Birmingham Civil Rights Institute

What Birmingham Civil Rights Institute does

Birmingham Civil Rights Institute (BCRI) is a nonprofit cultural and educational research center founded in 1992 in Birmingham, Alabama, and physically located at 520 16th St N within the federally designated Birmingham Civil Rights National Monument. It operates a museum of permanent and rotating exhibits — including The Birmingham Campaign, A. G. Gaston, Men Of Change, Emmett Till & Mamie Till-Mobley: Let the World See, Race to Freedom, The Color of Baseball, Mothers of The Movement, Is This America?, and Courage Under Fire — and reports reaching up to 150,000 individuals annually through award-winning programs and services.

Its core technology is a WordPress-based public website (bcri.org) integrated with Blackbaud-hosted ticketing, Gravity Forms for event/outreach registration, Eventbrite for STEAM Saturday sign-ups, and Google/Outlook/iCal subscriptions for event calendars; an in-house Archives division with appointment-based researcher access; and a standalone Oral History Project site at bcriohp.org for digital storytelling. The institute holds Smithsonian Institution affiliation, American Alliance of Museums accreditation, National Medal for Museum and Library Service recognition, and membership in the International Coalition of Sites of Conscience.

BCRI generates revenue through a diversified mix: general admission ($15 adults / $13 college students, seniors, military), special-exhibit ticketing, recurring memberships granting free admission, paid Educational Outreach sessions ($1,000 presentation / $2,500 with activity / $4,000 workshop), signature-event galas ($250/ticket for the 30th Anniversary), donations and "Ways to Give" appeals, facility/space rentals, on-site bookstore sales, and traveling-exhibit rental licensing. It distributes through on-site visits, group bookings, online ticketing, a self-serve membership portal, volunteer recruitment, and B2B sales-led outreach to corporate and school clients. Deborah V. Bowie was appointed President & CEO on December 16, 2025.

Name

Birmingham Civil Rights Institute

Legal name

Birmingham Civil Rights Institute

Website

https://bcri.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1992

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Birmingham Civil Rights Institute is a 501(c)-style nonprofit cultural and educational research center in Birmingham, Alabama, founded in 1992. It operates a Smithsonian-affiliated museum of civil-rights exhibits, youth leadership and STREAM programs, paid educational outreach, an in-house archives, and a traveling-exhibit rental program serving up to 150,000 visitors annually.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Birmingham

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure, Supply Chain

Revenue model

1. General admission ticketing: Per-visitor ticket sales: $15 adults, $13 college students/seniors/military with valid ID; children in 3rd grade and below free; BCRI Members admitted free. Ticket sales end at 2:30pm on private-event days.
2. Special exhibit ticketing: Special-exhibit pricing (e.g., Race to Freedom $10 adults / $5 children, seniors, veterans, students; Emmett Till & Mamie Till-Mobley $15) for time-limited and touring exhibitions.
3. Memberships: Recurring membership program described as the foundation of BCRI's community of support; members receive free admission and additional benefits.
4. Educational Outreach services: Paid presentations and workshops sold to corporate, school, conference, and community audiences: $1,000 Presentation (60 min), $2,500 Presentation with Activity (90 min), $4,000 Workshops and Trainings (up to 4 hrs).
5. Event ticketing and galas: Ticketed signature events such as the 30th Anniversary Celebration ($250 per attendee) and fundraising galas recognizing The Shuttlesworth Human Rights Award.
6. Donations and fundraising: Donation appeals ("Help us keep the legacy alive"), volunteer recruitment, and Ways to Give options supporting general operations and youth program sponsorships (e.g., S.T.R.E.A.M.ers).
7. Facility rentals: Space rentals (e.g., Haven venue for anniversary gala) and on-premise venue hire for private and community events.
8. Bookstore and merchandise sales: On-site bookstore sales of curated titles such as "Black Titan: A.G. Gaston and the Making of a Black American Millionaire" by Carol Jenkins and "Three Mothers" by Anna Malaika Tubbs.
9. Traveling exhibit rentals: Rental of traveling exhibits (e.g., Courage Under Fire) to other institutions, coordinated through [email protected].

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels7 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

Birmingham Civil Rights Institute (BCRI) operates a museum and cultural/educational research center at 520 16th St N, Birmingham, AL, delivering permanent galleries and rotating special/traveling exhibits (e.g., Is This America?, A. G. Gaston, Men of Change, Emmett Till & Mamie Till-Mobley, Race to Freedom, Courage Under Fire). It layers on youth and educational programs (Legacy Youth Leadership Program, Community of S.T.R.E.A.M.ers, Educational Outreach), an in-house Archives and Oral History Project, a Membership program, Facility Rentals, signature community events (Juneteenth Jubilee), and a Bookstore.

