The City of Birmingham launched a yearlong poster series to commemorate the 1963 Birmingham campaign for civil and human rights
Birmingham, AL – For the entire year of 2023, the City of Birmingham – in partnership with area churches, arts organizations, activists, businesses, and nonprofits – honored the challenges, lessons, and triumphs of the 1963 Birmingham civil and human rights movement. The 60th commemoration included programs, events, workshops, and entertainment that were open to the entire community.
The theme for the year was “Forging Justice.” Birmingham is known for its steel production and also its racial past. Today, however, just like steel melds together different elements to make a singular strong force, the city has worked to forge relationships among all races, religions, ethnicities and creeds.
Led by the Division of Social Justice and Racial Equity, the City’s role in the commemoration was to highlight and support the number of programs taking place during the year. Events included the 16th Street Baptist Church bombing commemoration, the Children’s March reenactment, a national convention of Black journalists, concerts, exhibits, a healing conference, and tributes to Dr. King and the Rev. Fred L. Shuttlesworth. Birmingham also hosted peacemakers from around the world with the International Peace Conference & Peace Week on May 1-5, 2023.
The City launched a special commemorative poster series, created by Office of Public Information Graphic Designers Marcus Watts and Bre Rudolph. The purpose was to support storytelling themes for each month throughout the commemoration and to give the public a piece of art as a keepsake as we all reflect and remember the lessons of 1963.
Here are the themes for each month and poster:
- January – Unity
- February – Black Resistance
- March – Women
- April – Clergy
- May – Children and Youth
- June – Restorative Justice
- July – Environmental Justice
- August – Storytelling
- September – Civil and Human Rights
- October – Social Justice
- November – Arts and Culture
- December – Economic Opportunity
The poster exhibition will run now through January 31. More details regarding the commemoration and poster series can be found at www.birminghamal.gov/forgingjustice.
