Birmingham Public Library Honors Civil Rights Leader Shelly Millender Jr.
Shelly Millender III, with his wife and children, holding a proclamation presented to him by the BPL Board of Trustees Tuesday honoring his late father, Shelly Millender Jr., who as a Miles College student in 1963 led a sit-in that persuaded Birmingham Public Library leadership to desegregate city libraries.
The Board of Trustees at the Birmingham Public Library honored Shelly Millender Jr. who helped integrate the city’s libraries in 1963 and who passed away last month. The Board presented a resolution to Millender’s family at their meeting this week..
Millender was one of three students from Miles College who helped integrate Birmingham Public libraries. Millender helped lead a sit-in at the downtown library, where surprisingly there wasn’t any pushback against the students. Millender, who also was an Army veteran, talked about that experience with WBHM in 2018.
“If I could put my life on the line for the country, certainly I shouldn’t be barred from the library,” Millender said.
Millender worked as a salesman for decades, starting at the Coca Cola Bottling Company. He went on to become one of the first Black salesmen of luxury vehicles, and after he retired, he started his own radio show called “Let’s Talk”. He was also a lifelong member of Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity Inc.
Here is part of the resolution honoring Millender’s legacy:
* Whereas Shelly Millender Jr. walked into the downtown Birmingham Public Library on April 10, 1963, and stood up to a librarian who told him “to go to the colored library” by saying, “No, I want to use this library” and refused to leave…
* Whereas because of his actions, leaders of the Birmingham Public Library agreed to end segregation soon after in what was described as one of the few peaceful desegregation efforts in Birmingham….
* Whereas Shelly Millender Jr. and his brave actions were featured in library historian Wayne S. Wiegand’s book “The Desegregation of Public Libraries in the Jim Crow South: Civil Rights and Local Activism” and participated in a panel discussion about the event at the Central Library on May 1, 2018.
Millender died on July 17. He was 86 years old.
Party City files for bankruptcy and plans to shutter nationwide
Party City was once unmatched in its vast selection of affordable celebration goods. But over the years, competition stacked up at Walmart, Target, Spirit Halloween, and especially Amazon.
Sudan’s biggest refugee camp was already struck with famine. Now it’s being shelled
The siege, blamed on the Rapid Support Forces, has sparked a new humanitarian catastrophe and marks an alarming turning point in the Darfur region, already overrun by violence.
FDA approves weight loss drug Zepbound to treat obstructive sleep apnea
The FDA said studies have shown that by aiding weight loss, Zepbound improves sleep apnea symptoms in some patients.
Netflix is dreaming of a glitch-free Christmas with 2 major NFL games set
It comes weeks after Netflix's attempt to broadcast live boxing between Jake Paul and Mike Tyson was rife with technical glitches.
Big dreams: He’s the founder of a leading African photobook library
Paul Ninson had an old-school, newfangled dream: a modern library devoted to photobooks showing life on the continent. He maxed out his credit cards, injured his back — and made it happen.
Opinion: The Pope wants priests to lighten up
A reflection on the comedy stylings of Pope Francis, who is telling priests to lighten up and not be so dour.
