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Frank “Doc” Watson
serenading visitors
to the Alabama
Jazz Hall of Fame
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Birmingham
– home of the
Alabama Civil Rights
Trail
There's
no
beach in Birmingham, no
theme park - but you will
find a generous helping of humanity,
and perhaps rediscover your own
“I have a dream – let freedom reign. Free at last,
free at
last. Thank God Almighty we’re free at
last…” Martin
Luther King Jr.
By
Peter Kerr
In the 50s and 60s, the City of
Birmingham, Alabama was the focal point of the American Civil Rights
Movement. Many of us over 50 years of age remember where we were when
JFK was assassinated, and will recall the shooting of Civil Rights
leader Martin Luther King Jr. We all remember his famous “I Have
A
Dream” speech that still evokes a shiver of emotion.
Located in the Deep South, Birmingham
is a relatively new city, incorporated in 1871. The Appalachian
foothills that surround the valley contained rich deposits of coal,
iron ore and limestone – the three key ingredients for the
production
of steel. Railway lines assured access to markets for the steel.
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The 16th Street Baptist Church, a focal point for the Civil
Rights Movement in the 50s and 60s was bombed in 1963
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Slavery
in the Southern States was replaced by the restrictive Jim Crow
laws that created segregation, discrimination and the resulting
availability of a low cost work force. Simply put, Black miners and
foundry workers earned low wages, keeping labour costs down and profits
up.
Today, the neighbourhoods and streets that
were the scenes of racial
strife have been transformed into a marvellous city-centre, dominated
by the University of Alabama that occupies an area of 100 city blocks.
The now silent steel mills have been replaced by centers of medical
research and education – illustrating Birmingham’s
renaissance as a
knowledge industry centre. Football is the primary sport in The South;
and The Alabama Crimson Tide university team has expanded their stadium
to accommodate 101,000 fans, making it the 8th largest stadium in the
world. Football not only entertains, it also generates tens of
$millions for the University, and scholarships for students.
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The Birmingham Human
Rights Institute
is an outstanding exhibition centre
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While
there are many interesting places (the Birmingham Botanical
Gardens, The Birmingham Zoo and the Sloss Furnaces National Historical
Landmark and an outstanding museum with a huge Wedgewood collection)
–
the multifaceted Civil Rights Trail is a primary reason to visit.
As a segregated city, Birmingham had black
and white communities living
a parallel existence. Black middle class neighbourhoods, Black-owned
banks, theatres, insurance companies, a newspaper and churches and
schools. Dennis Mallory, our tour guide took us past landmarks where
ordinary people did extraordinary acts. The James Armstrong Barbershop,
whose owner was a founding member of the Alabama Christian Movement for
Human Rights; and who carried the American flag in the annual march for
50 years.
Dennis
took us past Dynamite Hill, where black families lived
on the left side of the street, and whites on the right.
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The Carver Theatre now
houses the
Alabama Jazz Hall Of Fame
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Whites
who
sold their houses to black purchasers would sometimes have their houses
fire-bombed; as did many civil rights attorneys. Hence the name –
Dynamite Hill.
A visit to the 16th Street Baptist Church
will affect you deeply, bringing you face-to-face with your own
humanity and values. The all-Black Church and congregation was a focal
point of the Civil Rights movement; especially during the 50’s
and 60’s. Under the leadership of Rev. Fred Shuttleworth and Dr.
King, community leaders challenged Birmingham’s segregation laws
in 1963. Within days of King’s “I have A Dream”
speech at the Lincoln Memorial in Washington, a tragic event took place
at the 16th Street Baptist Church that would eventually change America.
In
the previous spring, a six year court battle to de-segregate Birmingham
schools was coming to a close.
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Dennis Mallory provided
first hand
commentary, having been one of the
Child Marchers in 1963
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In May, high school students from grades
11 and 12 joined college students to join the “Children’s
March”. (During a lunchtime conversation, our guide Dennis
Mallory revealed that he was one of the ‘child marchers’.)
The students were met by police wielding fire hoses, batons, and dogs -
which they set upon the teenagers. Day after day, the students were
arrested, and when the jails were filled, they were crowded into
football stadiums. Four months later, the laws were finally changed to
allow integration of the schools. However, The Ku Klux Klan would
retaliate.
