If you want to pay a visit to the site where Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. and other civil rights leaders strategized for the 1963 Birmingham Campaign, make sure you do so by Saturday, May 9—otherwise, it may be a while. According to a press release from the National Park Service, the historic wing of the A.G. Gaston Motel will be closed for renovation for approximately 18 months starting Mother’s Day Weekend.
About the A.G. Gaston Motel
Located at 1510 5th Ave N in Birmingham’s Civil Rights District, the A.G. Gaston Motel was built in 1954 by prominent entrepreneur and businessman A.G. Gaston to accommodate black travelers in the segregated South.
During the Civil Rights Movement, civil rights leaders like Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., Ralph D. Abernathy and Rev. Fred L. Shuttlesworth used the A.G. Gaston Motel as the headquarters for the Birmingham Campaign—also called Project C (C for confrontation). Inside the motel, Room 30 became the famous “War Room” where many of the movement’s most daring strategies were planned, while the courtyard hosted regular press conferences during the movement.
From 1996 until 2017, the historic building sat vacant until it was declared a key feature of the Birmingham Civil Rights National Monument. Following a major renovation, the A.G. Gaston Motel was reopened to the public in July 2023. In early 2025, a new Black-owned coffee shop, Alicia’s Coffee, opened a location at the historic hotel.
A.G. Gaston Motel undergoing $4M renovation
Starting in May, the Birmingham Civil Rights National Monument will temporarily close the A.G. Gaston Motel to renovate the historic 1954 wing of the motel. During the 18-month construction project, the National Park Service will transform the historic wing of the motel into a world-class visitor destination, featuring 1960s-era guest rooms, a dedicated exhibit space and a meticulous recreation of the famous “War Room.”…