US Southern Civil Rights Trail Tour
Trace the historic sites of the Civil Rights Movement from Atlanta through Montgomery, Selma, and Birmingham to Memphis.
Follow in the footsteps of Martin Luther King Jr. from his birthplace to the site of his assassination, visiting memorials, churches, and march routes in each city. The Alabama section is the highlight, where you can drive the historic Selma-to-Montgomery march route. The content is heavy and museum-focused, making it ideal for travelers interested in American history rather than scenic landscapes.
Day by day
Day 1 · Atlanta: Dr. King's Birthplace
Atlanta（Martin Luther King Jr. National Historical Park、Sweet Auburn）
Drive about 10 minutes from downtown to Auburn Avenue, and explore the historic site on foot.
Check the daily schedule for tours of Dr. King's birth home.
Stay: Downtown Atlanta
Day 2 · Civil Rights Center & Carter Library
Atlanta（National Center for Civil and Human Rights、Jimmy Carter Presidential Library and Museum）
Drive or take a taxi for short trips within the city; the two sites are about 15 minutes apart.
The Center for Civil and Human Rights requires half a day; check opening days before setting out.
Stay: Downtown Atlanta
Day 3 · Tuskegee to Montgomery
Montgomery & Selma（Tuskegee Airmen National Historic Site、Tuskegee Institute National Historic Site、Civil Rights Memorial & Center）
Drive from Atlanta to Tuskegee (approx. 2 hours), then to Montgomery (approx. 40 minutes).
Set your watch back one hour as you enter Alabama (Eastern to Central Time).
Stay: Downtown Montgomery
Day 4 · Montgomery: Legacy Sites
Montgomery & Selma（The Legacy Museum: From Enslavement to Mass Incarceration、National Memorial for Peace and Justice、Rosa Parks Museum、Dexter Avenue King Memorial Baptist Church）
Mainly explore downtown on foot. Take the free shuttle or drive to the National Memorial for Peace and Justice.
The Legacy Museum has scheduled closing days; book tickets online in advance.
Stay: Downtown Montgomery
Day 5 · Selma March Route
Montgomery & Selma（Selma to Montgomery National Historic Trail、National Voting Rights Museum and Institute、Brown Chapel AME Church、Edmund Pettus Bridge）
Drive along US-80 to Selma (approx. 1 hour), then head north to Birmingham (approx. 2 hours).
You can book a local guide in Selma to learn about the history of the marches.
Stay: Downtown Birmingham
Day 6 · Birmingham Civil Rights District
Birmingham, Alabama（16th Street Baptist Church、Kelly Ingram Park、Birmingham Civil Rights Institute、A.G. Gaston Motel – Birmingham Civil Rights National Monument）
Four major attractions are concentrated in the same district, within a 10-minute walk of each other.
The Birmingham Civil Rights Institute has limited opening days; check before you go.
Stay: Downtown Birmingham
Day 7 · Across Mississippi to Memphis
Drive along Interstate 22 to Memphis (approx. 4 hours), and head to Beale Street in the evening.
Stay: South Main Arts District
Day 8 · Lorraine Motel & Departure
Memphis（National Civil Rights Museum、Withers Collection Museum & Gallery）
Walk to the museum from South Main Street, and take a taxi to the airport (approx. 15 minutes) after dining.
The National Civil Rights Museum is closed on Tuesdays; avoid this day when planning.