Birmingham Educational Tours

The city of Birmingham is the largest and perhaps best-known city in the state of Alabama. A visually distinctive feature is the 55-foot-tall statue of Vulcan situated on Red Mountain overlooking the city. Built entirely from cast iron, Vulcan, the Roman god of fire and the forge, represents Birmingham’s roots in the iron and steel industry. Once characterized as the iron and steel center of the South because of its abundant sources of coal, limestone, and iron ore, Birmingham became a central location of civil rights demonstrations and voter-registration drives led by the Reverend Martin Luther King, Jr., and others during the Civil Rights Movement of the 1960s. 

By visiting Birmingham, students learning about the Civil Rights Movement find opportunities to walk in the footsteps of the men and women who fought for racial justice and equality. For example, students can tour Sixteenth Street Baptist Church, the first black church in Birmingham. This church became central to the Civil Rights Movement during the 1960s, and Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. was a frequent speaker here. In September of 1963, the church was the target of a racially motivated bombing that killed four girls. Another important stop is the Birmingham Civil Rights Institute, which serves as a cultural and educational research center promoting a comprehensive understanding and appreciation for the significance of civil rights developments in Birmingham. 

Like many Southern cities, music is a central aspect of Birmingham’s history and culture. The city has an opera company, a symphony orchestra, and theatre and ballet groups. The Alabama Jazz Hall of Fame is a nonprofit organization that shares the stories of the musicians who have shaped the art of jazz music. In addition to a museum, The Alabama Jazz Hall of Fame holds performance events at the historic Carver Theatre and offers educational programs.