A partial history of Birmingham through Miriam’s art series continued…
Places of worship and their congregations have played a central role in Birmingham from its formation. As the city grew, so did the churches. Birmingham has over 10 churches that were established in the 1800s, and many of these places Miriam has painted over the years.
Churches in Birmingham are intertwined with its social and economic ups and downs. Their influence in the early 1900s would inspire members, particularly women like Miriam’s aunt, to get heavily involved in the temperance movement to ban the sale of alcohol in America. African-American churches and their member also played a significant role in the Civil Rights movement in Birmingham.
Although in the 1930s families established new places of worship when they moved from downtown to the suburbs, many like Miriam’s continued to travel back to downtown to worship. This is one reason Miriam has so much familiarity with the places of worship downtown and continues to paint them.
Several downtown churches like First United Methodist (where she attended growing up) and Cathedral Church of the Advent have her works in their collections on display.
