Arts and Culture
“I Want My South Back”
"I want my South back." That's the rallying cry from Alabama Media Group columnist John Archibald. In a recent column he lays out a Southern identity that he admits may be a fictional memory, but one he'd like see more of. He also reflects on the fifth anniversary of the April 27, 2011, tornado outbreak that killed more than 250 people in Alabama.
“The Faith of Christopher Hitchens”
Christopher Hitchens and Larry Taunton seem unlikely candidates to be friends. Hitchens was a writer and avowed atheist who died of esophageal cancer in 2011. Taunton is the founder of the Birmingham-based Fixed Point Foundation. It’s an evangelical Christian organization that has sponsored debates with prominent atheists. It’s through this work the two met and became friends. Larry Taunton is out with a book called “The Faith of Christopher Hitchens: The Restless Soul of the World’s Most Notorious Atheist”
Commentary: Not Easy to Find “Home” with Birmingham’s Redlining History
In the 1930’s, the Federal Housing Authority practiced "redlining," denying services to people in certain areas based on racial or ethnic makeup. This mostly discriminated against black, inner city neighborhoods. In Alabama, Birmingham was no exception. The echoes of redlining can still be heard today, especially when young black families start house shopping. In this commentary, young adult author and WBHM staffer Randi Revill shares her thoughts on searching for home among Birmingham’s silent but ongoing racial division. Revill's first novel, "Into White," comes out this Fall.
A Tour of Alabama Folk School at Camp McDowell
Alabama has a rich folk history, full of songs, stories and primitive arts and crafts. For years, the Alabama Folk School has brought them to life through a year-round teaching program at Camp McDowell, the camp and conference center for the Episcopal Diocese of Alabama. The Alabama Folk School recently appointed a new director, and Camp McDowell itself has seen some major changes and renovations in the past year.
AG Strange: New EPA Rule Would Hurt Alabama’s Racing Economy
Alabama is joining eight other states petitioning the federal government to drop a proposal banning the modification of street vehicles into off-road race cars. Attorney General Luther Strange announced he […]
WBHM’s New Spring 2016 Tote Bag, Designed by Beth Conklin
Birmingham artist Beth Conklin’s design is featured on the tote bag for the Spring 2016 Fund Drive. Hear Conklin describe the design and encourage you to support WBHM. The tote bag is available […]
Kim Graham: Spring 2016 Pint Glass
Birmingham artists Kim Graham Smith’s design is featured on the pint glass for the Spring 2016 Fund Drive. Hear Smith describe the design and encourage you to support WBHM. The […]
Arc Stories: April 2016 Edition
Stories about serving, giving and the greater community. A young man commits himself to giving back to his community by serving the less fortunate; a father convinces his kids to […]
Rotary Trail Opens in Downtown “Magic City”
Hundreds of people gathered Wednesday evening to celebrate the opening ceremonies of Rotary Trail along 1st Avenue South in downtown Birmingham. While sipping free champagne and eating popsicles, residents took […]
Sensory-Friendly Performances Open Theater World to People with Autism
People with autism often get uncomfortable in situations like live theater. Sudden loud noises and bright lights can cause distress. With one in 68 children being diagnosed with the condition, lots of Alabama families don’t see musicals or plays. One theater in Birmingham wants to change that by offering one of Alabama’s first “sensory-friendly” performances.
Arc Stories: March 2016 Edition
Stories about a woman who learns you can’t always trust somebody just because they’re in a position of authority; a guy deals with a serious case of bad luck of his own […]
Mother Angelica, EWTN Founder, Passed Away Easter Sunday
A note: The audio profile above was produced in January of this year, before Mother Angelica passed away. The founding matriarch of a monastery turned global religious television network died […]
New Bill Would Make Birmingham Civil Rights District a National Park
Federal and state leaders from Alabama announced a bill that would designate Birmingham’s Historic Civil Rights District as a National Park.
WBHM Launches New Series Exploring Birmingham’s Ensley Community
Public Radio WBHM 90.3 FM launches “The Junction: Stories from Ensley, Alabama” this week. To many people outside of the community, Ensley is merely a crime-ridden, impoverished place. Through radio […]
The Junction: Stories From Ensley, Alabama. Episode 1
WBHM is one of 15 stations chosen for Localore: Finding America – a national initiative to expand public media. Over the next several months, WBHM will bring you “The Junction: Stories from Ensley, Alabama” – a project created by independent producer Mary Quintas.
Hear Highlights from “Issues & Ales: Crime in the Greater Birmingham Area”
There’s a perception that crime is on the rise in and around Birmingham. What’s really happening? Is fear changing our behavior and affecting relationships in our communities? How can Birmingham and surrounding communities work to reduce violent crime? On Thursday, March 10 Local law enforcement officials and community members met to discuss crime and brainstorm solutions for WBHM's “Issues and Ales: Crime in the Greater Birmingham Area.”
