Welcome to a world-class university
in the heart of a magical city.

Nestled in the heart of Jones Valley, Birmingham was not much more than a few small farms 150 years ago. But when iron ore was discovered in Red Mountain, this quiet crossroads exploded into an industrial powerhouse and railroad hub that grew so quickly it became known as “The Magic City.” As workers flocked to the valley to find jobs, immigrants followed with produce stands and food stalls.

Today, Birmingham’s industrial history can be found in everything from the giant shed and smokestacks of the Sloss Furnaces National Historic Landmark, the sweeping views from Vulcan Park and Museum, and the old mine entrances within the sprawling trails of Red Mountain Park—to the historic brick warehouses (now trendy lofts, restaurants and bars) and nicknames that show up on so many business and brands: Iron, Steel, Vulcan, Mountain, Valley, Railroad, Magic. And those 19th-century produce stands and food stalls evolved into an award-winning 21st-century restaurant scene that has put Birmingham on the culinary map.

But Birmingham’s history also has an ugly and shameful side. In the segregated Jim Crow South, Black people were abused and kept from the educational, financial and social benefits that Whites had. In the middle of the 20th century, Birmingham was controlled by police commissioner Bull Connor, who led a campaign of terror against Birmingham’s Black citizens, their communities, and their places of worship.

The responding protests, inspired by Martin Luther King, Jr., organized by local activists, and led by the Rev. Fred Shuttlesworth, Jr., were anchored in Kelly Ingram Park, just across the street from the 16th Ave. Baptist Church, where four little girls were killed in a September 1963 bombing. The horrific violence led to a national reckoning and propelled President Lyndon B. Johnson to sign the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and the Voting Rights Act of 1965. Today, Birmingham is a progressive city led by Mayor Randall Woodfin that’s at the heart of a metropolitan area of more than 1 million citizens. At UAB you can learn more about Birmingham’s Civil Rights history and how our people are committed to learning from the past.

If America is a melting pot, then Birmingham is the nation’s well-seasoned cast iron pan. Our original recipe for culinary fame, known broadly as “soul food” and locally as a “meat-and-three,” is a mixture of traditions brought from Ireland, Scotland and Great Britain via hardscrabble Appalachian pioneers; coastal seafood and rice; Native American corn, squash and beans; and African okra, peas and sweet potatoes brought by enslaved people.

As the city grew, Jewish, Lebanese, Greek, and Italian immigrants poured in, and Birmingham’s meat-and-threes took on a distinctly Mediterranean flavor. Later Asian and Latino immigrants added their cuisine to a place that was already primed to appreciate fresh vegetables and a dash of spice. Today, the best food in the U.S. is in Birmingham. If you’re feeling overwhelmed by the choices, start with one of our renowned festivals and learn what the buzz is all about.

On those gorgeous afternoons when the light is just right, the long green ribbon that connects Regions Field and Railroad Park to the Rotary Trail, Sloss Furnaces and Avondale/Crestwood is the corridor you want to explore. You can do it all—from catching a baseball game to working out (or just sprawling out) on Birmingham’s front lawn—or shopping, eating or hanging out with friends. And there are more than a dozen breweries (and one distillery) along the way.

In the heart of the City of Birmingham there are dozens of parks to explore, from the Birmingham Botanical Gardens to Avondale Park to the string of green gems along Highland Avenue, designed by Frederick Law Olmstead of Central Park fame.

Just outside of the city, there are countless more suburban parks like Veteran’s Park, Heardmont Park, the Five Mile Creek Greenway, Jemison Trail, Shades Creek Greenway and Overton Park. And take in the natural beauty by hiking, mountain biking, camping, canoeing, or kayaking at Ruffner Mountain, Red Mountain Park, the Cahaba River, the Locust and Mulberry Forks of the Black Warrior River, and Oak Mountain State Park.

And beyond that you’ll find all the rich biodiversity and natural beauty of Alabama and the Southeast region. From Birmingham, you can reach the Gulf Coast and the Smoky Mountains in less than five hours and along the way, you can paddle some of the country’s most beautiful and important rivers, including the Mobile-Tensaw Delta, and hike to the top Cheaha Mountain and to the bottom Little River Canyon.

The point is, get out there—and let University Recreation  opens a new website help you with your gear and plans.