It happened on Sunday, September
15th, just before a service dedicated to the congregation’s
youth. A
bomb placed under the stairs to a side entrance went off, blowing a
hole in the side of the church, and knocking our many of the windows. The
Ladies Restroom Lounge was just inside, and Reverend Shuttleworth
found the bodies of Denise McNair (11 yrs. old), Addie May Collins
(14), Cynthia Wesley (14) and Carole Robertson (14).
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Kelly Ingram Park is a place of peace and tranquility,
with statues serving as vivid reminders of the past
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The
Civil Rights
Movement had claimed many victims – but the senseless killing of
these
four young girls galvanized public opinion in America in favour of the
Civil Rights Movement.
It’s
a gripping, emotional and in a strange way – an uplifting
experience. To imagine and see that out of so much hatred and violence
– the city of Birmingham today can commemorate the sacrifices and
rejoice in the progress that has been made.
The
Birmingham Civil Rights
Institute is located across the street from the 16th Street Baptist
Church, and it too is a powerful experience – especially for
those of
us who came of age in the 50s and 60s. It’s a superb collection
of
exhibits, photos, recordings and sculptures from the Civil Rights
movement. You’ll see Rosa Parks – refusing to give up her
seat on the
bus. At the museum’s exit, there is a mural with the faces of
Martin
Luther King Jr., Rosa Parks, Nelson Mandella, Desmond Tutu,
and….
President William Jefferson Clinton.
A few
blocks away we visited the
Carver Theatre, once a theatre for black audiences and now the home of
the Alabama Jazz Hall of Fame.
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Child Marchers –
“I Ain’t Afraid Of Your Jail”
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We
had the great good fortune to meet
Dr. Frank Adams, who played saxophone for Duke Ellington for 22 years,
and who still teaches and performs regularly.
He played at President Barak Obama’s Inauguration. Doc Adams told
us about meeting Duke Ellington when he was a boy, when Duke was
performing across the street at The Coloured Masonic Temple. Another
story Doc told was about buying his first tuxedo at Coin’s Pawn
Shop for $1.40 so that he could play with the Erskine Hawkins
Orchestra, famous for their composition and recording of Tuxedo
Junction.
The Kelly Ingram Park (named in 1932) is located across the street, and
is now a peaceful oasis where hatred once flourished. There are some
powerful sculptures along the park’s Freedom Walk to serve as a
reminder of those difficult days still fresh in memories. Kelly Ingram
was a white fireman, and the first American sailor killed in WWI.
Birmingham, Alabama is a worthy destination for anyone interested in
the Civil Rights Movement of the 50s and 60s. It’s an important
part of the history of our lives, of our generation. It’s a trip
that will challenge, entertain and above all - reaffirm the strength of
the human spirit.
Birmingham has two fine public golf courses, Oxmoor Valley and Ross
Bridge, the latter being the 3rd longest course in the world. These
courses are part of the Robert Trent Jones Golf Trail (www.rtjgolf.com).
The Alabama Sports Hall of Fame is a fine celebration of athletes in
all sports who have played at the University of Alabama, including
Coach ‘Bear’ Bryant and Olympic champion Jesse Owens.
| Travel
Planner |
Birmingham is easily accessible by
air, and it is a comfortable 2 hour drive from Atlanta if you’re
driving south for the winter. It well-worth a detour of a few days. You
may want to extend the scope of your visit to include a side trip to
Monroeville, the hometown of To Kill A Mockingbird author Harper Lee,
and the setting for her best-selling novel. The famous Muscle Shoals
recording studio is also within a day trip. 2010 is the Year of Small
Towns and Downtowns throughout Alabama. 2011 is the Year of Alabama
Music. Did you know that Nat King Cole, The Temptations, Lionel
Ritchie, and Hank Williams all come from Alabama?
Alabama Tourism: www.Alabama.travel
Birmingham: www.inbirmingham.org
Birmingham Civil Rights Institute: www.bcri.org
We stayed at the Sheraton Birmingham, a large full service convention
hotel located close to all the places of interest. The rooms are
spacious and recently renovated. Indoor pool and fitness centre. Live
jazz featured on the lobby bar. www.sheraton.com/birmingham
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