History can be inspiring, epic and almost surreal in its scale. History can also be boring and dusty…and it can be painful and sobering as well. The National Memorial for Peace and Justice, opens today in Montgomery, AL remembering the thousands of victims of lynchings.
Continue reading “The National Memorial for Peace and Justice opens today, April 26 in Montgomery”
As you walk down 41st St. S. or enjoy a bite at the Avondale Common House in Birmingham, you might notice an old two-story brick building with 19.IOOF.O2 inscribed at the top. A sign that a secret society met here?
Continue reading “Did old Avondale building’s cryptic letters stand for secret society?”
Birmingham offers many ways to learn more about the Civil Rights movement, and to celebrate Black History Month. A visit to Birmingham can be a sobering, reflective and finally an uplifting experience for anyone interested in this period of our country’s history.
Continue reading “Black History Month in Birmingham; films, plays, music, science fair, exhibits”
All over Birmingham we see revitalization and renovation and of course our really beautiful murals. As the Magic City continues to transform, there are some pieces of our history I hope we preserve and keep around.
Continue reading “Instagram spotlight on beautiful Birmingham Ghost Signs.”
It seems fitting that Birmingham, home of so many college campuses, and the first place to celebrate Veterans Day, will have two programs honoring veterans, and exploring our country’s military campaigns and the history surrounding them. Continue reading “Birmingham Public Library Archives presents two WWI events in November”
After leading Alabama’s Department of Archives and History for more than thirty years, Dr. Edwin C. Bridges lets us into a big secret: Alabama’s powerful and dramatic history is often overlooked by those of us living in it. But, his new book is aiming to change that.
In Alabama: The Making of an American State, Bridges paints a clear picture of Alabama’s historical details, weaved with stories and archival points of interest along the way.
Continue reading “Dr. Edwin Bridges captures Alabama’s deep history in new book”
There are some places only a local can say. Nevada is pronounced Na-vah-dah, not Nuh-vah-duh. Trenton is Tren-in. If you can’t say New Orleans, just say NOLA and move on. Generally, though, unless this is a Schenectady kind of situation, minor mispronunciations due to not being in the know are fine and will get you where you need to go. A few years ago, I had a friend who wrote down her address for me so I could find her house for a New Year’s party.
Martin Luther King Jr.’s birthday is tomorrow. This is the first part of two pieces recapping some of the Jewish involvement in the Civil Rights Era.
The history of the Jews in Alabama is one that is long, silent, and largely unrecognized. For one, the population of Jews has decreased by a large margin in the last three generations. Many left for Atlanta and Memphis, many stayed only as long as children weren’t in yeshivas (religious schools) before moving North, and many lost their Jewish identity for marriage, assimilation, the reasons go on and on. And while the journey of the Jews in the South is fascinating, I will be focusing only on the 1960s in Birmingham.
Birmingham resident Amy Gary is the editor of the Margaret Wise Brown estate, and she’s about to release a new biography about Brown, the author of the esteemed children’s book, Goodnight Moon.
In The Great Green Room: The Brilliant and Bold Life of Margaret Wise Brown (Flatiron, 288 pages, $26.99) has opened up to rave reviews, like this one in the Washington Post.
The outpouring of love, admiration and condolences over the loss of one of Birmingham’s finest continues, as news of Courtney Haden’s passing makes its way through the community.
Hey, did you know that it’s been 25 years since Fannie Flagg’s novel Fried Green Tomatoes hit the silver screen? Yeah, me either, but I love everything about this book and film, so Friday got me all like …
Even better, you can meet the author of both the novel and the screenplay right here in her hometown of Birmingham! Join Fannie Flagg on December 9th at the Lyric Fine Arts Theatre for an evening of conversation about her brand-new novel “The Whole Town is Talking.”
From what I understand, you can get your picture made with her after the book signing, so don’t forget to iron your dresses, darlings! And, be sure to reserve your seats now!
This free event is your chance to meet a real-live Alabama writer who knows her way around a screenplay, among other endeavors. The Washington Post said that “even the dead characters are delightful in Fannie Flagg’s latest novel.” Now, that’s a review!
While you’re at it, don’t forget about those fried green tomatoes from Irondale Cafe. I’m always free for a lunch date, just FYI.
According to the Boston Globe, the uncovered items are believed to be a part of the first pilgrim settlement that arrived in 1620.
A team from the University of Massachusetts Boston excavated a cemetery called Burial Hill, home to the graves of several pilgrims.
They found discolored soil and calf bones under a layer of discarded items from the 17th century, and they believe the calf bones are proof of the pilgrim settlement, since Native Americans did not raise cattle in that area.
A $4 million, three-part project is underway for Vulcan Park, thanks to the Kiwanis Club. To celebrate the club’s 100th anniversary in 2017, a grand-scale makeover is in the works.
The “big changes” include:
Continue reading “Walking paths, light shows coming to Vulcan Park”
Continue reading “Local Teen Striving to Preserve Bham History”
