The following is a

timeline A timeline is a display of a list of events in chronological order. It is typically a graphic design showing a long bar labelled with dates paralleling it, and usually contemporaneous events. Timelines can use any suitable scale representi ...

of the

history History (derived ) is the systematic study and the documentation of the human activity. The time period of event before the History of writing#Inventions of writing, invention of writing systems is considered prehistory. "History" is an umbr ...

of the city of

Birmingham Birmingham ( ) is a city and metropolitan borough in the metropolitan county of West Midlands in England. It is the second-largest city in the United Kingdom with a population of 1.145 million in the city proper, 2.92 million in the West ...

Alabama (We dare defend our rights) , anthem = "Alabama (state song), Alabama" , image_map = Alabama in United States.svg , seat = Montgomery, Alabama, Montgomery , LargestCity = Huntsville, Alabama, Huntsville , LargestCounty = Baldwin County, Al ...

, 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. * 1874 - ''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 Howard College is a community college in the U.S. state of Texas with its main campus in Big Spring and branch campuses in San Angelo and Lamesa. History Howard County Junior College was established in Big Spring in 1945. 148 students be ...

active in East Lake. * 1888 - ''

Evening News Evening News may refer to: Television news *''CBS Evening News'', an American news broadcast *''ITV Evening News'', a UK news broadcast *'' JNN Evening News'', a Japanese news broadcast *''Evening News'', an alternate name for '' News Hour'' in so ...

'' and ''

Birmingham Age-Herald The ''Birmingham Post-Herald'' was a daily newspaper in Birmingham, Alabama, with roots dating back to 1850, before the founding of Birmingham. The final edition was published on September 23, 2005. In its last full year, its average daily circu ...

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 The Tennessee Coal, Iron and Railroad Company (1852–1952), also known as TCI and the Tennessee Company, was a major American steel manufacturer with interests in coal mining, coal and iron ore mining and railroad operations. Originally based en ...

headquarters relocated to Birmingham. ** Birmingham Conservatory of Music established. * 1896 - Spencer Business College established. * 1900 -

Population Population typically refers to the number of people in a single area, whether it be a city or town, region, country, continent, or the world. Governments typically quantify the size of the resident population within their jurisdiction using a ...

: 38,415.

20th century

1900s-1950s

* 1901 - March 25: Storm. * 1907 **

acquired by

United States Steel Corporation United States Steel Corporation, more commonly known as U.S. Steel, is an American integrated steel producer headquartered in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, with production operations primarily in the United States of America and in several countries ...

. **

Miles Memorial College Miles College is a private historically black college in Fairfield, Alabama. Founded in 1898, it is associated with the Christian Methodist Episcopal Church (CME Church) and a member of the United Negro College Fund. History Miles College be ...

active in nearby Fairfield. * 1909 ** City expands to include Ensley,

North Birmingham North Birmingham is a community of Birmingham in Jefferson County, Alabama, United States. Currently the North Birmingham community is further subdivided into six neighborhoods: Acipco-Finley, Collegeville, Fairmont, Harriman Park, Hooper City, ...

, Pratt City, Woodlawn. **

Birmingham Terminal Station The Birmingham Terminal Station (or simply Birmingham Terminal), completed in 1909, was the principal railway station for Birmingham, Alabama (United States) until the 1950s. It was demolished in 1969, and its loss still serves as a rallying ima ...

and Empire Building constructed. * 1910 -

: 132,685. * 1912 -

John Hand Building John Hand Building is a mixed-use high rise building in Birmingham, Alabama, USA, with a height of . It was the tallest building in the city until surpassed by the City Federal Building in 1913. It comprises 20 floors and was completed in 1912. '' ...

constructed. * 1913 - City Federal Building constructed. * 1916 ** October 18:

1916 Irondale earthquake Events Below, the events of the First World War have the "WWI" prefix. January * January 1 – The British Empire, British Royal Army Medical Corps carries out the first successful blood transfusion, using blood that had been stored ...

