16th Street Baptist Church

We are thrilled to have a Group Photography at 16th Street Baptist Church. The 16th Street Baptist Church, located in Birmingham, Alabama, is a historically significant site in the American civil rights movement. Built in 1911, the church became a central gathering place for Birmingham's Black community. It was an important venue for meetings, organizing, and mobilizing protests during the 1960s, particularly under the leadership of Reverend Fred Shuttlesworth and other local activists.

The church tragically gained international attention on September 15, 1963, when it was bombed by white supremacists. The bombing killed four young African American girls—Addie Mae Collins, Denise McNair, Carole Robertson, and Cynthia Wesley—and injured many others. This act of domestic terrorism shocked the nation and helped galvanize support for the civil rights movement. The bombing became a turning point, contributing to the passage of the Civil Rights Act of 1964.

Today, the church remains a symbol of the struggles for racial equality in the United States. It has been designated a National Historic Landmark and continues to function as an active place of worship and a center for remembrance and education about civil rights. The tragic bombing serves as a reminder of the violence endured during the struggle for justice, but also of the resilience and determination of those who fought for equality.