The Jefferson County Commission today approved $2,691,642 in federal ARPA funding to organizations in the Civil Rights District to improve civil rights tourism.

The $1.9 trillion economic stimulus bill was enacted to speed the country’s recovery from the economic and health effects of the COVID-19 pandemic. Jefferson County determined that tourism had been affected by the pandemic. After their applications were vetted by consulting firm Witt O’Brien, 16^th Street Baptist Church, Urban Impact Inc., Birmingham Civil Rights Institute, Alabama Jazz Hall of Fame, St. Paul’s United Methodist Church and historic Bethel Baptist Church in Collegeville were allotted funds for unique projects. Specifically:

16th Street Baptist Church was allotted $900,000 to fund work associated with the creation of a Visitor and Educational Building. The church is expected to break ground at its 150th anniversary in April with estimated completion by September 2024.

The Rev. Arthur Price Jr., pastor of 16^th Street Baptist, said the building, which will be adjacent to the church, will take some of the wear and tear off of the historic building.

“People can have an immersive experience when they come, where they can get information about not only the 16th Street Baptist Church but some of the other Civil Rights National Monument spots in the district and outside the district,” he said. “We think that’s going to add to the experience that people have.”

Birmingham Civil Rights Institute will receive $900,000 to fund work associated with hiring a full-time curator to inventory exhibits, develop content and implement updates. BCR also plans to modernize existing exhibits and boost outreach by creating a traveling exhibit.

BCRI Chairman of the board Isaac Cooper said BCRI will create two new exhibitions and update its current exhibits, as well its archives.

“Since, I would say 2020, there has been a lot more questions on what is valid,” Cooper said. “There’s a lot more information out there but how do we sift through this misinformation on what truly happened, but also how Birmingham really was ground zero of civil rights? We are anticipating through this program over the next two years to have about 2 million visitors from this investment.”

Urban Impact Inc. was allotted $320,895.60 to aid in the creation of a culinary incubator within the National Civil Rights Monument and Fourth Avenue Business District and provide access to capacity building and business development for entrepreneurs.

Alabama Jazz Hall of Fame is getting $407,506.80 to create original exhibit content, restore historic textiles to feature in existing and new museum exhibits. It will also aid the organization in continuing its regularly scheduled programming in the Carver Theatre for Performing Arts through its Jazz Greats educational and exposure program.

St. Paul’s United Methodist Church was allotted $101,261.40 to help fund a museum-quality tourist center. The exhibit will feature pictures, letters, newspaper articles and videos “to make the past come to life.” The project is expected to be complete by February 2025.

Bethel Baptist Church is getting $61,980.40 to aid in expanding its interpretative programs and tour experience, transforming the basement area into an augmented virtual reality tour for guests.

The Rev. Thomas Wilder, pastor of Bethel Baptist, acknowledged that the church, whose late pastor the Rev. Fred Shuttlesworth led the civil rights effort in Birmingham, is not part of the Birmingham Civil Rights National Monument. He said there are efforts to have the church in Collegeville included in the monument.

“There’s a story of Bethel that needs to be heard. It’s a story that’s not being told. It’s a story that’s not known,” Wilder said. “Part of the original people who were there are, they’re passing on. We want to try to capture their experiences and their knowledge before they pass on so that we can put it into a virtual and an automated form so that people coming along can hear about it.”

In total, Jefferson County received $127 million in ARPA funding. The funds must be obligated by the end of 2024 and expended by the end of 2026. In addition to today’s allocation, the commission has allocated:

• $4 million to mental health and substance abuse programs.
• $13 million for household support programs.
• $45 million for clean water and storm water projects.

In other business on Thursday, the commission passed a resolution declaring 29 structures in the Docena community to be public nuisances and targeting those structures for demolition.