BIRMINGHAM, Ala. (WIAT) — The first day of the Birmingham Civil Rights Conference wrapped up Monday afternoon with the theme being the trauma of crime and hate.

Kristen Clarke, U.S. Assistant Attorney General for Civil Rights, and FBI Director Christopher Wray spoke at the 16th Street Baptist Church Monday, where an audience was also treated to a performance by the Carlton Reese Memorial Choir. The event brought together members of the community and law enforcement with the goal to open the lines of communication and build trust.

Speakers at the conference said that while society has come a long way, there’s still a lot of work to be done. Clarke spoke candidly about the progress that’s been made and the challenges that remain.

“Overt racism is socially unacceptable, but haters still hate,” Clarke said.

Clarke said the crimes involve more than the loss of lives and the heartache of the families.

“The trauma has reverberated much much farther because hate crimes are message crimes,” she said. “The perpetrators also seek to instill fear in the victim’s communities.”

Wray said that despite the violence that took place at the church on Sept. 16, 1963, where four Black girls died in a bombing, many positive changes that have taken place since that day.

“Looking back across the 61 years since this church was attacked by four men with hate in their hearts, I see progress towards a better present and a more hopeful future,” he said.

During his speech, Wray read aloud the names of Addie Mae Collins, Denise McNair, Carole Robertson and Cynthia Wesley, who were killed in the bombing.

The conference will continue Tuesday.