Birmingham was founded after the Civil War as an industrial city in 1871. With significant deposits of iron ore, coal and limestone, the city was a perfect location for the production of steel as these are the primary ingredients needed to make the metal. To this day, Birmingham is the only known location in the world where such significant deposits of all three minerals can be found. With its industrial roots, Birmingham was named after England's major industrial city.

Throughout the rest of the 19th century and early 20th century, Birmingham's economy was largely based on industry. Providing such a large amount of jobs, the city grew tremendously during its early years giving it the nickname "Magic City" for its phenomenal population growth. Not until the mid-20th century did Birmingham's economy start to diversify making it a major center for banking, medicine and publishing in the South.

While Birmingham welcomed the diversity of its economy, the diversity of its people was another matter. In the 1960s, Birmingham became a major center for the Civil Rights Movement, drawing international attention when a bomb planted by the KKK went off at the 16th Street Baptist Church killing 4 African-American girls.

Since then, Birmingham has worked hard to overcome its designation as "the most segregated city in America" and now celebrates the diversity that makes the city unique.