Birmingham, Alabama

1963Civil Rights Campaign: Martin Luther King Jr.'s Birmingham Campaign, Bull Connor's fire hoses and police dogs against children, and the 16th Street Baptist Church bombing that killed four girls galvanized the nation and led directly to the Civil Rights Act of 1964.

1871City Founded: Birmingham was founded at the intersection of two railroads as a planned industrial city, growing so fast it earned the nickname 'The Magic City.'.

1907Iron and Steel Capital: Birmingham became the South's largest industrial city, with U.S. Steel's massive Sloss Furnaces producing iron and steel.

1979First Black Mayor: Richard Arrington Jr. became Birmingham's first Black mayor, serving for 20 years and overseeing the city's transition.

2013Birmingham Civil Rights Institute: The city invested heavily in commemorating its civil rights history, with the institute, 16th Street church, and Kelly Ingram Park forming a memorial district.