Sixty-two years ago today, determined men, women, and children committed themselves to a struggle for freedom and civil rights. On April 3, 1963, the Birmingham Campaign began—a coordinated series of direct-action protests led by the Alabama Christian Movement for Human Rights, founded by Reverend Fred Shuttlesworth, and joined by Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. and the Southern Christian Leadership Conference.

Their mission was clear: to challenge the city’s system of segregation head-on through nonviolent protest. What followed—Project C, mass arrests, the Children’s Crusade—captured the attention of the nation and the world. The courage shown by everyday people in Birmingham helped pave the way for the Civil Rights Act of 1964.

It is not lost on us that 62 years to the day, we are once again called to act. This time, not just to protect our rights—but to preserve the very stories of that struggle.

We have learned that in Governor Kay Ivey’s proposed budget, funding for the Birmingham Civil Rights Institute, along with other historic cultural staples like the Magic City Classic, has been completely cut. This news comes on the heels of national efforts to suppress conversations about race, inequality, and the legacy of the Civil Rights Movement—conversations that are essential to understanding who we are and how far we’ve come.

The timing of this could not be more sobering. It reminds us that history does not just live in the past—it lives in the present. And just as the foot soldiers of 1963 responded to the call for justice, we too must respond.

The stories that line the walls of the BCRI are not abstract. They are Alabama history. American history. Our mission remains to enlighten each generation through the lens of civil and human rights, grounding truth in lived experience.

We are deeply concerned that this moment might undo decades of bipartisan investment in telling Alabama’s story in full—not just the parts that are comfortable, but also the hard truths of segregation, resistance, and the ongoing pursuit of equity.

We are grateful to leaders like Senators Rodger Smitherman and Bobby Singleton, who have already spoken out against these cuts. Their leadership gives us hope.

And now, we’re calling on the public to join them—and us.

We urge every Alabamian to contact their local legislators. Tell them that you believe in protecting civil rights history. Tell them that BCRI matters. That this story matters. That truth matters.

This moment demands our voices. Let them ring out with the same conviction our ancestors carried. Let them echo through every chamber where decisions are being made.

We often say, “If we don’t know our history, we’re doomed to repeat it.” But just as important: if we don’t know our history, we rob ourselves of the opportunity for gratitude. Many of the people who fought for us are still here. The progress they made is still fragile. And we still have the power to protect it.

This is our chance to show what we would have done then—by what we choose to do now.

As we reflect on the events that shaped the Civil Rights Movement in Birmingham and beyond, we are reminded that progress has always required courage, clarity, and conviction. Today, we renew our commitment to those ideals.

The Birmingham Civil Rights Institute will continue to be a beacon of truth, a space for courageous dialogue, and a guardian of the stories that shape our democracy. We will not back down from our mission. We will not let these stories fade. And we will not stop telling the full story.

Signed,

The Board of Directors

Birmingham Civil Rights Institute