Exterior of 16th Street Baptist Church in Birmingham.

Alabama Civil Rights Legacy

Alabama, the cradle of the civil rights movement, offers a deeply moving and educational journey through its pivotal role in shaping the course of American history. The state, rich with historical landmarks, is an essential destination for anyone looking to immerse themselves in the stories and struggles that fueled the fight for equality. With the innovative Civil Rights app, visitors can explore Alabama's civil rights landmarks, from the Rosa Parks Museum to the Birmingham Civil Rights Institute, or walk the iconic Edmund Pettus Bridge in Selma. Experience the profound lessons of courage, sacrifice, and perseverance that continue to inspire us today. Alabama's civil rights history is a testament to the enduring spirit of those who dared to challenge the status quo, making it a must-visit for all who seek to understand the depth and complexity of America's journey toward justice.

Discover the Rich Heritage of the Alabama Civil Rights Legacy

Experience the pivotal moments, from the Selma to Montgomery marches to the courageous expeditions of the Freedom Riders.


Struggles and Triumphs: Alabama’s Role i...

Alabama has a rich and complex history within the Civil Rights Movement and has served as the focal point for pivotal events that shaped the fight for equal rights that shaped our nation.

Read Full Article


48 Hours in Birmingham

This year, in conjunction with other Birmingham civil rights champions, the city will recognize the 60th anniversary of the Birmingham Civil Rights Movement.

Read Full Article


Hit the Road To Explore Gee’s Bend

In the Southwest rural corner of the state of Alabama, there is a small parcel of land called Gee’s Bend. Gee’s Bend is surrounded by the Alabama River and it is only accessible by ferry.

Read Full Article


Civil Rights: Tracing Selma to Montgomer...

After winning the Nobel Peace Prize in 1964 and in 1965, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. began focusing his attention on Black voter registration in Selma, Alabama.

Read Full Article


Experience Alabama's Civil Rights Trail.

In two 25-minute episodes of Travels With Darley , Darley Newman takes viewers to some of the most historic sites along Alabama’s Civil Rights Trail where she interviews those who participated in the movement as well as those who are making an impact in shaping the Alabama of today.

Read Full Article


Visit Alabama’s African American Histori...

Alabama played a critical role in shaping civil rights history. Key events that forged the state’s significance in how the movement advanced forward are forever ingrained in our lives, as a people and as a state.

Read Full Article


MLK Day is a day for quiet reflection.

Next Monday, we celebrate Martin Luther King, Jr.’s birthday. The state of Alabama played a critical role in the Civil Rights Movement.

Read Full Article


New Civil Rights Trail Book: History of ...

Lee Sentell, director of the Alabama Tourism Department, launches new book about the U.S. Civil Rights Trail.

Read Full Article


Podcast Tells History of the Civil Right...

The Alabama Tourism Department's new Civil Rights Trail podcast takes you behind the scenes of the Civil Rights Movement. The three-part series will introduce listeners to the people, places and events that played a role in the movement and which ultimately shaped a nation.

Read Full Article


Tour the Alabama Civil Rights Trail

The U.S. Civil Rights Trail features locations from 14 states that continue to play an important role in the fight for civil rights. Alabama is home to 30 stops along the U.S. Civil Rights Trail, and each one tells the stories and retraces the steps of civil rights trailblazers...

Read Full Article

Featured Locations & Events

The Legacy Lives! Hear it

The Alabama Civil Rights Trail podcast adds a new dimension to how this history is told.

Hear Stories of the Movement and Their Morals for Today

The Alabama Civil Rights Trail Podcast features real stories of real people who were there. They were the foot soldiers who held the front lines of the Movement. They were the freedom riders and protestors. They sat when people ordered them to leave. By telling their stories, they’ll be remembered and shared. And with the help of historians and other experts, we can learn why the events and actions from decades ago remain so relevant today.

Available wherever you get your podcasts.

Alabama Civil Rights Trail Podcast

View All Events

The Legacy Lives Here

Explore these attractions and more when you visit our civil rights destinations.

