Alabama is a revered territory in America’s civil rights history, where ordinary individuals made extraordinary sacrifices for equality and freedom. On its streets in Montgomery, its bridges in Selma, this state saw turning points that altered the course of history.
The landmarks that dot Alabama aren’t tourist sites alone — they’re sacred places where bravery overcame malice, where nonviolent protesters stood up to violence with unyielding dignity. Here are 15 key civil rights landmarks that come together to capture Alabama’s mighty heritage, every one of them revealing an important part of the overall narrative of America’s continuous struggle for justice.
16th Street Baptist Church
This Birmingham church became a symbol of both tragedy and resilience when a bomb killed four young Black girls in 1963. The explosion that took the lives of Addie Mae Collins, Cynthia Wesley, Carole Robertson, and Denise McNair shocked the nation — and galvanized support for civil rights legislation.
Visitors today can walk through the restored sanctuary and discover how this church served as a meeting place for civil rights organizers.
Edmund Pettus Bridge
Selma’s most famous landmark witnessed one of the movement’s most brutal moments on March 7, 1965. State troopers viciously beat peaceful marchers as they tried to cross this bridge, an event that became known as ‘Bloody Sunday.’…