Birmingham has a rich Civil Rights History, and this park was right in the middle of some of its darkest days. The Freedom Trail runs through the park and tells some of its history. I highly recommend walking it to learn more. The statues tell their own story so make sure to read about them as well. I've attended many events here over the years, so I'm surprised I'm just now leaving this review. I guess better late than never! read more

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It was nice to take a walk at the park and learn about some of the local history. Unfortunately, a lot of the placards were damaged and it was hard to read them. read more

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Kelly Ingram Park is both a historic and important park in Birmingham, Alabama. It is just across the street from the church with the bombing that killed the young girls and focuses on the fight for civil rights in the 1960's. If you are in the Birmingham, Alabama area, I would definitely recommend a visit to Kelly Ingram Park. read more

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Kelly Ingram is a simply stunning, informative and amazing visual park located in downtown Birmingham Alabama. My family and I are on a trip from Louisville to Destin for a family vacation. We stopped in Birmingham for the night to checked out the city and one of the top things I wanted my daughters to learn about was some of the civil rights breakthroughs and events that occurred at the ground floor of This very park. While the statues and sculptures paint an sad bot so distant lesson in American history they are beautifully and creatively done. The grounds are also very pretty and it is a very nice and easy walk to make. There are some panhandlers there. The ones we came across all seemed very nice and pretty much act as a tour guide for the park. They will come up and tell you the history. They were very informative and from everything I've looked up they were factual too. Of course at the end they will ask if you can spare a dime and give you there reason why. But they are much nicer and informative then the panhandlers we get back home. They just look at you crazy and act Erratically. Overall I'm so glad I got to come here an witness this and show my daughters some of the things that happened here. Why it is horrible and sad and they felt that. It's important to me that they know the struggles of others and that having a kind and open heart is a better way of dealing with things. read more

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This park is a must see but be prepared to get emotional...so much took place here..the church bombing..the little girls being killed..the protests..mlk being jailed here... everything is still here..its eerie... and youre standing right where it happened..the statues in the park are beyond powerful.. they'll make you stop right in your tracks and think about how awful it was back then..but at the same time show you how strong courageous and determined everyone in the civil rights movement was. The town itself when I went anyways..was very quiet on a tuesday afternoon..the park has lots of historical information as you walk around it.. And I didn't see any homeless people..not when I went.. read more

The park itself is very good. I am so glad I went. It's a touristy place. I guess locals sit there a bit around it, and tourists walk the whole thing and see all the statues and trees. There is a self-guided phone tour you can take. The placards tell stories, and you can also dial in and press numbers that correspond with what statue you're looking at. And the phone will read the placards to you. I would have done that, but 2 different people approached me while I was there, and gave me a tour I hadn't asked for ... There were 2 men here who were nice and self-appointed tour guides. The one told me about "the 5th girl" who lost her eyes. And she lives in the senior home right next to the park. Then he asked me for money. I gave him $2. The other one walked me to the grave site. Showed me the black marks on the church. Told me all the windows in the church were blown out except the one with Jesus in it. Walked me back to the statue of the 4 girls. A whyte guy in a pickup truck tried to run us over as we crossed the street. I am not joking. It was intimidating and scary. The man then took off his shoe and showed me mangled toes and his big toe's nail sitting vertically on his foot instead of properly, horizontal. He told me one guy in a pickup truck drove over his foot last week. I believe him. I was HORRIFIED. Then he told me about the boys who were caught in the bombing too. Named them, showed me their pictures. It was a LOT of information in a short amount of time. I couldn't take it all in, and I wasn't prepared with a pen and notebook to take notes. He also told me that his mom had been shot right there, on the corner by the statue of the 4 girls. She was walking home from work 2 years ago and was mugged and shot and killed. He stays in the park now. Pan handles for money, asking for money to stay in a hotel. All I had in my wallet was a $20 and I gave it to him. I was now completely cleaned out of cash. He told me "they call me the 'street professor.'" He walked me all the way back to my car. I was a little nervous about that. But when we got there, I said "this is where I say 'goodbye,' and he thanked me and sat on the curb then, with his back to me, letting me exit gracefully. I was glad. He was polite , considerate , thoughtful. read more

This park across from the famous 16th Street Baptist Church and a museum houses an intriguing array of sculptures tied to the relevant historic events surrounding the Civil Rights Movement. Multiple tour groups appeared to be using it as a staging ground. Besides the attractions, it is surrounded by reminders that all is yet not well in the world, and notably the playground attached to the park was not in great condition. I ended up not having time to do any tours, but it was an interesting site to visit and I may yet return for the museum. read more

