Timeline of Birmingham, Alabama facts for kids

The following is a timeline of the history of the city of Birmingham, Alabama, USA.

19th century

• 1871
  • Birmingham founded and incorporated.
  • Robert Henley becomes mayor.
• 1874
  • Birmingham becomes seat of Jefferson County.
  • First Colored Baptist Church founded.
  • Cholera epidemic.
  • Birmingham Iron Age newspaper in publication.
• 1880 - Population: 3,086.
• 1881 - Alabama Christian Advocate newspaper begins publication.
• 1882
  • Sloss Furnace begins operating.
  • O'Brien's Opera House opens.
• 1887 - Howard College active in East Lake.
• 1888 - Evening News and Birmingham Age-Herald newspapers in publication.
• 1890
  • Population: 26,178.
  • Labor Advocate newspaper begins publication.
• 1891 - Birmingham Commercial Club incorporated.
• 1893
  • Cathedral of Saint Paul built.
  • St. Mark's School opens.
• 1895
  • Tennessee Coal, Iron and Railroad Company headquarters relocated to Birmingham.
  • Birmingham Conservatory of Music established.
• 1896 - Spencer Business College established.
• 1900 - Population: 38,415.

20th century

1900s-1950s

• 1901 - March 25: Storm.
• 1907
  • Tennessee Coal, Iron and Railroad Company acquired by United States Steel Corporation.
  • Miles Memorial College active in nearby Fairfield.
• 1909
  • City expands to include Ensley, North Birmingham, Pratt City, Woodlawn.
  • Birmingham Terminal Station and Empire Building constructed.
• 1910 - Population: 132,685.
• 1912 - John Hand Building constructed.
• 1913 - City Federal Building constructed.
• 1916
  • October 18: 1916 Irondale earthquake.
  • Robert E. Lee Klan No.1 formed.
• 1917 - Civitan Club founded.
• 1918 - Birmingham–Southern College established.
• 1919 - Alabama Federation of Business and Professional Women's Clubs formed in Birmingham.
• 1920
  • Progressive Farmer magazine headquartered in Birmingham.
  • Population: 178,806.
• 1922 - WAPI radio begins broadcasting.
• 1923 - Traffic lights installed.
• 1924 - Avondale Sun newspaper begins publication.
• 1925 - WBRC radio begins broadcasting.
• 1927 - Alabama Theatre opens.
• 1928 - Exchange-Security Bank established.
• 1929 - Thomas Jefferson Hotel built.
• 1930
  • Southern Worker newspaper begins publication.
  • Population: 259,678.
• 1933 - Mine, Mill and Smelter Workers Union active.
• 1936
  • Local Steel Workers Organizing Committee formed.
  • Vulcan statue erected atop Red Mountain.
• 1940 - Population: 267,583.
• 1942 - Birmingham Historical Society founded.
• 1949 - WAPI-TV and WBRC-TV (television) begin broadcasting.
• 1950
  • Birmingham Post-Herald newspaper in publication.
  • Population: 326,037.
• 1955 - Birmingham Zoo established.
• 1956
  • Alabama Christian Movement for Human Rights headquartered in Birmingham.
  • Alabama Symphony Orchestra active.
• 1958 - EBSCO Industries in business.
• 1959 - West End Hills Missionary Baptist Church built.

1960s-1990s

• 1960
  • Briarwood Presbyterian Church (later megachurch) established.
  • Eastwood Mall in business.
  • Population: 340,887.
• 1961 - First Baptist Church, Kingston built.
• 1962 - Two North Twentieth built.
• 1963
  • April 3: Birmingham campaign for civil rights begins.
  • April 16: Martin Luther King Jr. writes his "Letter from Birmingham Jail", first published in June 1963 issues of Liberation, The Christian Century, and The New Leader.
  • May: Birmingham riot of 1963.
  • September 15: 16th Street Baptist Church bombing.
  • Birmingham Botanical Gardens open.
• 1965
  • Airport Drive-In cinema opens.
  • Southern Museum of Flight established.
• 1966 - Southern Living magazine headquartered in Birmingham.
• 1969 - Birmingham Terminal Station demolished.
• 1970
  • Daniel Building constructed.
  • Population: 300,910.
• 1971 - First Alabama Bancshares headquartered in city.
• 1972 - South Central Bell Building and First National-Southern Natural Building built.
• 1975 - Birmingham Vulcans football team formed.
• 1979 - Richard Arrington, Jr. becomes mayor.
• 1980 - Population: 284,413.
• 1982
  • Community Food Bank of Central Alabama and Bama 6 cinema open.
  • Sister city agreement established with Hitachi, Japan.
• 1986

South Trust Tower, built in 1986

• • South Trust Tower built.
  • Alabama Humanities Foundation headquartered in Birmingham.
• 1988 - AmSouth-Harbert Plaza (hi-rise) built.
• 1990
  • Birmingham Islamic Society formed.
  • Population: 265,968.
• 1992 - Birmingham Civil Rights Institute established.
• 1993
  • Alabama Jazz Hall of Fame opens.
  • Spencer Bachus becomes U.S. representative for Alabama's 6th congressional district.
• 1995 - Sister city agreement established with Székesfehérvár, Hungary.
• 1996
  • City website online (approximate date).
  • Sister city agreement established with Anshan, China.
• 1997 - Sister city agreement established with Gweru, Zimbabwe.
• 1998
  • April 6–9, 1998 tornado outbreak.
  • Establishment of sister city agreement with Pomigliano d'Arco, Naples, Italy, and friendship city agreements with Chaoyang District, Beijing, China, and Maebashi, Japan.
• 1999 - Friendship city agreement established with Krasnodon, Ukraine.
• 2000 - Population: 242,840.

21st century

• 2001 - Church of the Highlands (megachurch) founded.
• 2003 - Sister city agreement established with Vinnytsia, Ukraine.

Cumberland School of Law in 2006

• 2005
  • Birmingham Post-Herald newspaper ceases publication.
  • Locust Fork News-Journal begins publication.
  • Sister city agreements established with Al-Karak, Jordan; Guédiawaye, Senegal; Plzeň, Czech Republic; and Rosh HaAyin, Israel.
• 2009 - Sister city agreement established with Winneba, Ghana.
• 2010
  • Alabama Symphony Youth Orchestra formed.
  • William A. Bell becomes mayor.
  • Population: 212,237.
• 2011 - Terri Sewell becomes U.S. representative for Alabama's 7th congressional district.
• 2015
  • Minimum wage approved in city.
  • Sister city agreement established with Liverpool, England.
• 2017 - Randall Woodfin becomes mayor.
• 2020 - Population: 200,733.
• 2021 - Birmingham Stallions football team is formed
• 2022 - 2022 World Games were hosted.
• 2024 - September 2024 Birmingham shooting: Four people are killed and seventeen others are injured during a mass shooting.

Images for kids

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  Overview of Birmingham, 1907

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  Ensley, Birmingham, 1937

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  Overview of Birmingham, 1972

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  Southside, Birmingham, 2010

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  Bird's-eye view of Samford University campus