About The Institute
About the Institute
Our Mission
MISSION: To enlighten each generation about civil and human rights by exploring our common past and working together in the present to build a better future.
VALUES: The Birmingham Civil Rights Institute is committed to:
- Preserving and telling the Birmingham story
- Being a good steward of archival and financial resources
- Creating programs that encourage cultural awareness
- Championing civil and human rights by facilitating an atmosphere of dialogue and understanding
Recognitions
- Alabama Attraction of the Year
- American Alliance of Museums Accreditation
- Birmingham Civil Rights National Monument Designation
- International Coalition of Sites of Conscience
- National Medal for Museum and Library Service
- Smithsonian Institution Affiliation
Our Team
It takes a team of experienced and motivated professionals with a belief in our mission to enlighten each generation about civil and human rights by exploring our common past and working together in the present to building a better future. To reach our staff, please email bcri@bcri.org.
Birmingham Civil Rights Institute Appoints Deborah V. Bowie as President & CEO
Board of Directors
Ryan Faught | Chair
Milo’s Tea Company
Melvin Love, EdD | Vice-Chair
Birmingham City Schools
Alesia Jones | Treasurer
AMJ HR Solutions, LLC
Zhaundra C. Jones | Secretary
Women’s Foundation of Alabama
Alice Bowsher
Alice Bowsher Consulting
Tamera Coyne-Beasley, MD
UAB Medicine
Monique Gardner Witherspoon, EdD, JD
Samford University
Deontée Gordon
TechBirmingham
Rev. Christopher Hamlin, DMin
Tabernacle Baptist Church
Anthony C. Hood, PhD
Hood Allen Consulting
Rosilyn Houston
Santander Bank (Retired)
Cheryl Kidd, Esq.
Cheryl Anderson Kidd P.C.
Bernard Mays, Jr.
University of Alabama at Birmingham
Angela D. McKenzie
Regions Bank
Paulette Roby
Civil Rights Activist Committee
Dawn Rock-Tremble
Encompass Health
John D. Saxon, Esq.
John D. Saxon, P.C.
Maria Underwood
Journey To Lead
Kristin Waters Sullivan, Esq.
Waters Sullivan LLC
Ralph Williams, Jr.
Alabama Power Company
Odessa Woolfolk, Chair Emerita
Mayor Randall Woodfin, Ex Officio
Rev. Fred L. Shuttlesworth, 1922-2011
Affiliates
The Birmingham Civil Rights Institute, part of the Birmingham Civil Rights National Monument and an affiliate of the Smithsonian Institution, is a cultural and educational research center that promotes a comprehensive understanding of the significance of civil rights developments in Birmingham. Founded in 1992, BCRI reaches up to 150,000 individuals each year through award-winning programs and services.
We stand strong as THE CORNERSTONE of the civil rights story, a living memorial with an ongoing mission.