The City of Birmingham has announced the schedule for this year’s Empowerment Week commemoration happening September 11-September 15, 2014. Last year’s 2013 Commemoration of the 50th anniversary of the bombing of the 16th Street Baptist Church that tragically killed the four little girls, brought record numbers of visitors to Birmingham’s historic Civil Rights Corridor. The City has continued its push to tell the story of the Civil Rights movement that changed the world and started in Birmingham, Alabama. The events in Birmingham during the 1960s impacted every major human rights movement around the world that followed.
“The people of this City fought and won major battles for Civil Rights and equality. It’s important that we commemorate how far we have come as a City and nation and that we continue to tell the story to the next generation so that they too know their history and value their heritage. Each year on these dates, we should both pause to remember and continue to forge the way for the leaders to come,” – Mayor William Bell.
This year’s Empowerment Week schedule will include:
- Thursday September 11, 2014: Day of Service 9:00 a.m. 9/11 Memorial and Tribute Linn Park Day of Service Around the City in conjunction with Hands on Birmingham (to sign up for a service project, visit handsonbirmingham.org)
- Friday September 12, 2014: Day of Reflection 50 Years Forward Speakers Series 9 a.m.-3 p.m. 16th Street Baptist Church
- Saturday September 13, 2014: Day of Restoration Diversity Fair and International Festival 10:00 a.m.-4:00 p.m. Linn Park Uptown Music Festival 5:00 p.m.Uptown Entertainment District
- Sunday September 14, 2014: Day of Reconciliation Diversity Fair / Gospel Festival 12:00 p.m.-6:00 p.m. Linn Park
- Monday September 15, 2014: Day of Commemoration The Historic 16th Street Baptist Church Bell will ring Church Bells Around the City and Country will all sound 10:22 a.m. (Central) followed by a moment of silence
These and other events will lead up to the City’s Freedom Forward: Human Rights Week 2014 that will culminate with the Dalai Lama’s visit to Birmingham. Programs and events will start on October 22 and run through October 26, 2014 with the Dalai Lama’s public address at Regions Field. More information and events will be released in the coming weeks. Visit birminghamhumanrights.com.
