The Alabama Civil Rights Tourism Association is a 501(c)3 non-profit, founded in 2019.
You can learn history from books. When you go to the place and connect with the people, you will feel it in your heart.
Mission
Expand engagement with Civil Rights history through first-hand encounters with the people and at the historic sites that played significant roles in the African-American struggle for equality and social justice.
Sustainable Tourism
Civil Rights Tourism generates revenue that goes directly to the people, local businesses, communities, historic sites and supports civil rights education for Alabama students in underserved populations.
Education
We endeavor to create a better society, celebrate and preserve our shared cultural legacy and pass it on to the next generation. Part of the proceeds of our tourism activities is dedicated to supporting Alabama middle and high school students from underserved communities, to access historical civil rights sites and connect students to the people of the movement. Engagement is expanded by incorporating the Civil Rights narrative through music, poetry and art.
Our Partners
The key to our success is our partners: local historians who excel in the art of storytelling; the Activists and Foot Soldiers who share their experiences. We are part of a network dedicated to preserving and sharing our rich cultural legacy.
Alabama African American Civil Rights Heritage Sites Consortium
The Alabama African American Civil Rights Heritage Sites Consortium is a collaboration of 20 historic places of worship, lodging and civic engagement that played significant roles in the African American struggle for freedom since Reconstruction and through the Civil Rights Movement of the 1950s and 1960s.
Alabama Department of Tourism
In addition to Alabama’s Civil Rights history, the state offers a wealth of opportunities to enhance your stay. We can customize your group’s visit according to its interests:
- Gee’s Bend quilters and rural folk artists
- Soul Food, Farm-to-Table, Hands-on Cooking with a Chef, Bourbon, Food Traditions
- Music History, Muscle Shoals, Local Musicians
- Active Outdoor Hiking, Biking, Water Sports
- Native American History
- Civil War History
The United States Civil Rights Trail
The US Civil Rights Trail encompasses more than 100 sites in 15 states. We can extend your group’s Alabama Civil Rights experience to include key sites in Atlanta, GA; Memphis, TN; Jackson, MS; and New Orleans, LA upon request.