Well-informed tour guide, Mike, gave us a broad overview of the history of the civil rights movement in Birmingham from 1865 to 1965. Nice mix of walking and riding in a van. Good pacing of presentation, especially given how much information there was. Really learned a lot. Cannot recommend enough. Tour included outer areas like Dynamite Hill and the Bethel AME -- places you won't see if just walking between City Hall and 16th Street Baptist. read more

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One of the best tours I have ever taken in any city or on any continent. Fascinating and informative historical tour with a blend of walking and motor coach transport. Brilliant! Highly recommend. read more

If you are in Birmingham, definitely do not miss taking a tour with Red Clay Tours! Our civil rights tour was fantastic. Our guide Mike is incredibly knowledgeable and makes history come alive. He is clearly passionate about the subject, and it shows when he talks. His depth of knowledge is incredible; he even texted us a list of books and podcasts that he has found particularly useful when learning more about Birmingham's civil rights journey. The 3 hours flew by, and everyone from my high schooler to my 90 year old mom loved it. Time well spent with a terrific guide! read more

This is an excellent and very informative civil rights tour. Birmingham history is presented chronologically from 1865-1965 in a fascinating and moving mix of facts interwoven with stories that make the facts come alive. We were driven through neighborhoods like Dynamite Hill and Collegeville (where Rev. Shuttlesworth's church, the Bethel Baptist church is located). There were a good number of stops where we left the van to see things up close and learn more details. Even if you know the general history, you will learn more from the stories Mike tells. I highly recommend taking Mike's tour. read more

ON 2/8/24 we were led on tour with Mike of Red Clay. For 3 hours we were immersed in the happenings of this historic city. Mike was a teriffic guide; he was one of the greatest guides we've ever had. We have travelled the world, and to find a great guide enhances the understanding and appreciation of the place one is visiting. We cannot recommend this tour enough. read more

Mike led our tour and did an amazing job of bringing history to life. It was well worth it!

Clay and this tour were AMAZING! He is super knowledgeable, funny, and facilites a tour that provides a lot of opportunity to learn about Birmingham. read more

Absolutely wonderful and enlightening tour. Mike was the best and was very well-informed. In fact, when we left, I had asked Mike to send me the list of books and media that he'd read to inform himself about Birmingham's history, and he sent an extensive list of books, videos, and other media. We highly recommend the tour and Red Clay. read more

Red Clay Tours - Historical Tours Near Me

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This tour LOOKS like a nice time, but I wouldn't know. I got violently ill on my way to the pickup location and decided to call the owner to cancel instead of ruining the tour for everyone else. I understand that they do request cancellations 24 hours in advance, but I had been in contact with the owner many times for several months prior to making the booking, and I was really blown away by his sudden, pure lack of compassion and understanding. Everywhere else we went, we experienced that Southern Hospitality that we had looked forward to, but not with Red Clay tours. I hope you get to enjoy this tour, but if the slightest unexpected thing happens on your trip, do not look to the owner for any empathy. After all, they get paid either way. read more

We enjoy taking walking food tours, so we thought that we would venture out and take part in the Brewery Tasting Tour. Clay was great and is a tremendous wealth of knowledge about Birmingham. Clay picked us up at our hotel so we did not have to drive anywhere. Clay kept us informed about pick-up times via text and texted us the morning of the tour to make sure we were comfortable with the arrangements. On the tour, we started at Railway Park and learned about the layout of Birmingham including many of the local landmarks. This was a welcomed introduction to the city. We then headed to the breweries. At each of the three breweries, we got to try four different beers. Clay was able to describe the history of the brewery and tell us about their specialties and unique beers. Clay ask for our feedback on the beers at each and used that information at the next brewery. We had a great time, with great conversation. It was like going to each of the breweries with an old friend. read more