Product overview

Birmingham Civil Rights Institute (BCRI) operates as a cultural and educational research center rather than a single SaaS product, delivering its offerings through an integrated portfolio of on-site experiences, programs, and digital touchpoints. The core offering is the BCRI museum experience at 520 16th St N, Birmingham, AL, comprising permanent galleries and rotating/traveling exhibits (e.g., Is This America?, A. G. Gaston: The Man and His Legacy, Men Of Change, The Birmingham Campaign, Courage Under Fire, Race to Freedom). Layered onto the museum are youth and educational programs (Legacy Youth Leadership Program (LYLP), Community of S.T.R.E.A.M.ers, Educational Outreach, the Oral History Project), the BCRI Archives, the annual Juneteenth Jubilee, and ancillary services (BCRI bookstore, Facility/Space Rentals, Membership, Volunteer program). Ticketing and event registration are delivered through hosted third-party platforms (Blackbaud, Eventbrite, Acme Ticketing) while the WordPress-based bcri.org site provides event calendars, online forms, and donation/membership flows.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Legacy Youth Leadership Program (LYLP): A transformative high school leadership program based on Birmingham's civil rights legacy, in which students train as youth docents guiding tours of BCRI galleries and Kelly Ingram Park. Operating since 2007.
• Community of S.T.R.E.A.M.ers

Products and services

• BCRI Museum Experience (Galleries & Permanent Exhibits) The core BCRI offering located at 520 16th St N, Birmingham, AL 35203, comprising permanent galleries and rotating exhibits (Is This America?, A. G. Gaston: The Man and His Legacy, The Birmingham Campaign, Men Of Change, Emmett Till & Mamie Till-Mobley: Let the World See, Race to Freedom, Courage Under Fire, The Color of Baseball, Mothers of The Movement, Miss Representation). Visitor admission is $15 adults, $13 college students/seniors/military with valid ID; free for BCRI Members and children in 3rd grade and below.
• Traveling Exhibits Rental-ready touring exhibits such as Courage Under Fire (65th Anniversary of the Anniston Bus Bombing) that BCRI makes available to other museums and institutions; rental inquiries handled via [email protected].
• Legacy Youth Leadership Program (LYLP) A transformative high school leadership program built on Birmingham's civil rights legacy. Participants train as youth docents leading tours of BCRI galleries and Kelly Ingram Park; alumni return as mentors, volunteers, and peer educators. Operates annually since 2007.
• Community of S.T.R.E.A.M.ers A dynamic, culture-centered monthly Saturday workshop for middle school students connecting creativity, technology, and real-world skills through STREAM (Science, Technology, Reading, Engineering, Arts, Mathematics). Monthly academic focus with hands-on activities delivered with local partners; offered January–April and September–December.
• Educational Outreach BCRI's fee-based outreach sessions facilitated by historians and educators covering topics including Profiles (Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., A.G. Gaston, Rev. Fred Shuttlesworth), Milestones (the Children's Crusade, the 1963 Birmingham Campaign, Black History Month, Juneteenth), and Movements (the Civil Rights Movement, Voting Rights History). Offered as 60-minute Presentations ($1,000+), 90-minute Presentations with Activity ($2,500), and up-to-4-hour Workshops and Trainings ($4,000).
• BCRI Archives Archival collection of periodicals, records, documents, and artwork of historical significance relating to the civil rights struggle of the 1950s and 1960s in Birmingham and the United States, plus the global human rights movement. Provides in-person research by appointment with an "Ask An Archivist" request form; Lindsey Pike is the contact at [email protected].
• Oral History Project BCRI's standalone oral history initiative documenting personal testimonies related to the civil rights movement, with a public-facing gallery at bcriohp.org.
• Membership Program Annual membership program granting free gallery admission, member-only ticket access, and other benefits; described by BCRI as the foundation of its community of support.
• Facility Rentals / Space Rentals Rental of BCRI event spaces for private events and gatherings.
• Juneteenth Jubilee Annual Juneteenth celebration in Birmingham's Civil Rights District offering free access to heritage sites plus a block party with food, music, and family activities; partners include the National Park Service, which runs free guided tours of the Birmingham Civil Rights National Monument.
• Emmett Till & Mamie Till-Mobley: Let the World See (touring exhibit) Immersive touring exhibit covering Emmett Till's 1955 murder and Mamie Till-Mobley's activism, with quotes, first-hand accounts, historic photos, videos, and interactives; recommended for ages 10+. BCRI displayed the exhibit from November 19, 2022 - January 16, 2023.
• Men Of Change: Power. Truth. Triumph Smithsonian SITES exhibit made possible by the Ford Motor Company Fund, profiling revolutionary African American men. Fine arts portion shown in BCRI's Odessa Woolfolk Gallery with core content at Birmingham Public Library Central Branch.
• Race to Freedom: African Americans in Sports & The Marathon for Progress Interactive special exhibit on African Americans in sports and the marathon for progress, opened in conjunction with The World Games and combined with on-site Microsoft STEAM Saturdays programming for K-12 students.
• The Color of Baseball Exhibit Photography exhibit by Bill Chapman featuring former Negro League players at Rickwood Field, displayed in the Odessa Woolfolk Gallery.
• Mothers of The Movement Special weekend installation exploring mothers' roles in the Civil Rights Movement, paired with a decorative vignette for photos and floral gifts for visiting mothers.
• A. G. Gaston: The Man and His Legacy (permanent exhibit) Permanent exhibit honoring African American businessman and multimillionaire A. G. Gaston, framing his legacy as inspiration for emergent entrepreneurs and business leaders.
• Is This America? Exhibit New limited-time exhibition in the Odessa Woolfolk Gallery curated by Birmingham-based artist/curator and Studio 2500 founder Willie Williams, inviting reflection on the U.S. at its 250th anniversary; on view June 12 - July 18, 2026 with opening reception featuring spoken word and music performances.
• Miss Representation Exhibit Expansion Exhibit expansion examining the misrepresentation and underrepresentation of women—especially Black women—across history, media, education, and public memory.
• (The) Victors Write the Algorithm Exhibit Exhibit exploring propaganda, media, and technology, paired with the State of the Algorithm discussion and roundtable featuring journalists and a UAB anthropologist.
• BCRI 30th Anniversary Celebration Week of special events and gala celebrating the 30th anniversary of BCRI's 1992 opening, presented in part by Regions and Alabama Power, featuring a Lalah Hathaway performance and the Shuttlesworth Human Rights Award recognition.
• BCRI Bookstore On-site bookstore offering curated titles tied to exhibits and programs, including Black Titan: A.G. Gaston and the Making of a Black American Millionaire by Carol Jenkins and Three Mothers by Anna Malaika Tubbs.

