16th Street Baptist Church opens visitor center on bombing anniversary

Birmingham’s 16th Street Baptist Church marked the 63rd anniversary of the 1963 Ku Klux Klan bombing that killed four girls: Addie Mae Collins, Cynthia Wesley, Carole Robertson and Denise McNair. Hundreds attended memorial events honoring the victims and reflecting on the attack’s enduring significance in the Civil Rights Movement; Sarah Collins Rudolph, McNair’s sister, survived but was severely injured. The commemoration included remarks from civil rights leaders, community officials and former prosecutor Doug Jones, who urged a renewed commitment to justice and equal rights. The church also opened a new Education and Visitor Center featuring oral histories and immersive exhibits intended to preserve firsthand accounts and challenge visitors to connect the history to present-day civic responsibilities.