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A must visit. This freedom walk is an emotional one. The sculptures and monuments are truly moving. They are made to be interactive and feel a part. Please make sure to take a walk through. There is also a way to listen to a self guided but narrated tour. Also across the street is the 16th street baptist church, be sure to reflect here and pay respects to the four innocent young ladies who were victims of white American terrorist violence. There is a museum just across from the church, I was unable to stop by but will if ever I am in town again. read more

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This is a nice park that is packed with history. It is named after Osmond Kelly Ingram, the first American sailor killed in action during World War I while aboard the USS Cassin". It is located across from the Civil Rights Museum and catacorner to the 16th Street Baptist Church, the site of the infamous 1963 bombing that killed 4 little girls. It is also right off of the Civil Rights Trail. This park served as the host to many civil rights protests in the 60s. There is metered parking on the adjacent street surrounding the park. You may come across a homeless person that wants to give you a tour and explain some things to you (for a tip afterwards). I learned a lot from the guy that began chatting with me. The Civil Rights Institute also provides audio-tour guides, via your cell phone, for the park. The park has a fountain located in its center, but i visited during the winter so it was not working. The park is packed with statues, most of which depict iconic scenes from the fight for civil rights. They have commemorative statues of Dr. Martin Luther King and Reverend Fred Shuttlesworth. It also has a limestone sculpture named the 3 ministers, the Four Spirits sculpture, a memorial to the little girls that lost their lives in the 16th Street Church bombing, the "foot soldiers" (a activist being attacked by a police dog) (my favorite by the way), a circular Freedom Walk, Water Cannons sculpture, German Shepards sculpture, and the Jailed Children (Children's March) statue. There are also benches that you can sit and reflect and engraved marble memorials paying homage to civil rights activist Pauline Fletcher, Carrie A. Tuggle, Ruth Jackson, Arthur Shores, Julius Ellsberry. Most of the statues have signs near them explaining what is going on and as I mentioned, there is also an audio tour segment available, for most respective monuments, that you can pull up on your phone I loved, loved, loved this park and all that it stands for. I could spend a half a day there. It is full of wonderful art depicting the fight for civil rights, has a marvelous history and tastefully and respectfully pays tribute to civil rights trailblazers. This is a must see and the center of what I am calling Birminghams civil rights triangle (includes the civil rights museum and the 16th Street Baptist Church). read more

A lovely park to walk around with beautiful statues and monuments representing leaders who helped turn Birmingham around and the four little girls who lost their lives and the 16th St. bombing. read more

Kelly Ingram Park - Parks Near Me - Birmingham, Alabama

The story of Kelly Ingram is one of valor and camaraderie, but it does not relate to the civil rights movement at all. It is time to rename this park! There are many sculptures sprinkled through the park, and these tell the story of the fight for equality. This park needs a tour on its own to be familiar with the works of art that abound. This park is also the beginning of a walking tour called "the freedom trail". I highly suggest this walking tour, one of many offered by the plaques that stand in the downtown area of Birmingham. read more

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What a great way to educate yourselves freely outdoors while viewing these intimidating sculptures as a remembrance of what has happened to our Brothers and Sisters who've fought and died for our rights. Note: Please be aware of homeless men around the area who will try to educate you on each sculpture as they bribe you for money afterwards. read more

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In Kelly Ingram Park you'll find a very nicely representative collection of statues and sculptures that depict scenes from the Civil Rights era during the 1960s. Two statues in particular stand out in my memory - one which depicts African Americans being assaulted by police with firehoses and attacked by dogs, and another showing how small children were thrown in jail. Seeing these and many others makes visiting here totally worth the time. Kelly Ingram Park is situated across the street from the Civil Rights Museum. read more

This is such a cool park. I loved the walking tour to go along with the statues. I really learned a lot.

If your visit the 16th Street Baptist Church or the Birmingham Civil Rights Institute you should walk through the park. It's a free history lesson with a lot of value. Learned about Kelly Ingram, the civil rights movement and viewing the statues was a lesson in itself. Avoid anyone trying to be your tour guide you can simply go at your own pace and learn a lot in this park. It's free and powerful! read more

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This isn't your average park. Every nook and cranny is chock full of Civil Rights and Birmingham history ranging from the bombing of the 16th Street Baptist Church across the street to the many demonstrations that took place here throughout the 60s. As you weave your way through the park you'll find moving sculptures displaying police brutality, inequality and the long fight to end segregation in Alabama. A large portion of the monuments represent the youth stories involved in the Civil Rights movement. On one corner you'll find a statue of Martin Luther King with a collection of rose bushes from Coretta Scott King's garden. The park is free and certainly a Birmingham must-see. It will take you no more than an hour to explore and parking was especially easy (and free) during our Sunday afternoon visit. The variety of foliage colors in the fall is hard to bear! Make certain you run across the street for the history on the church. read more

