OPINION: My Birmingham Highs

A view of downtown Birmingham from Vulcan Park. Photo by Erinn Gardner/The Atlanta Voice BIRMINGHAM, AL— Several recognize Birmingham as a hub for rich history, especially over the past week as a majority of the city’s visitors and residents paid tribute to the Negro League players at the Rickwood Field while simultaneously celebrating Juneteenth. A majority of them have also devoted their time to exploring all of the attractions that Birmingham has to offer while commemorating Black excellence.  An example of a classroom for Black students in Birmingham during the 1950’s. Photo by Erinn Gardner/The Birmingham Civil Rights Institute (BCRI) This enlightening museum affiliated with the Smithsonian inevitably serves as one of the greatest tourist attractions in Birmingham, as the information displayed exceeds surface level. BCRI houses authentic physical and written artifacts, along with realistic models and detailed timelines of Civil Rights history. Although BCRI welcomes hundreds of visitors each day, one could hear a pin drop in the galleries. The silence speaks volume. It is the sound of younger generations learning about and honoring those who paved the way for them, and older generations remembering the good fight that they fought for today’s youth.& “If you don’t know where...