Named customers3 records

Segments8 records

Ideal customer profiles6 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration7 records

Feature4 records

Partnerships

23 partnerships are on record, tiered flagship, core and minor.

• Smithsonian InstitutionflagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerBCRI is a Smithsonian Institution affiliate and lists Smithsonian among its recognized affiliations. The Smithsonian Institution Traveling Exhibition Service (SITES) developed Men of Change: Power. Truth. Triumph. and brings Smithsonian collection/programming access to BCRI.
• U.S. National Park Service (NPS)flagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerBCRI is part of the Birmingham Civil Rights National Monument; NPS co-hosts and leads free guided monument tours as part of Juneteenth Jubilee 2026 (1:00 PM and 2:00 PM), with tours beginning at the BCRI Commons.
• Birmingham Public Library Central BranchcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnered to host Men of Change: Power. Truth. Triumph. across two venues — fine arts in the Odessa Woolfolk Gallery at BCRI and core content at the Birmingham Public Library (2100 Park Place). Free entry via BCRI wristband.
• MicrosoftcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCo-developed the Race to Freedom exhibit (African Americans in Sports & The Marathon for Progress) and presents STEAM Saturdays at BCRI to enhance STEM/STEAM literacy for elementary, middle, and high school students during The World Games.
• The Southern Center for Broadening ParticipationcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCo-developed the Race to Freedom exhibit and presents STEAM Saturdays at BCRI alongside Microsoft to attract K-12 students and increase STEAM literacy.
• Alabama Sports Hall of FamecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCo-presented Race to Freedom: African Americans in Sports & The Marathon for Progress as an interactive exhibit during The World Games.
• NASCARcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnered on Race to Freedom: African Americans in Sports & The Marathon for Progress during The World Games.
• HondacoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnered on Race to Freedom: African Americans in Sports & The Marathon for Progress during The World Games.
• Southern Custom ExhibitscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCustom-exhibit partner for Race to Freedom: African Americans in Sports & The Marathon for Progress during The World Games.
• Emmett Till and Mamie Till-Mobley InstituteflagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerCo-creator of the Emmett Till & Mamie Till-Mobley: Let the World See touring exhibit at BCRI (Nov 19, 2022 – Jan 8/16, 2023), developed with the Till family, Emmett Till Interpretive Center, and The Children's Museum of Indianapolis.
• Emmett Till Interpretive CenterflagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerCo-creator of the Emmett Till & Mamie Till-Mobley: Let the World See touring exhibit at BCRI (Nov 19, 2022 – Jan 8/16, 2023).
• The Children's Museum of IndianapolisflagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerCo-creator of the Emmett Till & Mamie Till-Mobley: Let the World See touring exhibit at BCRI, traveling across the country with a vandalized roadside sign marking Emmett Till's murder.
• The Till familyflagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerCo-steward of the Emmett Till & Mamie Till-Mobley: Let the World See touring exhibit at BCRI.
• University of Alabama Center for Economic DevelopmentminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaboration partner supporting The Color of Baseball photography exhibit by Bill Chapman, displayed in the Odessa Woolfolk Gallery.
• Negro League Baseball Museum (Kansas City, MO)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaboration partner supporting The Color of Baseball photography exhibit by Bill Chapman at BCRI.
• Society for American Baseball ResearchminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaboration partner supporting The Color of Baseball photography exhibit by Bill Chapman at BCRI.
• Alabama Public TelevisionminorGTM or Marketing PartnerMedia partner supporting The Color of Baseball photography exhibit by Bill Chapman at BCRI.
• Friends of RickwoodminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaboration partner supporting The Color of Baseball photography exhibit by Bill Chapman at BCRI.
• FedExminorGTM or Marketing PartnerFedEx Partners provided greetings at the 2023 King Day celebration alongside BCRI Leadership and the Mayor of Birmingham.
• Birmingham Jewish FederationminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCo-presented "Anne and Emmett," a one-act play staged at the Birmingham Museum of Art during BCRI's 30th Anniversary week.
• Alabama Holocaust Education CenterminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCo-presented "Anne and Emmett," a one-act play at the Birmingham Museum of Art during BCRI's 30th Anniversary week.
• American Alliance of Museums (AAM)coreOthersAccrediting body for BCRI; AAM logo appears among BCRI's affiliates section.
• International Coalition of Sites of ConscienceOthers

