The following is a

timeline A timeline is a list of events displayed 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 representing t ...

of the

history History is the systematic study of the past, focusing primarily on the Human history, human past. As an academic discipline, it analyses and interprets evidence to construct narratives about what happened and explain why it happened. Some t ...

of the city of

Birmingham Birmingham ( ) is a City status in the United Kingdom, city and metropolitan borough in the metropolitan county of West Midlands (county), West Midlands, within the wider West Midlands (region), West Midlands region, in England. It is the Lis ...

Alabama Alabama ( ) is a U.S. state, state in the Southeastern United States, Southeastern and Deep South, Deep Southern regions of the United States. It borders Tennessee to the north, Georgia (U.S. state), Georgia to the east, Florida and the Gu ...

, 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 Cholera () is an infection of the small intestine by some Strain (biology), strains of the Bacteria, bacterium ''Vibrio cholerae''. Symptoms may range from none, to mild, to severe. The classic symptom is large amounts of watery diarrhea last ...

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 Howard College is a Public college, public community college with its main campus in Big Spring, Texas. It also has branch campuses in San Angelo, Texas, San Angelo and Lamesa, Texas, Lamesa. History Howard County Junior College was establishe ...

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 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 is a set of humans or other organisms in a given region or area. Governments conduct a census to quantify the resident population size within a given jurisdiction. The term is also applied to non-human animals, microorganisms, and pl ...

: 38,415.

20th century

1900s-1950s

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

acquired by

United States Steel Corporation The United States Steel Corporation is an American steel company based in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. It maintains production facilities at several additional locations in the U.S. and Central Europe. The company produces and sells steel products, ...

. ** 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 -

: 132,685. * 1912 - John Hand Building constructed. * 1913 -

City Federal Building The City Federal Building (originally the Comer Building) is a skyscraper located on Second Avenue North in Birmingham, Alabama. It was built in 1913 and was designed by architect William C. Weston. It stands 27 stories or 325 feet on the Birmin ...

constructed. * 1916 ** October 18: 1916 Irondale earthquake. ** Robert E. Lee Klan No.1 formed. * 1917 - Civitan Club founded. * 1918 -

Birmingham–Southern College Birmingham–Southern College (BSC) was a private liberal arts college in Birmingham, Alabama. Founded in 1856, the college was affiliated with the United Methodist Church and was accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools (SA ...

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� ...

'' magazine headquartered in Birmingham. **

: 178,806. * 1922 - WAPI

radio Radio is the technology of communicating using radio waves. Radio waves are electromagnetic waves of frequency between 3 hertz (Hz) and 300 gigahertz (GHz). They are generated by an electronic device called a transmitter connec ...

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, United States. It was built in 1927 by Paramount Pictures, Paramount's Publix Theatres chain as its flagship theater for the Southeastern United States, southeastern region of the Un ...

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 2 ...

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

: 259,678. * 1933 - Mine, Mill and Smelter Workers Union active. * 1936 ** Local

Steel Workers Organizing Committee The Steel Workers Organizing Committee (SWOC) was one of two precursor 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 United Ste ...

formed. **

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

erected atop Red Mountain. * 1940 -

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

television Television (TV) is a telecommunication medium for transmitting moving images and sound. Additionally, the term can refer to a physical television set rather than the medium of transmission. Television is a mass medium for advertising, ...

) 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 zoo, 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 (A ...

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 th ...

headquartered in Birmingham. ** Alabama Symphony Orchestra active. * 1958 -

EBSCO Industries EBSCO Industries is an American company founded in 1944 by Elton Bryson Stephens Sr. and headquartered in Birmingham, Alabama. The "EBSCO" acronym is based on Elton Bryson Stephens Company. EBSCO Industries is a diverse company of over 40 bus ...

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

1960s-1990s

* 1960 ** Briarwood Presbyterian Church (later

megachurch A megachurch is a church with a very large membership that also offers a variety of educational and social activities. Most megachurches are Evangelical, although the term denotes a type of organization, not a denomination. A megachurch draws 2 ...

) 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 ...

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, civil and political rights, civil rights activist and political philosopher who was a leader of the civil rights move ...

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 w ...

''. ** 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 terrorist bombing of the 16th Street Baptist Church in Birmingham, Alabama on September 15, 1963. The bombing was committed by a white supremacist terrorist group. Four members of a local Ku Klux ...

. ** 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 ...

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 Alabama ...

'' magazine headquartered in Birmingham. * 1969 - Birmingham Terminal Station 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 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 le ...

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 inte ...

agreement established with

Hitachi () is a Japanese Multinational corporation, multinational Conglomerate (company), conglomerate founded in 1910 and headquartered in Chiyoda, Tokyo. The company is active in various industries, including digital systems, power and renewable ener ...

, Japan. * 1986 Shipt Tower From 20th

** 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 established. * 1993 **

Alabama Jazz Hall of Fame The Alabama Jazz Hall of Fame (AJHF) is an organization and museum in Birmingham, Alabama, United States. It was founded in 1978, and opened as museum on September 18, 1993, with a mission "to foster, encourage, educate, and cultivate a general ...

