Home

Southern Places

Bethel Baptist Church: portrait of Rev. Fred Shuttlesworth

Reference URL

To link to this object, paste this link in email, IM or document
To embed this object, paste this HTML in website

Bethel Baptist Church: portrait of Rev. Fred Shuttlesworth

View Description

Download

small (250x250 max)

medium (500x500 max)

Large

Extra Large

large ( > 500x500)

Full Resolution

Loading content ...

you wish to report:

Your comment:

Your Name:

...

Title	Bethel Baptist Church: portrait of Rev. Fred Shuttlesworth
Creator(s)	West, Carroll Van
Date	2003
Coverage	2000-2009
Property name	Bethel Baptist Church
Property type	Church
Community Name	Birmingham, Jefferson County, AL
Latitude/Longitude	33.551224,-86.802301
Description	Color photograph of a portrait of Rev. Fred Shuttlesworth; African American male in suit; picture against a wood panel wall
Historical Notes	Bethel Baptist Church was central to the struggle for civil rights in Birmingham, in large part because of the role played by Rev. Fred Shuttlesworth, who was pastor of Bethel from 1953 to 1961. Shuttlesworth founded the Alabama Christian Movement for Human Rights (ACMHR) in 1956 and his church acted as the administrative headquarters for the organization. The church was also home to the Movement Choir, which played a leading role in development of the protest music that was essential to the wider Civil Rights movement. Because of its leading role in Alabama civil rights activities, Bethel Baptist suffered three bombings, including a Christmas night bombing of the parsonage in 1956, from which Shuttlesworth emerged unharmed . The church property, which is in the African American working-class neighborhood of Collegeville, was acquired in 1909 and the building was constructed in 1926 during the pastorate of Rev. Milton Sears. Many modifications have been done over time, including th
Collection Name	African American Churches
Subject-LCSH	Shuttlesworth, Fred L., 1922-2011
Subject-TGM	Portraits
Type	Still image
Format	jpeg2000
Genre	Photograph
Medium	Paper
Extent	6 x 4 in.
Copyright status	Copyright of the creator. Reproduced with permission
Conditions for use	Credit Center for Historic Preservation, Middle Tennessee State University Reproduction permitted for non-profit educational and research purposes only
Digital Publisher	Digital Initiatives, James E. Walker Library, Middle Tennessee State University
Contributing Institution	Center for Historic Preservation, Middle Tennessee State University
Source file	bethelbap00006