Buses may be Integrated, but Problems Plague Transit System

 ========= Old Image Removed =========Array
(
    [_wp_attached_file] => Array
        (
            [0] => 2015/12/IMG_01347-e1449164867781.jpg
        )

    [_wp_attachment_metadata] => Array
        (
            [0] => a:5:{s:5:"width";i:1920;s:6:"height";i:1371;s:4:"file";s:36:"2015/12/IMG_01347-e1449164867781.jpg";s:5:"sizes";a:13:{s:6:"medium";a:4:{s:4:"file";s:36:"IMG_01347-e1449164867781-336x240.jpg";s:5:"width";i:336;s:6:"height";i:240;s:9:"mime-type";s:10:"image/jpeg";}s:5:"large";a:4:{s:4:"file";s:36:"IMG_01347-e1449164867781-771x551.jpg";s:5:"width";i:771;s:6:"height";i:551;s:9:"mime-type";s:10:"image/jpeg";}s:9:"thumbnail";a:4:{s:4:"file";s:36:"IMG_01347-e1449164867781-140x140.jpg";s:5:"width";i:140;s:6:"height";i:140;s:9:"mime-type";s:10:"image/jpeg";}s:12:"medium_large";a:4:{s:4:"file";s:36:"IMG_01347-e1449164867781-768x548.jpg";s:5:"width";i:768;s:6:"height";i:548;s:9:"mime-type";s:10:"image/jpeg";}s:9:"1536x1536";a:4:{s:4:"file";s:38:"IMG_01347-e1449164867781-1536x1097.jpg";s:5:"width";i:1536;s:6:"height";i:1097;s:9:"mime-type";s:10:"image/jpeg";}s:9:"wbhm-icon";a:4:{s:4:"file";s:34:"IMG_01347-e1449164867781-80x80.jpg";s:5:"width";i:80;s:6:"height";i:80;s:9:"mime-type";s:10:"image/jpeg";}s:13:"wbhm-featured";a:4:{s:4:"file";s:36:"IMG_01347-e1449164867781-600x338.jpg";s:5:"width";i:600;s:6:"height";i:338;s:9:"mime-type";s:10:"image/jpeg";}s:20:"wbhm-featured-square";a:4:{s:4:"file";s:36:"IMG_01347-e1449164867781-600x600.jpg";s:5:"width";i:600;s:6:"height";i:600;s:9:"mime-type";s:10:"image/jpeg";}s:18:"wbhm-featured-home";a:4:{s:4:"file";s:36:"IMG_01347-e1449164867781-436x311.jpg";s:5:"width";i:436;s:6:"height";i:311;s:9:"mime-type";s:10:"image/jpeg";}s:22:"wbhm-featured-carousel";a:4:{s:4:"file";s:36:"IMG_01347-e1449164867781-371x265.jpg";s:5:"width";i:371;s:6:"height";i:265;s:9:"mime-type";s:10:"image/jpeg";}s:28:"ab-block-post-grid-landscape";a:4:{s:4:"file";s:36:"IMG_01347-e1449164867781-600x400.jpg";s:5:"width";i:600;s:6:"height";i:400;s:9:"mime-type";s:10:"image/jpeg";}s:25:"ab-block-post-grid-square";a:4:{s:4:"file";s:36:"IMG_01347-e1449164867781-600x600.jpg";s:5:"width";i:600;s:6:"height";i:600;s:9:"mime-type";s:10:"image/jpeg";}s:14:"post-thumbnail";a:4:{s:4:"file";s:36:"IMG_01347-e1449164867781-125x125.jpg";s:5:"width";i:125;s:6:"height";i:125;s:9:"mime-type";s:10:"image/jpeg";}}s:10:"image_meta";a:12:{s:8:"aperture";s:1:"0";s:6:"credit";s:0:"";s:6:"camera";s:0:"";s:7:"caption";s:0:"";s:17:"created_timestamp";s:1:"0";s:9:"copyright";s:0:"";s:12:"focal_length";s:1:"0";s:3:"iso";s:1:"0";s:13:"shutter_speed";s:1:"0";s:5:"title";s:0:"";s:11:"orientation";s:1:"0";s:8:"keywords";a:0:{}}}
        )

    [_media_credit] => Array
        (
            [0] => Ashley Cleek
        )

    [_navis_media_credit_org] => Array
        (
            [0] => WBHM
        )

    [_navis_media_can_distribute] => Array
        (
            [0] => 
        )

    [_wp_attachment_backup_sizes] => Array
        (
            [0] => a:8:{s:9:"full-orig";a:3:{s:5:"width";i:2592;s:6:"height";i:1936;s:4:"file";s:13:"IMG_01347.jpg";}s:14:"thumbnail-orig";a:4:{s:4:"file";s:21:"IMG_01347-140x140.jpg";s:5:"width";i:140;s:6:"height";i:140;s:9:"mime-type";s:10:"image/jpeg";}s:11:"medium-orig";a:4:{s:4:"file";s:21:"IMG_01347-336x251.jpg";s:5:"width";i:336;s:6:"height";i:251;s:9:"mime-type";s:10:"image/jpeg";}s:10:"large-orig";a:4:{s:4:"file";s:21:"IMG_01347-771x576.jpg";s:5:"width";i:771;s:6:"height";i:576;s:9:"mime-type";s:10:"image/jpeg";}s:18:"wbhm-featured-orig";a:4:{s:4:"file";s:21:"IMG_01347-453x338.jpg";s:5:"width";i:453;s:6:"height";i:338;s:9:"mime-type";s:10:"image/jpeg";}s:23:"wbhm-featured-home-orig";a:4:{s:4:"file";s:21:"IMG_01347-416x311.jpg";s:5:"width";i:416;s:6:"height";i:311;s:9:"mime-type";s:10:"image/jpeg";}s:27:"wbhm-featured-carousel-orig";a:4:{s:4:"file";s:21:"IMG_01347-355x265.jpg";s:5:"width";i:355;s:6:"height";i:265;s:9:"mime-type";s:10:"image/jpeg";}s:19:"post-thumbnail-orig";a:4:{s:4:"file";s:21:"IMG_01347-125x125.jpg";s:5:"width";i:125;s:6:"height";i:125;s:9:"mime-type";s:10:"image/jpeg";}}
        )