. ** Robert E. Lee Klan No.1 formed. * 1917 - Civitan Club founded. * 1918 -

Birmingham–Southern College Birmingham–Southern College (BSC) is a private college in Birmingham, Alabama. Founded in 1856, the college is affiliated with the United Methodist Church and is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools (SACS). More than 1 ...

established. * 1919 - Alabama Federation of Business and Professional Women's Clubs formed in Birmingham. * 1920 ** ''

Progressive Farmer ''Progressive Farmer'' is an agricultural magazine, published 14 times a year by DTN. The magazine is based in Birmingham, Alabama. History Founded in Winston, North Carolina, in 1886 by North Carolina native Leonidas Lafayette Polk (1837–18 ...

'' magazine headquartered in Birmingham. **

: 178,806. * 1922 - WAPI

radio Radio is the technology of signaling and communicating using radio waves. Radio waves are electromagnetic waves of frequency between 30 hertz (Hz) and 300 gigahertz (GHz). They are generated by an electronic device called a transmit ...

begins broadcasting. * 1923 - Traffic lights installed. * 1924 - ''Avondale Sun'' newspaper begins publication. * 1925 - WBRC radio begins broadcasting. * 1927 -

Alabama Theatre The Alabama Theatre is a movie palace in Birmingham, Alabama. It was built in 1927 by Paramount's Publix Theatre chain as its flagship theater for the southeastern region of the United States. Seating 2,500 people at the time, it was the larg ...

opens. * 1928 - Exchange-Security Bank established. * 1929 -

Thomas Jefferson Hotel Thomas Jefferson Tower, originally the Thomas Jefferson Hotel and then the Cabana Hotel, is a 19-story building on the western side of downtown Birmingham, Alabama. It was completed in 1929 as the 350-room Thomas Jefferson Hotel and is at 1623 2nd ...

built. * 1930 ** ''Southern Worker'' newspaper begins publication. **

: 259,678. * 1933 -

Mine, Mill and Smelter Workers Union The International Union of Mine, Mill and Smelter Workers (IUMMSW) was a labor union representing miners and workers in related occupations in the United States and Canada. The union played an important role in the protection of workers and in d ...

active. * 1936 ** Local

Steel Workers Organizing Committee The Steel Workers Organizing Committee (SWOC) was one of two precursor trade union, labor organizations to the United Steelworkers. It was formed by the CIO (Committee for Industrial Organization) on June 7, 1936. It disbanded in 1942 to become the ...

formed. **

Vulcan statue The ''Vulcan'' statue is the largest cast iron statue in the world, and is the city symbol of Birmingham, Alabama, reflecting its roots in the iron and steel industry. The tall statue depicts the Roman god Vulcan, god of the fire and forge, w ...

erected atop Red Mountain. * 1940 -

: 267,583. * 1942 - Birmingham Historical Society founded. * 1949 - WAPI-TV and WBRC-TV (

television Television, sometimes shortened to TV, is a telecommunication medium for transmitting moving images and sound. The term can refer to a television set, or the medium of television transmission. Television is a mass medium for advertisin ...

) begin broadcasting. * 1950 ** ''

Birmingham Post-Herald The ''Birmingham Post-Herald'' was a daily newspaper in Birmingham, Alabama, with roots dating back to 1850, before the founding of Birmingham. The final edition was published on September 23, 2005. In its last full year, its average daily circu ...

'' newspaper in publication. **

: 326,037. * 1955 -

Birmingham Zoo The Birmingham Zoo is a zoological park that opened in 1955 in Birmingham, Alabama, United States. The Birmingham Zoo is an independent, not for profit, 501(c)(3) organization, and is accredited by the Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA), p ...

established. * 1956 **

Alabama Christian Movement for Human Rights The Alabama Christian Movement for Human Rights (ACMHR) was an American civil rights organization in Birmingham, Alabama, which coordinated boycotts and sponsored federal lawsuits aimed at dismantling segregation in Birmingham and Alabama during the ...

headquartered in Birmingham. **

Alabama Symphony Orchestra The Alabama Symphony Orchestra is a major orchestra based in Birmingham, Alabama. The orchestra's resident and principal conductor is Christopher Confessore. The Orchestra was first formed in April 1921 but had to close because of financial issu ...

active. * 1958 -

EBSCO Industries EBSCO Industries is an American company founded in 1944 by Elton Bryson Stephens Sr. and headquartered in Birmingham, Alabama, Birmingham, Alabama. The ''EBSCO'' acronym is based on ''Elton Bryson Stephens Company''. EBSCO Industries is a diver ...

in business. * 1959 - West End Hills Missionary Baptist Church built.

