The Four Spirits
A powerful memorial in Kelly Ingram Park, Birmingham, honoring the four young girls killed in the tragic 1963 bombing of the 16th Street Baptist Church.
A Tribute to Innocence
Dedicated to Addie Mae Collins, Denise McNair, Carole Robertson, and Cynthia Wesley.
Six doves are incorporated into the artwork to represent the four girls and two boys, Virgil Ware and Johnny Robinson, also lost to racial violence that day.
Location & Significance
Located in Kelly Ingram Park, directly across from the historic 16th Street Baptist Church.
- Key stop on Civil Rights National Monument tours
- Fully wheelchair accessible
Frozen in Time
The life-size bronze sculpture depicts the girls in a playful, everyday moment—tying a bow, releasing doves, beckoning to church—capturing their lost innocence just moments before the explosion.
"A reminder of the sacrifices that led to pivotal changes in U.S. civil rights legislation, such as the Civil Rights Act of 1964."
Artist
Elizabeth MacQueen
Unveiled
Sept 14, 2013
50th Anniversary
A pivotal location in the Civil Rights Movement, serving as a powerful symbol of the human cost of racial hatred.