Birmingham Obituary Research Guidelines
The library provides a fee-based copying service for obituaries that appeared
in selected Birmingham area newspapers. The guidelines below will help
you determine if we may be able to assist you.
Obituaries from 1977 to present
The library has annual indexes to obituaries that appeared in the following
newspapers:
- The Birmingham News - 1977 to present
- Birmingham Post Herald - 1978 to 2001
Please submit name of deceased and date of death through
Ask
A Librarian. You will be notified of the availability of the
obituary as well as instructions for submitting your request and fee.
Obituaries in the BPL Online Index
The library has a cumulative index to obituaries that appeared in the following newspapers:
- Birmingham News - October 982 to December 1996
- Birmingham World - September 1940 to December 1996
- Methodist Christian Advocate / Alabama Christian Advocate - January 1925 to December 1979
- Shelby County Reporter - January 1932 to December 1979
- Birmingham Times - October 1942 to February 1985
- Birmingham Reporter - January 1918 to June 1982
- Birmingham Post Herald - August 982 to October 1993
This index is available from the library's website at:
http://bpldb.bplonline.org/db/obituaries
Instructions for submitting your request are available from the website.
Obituaries from 1920-1939
Although pre-1939 obituaries will eventually be added to the library's online
Obituary Index, there are presently no indexes for Birmingham area newspapers
during this period. If you have the exact date of death, the library staff will
look for obituaries in The Birmingham News
within 3-5 days of the date of death. Please submit name of deceased and exact
date of death through
Ask A Librarian. You will be notified of the availability of the
obituary as well as instructions for submitting your request and fee.