It was our first-class motel owned and operated by one of our people. —a local resident at the opening of the motel
Traveling throughout the South during the 1950s was hazardous for African Americans. There were precious few hotels and restaurants that opened their doors to minorities, and fewer still had accommodations above the bare minimum, to say nothing of the racism and violence that followed. But in Birmingham, Black entrepreneur and eventual millionaire A.G. Gaston created a first-class motel and lounge for African Americans that became a symbol of pride of his community. It served as the headquarters for Birmingham’s civil rights movement and became a revolving door for famous entertainers, activists, politicians and other pillars of the national Black community. Author Marie Sutton chronicles the fascinating story of the motel and how it became a refuge during a time when African Americans could find none.
The A.G. Gaston Motel in Birmingham
By Marie A. Sutton
ISBN: 978.1.62619.595.0
$19.99; 128 pp.
Available as an e-book
Available wherever books are sold
About the Author:
Marie A. Sutton is an award-winning freelance writer with a passion for immortalizing the African American experience. She has worked as a journalist, communications professor, radio talk show host and blogger. She is currently the director of student media at the University of Alabama at Birmingham. She lives in Birmingham, Alabama, with her devoted husband, James, and two beautiful children, Simone and Stephen.
