New Bill Would Make Birmingham Civil Rights District a National Park
Federal and state leaders from Alabama announced a bill Tuesday that would designate Birmingham’s historic Civil Rights District as a National Park.
Democratic Congresswoman Terri Sewell stood alongside Birmingham Mayor William Bell to introduce the bi-partisan legislation at the National Press Club in Washington.
“The historic Civil Rights District in Birmingham holds so many stories of the journey from what was once regarded as one of the most segregated cities in America to the Magic City that it is today,” Sewell says.
Birmingham’s Civil Rights District includes the 16th St. Baptist Church, where a bombing in 1963 killed four young girls. Other historic landmarks include Kelly Ingram Park, where iconic images show police attacking protestors with fire hoses and police dogs. Sculptures throughout the park depict these violent clashes.
In a speech following the announcement, Bell expressed sympathy for the incidents that happened today in Belgium.
“On a day like today when you see such tragedies that have occurred over in Brussels and other places all over the world, sometimes we think that things will never change. But Birmingham represents that change can come. And we need to share that message with the rest of the world,” Bell says.
The National Park Designation could be a boon to the city’s economy, Sewell adds.
Workers at Alabama’s Mercedes plants vote against joining a union
The workers voted 56% against the union, according to tallies released by the National Labor Relations Board, which ran the election.
Taylor Hunnicutt is championing her home state with debut album ‘Alabama Sound’
Alabama offers a diverse symphony of swampy rock, swaggering blues, murky country, and bone-rattling soul. It’s a sound singer-songwriter Taylor Hunnicutt recently reimagined on her debut album, Alabama Sound, which is out now.
UAB building among Alabama’s first to feature ‘bird safe’ glass
Advocates hope the new glass will prevent window collisions, a leading causes of bird mortality.
Researchers look into community health impact of wood pellet production in rural Mississippi
Brown University and Tougaloo College students are testing for potential air and noise pollution near the Drax wood pellet plant in Gloster, Mississippi.
Alabama coal company sued for a home explosion is delinquent on dozens of penalties
Crimson Oak Grove Resources has been cited for 204 safety violations since the March 8 blast, many involving “significant and substantial” safety violations.
The United Auto Workers faces a key test in the South with upcoming vote at Alabama Mercedes plant
The United Auto Workers is aiming for a key victory at Mercedes-Benz in Alabama. More than 5,000 workers at the facility in Vance and nearby battery plant will vote this week on whether to join the UAW.
