A.G. Gaston Renovation Project

 

Civil Rights leaders gathering outside the Gaston Motel in 1963.

Birmingham, Ala. Police Department Surveillance Files, 1947-1980. Collection 1125, Archives Department, Birmingham Public Library

The A.G. Gaston motel was built by prominent African American businessman and entrepreneur, Arthur George (A.G.) Gaston in 1954. The motel provided first-class lodging and dining in Birmingham, Alabama, to African American travelers.

During the campaign to desegregate Birmingham, leaders from the Southern Christian Leadership Conference (SCLC) took up residence in the A.G. Gaston Motel. In April and May of 1963, Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., Ralph D. Abernathy, Fred L. Shuttlesworth, and others gathered in Room 30, also known as the "War Room," to plan and strategize. Press conferences were regularly held within the courtyard captured in images by journalists.

The motel expanded in 1968 to include a supper club. The buildings served as housing for the elderly from 1982 until 1996. The buildings remained vacant until 2017, when they were included in the newly designated Birmingham Civil Rights National Monument. The City of Birmingham completed exterior renovations to the entire Gaston Motel and partial interior renovation of the 1968 wing in 2021.

Birmingham Civil Rights National Monument is proud to continue this renovation to the interior of the 1954 wing of the motel. Construction is expected to last 18 months. Visitors will be unable to access the the Gaston Motel during construction.

 

Summary of Construction Project

Upstairs Motel Rooms

Renovation of the vacant upstairs spaces will convert most of the space into two exhibit halls which will tell the histories of A.G. Gaston’s entrepreneurial legacy, the Motel’s role as a sanctuary for Black travelers, and the Motel's role in the Civil Rights Movement. Construction will also restore another space to the appearance of one of the Motel rooms from the 1963 era.

"War Room"

The renovation will recreate the appearance of the suite as it was during April and May of 1963 when it was used by Civil Rights leaders to discuss and strategize.

Improved Mobility Access

The installation of a new elevator ensures that all visitors, regardless of mobility, can access the historic second-floor strategy suites.

Motel Lobby Space

The former lobby will restore much of the 1960s appearance of the room, but transform the use into a visitor center space.

Downstairs Motel Rooms

Most of the vacant downstairs space will be transformed into offices and work space for NPS staff.

 

Construction Updates

4/28/2026

• The 1954 wing of the A.G. Gaston Motel will temporarily close to visitors Sunday, May 10, 2026 for renovations. The last day to visit the Gaston Motel before construction is Saturday, May 9,2026.
• The coffee shop and exhibit space in the 1968 wing of the A.G. Gaston motel, operated by the City of Birmingham, will remain open during construction.
• Monument staff are establishing a temporary visitor center during construction. Details will be announced to the public at a later date.

 

Frequently Asked Questions

 

Why is the A.G. Gaston Motel important?

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