Cities across the country possess a history that contributes to the reputation and notoriety it receives from outsiders. Los Angeles is known for fame and glamour, New York is known for architectural behemoths, and Green Bay, WI is known for cheese and football. Though the past can have a huge role in a city's reputation, the city's contribution to society is a factor as well; creating a desire to come to the said city.

Birmingham, AL is the heart of The Heart of Dixie, and the city's dark past that once loomed over was the only the way outsiders could correlate with the city. Birmingham is known for its strong and infamous iron industry post civil war and its prominent role in the Civil Rights movement in the Fifties and Sixties. But Birmingham has strived past those times and has used the past as an advantage for its culture.

The Past Itself.

The specifics of the past are very important for this topic solely because Birmingham is a bustling historic site.

Birmingham adopted the nickname "The Magic City" in the late 1800's due to its immense growth of industry and business in such a short amount of time; like magic. The most popular industry of that time was iron and steel mills for creating coal and materials for railroads after the Civil War. Sloss Furnace was the staple and the intimidating representation of southern labor, creating jobs and opportunities that essentially became the main source of income for the city of Birmingham and would become one of the best furnaces in the country.

Sloss Furnace would continue to be in business all the way to World War II until being shut down for air pollution. But within most workforces at that time, racism was still present in the businesses across the south. Black workers were accounted for over two-thirds of the industry and worked in extremely segregated environments where they wouldn't be offered the same job positions as white workers and were even forced to work longer hours for less pay.

That same racism would continue and would grow stronger in the fifties and sixties during the pivotal Civil Rights Movement.

Birmingham was at the epicenter of racial discrimination and the intense segregation and racial profiling are what ran through the city's veins. Activist like Martin Luther King Jr. and Malcolm X marched through the streets of Birmingham preaching the gospel of equality. Racism was common across the country, but what really brought the city's racism to the national spotlight was the carnage in Birmingham on September 15, 1963.

A church represents a safe haven for those who worship there, and on the 16th Street suffered from the racially influenced act of terrorism. That Sunday, KKK member detonated a bomb inside the church that was holding nearly 200 people inside and killing 4 young girls(14-year-old Addie Mae Collins, Cynthia Wesley and Carole Robertson and 11-year-old Denise McNair ). This horrid day would influence the way we looked at the premise of equality and helped be a focal point in creating the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and the Voting Act of 1965.

Birmingham's impact on history is what helps drive the city today. Our ability to strive and push through tough social injustices like segregation or the desire to dedicate your life to fire and iron tells you the foundation this city is built on. Birmingham is using those influences today on its rise to the top of the metropolitan hierarchy.

Birmingham Today

The city of Birmingham is rising in every aspect there is. Things like the modernizing historic locations that at one point were abandoned and disregarded by society or even the boom in businesses throughout the area have the city on the cusp of something new. A new generation of Alabamians is taking into consideration what has happened in the past and has decided to work together and distance ourselves from the negative times.

Big things like festivals and concerts, or even the surprising food scene, that is arguably the best in the south, have been moving Birmingham's status up in the social scale. The arts and musical talent are starting to rise as well with a great blend of genres and individual potential. Birmingham is even expanding its range with the construction of Region's Field for pro baseball team The Birmingham Barons, and the adoption of a USL soccer team, Birmingham Legion FC.

With additions to the changes, Birmingham has a new young mayor, Randall Woodfin, to lead a new generation to take on the task a big city provides. Towns outside the metropolitan area won't go unrecognized either. The plans for urban development will be a huge priority with Mayor Woodfin in office and like most of the state, education has been an issue as of late and will take steps forward to go toe to toe with other counties or even other states.

Right now, Birmingham is doing all the right things to move up in the "Big City" hierarchy, but what would the future hold for the Magic City?

The Future

Birmingham is becoming a place where dreams come true. Its size and location is the perfect place for businesses to start, versus a very condensed city like New York where people are selling you things every block. It's a city of opportunity, and Birmingham isn't slowing down when it comes to expanding economically or physically, building new additions to the city's skyline and its plethora of fun activities. Yes, maybe my extreme optimism is leaking a bit, but others can see the potential in the city too.

Outsiders are realizing that Birmingham is growing as well. Amazon considered Birmingham to the home of their second headquarters dubbed "HQ2". Unfortunately, Birmingham didn't make the final list but another company has decided to move down to Birmingham. Time Inc.'s food branch decided to switch cultures and offices from New York to Birmingham, and this could help open the door for other huge companies to transfer from a big city to a quant sizable one like Birmingham.

Conclusion

Birmingham has transformed into a city of promise here in Alabama. Compared to other cities in America, Birmingham is not that much of an appealing location to spend vacations or have business meetings at. But Birmingham has the ability to burst on to the scene and change the perception of not only Alabama but for small markets across the country.

It has been my dream to accomplish all my goals in this city, and I get a heavy heart every time I'm within the radius of the homes and businesses that surrounds it. Birmingham symbolizes that hard work and perseverance can get you to a place in your life where you're not just benefitting yourself, but you're benefitting others with your success as well.

Cities have an impact on those who live in and near it simply because it can offer different things to its citizens. Birmingham offers hope, and in this day and age, hope is exactly what this generation needs.