1960s-1990s

* 1960 **

Briarwood Presbyterian Church Briarwood Presbyterian Church is a congregation of the Presbyterian Church in America located in suburban Birmingham, Alabama. History It was formed in 1960 by the Rev. Frank M. Barker, Jr. and has been a conservative evangelical Protestant cong ...

(later

megachurch A megachurch is a church with an unusually large membership that also offers a variety of educational and social activities, usually Protestant or Evangelical. The Hartford Institute for Religion Research defines a megachurch as any Protestant C ...

) established. ** Eastwood Mall in business. **

: 340,887. * 1961 - First Baptist Church, Kingston built. * 1962 - Two North Twentieth built. * 1963 ** April 3:

Birmingham campaign The Birmingham campaign, also known as the Birmingham movement or Birmingham confrontation, was an American movement organized in early 1963 by the Southern Christian Leadership Conference (SCLC) to bring attention to the integration efforts o ...

for civil rights begins. ** April 16:

Martin Luther King Jr. Martin Luther King Jr. (born Michael King Jr.; January 15, 1929 – April 4, 1968) was an American Baptist minister and activist, one of the most prominent leaders in the civil rights movement from 1955 until his assassination in 1968 ...

writes his "

Letter from Birmingham Jail The "Letter from Birmingham Jail", also known as the "Letter from Birmingham City Jail" and "The Negro Is Your Brother", is an open letter written on April 16, 1963, by Martin Luther King Jr. It says that people have a moral responsibility to b ...

", first published in June 1963 issues of ''

Liberation Liberation or liberate may refer to: Film and television * ''Liberation'' (film series), a 1970–1971 series about the Great Patriotic War * "Liberation" (''The Flash''), a TV episode * "Liberation" (''K-9''), an episode Gaming * '' Liberati ...

'', ''

The Christian Century ''The Christian Century'' is a Christian magazine based in Chicago, Illinois. Considered the flagship magazine of US mainline Protestantism, the monthly reports on religious news; comments on theological, moral, and cultural issues; and reviews ...

'', and ''

The New Leader ''The New Leader'' (1924–2010) was an American political and cultural magazine. History ''The New Leader'' began in 1924 under a group of figures associated with the Socialist Party of America, such as Eugene V. Debs and Norman Thomas. It was p ...

''. ** May:

Birmingham riot of 1963 The Birmingham riot of 1963 was a civil disorder and riot in Birmingham, Alabama, that was provoked by bombings on the night of May 11, 1963. The bombings targeted African-American leaders of the Birmingham campaign. In response, local Africa ...

. ** September 15:

16th Street Baptist Church bombing The 16th Street Baptist Church bombing was a white supremacist terrorist bombing of the 16th Street Baptist Church in Birmingham, Alabama, on Sunday, September 15, 1963. Four members of a local Ku Klux Klan chapter planted 19 sticks of dynam ...

. ** Birmingham Botanical Gardens open. * 1965 ** Airport Drive-In cinema opens. **

Southern Museum of Flight The Southern Museum of Flight is a civilian aviation museum Birmingham, Alabama. The facility features nearly 100 aircraft, as well as engines, models, artifacts, photographs, and paintings. In addition, the Southern Museum of Flight is home to ...

established. * 1966 - ''

Southern Living ''Southern Living'' is a lifestyle magazine aimed at readers in the Southern United States featuring recipes, house plans, garden plans, and information about Southern culture and travel. It is published by Birmingham, Alabama–based Southern Prog ...