This is a memorial park to remember Dr. King famous message across the street at Sixteen Street Baptist Church. It display the civil rights movement during that period of time. The park has many bronze statues. It is well organized in the city of Birmingham. It statue represent the incident of the civil rights hard fought condition. You can observe it in the circle of the walk. The are flower and autumn tree planted in the park. During the foliage, the leave change colors and this park is beautiful. During the weekend, the street parking is free. There many people visit here due the historic baptist church, civil rights museum and this park. The only downside is too many homeless lay down on the park bench. The city need to have the rescue mission able to host this people. I pray the have a place to go when winter approaches. read more

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It is across the street from 16th street Baptist Church and the civil rights institute and a beautiful tribute to the lives involuntarily sacrificed in the pursuit of civil rights. The park and the museum and the church really highlight the efforts of young people and the government's role in harassing and terrorizing and violating the rights of its citizens. Bull Connor was real. FBI cover ups-real. Kkk members who were police officers and government officials was common. History must be acknowledged and honored read more

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Do not visit this park unprepared. Pay attention to the trees and the nature that was present in those time. The fountain is not on right mix and it makes you think of how these spaces are sometimes not cared for. The history here is hard. It's grueling. It's truth. Visit this park, memorial, and place of remembrance. read more

Please visit and reflect on the recent history of this city, state, and region. This park is set in the heart of the civil rights district, at the location of the Children's March (see Teaching Tolerance documentary). Across the street, you can see the 16th Street Baptist Church, civil rights institute, a couple black owned cafe's. As you walk through this park, the main features include well-designed sculptures: four little girls, police and German Shepherds, waterhose, symbolism​ of jail house, and the pastors. The perimeter of the park provides direction to various routes on the civil rights March throughout the city. read more

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I was in town for a few short hours from Nashville and wanted to stop by the Civil Rights museum as well as 16th Street Baptist Church to learn about the history of the area. As I was reading reviews on the church, I kept seeing mentions of a cool park across the street from the church. So I decided to take a stroll and check it out since it looked small and interesting. The park gives some history with words, statues, and a history walking path. It was great to see some of these real events come to life and history in a place where all of these pivotal events happened. I felt safe walking around and there was plenty of parking outside of the park on the street. I would highly recommend, as it only takes about a half hour to see everything. read more

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We visited Kelly Ingram Park after seeing the Civil Rights Museum. I think this order was helpful to ensure you understood who some of the sculptures or memorials were for. Walking around was just eery. It really gets you into the history. The sculptures really draw you in and evoke feelings of the past and present. It's a beautiful park but needs some TLC. The fountain in the center has leaks and hasn't been cleaned in a long time. The signs for different city walks are peeling or faded. I hope the city puts some time into it because this park should never fade away. read more

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Saturday, March 8th, Tony and I was urban hiking in Birmingham and we visited Kelly Ingram Park across the street from the Civil Rights Institute and 16th Street Baptist Church. Formerly West Park and home to so much violence during the Civil Rights movement and so full of HISTORY..a must visit when you are in Birmingham Alabama..so much INJUSTICE IN THE WORLD...Kelly Ingram Park, formerly West Park,[2] is a four acre (16,000 m²) park located in Birmingham, Alabama. It is bounded by 16th and 17th Streets and 5th and 6th Avenues North in the Birmingham Civil Rights District. The park, just outside the doors of the 16th Street Baptist Church, served as a central staging ground for large-scale demonstrations during the American Civil Rights Movement of the 1960s. Reverends Martin Luther King, Jr., James Bevel, and Fred Shuttlesworth of the Southern Christian Leadership Conference directed the organized boycotts and protests of 1963 which centered on Kelly Ingram Park.[3] It was here, during the first week of May 1963, that Birmingham police and firemen, under orders from Public Safety Commissioner Eugene "Bull" Connor, confronted demonstrators, many of them children and high school students, first with mass arrests and then with police dogs and firehoses. Images from those confrontations, broadcast nationwide, spurred a public outcry which turned the nation's attention to the struggle for racial equality. The demonstrations in Birmingham brought city leaders to agree to an end of public segregation and helped to ensure the passage of the Civil Rights Act of 1964. The park was named in 1932 for local firefighter Osmond Kelly Ingram, who was the first sailor in the United States Navy to be killed in World War I. In 1992 it was completely renovated and rededicated as "A Place of Revolution and Reconciliation" to coincide with the opening of the Birmingham Civil Rights Institute, an interpretive museum and research center, which adjoins the park to the west. read more

