Civi l rights leaders, A.G . Gaston Motel Birmingham, Alabama was the backdrop for pivotal events involving a series of Birmingham Public Library Archives strategically planned, non-violent boycotts, marches, and sit-ins. The terrifying, sometimes deadly attacks inflicted in retaliation produced shocking images of violence broadcast around the world. Civil rights were elevated from a Southern issue to a pressing national issue, and public outrage over events in Birmingham produced political pressure that helped ensure passage of the Civil Rights Act of 1964.

Bil'H'HA ~m a t..J'01'fgh'9ie ef ~ ~ is~~l' · ~ ~i'€afl segregation, enforced by law, custom, and American community. violence. The city required the separation of races at parks, pools, playgrounds, hotels, Violence was frequently used to intimidate restaurants, theaters, on buses, in taxicabs and those who dared to challenge segregation. elsewhere. Zoning ordinances determined From 1945 to 1962, Birmingham witnessed where African Americans could purchase 50 racially motivated bombings of African property, and a line of demarcation cre- American homes, businesses, and churches, ated a virwal wall around the Fourth Avenue earning the city the nickname "Bombingham".

Civil Rights Leaders Unite By 1963 civil rights activism was well-estab­ Shuttlesworth encouraged Dr. Martin Luther lished in Birmingham. King, Jr. and Reverend Ralph David Abernathy of the Southern Christian Leadership Reverend Fred L. Shuttlesworth had formed Conference (SCLC) to come to Birmingham. the Alabama Christian Movement for Human King and his colleagues decided that the Rights (ACMHR) in 1956 and established its combination of the strength of the local civil headquarters at his church, Bethel Baptist. rights movement and the unyielding nature of Birmingham's segregationist power structure The courageous minister continued to created the necessary tension for a campaign lead despite sdffAfffiffa s ere tr mffig'ltt ffia u 0capture the nation's -- and the the hands of a mob and the bombing of his Kennedy Administration's - attention, and home. He and the ACMHR spearheaded a pressure city leaders to desegregate. church-led civil rights movement, and developed a reputation as a serious force in the In the words of King, "As Birmingham goes, so civil rights movement. goes the South."

A.G. Gaston Motel The A.G. Gaston Motel served as the Despite opposing the more confrontational headquarters for a civil rights campaign in tactics of Shuttlesworth and the ACMHR, the sprin& of 1963. The Gaston Motel was Gaston provided space to civil rights leaders itself the product of segregation; in this era, for planning civil rights demonstrations. African Americans faced inconveniences, indignities and personal risk in their travels. King and Abernathy occupied the motel's Arthur George Gaston, a successful African main suite, Room 30, located on the second American businessman, addressed the needs floor above the office and lobby. They and of his segregated community by opening the their colleagues held most of their strategy motel in 1954. sessions in the suite's sitting room. St. Paul United Methodist St. Paul United Methodist Church was became the new minister of the church. Church established in 1869 to allow newly freed Early in his tenure, Lowery served as a leader African American slaves an opporhtnity to and assisted with the planning efforts for gather and worship. St. Paul's significance to the 1965 Selma to Montgomery March that the human rights and civil rights trajectory of brought voting rights protections throughout American history is well documented as one the South. of the earliest churches to host mass meet­ ings, including the massive Palm Sunday, 1963 The downtown location of the church has march. It also has served as the site for afforded community organizations a gathering ongoing nonviolent civil disobedie:rtce place and meeting space for charitable events. training led by Reverend C.T. Vivian and St. Paul continues to welcome and host others throughout the Movement. organizations recognizing the connec- tion between faith and justice ranging from In 1964, Reverend Joseph Lowery, a Christian Churches Together to the United co-founder of the Southern Christian Steelworkers National Civil and Human Rights Leadership Conference (SCLC) in 1957 Conference.

Bethel Baptist Church Bethel Baptist Church located in the The congregation was also pivotal to the Collegeville neighborhood was at the fore­ success of the 1961 Freedom Rides that front of the church-led Southern Civil Rights compelled the Federal intervention needed to Movement of the 1950's that used nonviolent desegregate interstate public transportation mass techniques to bring social change to and facilities. racial democracy. The red brick church was completed in Headquartered at this church between 1956 1926, and the facing Guard House and and 1961, the Alabama Christian Movement 1957 Parsonage received National Historic for Human Rights pioneered a direct action Landmark status on April 5, 2005. The movement to confront multiple racial church is also included within the National segregation issues. Monument boundaries designated by President Barack Obama, January 12, 2017.

Fred L. Shuttlesworth Reverend Fred L. Shuttlesworth was a bold, In 2008 the Birmingham municipal airport charismatic minister who pioneered was named the Birmingham-Shuttlesworth confrontations over segregated International Airport in honor of his a comodations, trans ortation s hools and ontributions in Birmingham. employment discrimination.

Born in Mount Meigs, AL in 1922, Shuttlesworth served as pastor of Bethel Baptist Church from 1953 to 1961 and used his pulpit to forcefully protest Jim Crow segregation despite three dynamite attacks on the church.

