Comeback Town: Birmingham cringes, Montgomery counts the money

Comeback Town is an opinion column exploring all things Birmingham. It is coordinated by David Sher.

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Birmingham’s future hinges on a simple truth: we must leverage our unique competitive advantage. While this advantage is clear, promoting it often leads to polarization. Some residents view our history as a golden opportunity, while others cringe and prefer to move on in silence. This debate fundamentally centers on whether Birmingham should fully embrace its Civil Rights legacy.

The Cost of Ambivalence

Birmingham’s internal conflict recently spilled into the public eye when the Birmingham Civil Rights Institute announced its closure due to neglected HVAC issues. While the decision was reversed within a day and the institute plans to reopen with temporary repairs, the immediate crisis masks a deeper, systemic issue. For decades, Birmingham has hedged on its history, fearing that embracing it might signal to investors that the city is stuck in the past. Instead of a bold, unified celebration of our singular story, we have prioritized mediocrity, letting essential institutions age while debating their value.

Lessons from Montgomery

Contrast Birmingham’s hesitation with Montgomery, which chose to lean into its history—including the brutal realities of enslavement—with extraordinary results. Since the Equal Justice Initiative opened the Legacy Museum and the National Memorial for Peace and Justice in 2018, more than two million people have visited. Following the 2024 opening of the Freedom Monument Sculpture Park, the city earned a spot on the New York Times list of 52 places to visit globally, fueling a boom in local hospitality.

A Competitive Edge

Birmingham remains the site where the modern Civil Rights Movement was forged. Our Civil Rights National Monument includes a peerless collection of sacred sites, from the 16th Street Baptist Church and Kelly Ingram Park to the A.G. Gaston Motel. This is not just a marketing tagline; it is the physical foundation of modern history.

With Alabama leading the nation with 28 official Civil Rights Trail sites, the economic impact is undeniable. In 2024, visitor spending at these sites reached $345 million statewide, while the Greater Birmingham region generated a record $2.57 billion from over four million overnight visitors. Tourism focused on Civil Rights captures travelers who stay longer, spend more, and act as global ambassadors for our story.

Time to Decide

Every year Birmingham chooses hesitation, Montgomery continues to grow. We are not competitors; we are partners on the same pilgrimage through American history. The embarrassment surrounding the BCRI should serve as a wake-up call. It is time for Birmingham to stop arguing about its past and start believing in its own greatness. The history is here—it is time for the civic will to match it.

Invite David to speak for free to your group about how we can have a more prosperous metro Birmingham: dsher@comebacktown.com