People looking at statues at Birmingham Civil Rights Institute

Birmingham Civil Rights Institute

Find Out More
Toy airplane at Tuskegee Airmen National Historic Site

Tuskegee Airmen National Historic Site

Find Out More
Inside view of Rosa Parks Museum and Childrens Wing

Rosa Parks Museum and Childrens Wing

Find Out More
Fallen memorial at Civil Rights Memorial Center

Civil Rights Memorial Center

Find Out More
Outside view of Freedom Rides Museum/ Historic Montgomery Greyhound Bus Station

Freedom Rides Museum/ Historic Montgomery Greyhound Bus Station

Find Out More
Street view of Sixteenth Street Baptist Church

Sixteenth Street Baptist Church

Find Out More
View All

Find an Alabama Civil Rights Experience

Explore civil rights locations you should visit the next time you're here.
Historic Site
1510 5th Avenue North
Birmingham, AL 35203
Formerly the A.G. Gaston Motel, facility provided Birmingham's only first-class lodging for African-...

Historic Site
144 West 4th Street
Anniston, AL 36201
The Anniston Civil Rights Trail recognizes and remembers key events, significant sites and people in...

Museum
222 Planters Street
Camden, AL 36726
Betty Anderson's Camden Shoe Shop & Quilt Museum pays homage to her parents and grandparents' cultur...

Historic Site
1566 Marie Foster Street
Selma, AL 36703
A 1386 square foot, single family home where Rev. Dr Frederick D Reese and family resided in, which ...

Hotel Or Motel
492 Wildwood Circle North
Homewood, AL 35209
Not provided

Historic Site
3167 County Road 27
Tuskegee, AL 36083
1903 two-room school, built by students under direction of Dr. Booker T. Washington, houses expositi...

Bed And Breakfast
1632 South Court Street
Montgomery, AL 36104
The 5,000-sq.-ft. grand mansion rebuilt around 1915 sits upon a hill overlooking the historic Garden...

Historic Site
Limestone County Courthouse on N. Jefferson St.
Athens, AL 35611
Visit website for information.

Former site of what is now Alabama State University in Montgomery, school was founded in 1867 by fre...

Historic Site
801 6th Ave.
Tuscaloosa, AL 35401
The beautifully landscaped entryway to the University of Alabama's Foster Auditorium is named for th...

Historic Site
Martin Luther King, Jr. St.
Selma, AL 36701
Experience history of Selma's Voting Rights movement. Pass First Baptist Church, George Washington C...

Guides Tours Or Ri...
39 Mildred Street
Montgomery, AL 36104
Visit website for information

Historic Site
3614 North Jackson Highway
Sheffield, AL 35660
A recording studio founded by the Swampers - Roger Hawkins, David Hood, Jimmy Johnson and Barry Bec...

Guides Tours Or Ri...
Various locations in Birmingham
Birmingham, AL
Red Clay Tours offers multiple tours each day here in Birmingham, AL. From Civil Rights tours to His...

View monuments dedicated to the leaders of the Voting Rights Movement. Park includes trails through...

Museum
7002 U.S. Hwy. 80 W. at Mile Marker 106 White Hall, AL
White Hall, AL
A National Park Service site dedicated to those who marched 54 miles from Selma to the state's capit...

Hotel Or Motel
100 Hospitality Lane
Millbrook, AL 36054
Not provided

Museum
4900 Meridian Street North
Huntsville, AL 35811
Repository of African-American history and culture. Dialogue between present and past through archiv...

Historic Site
1420 7th Avenue North
Birmingham, AL 35203
The Ballard House is a living testimony to what life was like in the African-American community duri...

Historic Site
219 20th Street North
Birmingham, AL 35203
Explore Birmingham's rich history with the Birmingham Historic Touring Company. Immerse yourself in ...

Guides Tours Or Ri...
353 South Jackson Street
Montgomery, AL 36104
Tours of Montgomery is a souvenir, gift and coffee shop. It is located in the historical Centennial ...

Hotel Or Motel
5837 Monticello Drive
Montgomery, AL 36117
.

Historic Site
2828 6th Street
Tuscaloosa, AL 35401
The Tuscaloosa Civil Rights History & Reconciliation Foundation seeks to bring about positive change...

Other Park
900 Spring Hill Avenue
Mobile, AL 36604