Political Science

Traveling throughout the South during the 1950s was hazardous for African Americans. There were precious few hotels and restaurants that opened their doors to minorities, and fewer still had accommodations above the bare minimum, to say nothing of the racism and violence that followed. But in Birmingham, black entrepreneur and eventual millionaire A.G. Gaston created a first-class motel and lounge for African Americans that became a symbol of pride of his community. It served as the headquarters for Birmingham's civil rights movement and became a revolving door for famous entertainers, activists, politicians and other pillars of the national black community. Author Marie Sutton chronicles the fascinating story of the motel and how it became a refuge during a time when African Americans could find none.

Reverends Martin Luther King Jr., Andrew Young and Fred Shuttlesworth are iconic names associated with the Birmingham campaign of the civil rights movement. Credit also is due to many local residents who risked their lives for the cause. Myrna Carter Jackson holds no shame in the police record she garnered in protest of the harsh treatment of African Americans in the city. Carolyn Walker Williams, who knew the injustice blacks faced in East Birmingham even as a child, was arrested in protest for the first time while still in school. Gerald Wren grew up in the Smithfield neighborhood, part of which was nicknamed Dynamite Hill as a result of the bombings of blacks' houses, churches and schools. Join author Nick Patterson as he interviews some of Birmingham's foot soldiers and recounts the struggle and adversity overcome.