Rosa Parks, dozens of Birmingham activists risked their lives for freedom. This documentary spotlights seven leaders whose stories have been overlooked — and whose courage shaped the movement.

A deeper look at the grassroots organizers, local leaders, and everyday people whose work sustained Birmingham's freedom movement — stories that rarely make the history books but deserve to be told.

A tribute to the unsung heroes of Birmingham and the broader movement — the men and women who marched without cameras watching, organized without recognition, and sacrificed without reward.