History of Birmingham

Named after the UK city of industry, Birmingham is the largest city in Alabama and holds the heart of Alabama's culture and economy. The city was founded and promoted as an industrial nexus in the Southern US, but it has since grown into a centre of banking, commerce and southern culture and arts. In the mid-20th century, the city became synonymous with the nation's civil rights struggle against racial segregation. 

A city of industry

On 1 June, 1871, Birmingham was founded by real estate promoters, who foresaw the region's potential as an industrial centre. The original development sprung up around the planned intersection of two rail lines. In addition to this, it was recognised that Birmingham is the only place in the world where significant amounts of iron ore, coal and limestone (the three essential raw materials used in steel production) exist together.

The city was named after England's main city of industry in hopes of spurring further interest. Growth was slow at first, with initial setbacks due to the Wall street crash in 1873, along with a cholera outbreak.

The Great Depression

During the first decade of the 20th century, Birmingham grew exponentially. In just a few years, the city rose from its low-rise foundations to a cluster of skyscrapers amid busy lanes of streetcars. This initial growth earned Birmingham the nickname ‘the heaviest corner on Earth’. However, the Great Depression took quite a toll on the city, with industrial progress hindered by a lack of funds, and unemployed farmhands and laborers flooded the city in search of work.

The city's economy was revitalised by some of the New Deal programmes as well as by the wars of the mid-20th century. A new demand for steel gave Birmingham a quick return to production and industry. This economic prosperity also made way for some cultural centres. The Birmingham Museum of Art saw significant growth and expansion in the time immediately after WWII.

Civil Rights

During the next two decades, Birmingham took centre stage in the nation's struggle surrounding civil rights. Several acts of racially-motivated violence sprang up, one of the most well-known being the bombing at the 16th street Baptist Church, where four African-American girls were killed. In 1963, Dr Martin Luther King, Jr. was imprisoned in Birmingham for participating in a non-violent protest. From here, he wrote his famous Letter from Birmingham Jail, in which he defended civil disobedience as an essential means of fighting racial segregation.

Twenty-first century

Today, the centres of commerce in Birmingham have shifted from iron and steel to several other fields. Two fortune 500 companies have their headquarters here,and the city is second only to New York City in the number of top 50 banks whose headquarters are located in town.

The city's downtown is growing again, with a greater demand for downtown living options as well as for more retail, dining and entertainment venues. New growth has lead to an enrichment of the city's skyline, with the appearances of the first new skyscrapers since the 1920s.