'' magazine headquartered in Birmingham. * 1969 -

demolished. * 1970 **

Daniel Building The Daniel Building is a 20-story, 238 foot (86 m) office building located in downtown Birmingham, Alabama. Built in 1970, the building originally served as a regional office for the engineering and construction company Daniel International. It ...

constructed. **

: 300,910. * 1971 -

First Alabama Bancshares Regions Financial Corporation is a bank holding company headquartered in the Regions Center (Birmingham), Regions Center in Birmingham, Alabama. The company provides retail banking and commercial banking, trust, stockbrokerage, and mortgage se ...

headquartered in city. * 1972 - South Central Bell Building and First National-Southern Natural Building built. * 1975 -

Birmingham Vulcans The Birmingham Vulcans were a professional American football team located in Birmingham, Alabama. They were members of the five-team Eastern Division of the World Football League (WFL). The Vulcans, founded in March 1975, played in the upstart lea ...

football team formed. * 1979 - Richard Arrington, Jr. becomes mayor. * 1980 -

: 284,413. * 1982 ** Community Food Bank of Central Alabama and Bama 6 cinema open. **

Sister city A sister city or a twin town relationship is a form of legal or social agreement between two geographically and politically distinct localities for the purpose of promoting cultural and commercial ties. While there are early examples of inter ...

agreement established with

Hitachi () is a Japanese multinational corporation, multinational Conglomerate (company), conglomerate corporation headquartered in Chiyoda, Tokyo, Japan. It is the parent company of the Hitachi Group (''Hitachi Gurūpu'') and had formed part of the Ni ...

, Japan. * 1986 ** South Trust Tower built. ** Alabama Humanities Foundation headquartered in Birmingham. * 1988 - AmSouth-Harbert Plaza (hi-rise) built. * 1990 ** Birmingham Islamic Society formed. **

: 265,968. * 1992 -

Birmingham Civil Rights Institute Birmingham Civil Rights Institute is a large interpretive museum and research center in Birmingham, Alabama that depicts the struggles of the Civil Rights Movement in the 1950s and 1960s. The Institute is located in the Civil Rights District, whic ...

established. * 1993 **

Alabama Jazz Hall of Fame The Alabama Jazz Hall of Fame (AJHF) was founded in 1978, and opened a museum on September 18, 1993, with a mission "to foster, encourage, educate, and cultivate a general appreciation of the medium of jazz music as a legitimate, original and dis ...

opens. **

Spencer Bachus Spencer Thomas Bachus III (born December 28, 1947) is an American politician. He is a former U.S. Representative for the state of Alabama, serving from 1993 to 2015. A member of the Republican Party, he served as ranking member (2007–2011) an ...

becomes

U.S. representative The United States House of Representatives, often referred to as the House of Representatives, the U.S. House, or simply the House, is the lower chamber of the United States Congress, with the Senate being the upper chamber. Together they c ...

for

Alabama's 6th congressional district Alabama's 6th congressional district is a United States congressional district in Alabama that elects a representative to the United States House of Representatives. It is composed of the wealthier portions of Birmingham, nearly all of Jeffer ...

. * 1995 - Sister city agreement established with

Székesfehérvár Székesfehérvár (; german: Stuhlweißenburg ), known colloquially as Fehérvár ("white castle"), is a city in central Hungary, and the country's ninth-largest city. It is the regional capital of Central Transdanubia, and the centre of Fejér ...

, Hungary. * 1996 ** City website online (approximate date). ** Sister city agreement established with

Anshan Anshan () is an inland prefecture-level city in central-southeast Liaoning province, People's Republic of China, about south of the provincial capital Shenyang. As of the 2020 census, it was Liaoning's third most populous city with a population ...

, China. * 1997 - Sister city agreement established with

Gweru Gweru is a city in central Zimbabwe. Near the geographical centre of the country. It is on the centre of Midlands Province. Originally an area known to the Northern Ndebele people, Ndebele as "The Steep Place" because of the Gweru River's high ...

, Zimbabwe. * 1998 **

April 6–9, 1998 tornado outbreak April is the fourth month of the year in the Gregorian and Julian calendars. It is the first of four months to have a length of 30 days, and the second of five months to have a length of less than 31 days. April is commonly associated with ...

