Our History

Pratt City’s story begins in the 1870s, when the hills outside Birmingham were full of promise — and coal. The Pratt Coal and Coke Company came looking for riches deep in the earth, and soon a new community began to form around the mines. But while the company saw profit, Black people saw both opportunity and oppress

After slavery ended, many African Americans were eager to work and build new lives. Yet Alabama found ways to keep them in chains through a cruel system called convict leasing. Black men — often arrested on false charges or for things as small as “vagrancy” — were sent to work in the mines under brutal conditions. They were called prisoners, but they were treated like slaves. Many never made it home. Those who died were buried in unmarked graves at the Pratt Convict Cemetery, not far from where they toiled and suffered.

Still, even in those hard times, a community began to grow. Black families built homes near the railroad tracks, and the sound of church choirs filled the air. In places like South Pratt, neighbors looked after one another, shared food, and found joy in their faith. Though their days were long and their pay was small, their hearts were strong.

One of those children growing up in Pratt City was James W. Ford, born in 1893 to a Black coal miner. He carried the lessons of his community — hard work, justice, and hope — and went on to become a powerful voice for labor and racial equality across the nation. His story shows how even from the deepest mines, greatness could rise.

But the journey wasn’t easy. The 1890s brought mine strikes and racial tension, as workers — Black and white alike — demanded fair pay and safer conditions. When they organized, the company replaced them with more convict laborers, dividing workers and deepening hardship. Violence was never far away. In 1886, a white mob attacked a Black man named Tom Collins near the mines — a reminder that racism’s reach extended beyond the workplace and into everyday life.

By the 1920s, the coal mines began to close. Jobs disappeared, but the people didn’t give up. Black residents of Pratt City found new ways to survive — some worked in factories, others opened small businesses, and many continued to build their churches into centers of strength and pride.

Decades later, the people of Pratt City would face new challenges. On April 27, 2011, a powerful tornado tore through the community, leaving devastation in its path. But even then, the people stood strong. Neighbors helped neighbors. Churches became shelters. And once again, the same resilience that carried their ancestors through slavery and segregation carried Pratt City through the storm.

Today, Pratt City remains a mostly Black community, proud of its roots and rich in history. The story of its people — from the convict miners to the freedom fighters — reminds us that faith, unity, and perseverance can outlast any hardship. Their labor built Birmingham. Their spirit built hope.

The soil of Pratt City holds more than coal — it holds the memory of struggle, the power of survival, and the promise of a brighter tomorrow.

1870s – Founding Era

• The Pratt Coal & Coke Company opens the Pratt Mines.
• African Americans, many newly freed, are forced into convict leasing, working the mines under brutal conditions.

1880s – The Age of Convict Leasing

• Black prisoners make up 90% of Alabama’s convict labor force.
• The Pratt Convict Cemetery is created for miners who die underground.
• 1886: A white mob hunts a Black man, Tom Collins, near Pratt Mines.

1890s – Strikes and Struggles

• 1894: Miners, both Black and white, strike for better pay and safety. The company brings in convict labor to break the strike.
• Black families build neighborhoods like South Pratt, growing a close-knit community.

1893 – Birth of James W. Ford

• Born in Pratt City, the son of a Black coal miner. He grows up to become a leader in labor and racial justice.

1900–1920 – Growth and Hardship

• African Americans make up 65% of the coal mining workforce.
• Black churches and schools become centers of faith and education during segregation.

1920s – The End of the Mine Era

• Pratt Mines close. Black workers transition to other forms of labor and community building.

1950s–1960s – Civil Rights and Unity

• Churches in Pratt City join the broader Birmingham civil rights movement.
• The area remains a proud, predominantly Black working-class community.

2011 – The Tornado

• On April 27, 2011, a devastating tornado destroys parts of Pratt City.
• Black residents and churches lead the rebuilding effort.

Today

• Pratt City stands as a living symbol of resilience and Black heritage.
• Efforts continue to preserve sites like the Pratt Convict Cemetery and share the full story of those who built and sustained this historic community.