Shuttlesworth survived a bombing of the adjacent parsonage on Christmas night in 1956. He emerged from the ruble and told policeman, "You go back and tell your Klan brethren if God could keep me through this Bet hel Baptist Church and Parsonage bombed in 1956 then I'm here for the duration". National Park Service

Birmingham Civil Rights The Birmingham Civil Rights Institute (BICR) group tours, outreach programs, award Institute is a cultural and educational research center winning after school and public programs, that promotes a comprehensiYe understanding exhibitions and extensive archival collections. and appreciation for the significane of civil BCRI encourages visitors to examine basic development in Birmingham with an issues of morality, law, justice and responsible increasing emphasis on the internadon citizenship. It also teaches that silence and struggle for universal human rights. BCRI is indifference to the suffering of others can a living institution" that views the lessons of perpetuate social problems and divisions. American History as crucial to the understanding of African American culture. BCRI is committed to: Since opening its doors in 1992, BCRI has Preserving and interpreting the City of been visited by more than 2 million people Birmingham's history. from around the world. Visitors include Serving as a good steward of archival and adults, youth, families, researchers and financial resources. scholars. Creating and developing programs that encourage cultural awarenesss. Annually, BCRI reaches more than 140,000 Championing civil and human rights by individuals through developed facilitating an atmosphere of dialogue and curriculum based education programs, understanding. Project "C" Civil rights leaders created and the Kennedy Administration, which began to implemented a direct action campaign monitor developments in Birmingham. - known as "Project C" for confrontation - While King was in jail, the campaign lost designed to challenge unfair laws that lim­ momentum. Upon King's release, SCLC ited the freedoms of African Americans and staff member James Bevel proposed a highly ensured racial inequality. During the Good controversial strategy aimed at capturing the Friday march on April 12, King, Abernathy nation's attention. It became known as the and others were arrested. King was placed in "Children's Crusade." solitary confinement, drawing the attention of

Kelly Ingram Park On May 2, 1963, over 1000 African American commanded them to attack. teenagers prepared to march from the Sixteenth Street Baptist Church to City Hall. The next day the country was confronted Police began arresting the young protestors at with dramatic scenes of brutal police Kelly Ingram Park. aggression against civil rights protesters. These vivid examples of segregation and racial On May 3, COinmissioner of Public Safety injustice shocked the conscience of the nation T. Eugene "Bull" Connor readied his forces and the world. for another mass march by stationing police, canine units, and fireman at Kelly Ingram Park. Fearing civil unrest the Birmingham business When protestors entered the park and refused community and local leaders agreed to release to evacuate, firemen directed their water the protesters, integrate lunch counters and cannons on them. The high-pressure jets of begin to hire African Americans. Despite water knocked the protestors to the ground these signs of progress African Americans and tore at their clothing. Police directed six continued to face hostile resistance to German shepherds towards the crowd and integration in Birmingham.

Sixteenth Street Baptist Governor Wallace, in violation of a Although some people continued to resist Church Federal court order, directed the National integration, the passage and enforcement of Guard to prevent desegregation of Alabama the Civil Rights Act eliminated the official public schools. President John F. Kennedy segregation of public accommodations. federalized and withdrew National Guard !,../" ~-., .... troop thereby allowing desegregation.

ln-I"espGnse.-white supI"emacists-planted a bomb at the Sixteenth Street Baptist Church. Addie Mae Collins, Carole Robertson and Cynthia Wesley, all of whom were 14, and Denise McNair, 11, were killed.

This shocking act of domestic terrorism created public outrage over the events in Birmingham. It produced political pressure that helped ensure passage of the Civil Rights

Act of 1964, signed into law by President Bombed exterior of the Sixteenth Street Baptist Church Lyndon Johnson on July 2, 1964. Birmingham Public Library Archives

The Fourth Avenue District Segregation created an environment in which This area served as the business, social and African Americans faced restrictions on cultural center for blacks with activities similar where they could engage in recreational and to those in the predominately white districts. business opportunities. Jim Crow laws forced the growing African American business Today, the Gaston Motel, the Birmingham community into an area long Third, Fourth, Civil Rights Historic District in which the and Firth Avenue North. Here African motel is located, the Bethel Baptist Church Americans could patronize barber and beauty and other associated resources all stand as a shops, restaurants, theaters and motels testament to the heroism of those who worked without discrimination. so hard to advance the cause of freedom.

Visiting Birmingham Civil Established onJanuary 12, 2017, Birmingham When visiting the national monument, please Rights National Monument Civil Rights National Monument is part of be aware that the Gaston Motel is currently the National Park System. The national closed to the public. monument will continue to take shape in the coming years. Please visit the following park Stay informed of future developments by partner site for visitor information. visiting the park's website and social media accounts. Birmingham Civil Rights Institute 520 16th Streei N. Birmingham Civil Rights National Monument Birmingham, AL 35203 www.nps.gov/bicr www.bcri.org ~ www.facebook.com/BirminghamNPS - @BirminghamNPS