. ** Establishment of sister city agreement with

Pomigliano d'Arco Pomigliano d'Arco is a municipality in the Metropolitan City of Naples in Italy, located north of Mount Vesuvius. It is known for its industrial pole among the largest and most influential in southern Italy. In the industrial area there is, among ...

Naples Naples (; it, Napoli ; nap, Napule ), from grc, Νεάπολις, Neápolis, lit=new city. is the regional capital of Campania and the third-largest city of Italy, after Rome and Milan, with a population of 909,048 within the city's adminis ...

, Italy, and friendship city agreements with

Chaoyang District, Beijing Chaoyang District () is a core district of Beijing. It borders the districts of Shunyi to the northeast, Tongzhou to the east and southeast, Daxing to the south, Fengtai to the southwest, Dongcheng, Xicheng and Haidian to the west, and ...

, China, and

Maebashi is the capital city of Gunma Prefecture, in the northern Kantō region of Japan. , the city had an estimated population of 335,352 in 151,171 households, and a population density of 1100 persons per km2. The total area of the city is . It wa ...

, Japan. * 1999 - Friendship city agreement established with

Krasnodon Krasnodon (Ukrainian language, Ukrainian, Russian language, Russian: Краснодон) is a city in Luhansk Oblast (Oblast, region) of eastern Ukraine. It is incorporated as a city of regional significance (Ukraine), city of oblast significanc ...

, Ukraine. * 2000 - Population: 242,840.

21st century

* 2001 -

Church of the Highlands Church of the Highlands is a non-denominational, Christian multi-site megachurch headquartered in Birmingham, Alabama. It was the largest congregation in Alabama and the second largest church in the United States as of 2018 , with an average o ...

(

) founded. * 2003 - Sister city agreement established with

Vinnytsia Vinnytsia ( ; uk, Вінниця, ; yi, װיניצע) is a city in west-central Ukraine, located on the banks of the Southern Bug. It is the administrative center of Vinnytsia Oblast and the largest city in the historic region of Podillia. A ...

, Ukraine. * 2005 ** ''Birmingham Post-Herald'' newspaper ceases publication. ** ''Locust Fork News-Journal'' begins publication. ** Sister city agreements established with

Al-Karak Al-Karak ( ar, الكرك), is a city in Jordan known for its medieval castle, the Kerak Castle. The castle is one of the three largest castles in the region, the other two being in Syria. Al-Karak is the capital city of the Karak Governorate. ...

, Jordan;

Guédiawaye Guédiawaye is a town and ''département'' of the Dakar Region of Senegal. Lying on the Atlantic Ocean to the north east of Dakar city centre, in 2013 it had a population of 329,659. Until the mid-2000s, the département was part of Pikine. ...

, Senegal;

Plzeň Plzeň (; German and English: Pilsen, in German ) is a city in the Czech Republic. About west of Prague in western Bohemia, it is the Statutory city (Czech Republic), fourth most populous city in the Czech Republic with about 169,000 inhabita ...

, Czech Republic; and

Rosh HaAyin Rosh HaAyin ( he, רֹאשׁ הָעַיִן, lit="fountainhead", , ar, روش هاعين) is a city in the Central District of Israel. To the west of Rosh HaAyin is the fortress of Antipatris and the source of the Yarkon River. To the southeas ...

, Israel. * 2009 - Sister city agreement established with

Winneba Winneba is a town and the capital of Effutu Municipal District in Central Region of South Ghana. Winneba has a population of 55,331. Winneba, traditionally known as ''Simpa'', is a historic fishing port in south Ghana, lying on the south coa ...

, Ghana. * 2010 ** Alabama Symphony Youth Orchestra formed. **

William A. Bell William A. Bell Sr. (born June 1, 1949) is an American politician who served as the 33rd mayor of Birmingham, Alabama, from 2010 to 2017. He had previously held the office on an interim basis in 1999. Prior to that, he had served several term ...

becomes mayor. ** Population: 212,237. * 2011 -

Terri Sewell Terri is an alternative spelling of Terry. It is a common feminine given name and is also a diminutive for Teresa. Notable people with the name include: *Terri Allard (born 1962), American country/folk singer/songwriter *Terri S. Armstrong, Amer ...

becomes

for

Alabama's 7th congressional district Alabama's 7th congressional district is a United States congressional district in Alabama that elects a representative to the United States House of Representatives. The district encompasses Choctaw County, Alabama, Choctaw, Dallas County, Alab ...

