Sherrel Stewart
Reporter
Sherrel Wheeler Stewart is a veteran journalist with experience in print, digital, and broadcasting. She began her work in professional media in 1982 after graduating from the University of Alabama where she was an editor at The Crimson White student newspaper and also an associate producer with University Television Services.
At The Birmingham News she covered communities, education, and local government before moving to Nashville, Tennessee and working as education editor at The Tennessean. She has also worked in corporate communications and as a visiting professor of journalism at the University of Alabama. In 1998, she returned to The Birmingham News and was the breaking news editor before leaving in 2012.
A founding member of the Birmingham Association of Black Journalists, Sherrell is active in several community organizations. She is on the board of Special Equestrians and is a member of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Down Syndrome Alabama, and the Echo Highlands Neighborhood Association.
Southern Baptists Apologize for Sex Abuse Coverups
06-13-2019
In the last day of the Southern Baptist Convention’s annual meeting in Birmingham, the nation’s largest Protestant denomination apologized for decades of sexual abuse and cover ups in the church.
Southern Baptists Vote to Address Sex Abuse in Churches
06-12-2019
Thousands of Southern Baptists are in Birmingham this week for the denomination’s annual meeting. In the first day of business, the convention voted to amend its constitution to take steps against sex abuse.
Democratic Presidential Candidate Kamala Harris Campaigns in Birmingham
06-7-2019
In her Friday speech in Birmingham, Sen. Kamala Harris promised to stand up for women’s access to reproductive care, take on gun control and work to give all Americans quality healthcare.
Proposed Charter School Plans to Serve LGBTQ Youth
05-29-2019
Many students who identify as LGBTQ here in Alabama say they’ve been harassed or assaulted because of their sexuality. A new charter school proposed in Birmingham aims to make these young people feel safe in the classroom.
Former Jefferson County Commissioner Chris McNair Dies
05-9-2019
For most of her life, WBHM reporter Sherrell Stewart has had a close up view of McNair’s triumphs and heartbreaks. She shares this remembrance, including what they discussed just days before his death.
Bill Would Hold Back Third Graders Who Don’t Read Proficiently
05-3-2019
A bill making its way through the Alabama Legislature requires that third graders read proficiently by the end of third grade or else be held back. The state consistently ranks near the bottom on national achievement tests in reading.
Momentum Shifts on Bill to Repeal Common Core
04-25-2019
State Sen. Del Marsh wants to repeal the nationwide academic standards known as Common Core this legislative session. But the proposal seems to have lost some momentum.
Trash Talk: Abandoned Cars Dot Area Roadsides
04-15-2019
Ever wonder where all these abandoned cars on the side of the road come from? Here’s your answer.
Restoration Work Begins on Historic A.G. Gaston Motel
03-27-2019
Work has begun to restore the motel that was a headquarters for Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. during the civil rights movement.
State Commission Approves Birmingham Charter School
03-25-2019
The Alabama Public Charter School Commission approved plans for a new charter school in Birmingham. The development comes two months after Birmingham school officials rejected the i3 Academy application. Organizers of the charter school appealed to the state.
