BIRMINGHAM, AL— Several recognize Birmingham as a hub for rich history, especially over the past week as a majority of the city’s visitors and residents paid tribute to the Negro League players at the Rickwood Field while simultaneously celebrating Juneteenth. A majority of them have also devoted their time to exploring all of the attractions that Birmingham has to offer while commemorating Black excellence.
Birmingham Civil Rights Institute (BCRI)
This enlightening museum affiliated with the Smithsonian inevitably serves as one of the greatest tourist attractions in Birmingham, as the information displayed exceeds surface level. BCRI houses authentic physical and written artifacts, along with realistic models and detailed timelines of Civil Rights history. Although BCRI welcomes hundreds of visitors each day, one could hear a pin drop in the galleries. The silence speaks volume. It is the sound of younger generations learning about and honoring those who paved the way for them, and older generations remembering the good fight that they fought for today’s youth.
“If you don’t know where you came from, it is difficult to navigate where you’re going. Our youth needs to be informed of what our ancestors went through to get us to this point today so that we can make similar efforts and strides for our upcoming generations,” Montgomery resident Carolyn Daniels said.
Yo Mama’s
As the name suggests, Yo Mama’s reminds guests of their own mothers’ cooking. The Black-owned restaurant gives off a homey, yet clean and modern feel. While not heavily promoted on the website, all food options are either gluten-free or contain a gluten-free option. Fried foods tend to make a handful of people feel sluggish, but owner Crystal Peterson places emphasis on inclusivity, as well as serving healthy and delectable homestyle meals to her customers. She also highlights the importance of catering to all demographics in the Birmingham area. Peterson stated that “Good food has no color”, meaning that everybody deserves a fine dining experience, not exclusively Black people who wish to support a Black establishment.
Rickwood Field
With regard to this ballpark’s status as the oldest in the country, the historical roots affiliated with it made the field an ideal location to honor the Negro Leagues, specifically the Birmingham Black Barons. Because legendary baseball player Willie Mays passed away in the midst of this eventful week, his spirit filled the entire city with warmth and love as everyday people and celebrities alike observed him on the field. The history speaks for itself upon entering the Rickwood field, and most visitors shared the common interest of acknowledging their predecessors and heroes.
“It is such a blessing to be able to step back and look at the DNA of what made the Black players in the game today,” former Philadelphia Phillies shortstop Jimmy Rollins said. “You always have to pay respect to the legends because there was always a fight. Being here where Willie started everything, and being on the field he was on means everything to me as a Black player.”
16th Street Baptist Church
While this momentous church is typically acknowledged as the location of the bombing that killed four little girls in 1963, the church itself represents so much more. During the Civil Rights era, those in the Black community mainly lingered in their homes, their schools and their churches. The church was not only a place of worship, it was where African-Americans came together to feel comfort in their community. This bombing in particular weighs heavily on several hearts because the church was one of the few locations that these innocent civilians could feel at peace without the persecution of the White man. Furthermore, the oppressors stole the lives of vulnerable girls who had likely not even pondered how they were going to survive the cruel world they lived in.