Web Site Highlights Civil Rights History

BIRMINGHAM, Ala.
Coinciding with Black History Month, the Birmingham Civil Rights Institute (BCRI), in partnership with the BellSouth Corporation, has launched a newly designed Web site, bringing civil rights history to the world. The site <www.bcri.org> features the BCRI Oral History Project, a collection of videotaped interviews with participants in the civil rights movement of the 1960s. The interactive site also includes a monthly calendar, archival information for research, membership information and a teaching curriculum.
"The Birmingham Civil Rights Institute is a beacon of equality for mankind regardless of age, race and background. To that end, we recognize the power of technology to enhance our content and provide worldwide accessibility to our educational resources. This Web site project will position the institute in the global arena and become the signature of the institute's second decade of service," said Dr. Lawrence Pijeaux Jr., BCRI's executive director.
BellSouth is contributing volunteers as well as financial support to the Web site project. A major component of the site will be the online oral history interviews. Initially, the launch includes 25 interviews and that number will be expanded over time. The Rev. Fred L. Shuttlesworth, a civil rights leader who co-founded the Southern Christian Leadership Conference (SCLC) with Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., is featured in one interview segment.
"Birmingham's story is one of a struggle for freedom — a struggle deeply rooted in faith. Visitors to this Web site, from all around the world, will have an opportunity to hear our stories," said Shuttlesworth, who is serving as the interim president of the SCLC.