BIRMINGHAM, AL. – U.S. Rep. Terri Sewell (AL-07) today celebrates the 65^th anniversary of the official grand opening of the A.G. Gaston Motel, a centerpiece of the Civil Rights Movement. The motel was home to Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. during his visits to Birmingham and was the scene of much important planning and decision making throughout the movement. The historic “War Room,” Room 30, served as the planning site for Project C, a series of non-violent protests across Birmingham.

“Here in Birmingham we are surrounded by reminders of the heroes who fought for our shared civil rights and human dignities, and who paved the way for me to walk the halls of Congress today,” Sewell said. “The A.G. Gaston Motel served a crucial role in the Civil Rights Movement. Its restoration will ensure that future generations will never forget the work of those who came before us.”

Today, Gaston’s descendants stood alongside Foot Soldiers, Mayor Randall Woodfin and Senator Doug Jones to discuss the motel’s legacy and future plans for construction. Sewell fought hard for the motel to be recognized as a national monument, and today looks forward to seeing subsequent restoration plans realized.

The renovation project will be enacted over three stages with a total estimated cost of $10 million. The National Park Service is working in partnership with the City of Birmingham for the project’s completion.