Alabama National Monuments

10/14/2017 Angling up to Birmingham, we parked for some related NHL and NPS sites. The Birmingham Civil Rights NM is relatively new with no visitor facilities yet, but there was plenty to see to understand the historical significance, including an NHL: Birmingham Civil Rights Institute - a cultural and educational research center whose exhibits provide an overview of the struggle for civil rights in Birmingham. Just a photo-op for us. A.G. Gaston Motel – in 1963 leaders of the civil rights movement, including Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., took up residence at the motel where they strategized and made critical decisions about the civil rights campaign. Eventually this may become the park unit VC. Kelly Ingram Park – this was particularly well done and of the most interest to us, with various sculptures and vignettes depicting the events of the civil rights protests, including police putting attack dogs and water cannons on protestors and the church bombing that killed four little girls. Sixteenth Street Baptist Church NHL - target of the 1963 bombing that killed four young girls who were preparing for Sunday school, which became a galvanizing force for the passage of the Civil Rights Act of 1964.

A. G. Gaston Motel outside ...

... sign ...

... and inside courtyard

Entrance to Kelly Ingram Park

Cops ...

... and attack dogs

Water cannons

Dr. King

Not afraid of jail

Girls killed by a bomb ...

... in the Baptist Church

Civil Rights Institute

10/15/2017 We continued on to Aniston for the Freedom Riders NM, another new unit. We stopped outside town for a marker where the Freedoms Riders' bus had to stop due to slashed tires and was set on fire with the Freedom Riders and other innocent travelers still aboard. In town, we came to the terminal from where the bus originated and group of segregationists, including members of the Ku Klux Klan, attacked the bus carrying African American and white Freedom Riders. The mob threw rocks, broke windows, and slashed the tires of the bus. Although this unit is not developed yet, there was a mural painting of a full size bus on the wall opposite the terminal departure port, along with lots of info depicting the timeline of the Riders' attempt to continue their trip to New Orleans.

Looking down the Rider's route

My taking a photo of ...

... the informational signage

The bus terminal

Me and the NPS sign

Ken taking a photo of ...

... the signage out front

The boarding area

Great information display ...

... with historical photos

A panorama of the display

2/7/1995 Drove south into Alabama to Russell Cave National Monument. Walked to cave, looked around, saw slide show - not really much there. Saw a good film at the visitor center.

National Monuments - Alabama