    [_imagify_optimization_level] => Array
        (
            [0] => 1
        )

    [_imagify_data] => Array
        (
            [0] => a:2:{s:5:"stats";a:3:{s:13:"original_size";i:909584;s:14:"optimized_size";i:425432;s:7:"percent";d:53.229999999999997;}s:5:"sizes";a:10:{s:4:"full";a:5:{s:7:"success";b:1;s:8:"file_url";s:64:"https://news.wbhm.org/media/2015/12/IMG_01347-e1449164867781.jpg";s:13:"original_size";i:792380;s:14:"optimized_size";i:340566;s:7:"percent";d:57.020000000000003;}s:9:"thumbnail";a:2:{s:7:"success";b:0;s:5:"error";s:77:"WELL DONE. This image is already compressed, no further compression required.";}s:6:"medium";a:2:{s:7:"success";b:0;s:5:"error";s:77:"WELL DONE. This image is already compressed, no further compression required.";}s:5:"large";a:5:{s:7:"success";b:1;s:8:"file_url";s:72:"https://news.wbhm.org/media/2015/12/IMG_01347-e1449164867781-771x551.jpg";s:13:"original_size";i:117204;s:14:"optimized_size";i:84866;s:7:"percent";d:27.59;}s:9:"wbhm-icon";a:2:{s:7:"success";b:0;s:5:"error";s:77:"WELL DONE. This image is already compressed, no further compression required.";}s:13:"wbhm-featured";a:2:{s:7:"success";b:0;s:5:"error";s:77:"WELL DONE. This image is already compressed, no further compression required.";}s:20:"wbhm-featured-square";a:2:{s:7:"success";b:0;s:5:"error";s:77:"WELL DONE. This image is already compressed, no further compression required.";}s:18:"wbhm-featured-home";a:2:{s:7:"success";b:0;s:5:"error";s:77:"WELL DONE. This image is already compressed, no further compression required.";}s:22:"wbhm-featured-carousel";a:2:{s:7:"success";b:0;s:5:"error";s:77:"WELL DONE. This image is already compressed, no further compression required.";}s:14:"post-thumbnail";a:2:{s:7:"success";b:0;s:5:"error";s:77:"WELL DONE. This image is already compressed, no further compression required.";}}}
        )

    [_imagify_status] => Array
        (
            [0] => success
        )

)
1657026959 
1449056466

With yesterday’s 60th anniversary of the start of the Montgomery Bus Boycott, the Birmingham Civil Rights Institute hosted a panel to mark Rosa Parks’ refusal to give up her seat to a white man.  But the talk didn’t stay focused on history. It quickly turned to the present, particularly the problems plaguing Birmingham’s buses.

“Where are we? Have we made any gains?” wondered Ahmad Ward, vice president of education for the Birmingham Civil Rights Institute. “[We are] looking at access to transportation as a civil right.”

Ward told stories from his own family about how life without a car in Birmingham is difficult and exhausting.

The auditorium was packed with bus riders and community activists, and the panel discussion became an open forum for riders airing grievances. They told stories of hours-long commutes and buses that breakdown.

“Transportation is a quality of life issue,” Georgette Norman, the former director of the Rosa Parks Museum at Troy University, interjected. She explained that Montgomery faces many of the same issues as Birmingham. While the protests of the 50s and 60s integrated buses, parks, and schools, oppression and inequality remain, Norman said.

“Our reform has been superficialized,” Norman said. “We have to get back to the whole idea of human rights. Does it matter that I can walk into any restaurant sit down and be served if I don’t have the price of the meal?”

Or, Norman continued, does it matter if buses are integrated if they can’t get you anywhere? For these Birmingham residents the answer seems to be no.

 

Ukraine says it struck a Russian airbase as Russia sent drones into Ukraine

Ukraine said it struck a Russian airbase on Saturday, while Russia continued to pound Ukraine with hundreds of drones overnight, dashing hopes for a breakthrough in efforts to end the war.

‘Buy now, pay later’ purchases can now affect your credit score. Here’s what that means

Services that split up payments into installments are increasingly popular, especially among young and low-to-middle income shoppers. But now the FICO credit scoring company will be tracking that debt.

Will Trump’s megabill help Democrats win the House?

Democrats feel that Trump's tax and spending bill gives them an opening ahead of the 2026 midterms. But if they want to win back the House, they're going to have to get their own house in order first.

At least 24 dead in extreme Texas flooding. Several people remain missing

At least 24 people are dead following extreme flooding that slammed Texas Hill Country overnight on Friday, according to officials. At least 20 girls from a summer camp remain missing.

Trump says ceasefire deal is near as Israeli strikes kill 138 Palestinians in Gaza

More than 60 of those killed were waiting for aid, according to Palestinian health officials. President Trump said Friday that talks over a ceasefire between Israel and Hamas are at a crucial stage.

President Trump says he wants to stage UFC fight on White House grounds

President Trump has announced that an Ultimate Fighting Championship bout will be held on the grounds of the White House next year, one of many events to be held to celebrate America's 250th birthday.

More Front Page Coverage