Founded in 1873, the 16th Street Baptist Church is one of the most significant landmarks of the American Civil Rights Movement. As the first Black church in Birmingham, Alabama, it served as an organizing hub for civil rights leaders and mass meetings during the 1960s. On September 15, 1963, the church was bombed in an act of racial terrorism committed by the Ku Klux Klan, killing four young girls — Addie Mae Collins (14), Denise McNair (11), Carole Robertson (14), and Cynthia Wesley (14) — and severely injuring many others. The bombing galvanized national support for the Civil Rights Act of 1964. Today, the church remains an active congregation and a National Historic Landmark, drawing visitors from around the world to a site that stands as a symbol of resilience, sacrifice, and the ongoing pursuit of justice.

To preserve this legacy and expand its capacity to educate and serve, the 16th Street Community Enrichment Foundation is constructing a new 11,516 sq. ft. visitor and educational center adjacent to the historic church. Our client, Hope Enterprise Corporation, supported the project by providing $8 million in Federal New Markets Tax Credit allocation.

The new center will provide dedicated classroom and meeting space, exhibits chronicling the history of the church and the Civil Rights Movement, and modern amenities to accommodate the growing number of visitors the site receives each year. Beyond its role in historic preservation, the center will anchor community programming and education while strengthening the church's mission of inspiring visitors and honoring those who sacrificed for civil rights.

Services Provided by Classic Lake:

• New Markets Tax Credit CDE Advisory

Community and Economic Impacts

• Creates 70 construction jobs

• Creates 23.5 new and retains 12.5 permanent full-time positions

• Serves an estimated 135,000 people annually through community and commercial goods and services

• Preserves a National Historic Landmark and Civil Rights Movement site