Hidden nerve center of the civil rights movement will be reimagined as a community gathering place. 

MONTGOMERY, ALABAMA — Today, The Conservation Fund announced the protection of the historic Ben Moore Hotel, which was an integral part of Montgomery’s unique role in African American history and the civil rights movement.

Built by Matthew F. “Ben” Moore, the four-story brick and concrete hotel represented modern progress in Montgomery’s Centennial Hill neighborhood with dozens of guest rooms, a restaurant, barber shops, and a rooftop nightclub.

“Once a beacon for the Centennial Hill neighborhood and a refuge for travelers listed in the Green Book, the Ben Moore Hotel welcomed Civil Rights leaders and musical icons alike,” said Phillip Howard, Manager of the Legacy Places Initiative for The Conservation Fund. “Though time has worn down its walls, its story remains powerful. By protecting this historic site, we’re helping ensure that the courage and creativity it once inspired continue to shape Montgomery’s future.”

The hotel housed many key figures in African American history, including Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. and Rev. Ralph Abernathy. It served as a hub for ministers, activists, and community leaders to organize, exchange ideas, and build networks vital to the civil rights movement. The Ben Moore Hotel quickly became known as a “headquarters for power” in the African American community.

“At the Ben Moore Hotel you had any and everybody who lived there – B.B. King, Ruth Brown, Little Richard,” said Nelson Malden, owner of Malden Brothers Barber Shop at the Ben Moore Hotel. “We had quite a few civil rights activists come too.”

Malden Brothers Barber Shop, formerly located on the first floor of the Ben Moore Hotel, serviced many in the neighborhood including its most famous customer: The Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. It was here he received one of his final haircuts.

Over time, the hotel declined and was eventually closed but was recognized as an important landmark by historians and local Montgomery heritage tours. Protecting the Ben Moore Hotel and its legacy aligns with The Conservation Fund’s mission to protect places of natural, cultural, and historic significance while fostering community resilience, economic opportunity, and sustainable reuse. The organization works to identify and quickly acquire at-risk properties and protect them forever, working with local community partners who steward them long-term.

For this project, The Conservation Fund will be partnering with the Landmarks Foundation, a nonprofit community-based preservation organization in Montgomery, Alabama.

“The protection of the Ben Moore Hotel is significant for the city not just because of the history it represents, but because of the growth and revitalization opportunities it provides for Montgomery and all of central Alabama,” said Mayor Steven Reed of the City of Montgomery.

“Restoring the Ben Moore Hotel is both a celebration of our city’s rich history and a bold step toward its future,” says Frank Robinson, Director of Economic Development for the City of Montgomery. “We are excited to see this iconic space redeveloped, recognizing it as a powerful economic catalyst for the neighborhood and for Montgomery as a whole.”

The Ben Moore Hotel is the latest African American heritage site protected by The Conservation Fund. Other projects include Zora Neale Hurston’s final home, the Chattahoochee Brick Company Memorial Park in Georgia, The Harriet Tubman Underground Railroad National Monument, the protection of formerly segregated beaches in Maryland, and the Freedom Riders National Monument in Alabama.

The Conservation Fund protects the land that sustains us all. We are in the business of conservation, creating innovative solutions that drive nature-based action in all 50 states for climate protection, vibrant communities and sustainable economies. We apply effective strategies, efficient financing approaches and enduring government, community and private partnerships to protect millions of acres of America’s natural land, cultural sites, recreation areas and working forests and farms. To learn more, visit http://www.conservationfund.org.  

The Conservation Fund’s Legacy Places Initiative:   

The Conservation Fund works with local communities and partners to identify African American sites across the country that are at risk of development or being forgotten or demolished.  Places like important civil rights sites across the South, homes and farms that made up the Underground Railroad, and locations where priceless American culture — art, music, literature — was created. We leverage our vast expertise in land acquisition and conservation to quickly acquire these at-risk properties and protect them forever, working with local community partners who steward them long-term.