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I have been on historical tours all over the globe in places such as Kenya, London, Berlin, Asheville, San Francisco, Philadelphia, and Amsterdam just to name a few. This tour in Birmingham was the absolute best historical tour I have ever been on! Clay gives wonderful historical analysis and reflection while tying the past to current events in Birmingham. He showcased the importance of Reverend Fred Shuttlesworth to the Civil Rights Movement among with the other local leaders and churches that were on the ground changing Birmingham, Alabama, and the world. If you are in Birmingham, I highly recommend this tour as Clay is well-read, passionate, and gives a great presentation of historical and present day Birmingham. I honestly was not expecting to be blown away on this tour but Clay was the best tour guide I have ever come across! read more

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Just went on the best city tour I've ever been on. The tour was led by a born and raised resident of Birmingham with a clear passion for its history, not a college kid needing a summer job and reading from a script. The tour was in depth and thoughtful and my family and I got a real understanding of life during the civil rights movement. Because the civil rights institute is closed due to COVID, this tour is the perfect way to explore and understand what was going on at the time. I highly recommend it. The tours are limited to the size of your group, the buses are sterilized, and everyone wears a mask- so we all felt safe the entire time. Please take the tour and support local small businesses!!!! read more

Red Clay Tours - Historical Tours Near Me

We took the Fight for Rights tour and I can't recommend it highly enough. Our tour guide was Clay who was a wealth of information, not only about Birmingham's sorted past but also about the Civil Rights movement in general. I also appreciated the knowledge he shared about Birmingham's economic history and how that has contributed to what Birmingham is today. read more

Just had an excellent tour of civil rights history in Birmingham with Clay from Red Clay Tours. He is an excellent tour guide, very knowledgeable, and a very nice and considerate person. We drove to a number of different locations in Birmingham, including Fred Shuttlesworth's church in Collegeville and "dynamite hill", which are off the beaten path. Everyone who visits Birmingham should go on this tour. Clay is always willing to answer your questions and even take your picture in front of the historic locations if you ask him! read more

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I purchased the Beer Tour from Red Clay Tours as a early birthday present for my cousin. Clay and his wife Elizabeth made us feel right at home on this tour. After the second stop it was more like you were hanging out with really good friends instead of a stuffy tour. Lots of great information about the history of craft beer in Birmingham and the state of Alabama. By the end of the night we tasted a LOT of great beers enjoyed ourselves immensely. I cannot recommend this highly enough. Next time we are in town we will do their Civil Rights Tour. read more

I hired Clay Cornelius of Red Clay Tours for a two day VIP Private Civil Rights Tour of Montgomery and Birmingham after reading his amazing online reviews. He exceeded all of my family's expectations and made our trip to Alabama life changing. We spent 10 hours each day with Clay so I am confident in my recommendation of him. He was incredibly knowledgeable (he knew everything about everything), candid (he shared the strengths and weaknesses of the city he loves), and humorous (we laughed a lot despite the difficult nature of the tour). Clay was excellent with my 9-year old daughter who never once was bored. He was able to present the material on her level while not sugarcoating the hard truth. We visited so many important memorials and museums in both cities. Clay provided a wealth of history. It was obvious he is well read and passionate about the civil rights movement. If you have any interest in civil rights, do not hesitate in hiring Clay. He is beyond fabulous! I also highly recommend doing a private tour with him as we were able to have him all to ourselves. We were able to be flexible with our itinerary and meals. I cannot emphasize how good this tour was! Our trip to Alabama would not have been anywhere near as fabulous without Clay! read more

Throughout my travels around the world, I have been lucky enough to have been led by wonderful docents who share insightful bits of their corner of the earth. Although there are a few that stand out through these experiences- I am inclined to say that none have left such as impressionable mark as Clay did during this tour for me and my family. Clay was incredibly knowledgeable, approachable and entertaining. He laid out the city's sordid and heart-wrenching past (and present) in regards to Civil Rights exceptionally well. Although he covered the city's most famous Civil Rights landmarks including the 16th Street Baptist Church, Freedom Riders attack site and Kelly Ingram park, he also brought the tour to what I am assuming are the oftentimes overlooked areas including Collegeville- which provided an eye-opening look at the many struggles the city still faces in the advancement of its African American and/or low income community members. At the end of the tour, a fellow patron asked why he stayed in a place in which has caused and continued to create so much oppression, as it clearly disgusts and disappoints him daily. His reply was perfect, and I truly believe that people like this guide are the ones who are going to create real change for a city/state so desperately in need of change. I hope that others go on this tour, think about of the city's past and present actions and work to ensure these such atrocities never happen in our country again. read more