. * 2015 **

Minimum wage A minimum wage is the lowest remuneration that employers can legally pay their employees—the price floor below which employees may not sell their labor. Most countries had introduced minimum wage legislation by the end of the 20th century. Bec ...

approved in city. ** Sister city agreement established with

Liverpool Liverpool is a city and metropolitan borough in Merseyside, England. With a population of in 2019, it is the 10th largest English district by population and its metropolitan area is the fifth largest in the United Kingdom, with a popul ...

, England. * 2017 -

Randall Woodfin Randall Woodfin (born May 29, 1981) is an American lawyer and politician who is the 34th and current mayor of Birmingham, Alabama, after winning the October 3, 2017, runoff against incumbent William A. Bell. He previously served as president of ...

becomes mayor. * 2020 - Population: 200,733. * 2021 -

Birmingham Stallions The Birmingham Stallions were a franchise in the United States Football League, an attempt to establish a second professional league of American football in the United States in competition with the National Football League. They played their h ...

football team is formed * 2022 -

2022 World Games The 2022 World Games were an international multi-sport event held from July 7 to 17, 2022, in Birmingham, Alabama, United States. They were the 11th World Games, a multi-sport event featuring disciplines of Olympic sports and other competitions ...

were hosted.

Images

File:Birmingham Alabama skyline 1907.jpg, Overview of Birmingham, 1907 File:Ensley, Alabama (February, 1937).jpg, Ensley, Birmingham, 1937 File:ALABAMA-BIRMINGHAM - NARA - 545382.jpg, Overview of Birmingham, 1972 File:Southside skyline in Birmingham, Alabama.jpg, Southside, Birmingham, 2010

References

Bibliography

Published in 19th century

* * * John W. DuBose, ed., The Mineral Wealth of Alabama and Birmingham (Birmingham, 1886) * * * Henry M. Caldwell, History of the Elyton Land Company and Birmingham, Ala. 1892.

Published in 20th century

* Code of City of Birmingham, Alabama. 1917. * * Cruikshank, A History of Birmingham and Its Environs (2 vols., Chicago, 1920) * * Harrison A. Trexler, "Birmingham's Struggle with Commission Government," National Municipal Review, XIV (November 1925) * George R. Leighton, "Birmingham, Alabama: The City of Perpetual Promise," Harper's Magazine, CLXXV (August 1937) * * Florence H. W. Moss, Building Birmingham and Jefferson County (Birmingham, Ala.: Birmingham Printing Company, 1947) * John C. Henley, Jr., This Is Birmingham: The Story of the Founding and Growth of an American City. 1960. * Paul B. Worthman, "Black Workers and Labor Unions in Birmingham, Alabama, 1897-1904," Labor History, 10 (Summer 1969) * Paul B. Worthman, "Working Class Mobility in Birmingham, Alabama, 1880-1914," in Anonymous Americans: Explorations in Nineteenth-Century Social History, ed. Tamara K. Hareven (Englewood Cliffs, 1971) * * McMillan, Malcolm C. Yesterday's Birmingham. Miami: E.A. Seeman Publishing, 1975. * * * Valley and the Hills: An Illustrated History of Birmingham and Jefferson County. 1981 * * 1991- * * * * * Lynne B. Feldman, A Sense of Place: Birmingham's Black Middle Class Community, 1890-1930 (Tuscaloosa, 1999)

Published in 21st century

* * *

External links

*
Items related to Birmingham
various dates (via

Digital Public Library of America The Digital Public Library of America (DPLA) is a US project aimed at providing public access to digital holdings in order to create a large-scale public digital library. It officially launched on April 18, 2013, after two and a half years of dev ...

) * {{Birmingham Landmarks Birmingham, Alabama-related lists

Years in Alabama