About The Collections

The Archives Department of the Birmingham Public Library collects government records, business records, maps, photographs, letters, diaries, scrapbooks, and other primary material documenting the history and development of Birmingham, Jefferson County, and the surrounding area of Alabama known as the Birmingham District.

Serving as the archives for the City of Birmingham and as the archives for numerous local organizations and institutions, the collection contains more than 12,000 linear feet of archival material and over 400,000 photographs.

Subject areas of particular strength include local government, urban and economic development, industry and the labor movement, women's history, religious history, art, music, literature, sports, and the largest collection in existence relating to the Civil Rights Movement in Birmingham.

The collection is open to the public and draws researchers from throughout the United States, Canada, Mexico, Europe, Africa, Asia, and the Pacific.