favorite road trip: us civil rights trail itinerary; alabama civil rights trail
the united states civil rights trail marks dozens of landmarks across 15 states. each site was pivotal in changing the course of history during the 1950s and 1960s civil rights movement.
we did a coast to coast road trip in our camper van and visited many of the u.s. civil rights trail landmarks along the way. being able to connect historic events across multiple states, as well as learn about people and events i had never previously learned about was incredibly impactful. since then, i continue to try to add sites we missed into any itineraries through those states.
i’m creating a collection of posts about each state on the us civil rights trail and alabama is first on my list! you can find complete details about the trail, each landmark and state itineraries at the united states civil rights trail site. keep in mind each state may have additional sites not listed on the u.s. trail site; they are still worth visiting!
below you’ll find information about about a number of the sites on the alabama civil rights trail, as well as a recommended itinerary for an alabama road trip that centers on visiting these civil rights landmarks.
exhibit from the national memorial for peace and justice on the u.s. civil rights trail in montgomery, al
alabama road trip: alabama civil rights trail itinerary
the alabama civil rights trail includes eight main locales, with multiple stops at half. the sites below make for a long weekend road trip, but if you have more time you could certainly see them all on a 4 or 5 day alabama road trip. or make a week of it to spend more time exploring other sights!
day 1: visiting birmingham
whether you’re flying or driving to alabama, there’s a good chance you’ll be starting in birmingham. we actually didn’t! but if you are, here are the must-see spots in birmingham on the civil rights trail that we would visit.
kelly ingram park: this park was an assembly point for participants in sit-ins, boycotts, marches, and jailings designed to end segregation in Birmingham.
birmingham civil rights institute: a cultural and educational research center that promotes a comprehensive understanding for the significance of civil rights developments in Birmingham.
sixteenth street baptist church: headquarters for the civil rights meetings and rallies in the early 1960’s. september 15, 1963, the church became known around the world when a bomb exploded, killing four young girls attending sunday school and injuring more than 20 other members of the congregation.
day 2: selma to montgomery national historic trail
after a day of exploring Birmingham, drive down to selma for day 2 on the civil rights trail, about one hour and 40 minutes south. selma is brimming with history, and you’ll want to make some extra time for the additional stops below - even an hour would be well worth it!
edmund pettus bridge along the u.s. civil rights trail in selma, al
start at the selma interpretive center. get a map and go through the exhibits in the center. it’s a small center, so take your time to really immerse yourself in the information about the political climate of the time.
next head to the additional stops (not on the official u.s. civil rights trail) listed below. you can get a map at the selma interpretive center. there are even more stops included in the map, so if you have time, add those in, too!
walk to the edmund pettus bridge. just next to the bridge, where you’ll crossover, there once was a three story building. a cafe was on the lower floor, and civil rights leaders and activists would sometimes meet there to strategize. we had the privilege of running into a local whose family participated in the voting rights march. he had a lot to share about his own experiences as a child in selma during the civil rights movement, as well as the changes that have occurred since - and those things that haven’t changed.
from there you’ll get back in the car, drive across the bridge and follow the selma to montgomery national historic trail. this 54-mile trail maks the route marchers took to the state capitol to advocate for the right to vote. marchers spent four nights on the road, camping on farms owned by allies to the movement. use the map to make as many stops as you like! you’ll pass campsite 1 before the lowndes interpretive center and campsites 2 and 3 soon after. campsite 4 is just five miles outside central montgomery.
the lowndes interpretive center marks the site of a “tent city” erected by activists after black farmers were driven off their land for supporting voting rights. today, the interpretive center exhibits build upon what you’ll learn in selma. this center is larger and has a film. be sure to make time for this stop!
u.s. civil rights trail exhibit in lowndes interpretive center on the selma to montgomery national historic trail
additional stops in selma
these stops are not on the official u.s. civil rights trail, but are a part of the selma to montgomery national historic trail. most of these stops are quick ones - park the car and get out to read signs and snap photos - as opposed to longer museum tours or interpretive centers. if you don’t have much time but want to add these in, you could also drive by and read along with the information provided on the official selma to montgomery national historic trail map.
george washington carver homes: many participants in the marches lived in this complex, and activists from out of town lodged here.
brown chapel african methodist episcopal church: the staging point for marches to the county courthouse and for the final march (after two failed attempts) to montgomery.
cecil c. jackson public safety building: dr. martin luther king jr. and other marchers were incarcerated here.
sullivan building: southern christian leadership conference (sclc) activists directed local activities from this building.
national voting rights museum and institute: exhibits tracing the voting rights struggle. we didn’t have time for this stop, but i wish we had made time!
brown chapel a.m.e. in selma, al
continuing on the selma to montgomery national historic trail in montgomery:
after arriving in montgomery, head straight for the alabama state capitol, where thousands of protesters gathered to demand voting rights.
walk to the dexter avenue king memorial baptist church, which served as the staging area for the final rally at the capitol. it was also the headquarters of the 1955 montgomery bus boycott.
just a few blocks away you’ll find a statue of rosa parks that marks the site where she got on the bus where she refused to give up her seat.
and just down the road from that is the rosa parks library and museum, which is at the site where parks was arrested.
statue of rosa parks in montgomery, al that marks the site where she got on the bus
day 3 on the us civil rights trail: montgomery and tuskegee
on day 3 of our alabama road trip, you’ll visit one more site in montgomery before heading to tuskegee.
start your day the the national memorial for peace and justice. this memorial is the nation’s first comprehensive memorial dedicated to the legacy of Black Americans who were enslaved and terrorized by lynching.
if you decide to take extra time in montgomery, visit the freedom rides museum and civil rights memorial center.
installation by hank willis thomas at the national memorial for peace and justice
drive to tuskegee, just 30 minutes from montgomery. start at the tuskegee institute national historic site, which was founded by booker t. washington in 1881. (the major sites are currently under renovation and are expected to open summer and fall of 2024. be sure to check the website before your visit.)
next head to the tuskegee airmen national historic site to learn about the nation’s first African American pilots and their role in military history.
if you have time, head two hours north to visit freedom riders national monument in anniston. this site documents the history of a small interracial band of “freedom riders” who set out to challenge discriminatory state laws and local customs that required a separation of the races on buses and in bus station facilities.
birmingham is one hour west from anniston or two hours north from montgomery. hope you enjoyed the tour!
i hope this itinerary is helpful as you consider visiting the landmarks of the u.s. civil rights trail and planning for a civil-rights focused tour of alabama. though the lessons from these landmarks are not always uplifting, they are invaluable.
pin this post for later