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.
ICE conducted 37 investigations into officer misconduct in last year
The disclosure from the agency's acting director came after immigration officers shot two U.S. citizens, intensifying questions about ICE officers' tactics, training and use of force.
Federal judge orders return of Venezuelan migrants deported to El Salvador under Alien Enemies Act
In his Thursday order, U.S. District Court Judge James Boasberg ordered the government to allow any of the men deported last year to El Salvador to appear in a U.S. port of entry to be conditionally allowed in as they challenge their removal.
Have astronomers witnessed the birth of a black hole?
A massive star in the nearby Andromeda galaxy has simply disappeared. Some astronomers believe that it's collapsed in on itself and formed a black hole.
Judge temporarily blocks Pentagon action against Mark Kelly over illegal orders video
Kelly, an Arizona Democrat, sued Hegseth after the Defense Secretary moved to formally censure him for participating in a video where he told service members they can refuse illegal orders.
Olympic athletes push their bodies to the limit. Should we?
Elite athletes often push through pain to achieve victory. But, everyday exercisers need to distinguish between soreness which is normal and pain which is the body's way of telling you to stop.
Trump border czar Tom Homan announces Minnesota immigration surge is ending
The aggressive enforcement operation resulted in thousands of arrests, and two U.S. citizens were fatally shot in Minneapolis by federal immigration agents.
