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.
Climate change is delaying peak fall foliage. Here’s what to expect this year
Leaves typically start to peak in northern states by early October, but projecting peak foliage isn't an exact science. Here are some things you can do to get the most out of fall's colors.
400 entertainers co-sign ACLU letter supporting Jimmy Kimmel
Celebrities including Pedro Pascal and Selena Gomez wrote: "Our government has resorted to threatening the livelihoods of journalists, talk show hosts, artists, creatives and entertainers."
Man charged with attempted assassination of Trump rests own case
Ryan Routh, who is accused in the attempted assassination of Donald Trump on his golf course last year, called three witnesses and rested his defense after only a few hours of testimony on Monday.
Elizabeth Gilbert opens up about sex, drugs and codependency in a new memoir
The Eat, Pray, Love author discusses her love affair with her best friend, which she says was life-changing but also marked by addiction and heartbreak. Gilbert's memoir is All the Way to the River.
‘The Lowdown’ isn’t just a good show. It’s a good hang
Ethan Hawke plays a bookstore owner who moonlights as a muckraking reporter in Tulsa, Okla. Though The Lowdown occasionally meanders or misfires, every episode of the FX series is bracingly alive.
USDA cancels survey tracking how many Americans struggle to get enough food
The Department of Agriculture said it will end a longstanding annual food insecurity survey. Experts say the move will obscure the effects of recent changes that will lead to people losing food aid.
