The Birmingham Civil Rights Institute signifies that Birmingham does not hide from its past.

It acknowledges that where once the city housed two people, Black and White, unknown to one another except through the painful thread of segregation, Birmingham now embraces its past, neither forgetting nor dwelling on it, but using it to foster understanding.

The Institute recognizes the redemptive importance of memory. It is both a time capsule, and a modern day think-tank focused on seeking equitable solutions to common problems. In some ways the Birmingham Civil Rights Institute functions as a town square where the community gathers to discuss common concerns. It is a place where yesterday’s struggles inspire a brighter tomorrow. It is a meeting ground for the makers of everyday history, and for those who write about the present.