Historical plaque to be unveiled in Government Plaza April 26 | Events

Monument dedicated to April 2011 tornado outbreak

Tuscaloosa, Alabama – A historical marker dedicated to the April 2011 tornado outbreak will be unveiled Thursday, April 26 at 9:00 a.m. in Government Plaza located at 618 21st Avenue. Tuscaloosa Mayor Walter Maddox and city officials will give remarks at the event to remember those who perished in the storm and the heroes of our response and recovery.

The text of the marker will read as follows:

City of Tuscaloosa

April 2011 Tornado Outbreak

In April 2011, one of the most devastating tornado outbreaks in the history of Alabama left an unprecedented path of destruction through the City of Tuscaloosa.

On the street corners and in the neighborhoods, thousands of citizens transformed into heroes by aiding the injured, searching for the missing, clearing debris, and volunteering from dawn to dusk. Called by circumstance, burdened by tragedy, yet inspired by a confident hope, the fury of Mother Nature was met by the best of humanity.

How we fought back, how we refused to quit and how we united will ensure that we never forget our victims, our survivors and our heroes.

This monument is dedicated to those who perished in the storm, and in gratitude to the survivors whose courage and unrelenting spirit refused to let the voice and the heart of the City of Tuscaloosa be lost.