The capital of Alabama, Montgomery was an important setting in the American civil rights movement. Several key historic protests and boycotts took place here in the struggle for equality during the mid-20th century. Museums, libraries and memorials relating to the movement are scattered around the area.
Visit the Rosa Parks Library and Museum to learn about key events in the civil rights movement. Read about the pivotal moment when the African-American Rosa Parks refused to give up her seat on a bus to a white person in 1955. Study exhibits on the ensuing Montgomery Bus Boycott.
Add to your experience with a trip to the Dexter Parsonage Museum, visiting the house where Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. lived for six years. He is considered the most significant leader of the civil rights movement. Watch an informative video and tour the home to learn about Dr. King’s peaceful contributions to the battle for racial equality.
The Civil Rights Memorial Center represents the general tone of the modern city by paying tribute to the drive for equal rights and reminding visitors of the suffering of countless civil rights activists and bystanders. Read the plaques with inscribed names of the African-Americans who died during the struggle.
Modern Montgomery is also a hub of literature and the creative arts. Explore the F. Scott and Zelda Fitzgerald Museum to see the house where the famous literary couple lived. Enjoy a play in the gorgeous surroundings of the home of the Alabama Shakespeare Festival, which produces theater year-round.
Montgomery was named after Richard Montgomery, an Irish-born soldier who led a failed invasion of Canada in the 18th century. The region experiences hot and humid summers and mild winters.
While in the region, sample Alabama specialties, such as oysters, ribs and baked grits, a cheesy dish made from ground corn.
The nearest international transportation hub is Birmingham Airport, about 100 miles (161 kilometers) north of the city.Visit Montgomery to appreciate historic reminders of the fight for racial equality in the United States.