TEDx Birmingham 2016: Pure Imagination
The theme for TEDx Birmingham 2016 is Pure Imagination. Last weekend, UAB’s Alys Stephens Center was home to a day featuring featuring 18 different speakers sharing thought-provoking ideas. The goal […]
Barons Adding to Protective Netting Behind Home Plate
The protective netting behind home plate at Regions Field will be extended before the start of the 2016 Southern League Season. The netting will now stretch to the edge of […]
Arc Stories: February 2016 Edition
Stories about growing up during the Civil Rights movement in Birmingham. A young black boy who lives in the basement of a wealthy white family’s home and then becomes a […]
The Compassion Experience: A Virtual Exhibit on Global Poverty
Global poverty can seem pretty abstract to the average American. The Compassion Experience aims to change that. This traveling exhibit immerses people in the lives and cultures of children living in poverty around the world. It's on tour across the South and returns to Alabama next week. WBHM's Amy Sedlis saw the exhibit on its last Birmingham stop, and has this preview:
Birmingham’s Place in Historic Preservation Efforts
The National Trust for Historic Preservation recently declared Birmingham’s A.G. Gaston Motel a National Treasure. It also declared the landmark one of America’s eleven most endangered historic sites. Marita Rivero chairs the trust’s board and is Executive Director of the Museum of African American History in Boston. She’ll give the keynote address Thursday evening for the Birmingham Civil Rights Institute’s Black History Month celebration. Rivero spoke with WBHM’s Rachel Lindley about Birmingham’s importance in the national conversation on historic preservation and the significance of the A.G. Gaston Motel.
Dennis Covington and Revelation: The Search for Faith in a Violent Religious World
"Faith, as St. Paul said in his letter to the Galatians, is a fruit of the spirit, and a fruit is something tangible, life sustaining, a gift." Dennis Covington.
Newgrass Mandolin Master Sam Bush Returns to Birmingham
Sam Bush, considered by many to be the father of newgrass, the more progressive form of bluegrass music, brings his band to the Lyric Theatre Saturday night, February 13. Like the founding father of bluegrass, Bill Monroe, Bush grew up on a farm in Kentucky surrounded by a family of musicians. Both fell in love with the mandolin and with traditional music. There the comparison ends. Monroe grew up in the 1920s, while Sam Bush came of age in the era of television that brought the stars of country music right into his home.
100 Year-Old Mural in Bessemer Gets a Makeover
When the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel was restored in the 1980s and 90s, people were awe struck by the transformation. Vibrant colors and details that had been hidden for centuries could be seen once again. At the Bright Star in Bessemer, which bills itself as the oldest continuously operating restaurant in Alabama, the staff is experiencing similar feelings as the eatery’s more than 100 year-old mural slowly gets a makeover.
Andrew Glaze, Alabama’s 95-Year-Old Poet Laureate, Has Died
According to his family, poet and playwright Andrew Glaze died Sunday February 7, 2016. Glaze has been called "an essential poet for more than sixty years." The novelist, playwright and poet was currently serving as Poet Laureate of Alabama.
Alabama Actress Keeps Fannie Lou Hamer’s “Little Light” Shining
“I am sick and tired of being sick and tired.” ~Fannie Lou Hamer~ Actress and Alabama native Billie Jean Young has has done something not many have; she’s performed the […]
New Ownership for The Birmingham Times
The state’s oldest African American newspaper has a new owner. The Birmingham Times, was purchased by the Foundation for Progress in Journalism, a Birmingham non-profit. Sam Martin will be the paper’s new publisher. Martin was formerly the publisher for the Montgomery Advertiser.
Arc Stories: January 2016 Edition
Stories about learning a valuable lesson. A young man striving for his father’s approval; a couple whose relationship is defined by the purchase of a van; and an educator who’s […]
Self-taught Alabama Artist Thornton Dial has Died
The self-taught, African-American artist Thornton Dial has died at his home in Bessemer. He was 87.
UAB Athletics Hits Another Fundraising Milestone
UAB Athletics announced yesterday that they exceeded a second crucial fundraising mark in the Finish the Drive campaign.
Mother Angelica and the Eternal Word Television Network
Roman Catholics around the globe know the name Mother Angelica. She’s the founding matriarch of a small monastery in Irondale that grew into one of the largest religious media networks in the world, spanning 145 countries.
A Visit to the Historic Lyric Theatre Before It Reopens This Thursday
An old Birmingham vaudeville theater starts a new life tomorrow. After two years and a more than $11 million renovation, the Lyric Fine Arts Theatre reopens downtown, exactly 102 years after its first performance. In its heyday, the theater hosted acts like The Marx Brothers and Will Rodgers. But decades of neglect left the theater in serious disrepair.
