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Birmingham Civil Rights Tour: History and Heritage
5.0
763 Ratings
Birmingham
Embark on a three-hour walking and driving tour of Birmingham to uncover the historic struggle for equal rights. Explore the Civil Rights movement from the end of the Civil War to the present day, visiting significant landmarks and learning about the courageous individuals who fought for change.
Embark on a three-hour walking and driving tour of Birmingham to uncover the historic struggle for equal rights. Explore the Civil Rights movement from the end of the Civil War to the present day, visiting significant landmarks and learning about the courageous individuals who fought for change.
Duration:
3 hours
Cancellation:
24 hours
Highlights
- Civil Rights District - Guests will walk around Kelly Ingram Park, see 16th Street Baptist Church, and learn about the Civil Rights movement in Birmingham
- Kelly Ingram Park - Walk around the park to see the statues and learn about those who marched for freedom in Birmingham
- 16th Street Baptist Church - Learn about the role the church…
- Civil Rights District - Guests will walk around Kelly Ingram Park, see 16th Street Baptist Church, and learn about the Civil Rights movement in Birmingham
- Kelly Ingram Park - Walk around the park to see the statues and learn about those who marched for freedom in Birmingham
- 16th Street Baptist Church - Learn about the role the church played in the Civil Rights movement in Birmingham and the history of the church bombing that tragically killed four little girls.
- Linn Park - See where the march protests ended in Birmingham and learn about groups fighting for Civil Rights in Birmingham
- Boutwell Auditorium - Guests will learn about Bull Connor and his clashes against those fighting for Civil Rights
- Smithfield - Visit Dynamite Hill to see houses and churches that were bombing in Birmingham during the Civil Rights movement.
- The Historic Bethel Baptist Church - Guests will see the church where Rev. Fred Shuttlesworth led the movement from
- Eddie Kendrick Memorial Park - See the Black Business District to learn about Black life in Birmingham during its heyday.
- John Herbert Phillips Academy - Guests will see where Rev. Fred Shuttlesworth attempted to integrate schools in Birmingham
- Wells Fargo ATM - See where the Freedom Riders where attacked in Birmingham.
What's Included
- All taxes, fees, and handling charges included
- Knowledgeable driver/guide at your service
- Comfortable air-conditioned transportation
- Engaging live commentary on board
- Inclusive of all activities
- All taxes, fees, and handling charges included
- Knowledgeable driver/guide at your service
- Comfortable air-conditioned transportation
- Engaging live commentary on board
- Inclusive of all activities
What's Not Included
- Gratuities
- Gratuities
Additional Information
On this tour, which combines both WALKING & DRIVING, you will be on a three-hour journey around Birmingham. This journey will take you through the historical struggle for equality that spanned from the end of the Civil War to the Civil Rights Movement. The tour initiates at the statue of Reverend Fred Shuttlesworth, a key figure in the local Civil…
On this tour, which combines both WALKING & DRIVING, you will be on a three-hour journey around Birmingham. This journey will take you through the historical struggle for equality that spanned from the end of the Civil War to the Civil Rights Movement. The tour initiates at the statue of Reverend Fred Shuttlesworth, a key figure in the local Civil Rights struggle. The tour includes discussions on why there was a need for the Civil Rights movement and the factors that led to the breakdown of segregation. As you tour significant churches, parks, and homes within Birmingham, you’ll gain insights into the various factions that either supported or opposed the Civil Rights movement.
- Children must be accompanied by an adult
- Subject to favorable weather conditions. If canceled due to significant weather (hurricane, tornado, or ice), you will be given the option of an alternative date or full refund
- We will walk over a mile on the tour in temperatures anywhere between 40-100F. Guests must be able to walk unassisted at a reasonable speed.
- Not recommended for those that cannot walk at least a mile.
- Not recommended for those affected by cold/hot weather.
Location
512 16th St N
16th Street North
I will be standing in front of the Birmingham Civil Rights Institute next to the Fred Shuttlesworth statue. There is a parking lot diagonal from the front of the Institute that is free to park in. There is also free street parking(no meters) & paid street parking(meters) around the start point.
Cancellation Policy
For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.
For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.
Customer Ratings
5.0
(763 Ratings)
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Brad_w
Mar 26, 2025
Great experience - One of the most informative tours I have ever done. I have done quite a few. The history that was explained was not only accurate but explained in a way that was very influential to what life was like in Birmingham
Review provided by Viator
Bizbo98
Mar 24, 2025
Very well put together, very moving - I cannot recommend this enough. This tour takes you up close to some of the most important locations in the struggle for civil rights. Mike (and his son, Clay, who owns Red Clay tours) really try to make it very vivid, encouraging you to use your imagination and empathy, in combination with the locales and stories to take you there and in some small way to understand what was happening. The bravery and perseverance of Rev. Shuttlesworth, the children, their parents and others is inspiring and pretty amazing. We certainly never would have driven to these locales on our own, and certainly not been given all this information. And Mike is a great storyteller and answered our questions in a thoughtful and enlightening way. It can be difficult to strike the right tone when talking about these episodes of history and issues, but they have clearly put a lot of thought into a combination of respect and admiration and horror which is not preachy or pedantic. A very valuable experience.
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Marcus_j
Mar 21, 2025
Great experience. The... - Great experience. The guide was a historical marvel . The information was factual the sites and areas visited were all amazing and his and our interaction with the community was well needed and appreciated.
Review provided by Viator
Annecw_10
Mar 20, 2025
Stepping into history with Red Clay Tours - Clay of Red Clay Tours gave me and my friend a fantastic inside view of the history of Birmingham and the civil rights movement there. Clay is incredibly knowledgeable and nuanced in his recounting of history. He was also a lot of fun and we had a great time. A winning combination!
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Larrywhite
Mar 19, 2025
Don’t miss it!! - This tour was top tier. Beyond what I was expecting. Mike was not only knowledgeable but fantastic at letting statements, question linger in the air so that they HIT your soul! FANTASTIC TOUR!!!!!
Review provided by Viator
Carla_s
Mar 16, 2025
Clay was amazing! - This civil rights tour was exactly that. He showed us all the civil rights sites that he could within the amount of time that we had for this tour. He gave us so much insight and lots of stories about each location. This was about the struggle for civil rights. This is not a tour For anyone who is looking to see how great Birmingham is doing because it’s not doing great. This is for people who want to know the history of the city and he definitely knows his stuff! Thank you so much for teaching me and my boys so much on our tour.
Review provided by Viator
Z4591dtlindab
Mar 16, 2025
Excellent Tour of Civil Rights in Birmingham - Mike is a great tour guide - a fountain of great historical knowledge. Excellent tour to see all the specific sites where the struggle for human rights happened. And such a nice guy who is good at answering questions. We recommend this tour highly.
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Laura_l
Mar 8, 2025
Don’t Miss this Excellent Tour! - Mike, our tour guide, was excellent. He texted the morning of the tour with parking instructions. He is very knowledgeable, and an engaging educator. He teaches about the impact of Birmingham’s history on the Civil Rights Movement and, when asked, he openly shares his personal stories of growing up in Alabama. We were glad we did the tour before visiting the 16th Street Baptist Church because it made that visit even more impactful.
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Brenda_d
Mar 8, 2025
Wonderful experience - Mike was a fantastic guide-very knowledgeable and warm and friendly-great people skills- we learned alot
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Satish_k
Mar 3, 2025
Mike was a very... - Mike was a very entertaining and knowledgeable guide. His stories and information were enlightening. He did a great job identifying the terrible struggle that was needed to overcome the racial issues and inequality that was so oppressive back in the 50s and 60s.
Review provided by Viator