Birmingham Civil Rights Institute
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Birmingham Civil Rights Institute is a large interpretive museum and research center that features the struggles of the American Civil Rights Movement in the 1950s and 1960s. The Birmingham Civil Rights Institute is located in the Civil Rights District which includes the historic 16th Street Baptist Church, Kelly Ingram Park, Fourth Avenue Business District, and the Alabama Jazz Hall of Fame located in the Carver Theatre. The Institute opened in November 1992, with more than 25,000 visitors during its first week. The Institute shows Birmingham's pride in its history and its dedication to progress and unity for the future.
The Institute showcases a walking journey through the "living institution" which displays the lessons of the past as a positive way to chart new directions for the future. The permanent exhibitions are a self-directed journey through Birmingham's contributions to the Civil Rights Movement and human rights struggles. Multimedia exhibitions focus on the history of African American life and the struggle for civil rights. The Oral History Project, one of the museum's multmedia exhibits, documents Birmingham's role in the Civil Rights Movement through the voices of movement participants. To date, over 170 people have been interviewed.
The archives of the Institute serve as a national resource for educators and researchers and are a repository for the collection and preservation of civil rights documents and artifacts. The archival information system is computer linked to the Birmingham Public Library and is a vital component of the Archives Division.
The Birmingham Civil Rights Institute is also a community resource for meetings, seminars and workshops. A Community Meeting Room is available to local organizations.