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We visited the park yesterday afternoon after first visiting the Sixteenth Street Baptist Church and the Birmingham Civil Rights Institute, all of which are on the same block. The park has many beautiful statues from the era depicted at the museum - and be sure you walk all around the exterior, because we almost missed a few of the statues. read more

This park is just across the street from the Birmingham Civil Rights Institute and the 16th Street Baptist Church! The park contains several pieces of sculpture related to the civil rights movement! If you're visiting the Civil Rights Institute or the Church, definitely take at least a few minutes to wander around the park and take in its history and its sculptures! read more

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I wish this park was maintained better, but it's still definitely worth the visit. Street parking is available - quarters only and not all the meters work, so be sure it works before you waste too many of your quarters. You can start in one corner of the park and follow the markers for the Birmingham Civil Rights Heritage Trail. The markers are helpful with facts that help to understand the many statues around the park. You can walk through in 15 minutes if you choose, or take more time. I was there with my two young kiddos and even they enjoyed the park. Be sure to check out the 16th Street Baptist Church directly across the street too. read more

History really comes to life in this park (formerly called West Park). It's a beautiful, moving tribute to Birmingham's role in the civil rights movement, located right next to the Civil Rights Institute and the 16th Street Baptist Church that was bombed in the 60s, filled with dozens of sculptures and statues. The park was the staging ground for many protests and boycotts in the 60s; this was where the police commissioner used water cannons and police dogs to deter peaceful demonstrators, and in fact if you look carefully you can still see that some of the trees have stripped bark where the water cannons hit. It's incredible to think how far the city has come. read more

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Was traveling home from Atlanta and with construction my GPS took me through downtown. Had to stop to stretch my legs and take a breather. This park is well maintained, and there were tons of happy people. I didn't explore the whole thing, but I explored enough to see a bunch of happy faces which made me feel good this place is right in the middle of the city I guess. Never been there before. It was a cool little stroll on a hot day. read more

GROUND ZERO! This park is located directly across the street from the Civil Rights Museum and there is an audio tour to help you to better understand the various exhibits. It was a very hot day so we skipped the tour and just enjoyed the park on our own. It is very shady and has great seating. This park was often ground zero for many of the early Civil Rights protests. It was in May of 1963 that your children and highschool students were attacked by police with dogs and water hoses for standing against segregation. Many of the sculptures in the park reference this incident. The park was completely renovated in 1992 and is used a place to host community events and festivals. On this day, we noticed people biking through the park, napping, walking, just chilling with friends, and of course just touring as we were. If you visit this park, you may park right along the main street that also runs in front of the museum. Beware of the meters because charge more than others. I paid 75 cents for three hours. I know! Right? Everything in this town is crazy affordable. I love it! read more

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Nice little patch of green in the city and the statues tell a story of the history of it.

This a great small park in downtown Birmingham bordering the Civil Rights institute and the 16th St. Baptist Church. The Church was bombed and 5 little girls lost their life. From this park there are a few walking tours you can take visiting many historic Civil Rights sites. There is so much history in Birmingham, so many things to see and do. Things to reflect on and help to create change. read more

This is a beautiful park across the street from the Sixteen Street Baptist Church. The statues are amazing and the park is clean. It is in the heart of the Civil Rights Movement in Birmingham. The history in rich in this park. It is like taking a step back in time. As I was walking through the park I was approached by a man, who asked if I would like a tour. It was in the middle of the day and in broad daylight, I said no thank you, but he continued to follow at a few paces behind. He was nice enough at first but my inner alarm was beginning to ring. As I thanked him for his time and began to walk to my rental car, he became aggressive and wanted to me to lunch with him. I basically had to run to the car to escape. I would recommend more of a police presence. One bad apple in the bunch should not destroy the history and the beauty of this park. read more

Great history, beauty, and part of the 'Freedom Trail' walk. Definitely a must-see for anyone interested in Birmingham's history and culture. read more

Visiting this park was not on my list of things to do today but i was happily forced to do so because the civil rights institute was closed today. I am glad I was able to visit this outstanding tribute to the struggle of the people of Birmingham during the civil rights movement. read more

Great history on the audio tour. I went during the day and was able to finish the tour in about half an hour. A must in Birmingham.

A nice park with beautiful statues and memorials with explanations and plaques across the street from the Civil Rights Institute. Well maintained it is a nice place to eat lunch after seeing the museum and neighboring historic church. read more

Kelly Ingram Park - Parks Near Me - Birmingham, Alabama

Beautiful small park with many civil rights monuments. However, was not out of my car 30 seconds before being harassed by two separate homeless people. One walked around the whole park next to me, tried to tie my shoe, and kept saying that I owed him dinner for him giving me a tour. Very unsettling if you're visiting by yourself. Wasn't able to enjoy the park as much as I wished to. read more