Walk the Path, Honor the Past: Birmingham's Story

In the spring of 1963, Birmingham Alabama, was the epicenter of the civil rights movement. Significant events that occurred primarily in the streets and on the sidewalks of a six-block area had a global reach. However, in the years and decades that followed, historically African American neighborhoods were decimated by transportation projects that prioritize vehicle throughput. Today, the area is recognized locally, statewide, nationally, and internationally through multiple overlapping requirements designed to protect the remaining historic environment.

This presentation explores the process and challenges of designing and building a mobility project in the heart of one of the nation’s most important civil rights sites, and demonstrates how the resulting improvements restore the public realm while honoring the events of 1963. Spoiler alert! Design work began only after extensive research, documentation, and public outreach established respect for the area’s history and people as the priority.

The project, called the Birmingham Civil Rights Crossroads: Reconnecting Historic Neighborhoods Through Active Mobility, is funded by the U.S. Department of Transportation through the Rebuilding American Infrastructure with Sustainability and Equity grant program.