Historic 16th Street Baptist Church opens new Education and Visitor Center [PHOTOS]

September 15, 2026 - 19:06

The historic 16th Street Baptist Church in Birmingham, Alabama, has opened a new Education and Visitor Center, marking a significant addition to a site long associated with the civil rights movement. The facility is designed to welcome visitors while expanding educational programming tied to the church's role in American history.

The church gained international attention in 1963 when a bombing at the building killed four young girls: Addie Mae Collins, Carole Robertson, Cynthia Wesley, and Denise McNair. The attack became a turning point in the struggle for racial equality and drew widespread outrage across the country.

The new center provides space for exhibits, meetings, and interpretive programs that place the church's story within the broader context of the movement. Organizers say the goal is to preserve the memory of those events while teaching new generations about the ongoing work of justice and reconciliation.

Community members and church leaders gathered for the opening, describing the project as both a memorial and a resource. The center is expected to serve school groups, researchers, and tourists who travel to Birmingham each year to learn about this chapter of history.