City of Birmingham Announces 2014 Empowerment Week Schedule
The City of Birmingham today announced the schedule for this year’s Empowerment Week commemoration happening September 11-September 15, 2014. Last year’s 2013 Commemoration of the 50th anniversary of the bombing of the 16th Street Baptist Church that tragically killed the four little girls, brought record numbers of visitors to Birmingham’s historic Civil Rights Corridor. The City has continued its push to tell the story of the Civil Rights movement that changed the world and started in Birmingham, Alabama. The events in Birmingham during the 1960s impacted every major human rights movement around the world that followed.
“The people of this City fought and won major battles for Civil Rights and equality. It’s important that we commemorate how far we have come as a City and nation and that we continue to tell the story to the next generation so that they too know their history and value their heritage. Each year on these dates, we should both pause to remember and continue to forge the way for the leaders to come,” said Mayor Bell.
This year’s Empowerment Week schedule will include:
Thursday September 11, 2014:
Day of Service
Day of Service
9:00 a.m.
9/11 Memorial and Tribute
Linn Park
Day of Service Around the City in conjunction with Hands on Birmingham
(to sign up for a service project, visit handsonbirmingham.org)
Friday September 12, 2014:
Day of Reflection
50 Years Forward Speakers Series
9:00 a.m.-3:00 p.m.
16th Street Baptist Church
Day of Reflection
50 Years Forward Speakers Series
9:00 a.m.-3:00 p.m.
16th Street Baptist Church
Saturday September 13, 2014:
Day of Restoration
Diversity Fair and International Festival
10:00am-4:00pm
Linn Park
Day of Restoration
Diversity Fair and International Festival
10:00am-4:00pm
Linn Park
Uptown Music Festival
5:00pm
Uptown Entertainment District
5:00pm
Uptown Entertainment District
Sunday September 14, 2014:
Day of Reconciliation
Diversity Fair / Gospel Festival
12:00pm-6:00pm
Linn Park
Day of Reconciliation
Diversity Fair / Gospel Festival
12:00pm-6:00pm
Linn Park
Monday September 15, 2014:
Day of Commemoration
The Historic 16th Street Baptist Church Bell will ring
Church Bells Around the City and Country will all sound at 10:22 a.m. (Central) followed by a moment of silence
Day of Commemoration
The Historic 16th Street Baptist Church Bell will ring
Church Bells Around the City and Country will all sound at 10:22 a.m. (Central) followed by a moment of silence
This and other events will lead up to the City’s Freedom Forward: Human Rights Week 2014 that will culminate with the Dalai Lama’s visit to Birmingham. Programs and events will start on October 22 and run through October 26, 2014 with the Dalai Lama’s public address at Regions Field. More information and events will be released in the coming weeks. Visit birminghamhumanrights.com.
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