My two friends and myself booked this historical tour while we were visiting Birmingham. First of all, Clay was wonderful. He is very in tune with what is going on in the city. Birmingham is a city that once flourished and now is on trying to mend from disaster. Clay gave us so much information that I wasn't even aware of. He is so passionate about the city and the people of Birmingham. We saw so much of history. At the end of our tour he gave us a recommendation for BBQ. We went to Soul Kitchen, the best BBQ ever. I would highly recommend his tours. Thank you Clay for a wonderful day ! read more

Clay is a well-informed native whose research and commitment to this subject makes for an invaluable education. He covers sites and content that might easily be overlooked by a visitor who is going it alone. I recommend doing this first and then deciding which venues to further explore. Highly recommend. read more

I toured Birmingham with Clay this past weekend and was extremely impressed with his passion for his tours. Since it was barely above freezing, I was the only one on the tour. He called me the night before to make sure I knew about the weather and to dress warmly. He gladly modified the scope of the tour at my request, and seamlessly covered the areas of highest interest to me. He has obviously invested a huge amount of effort into learning both the history of the city of Birmingham as well as the civil rights activities which happened there, and is a very good story teller which makes for an interesting rather than boring tour. I have taken many city tours all over the US as well as in Europe and Asia and this was easily the best presentation of them all. Thank you Clay for a great tour! -Kim read more

Loved the tours and especially Clay, tour owner and guide. We did a half-day Civil Rights Tour and a half-day Magic City tour. The 3-hour Civil Rights Tour was a deep dive into how Birmingham played into the fight for equality. It was not a glossed over version with a nice neat ending. Its was a realistic historical interpretation of how the movement was (and continues to be) a struggle. Clay was very knowledgeable, but most importantly he framed how the leaders of the movement were heroic, especially the children involved in childrens' marches. It was full of setting and meaning, but also of interesting facts. The Magic City tour was also very good. Not a deep dive, but rather an understanding of how the different industries, civil rights, and just general life in the city played into the rise of Birmingham. The immersion into the iron plant was fascinating as were all the little tidbits of the city's history. Also, enjoyed the BBQ lunch and the other food stops during the day. Finally, so appreciative of Clay's honesty about his life and family's lives in relation to why he's giving tours. The guy really wants to give back and make Birmingham a better place. He's chosen this as his profession for the right reasons and it shows. -John (Paul Posluszny) read more

One of the most amazing experiences of my life! Clay was insanely knowledgeable and extremely nice. I was nervous and skeptical to go on a civil rights tour, but it turned out to be all fact based and fun! This is a must do your! Especially before going to the civil rights museum. Walking through the museum was an amazing experience due to the fact that I had recently visited many of the places. I can't wait until my sons are old enough to appreciate and understand the tour... because it's a must! read more

I took the Civil Rights Tour and found Clay to be extremely knowledgeable about Birmingham and its history. Not only was he able to share details of important events during the Civil Rights movement, he did so with an honesty and earnestness that demonstrated that we were clearly in the company of a passionate, committed individual. He shared unvarnished truths about Birmingham, its past and the legacy that history has left. But this wasn't simply a memorized patter that went with each stop on the tour. He keeps the groups small and was welcome to questions and interruptions. Moreover, he was able to answer those questions with even more detailed information and stories, showing that he continues to be a dedicated student of his subject. An essential experience for anyone who wants to understand the history of racism in this area. read more

I took the civil rights tour with Clay's Dad. Incredible knowledge delivered in wonderful detail. I think this is a can't miss experience in Birmingham. I can't wait to come back with my kids someday. read more

Red Clay is a dedicated Birmingham local, who holds a remarkable amount of knowledge, presented in a heartfelt way. He is awesome. We took this tour based on Yelp reviews and were not disappointed, but instead humbled by his knowledge and presentation. If you like dry humor and are ready to hear the story of Birmingham with deep respect for its history and present, reserve your tour now, you will not be disappointed. read more

