Ed and I took one day and headed to Birmingham to check out some sites in the city. It was a packed day and I am so happy to share our pictures. What a great city!!!
At its hey day it employed thousands and today it is rusting away. As we walked around we commented on how calm the site is and how different it would have been while in operation. It was very interesting to see after living in Pittsburgh.
We were getting hungry so we thought we would check out a local favorite, Saw’s Soul Kitchen.
Next we headed downtown to check out some of the civil right sites.
In 1963, student protesters took to the streets of Birmingham, AL in protests captured in iconic photographs that shocked the nation. Fire hoses and dogs were used by police against children and many were arrested in the efforts to desegregate the city. Located just across the street from the 16th Street Baptist Church, Kelly Ingram Park served as a central location for the Civil Rights Movement in Birmingham. Today the park is part of the city’s efforts to remember the Civil Rights Movement of Birmingham. The 16th Street Baptist Church, site of the infamous 1963 bombing is located right across the street and there are interpretive signs through the city following the routes of several marches that happened in the 1960s.
The “Foot Soldier” monument recreates the infamous photograph of a police officer grabbing a young man by the shirt while the police dog aggressively lunges forward. This iconic image is used to honor those who marched and demanded equality in Birmingham.
This sculpture represents the children who were arrested and jailed for their role in the protests. On one side of the path two children stand framed in metal with the words “I ain’t afraid of your jail” in large letters across the bottom.
This sculpture shows two children bracing themselves against a wall while two water cannons stand a few feet from the main sculpture, aiming at them
On the one corner is a moving tribute, titled Four Spirits, to the four girls who were killed in the 16th Street Baptist Church bombing on September 16, 1963. Located on the corner closest to the church, the four girls are represented around a bench
Vulcan Statue
The Vulcan statue is the largest cast iron statue in the world, and is the city symbol reflecting its roots in the iron and steel industry. The 56-foot tall statue depicts the Roman god Vulcan, god of the fire and forge, with ironworking equipment. It was created as Birmingham’s entry for the 1904 World’s Fair.
In the back of the Vulcan statue you can get a great view of the city of Birmingham. Bye for now!!