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 is a chamber of the bicameral United States Congress; it is the lower house, with the U.S. Senate being the upper house. Together, the House and Senate have the authority under Article One of th ...

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, Alabama, Birmingham, ...

. * 1995 - Sister city agreement established with

Székesfehérvár Székesfehérvár (; ; ; ; Serbian language, Serbian: ''Стони Београд''; ), known colloquially as Fehérvár (), is a city in central Hungary, and the country's ninth-largest city. It is the Regions of Hungary, regional capital of C ...

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

Anshan Anshan ( zh, s=鞍山, p=Ānshān, l=saddle mountain) 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' ...

, China. * 1997 - Sister city agreement established with

Gweru Gweru, originally known as Gwelo, is a city in central Zimbabwe. It is on the centre of Midlands Province. Originally an area known to the Ndebele as "The Steep Place" because of the Gweru River's high banks, in 1894 it became the site of a m ...

, Zimbabwe. * 1998 ** April 6–9, 1998 tornado outbreak. ** 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 ( ; ; ) is the Regions of Italy, regional capital of Campania and the third-largest city of Italy, after Rome and Milan, with a population of 908,082 within the city's administrative limits as of 2025, while its Metropolitan City of N ...

, Italy, and friendship city agreements with

Chaoyang District, Beijing Chaoyang District () is an urban list of administrative divisions of Beijing, district of Beijing. It borders the districts of Shunyi, Beijing, Shunyi to the northeast, Tongzhou, Beijing, Tongzhou to the east and southeast, Daxing, Beijing, Daxin ...

, 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 was ...

, Japan. * 1999 - Friendship city agreement established with

Krasnodon Krasnodon () or Sorokyne (; ) is a city in Dovzhansk Raion (district) of Luhansk Oblast in Ukraine. Residence of Sorokyne urban hromada. Its population is approximately Krasnodon came under control of pro-Russian separatists in early 2014, ...

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

21st century

* 2001 -

Church of the Highlands Church of the Highlands is a non-denominational evangelical Christian multi-site megachurch based in Birmingham, Alabama. It is the largest congregation in Alabama with an average of 60,000 attendees every week as of 2024. The senior pastor is ...

(

) founded. * 2003 - Sister city agreement established with

Vinnytsia Vinnytsia ( ; , ) is a city in west-central Ukraine, located on the banks of the Southern Bug. It serves as the administrative centre, administrative center of Vinnytsia Oblast. It is the largest city in the historic region of Podillia. It also s ...

, Ukraine. Cumberland School of Law Main Hall and Courtyard

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

Al-Karak Al-Karak (), in English sources often simply Karak, 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 ...

, Jordan;

Guédiawaye Guédiawaye is a city in the Guédiawaye Department of the Dakar Region of Senegal. Lying on the Atlantic Ocean to the northeast of Dakar city centre, in 2013 it had a population of 329,659. Until the mid-2000s, the département was part of P ...

, Senegal;

Plzeň Plzeň (), also known in English and German as Pilsen (), is a city in the Czech Republic. It is the Statutory city (Czech Republic), fourth most populous city in the Czech Republic with about 188,000 inhabitants. It is located about west of P ...

, Czech Republic; and

Rosh HaAyin Rosh HaAyin (; ) is a city in the Central District of Israel. It is located in the eastern ravine of the Sharon River, opposite the Samaria Mountains. The city is named after its location at the source of the Yarkon River (“Ras” meaning sou ...

, 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 . Winneba, traditionally known as ''Simpa'', is a historic fishing port in south Ghana, lying on the south coast, ...

, Ghana. * 2010 ** Alabama Symphony Youth Orchestra formed. ** William A. Bell becomes mayor. ** Population: 212,237. * 2011 -

Terri Sewell Terrycina Andrea "Terri" Sewell (; born January 1, 1965) is an American lawyer and politician. A member of the Democratic Party (United States), Democratic Party, she has served since 2011 as the United States House of Representatives, U.S. repre ...

becomes

for Alabama's 7th congressional district. * 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. List of countries by minimum wage, Most countries had introduced minimum wage legislation b ...

approved in city. ** Sister city agreement established with

Liverpool Liverpool is a port City status in the United Kingdom, city and metropolitan borough in Merseyside, England. It is situated on the eastern side of the River Mersey, Mersey Estuary, near the Irish Sea, north-west of London. With a population ...

, 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 o ...

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 ...

football team is formed * 2022 -

2022 World Games The 2022 World Games, commonly known as Birmingham 2022, 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 ...

were hosted. * 2024 - September 2024 Birmingham shooting: Four people are killed and seventeen others are injured during a

mass shooting A mass shooting is a violent crime in which one or more attackers use a firearm to Gun violence, kill or injure multiple individuals in rapid succession. There is no widely accepted specific definition, and different organizations tracking su ...

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 File:Samford University2.jpg, Bird's-eye view of Samford University campus

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