I am on a 2-week road trip from New York to New Orleans with my kids. Red Clay's civil rights tour was, and I suspect will be, the absolute highlight of the trip. We all learned so much - the tour was entertaining, enlightening, and moving. It really is a must do if you're in Birmingham, or even anywhere close by!! read more

I'm in town for work and brought my fiancé with me. We've never been to AL so I decided to work for a couple of days and then spend the rest of the week exploring the town. We did a Civil Rights Tour with Clay on Sunday, 10/21 and he did such an amazing job talking about the history. It was great (and sad) hearing about everything that happened in Birmingham. Clay is extremely passionate about what he does and it really shows. He's so knowledgeable and taught us things we didn't know. The tour was 3 hours long and it was totally worth it. We had multiple stops where we got off the bus so he could point out and talk about the significant things that happened (bombings, 16th Street Baptist Church, Rev. Shuttlesworth, etc). We also did a food tour with him on Wednesday, 10/24 and that was awesome! My fiancé and I were the only ones on the tour so it was more personal, which was nice. The hot dog and BBQ was so freakin good! This tour also involved a stop at a brewery. I'm not much of a beer person but it's always nice to try different things! We definitely had a great time and enjoyed both tours with Clay. He's an awesome person and we love the fact that he loves what he does. It just makes it even more meaningful. I don't know when or if we'll be back to Birmingham but we know we will never forget Clay and the tours! I highly highly highly recommend Red Clay Tours. You will have fun and learn so much! read more

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Joined Clay's tour on a very rainy Monday in July when I saw him leading a few others around the 16th Ave Baptist Church. Mondays in Birmingham are days when museums and tourist destinations are closed, so it's a wise option to get a private guide. The tour lasted 4 hrs and took us to many locations in neighborhoods not easy to find or navigate--homes and churches firebombed during the height of the Civil Rights marches, districts crisscrossed with railroad tracks and filled with history, high schools where protesters were beaten and arrested for attempting integration, auditoriums where performers were shut down or political leaders were censored. Its the personal anecdotes which Clay tells at every location which make this tour memorable and relevant to today's news. Clay never tires in his enthusiasm and inspite of the unvarnished violence and cruelty he'll tell you about, there is hope and promise of change. Do sign up for one of many customized tours. read more

Clay was amazing! My mom and I spent 9 days traveling around the southeast, and this tour was the highlight of our trip. Clay was extremely knowledgeable and personable. I learned so much about our country's history. I would recommend this tour to everyone visiting Birmingham. read more

Today I took a tour guided by Clay. He did an excellent job informing us about Birmingham. He was also very fun and quick witted. He not only had a plethora of knowledge about his home state but could easily spew out history of the entire US. He was very helpful when we stopped to eat and visited a local bookstore. I would highly rec his tour read more

This was easily the best tour I've been on. Clay was extremely knowledgeable about any subject we could come up with to talk about. We did the food tour and were impressed with all the stops he chose and the information he provided. Pace yourself, there is a lot of food and drink. The portions were very generous and we left with enough food for dinner. BBQ, beer, peanuts, hot dogs and a delicious French tart but the best part was hanging out with Clay who was just a great guy. read more

We are long-time B'ham residents who wanted to show off our city to our out-of-town cousins. The Best of B'ham Food Tour with Red Clay Tours fit the bill. Clay, the owner & our tour guide, is extremely knowledgeable about the city's food scene and basically just about every aspect of the city's history. We enjoyed every stop along the tour. I would definitely recommend to this tour to anyone who wants to taste an eclectic mix of food and pick up some interesting historical tidbits too about a great Southern city. RCT mini van picked us up on time at the Tutwiler & dropped us off at the front door of every establishment...so don't worry about booking with older friends or relatives. Clay had the tour timed perfectly. We never felt rushed or like we had stayed too long at one stop. We are already planning on booking another tour with him but this time with other residents of Birmingham...that's how awesome this tour company is!!! read more