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• National Civil Rights Museum (at the Lorraine Motel): Memphis-based museum located at the Lorraine Motel (site of MLK Jr.'s assassination), focused on the American civil rights movement. Direct peer to BCRI: both interpret the civil rights story through immersive exhibits at NPS-affiliated or landmark sites, with comparable mission, audience, and educational programming.
• Negro League Baseball Museum: Kansas City museum dedicated to the history of Negro League baseball. BCRI partnered with it on The Color of Baseball photography exhibit, making them directly comparable in cultural-heritage museum programming around Black history.
• Mississippi Civil Rights Museum: Mississippi state museum sharing the American civil rights story through immersive exhibits. Directly comparable to BCRI in subject matter, exhibit-driven visitor model, and role as a regional civil rights interpreter.
• Center for Civil and Human Rights: Atlanta-based museum and cultural institution dedicated to civil and human rights storytelling. Directly comparable to BCRI in mission, visitor experience model, and audience, and is one of the closest geographic and thematic peers in the U.S. civil rights museum space.
• The Legacy Museum / National Memorial for Peace and Justice: EJI-operated civil rights museum and memorial in Montgomery, Alabama. Directly comparable to BCRI in mission, location (Alabama), and immersive interpretation of the civil rights era; located in the same state.

Regional players

• Rosa Parks Museum: Troy University-operated museum in Montgomery, Alabama, honoring Rosa Parks. Comparable to BCRI in regional civil rights storytelling and educational mission, though smaller in scope and visit scale.
• International Slavery Museum: Liverpool, UK museum examining transatlantic slavery and its legacy. Operates in a parallel 'Sites of Conscience' interpretive tradition; comparable to BCRI as a member of the International Coalition of Sites of Conscience but based outside the U.S.

Broad incumbents

• National Museum of African American History and Culture (Smithsonian): Smithsonian's flagship African American history museum on the National Mall. BCRI is a Smithsonian affiliate, and the two institutions collaborate via SITES on traveling exhibits (e.g., Men of Change); comparable in subject matter but vastly larger scale and national reach.
• Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture (NYPL): New York Public Library research center dedicated to Black culture, history, and the African diaspora. Comparable to BCRI's archives and research mission, with a much larger collections footprint and global researcher base.

Others

• Museum of the American Revolution: Philadelphia-based history museum. Thematically adjacent to BCRI as a U.S. history/civic narrative institution with comparable programmatic structure (rotating exhibits, educational outreach, traveling exhibits), though not a direct civil rights peer.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/bhamcivilrights
• Facebookfacebook.com/bhamcivilrights
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/birmingham-civil-rights-institute

Compliance6 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles26 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about Birmingham Civil Rights Institute