The Junction: Stories from Ensley

The Junction: The Parsonage Bombing

Ensley residents who remember that tragic event and the role the community played in the civil rights movement say this rich history is important today as Ensley looks toward revitalization.

The Junction: Oasis Gardens Ensley

In an alley in downtown Ensley, Hank Layman is transforming a parking lot into something that’s been missing from the community for years: a garden.

The Junction: Sebastian Kole

Birmingham native Sebastian Kole spoke with producer Mary Quintas about his connection to Ensley, how it informs his music, and the positive changes he sees in the community.

The Junction: We Won’t Be Next

After police shootings and racially-charged murders this month, the national conversation is once again focused on the fraught relationship between police and black communities. To address these tensions, The Birmingham City Council recently hosted a forum in Ensley called “We Won’t Be Next.” Rachel Osier Lindley brings us the latest in our series, The Junction: […]

The Junction: Stories from Ensley, Alabama – Janice Houston Nixon

In 1967, 12-year-old Janice Houston Nixon decided to transfer from the all-black school in her native Ensley, to an all-white school nearby. Nixon was inspired to do so by her sister, integration pioneer Carolyn Houston Crumbley Major, who we profiled in a previous episode of The Junction: Stories from Ensley, Alabama. In this latest installment of the […]

The Junction: Stories from Ensley, Alabama — Holy Family Cristo Rey High School

Fair or not, the words "Ensley" and "success" don't often appear together in local media reports. But tucked among vacant buildings and weedy lots a few feet from an Interstate, there's a high school with a college acceptance rate most suburban schools would envy. For the latest chapter of "The Junction: Stories from Ensley, Alabama," education reporter Dan Carsen talks with the people making it happen to find out how this school works.

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The Junction: Stories From Ensley, Alabama – An Integration Pioneer

In 1965, Carolyn Houston Crumbley Major became the first African-American graduate of Ensley High School. Producer Mary Quintas spoke with Carolyn's son, Rafaael Crumbley, and sister, Janice Houston Nixon, about Carolyn's contributions as an integration pioneer - and what her legacy means today.

Help Choose The Logo for The Junction!

The teen graphic design students of Ku'umba Community Arts created logo options for The Junction. Get to know the designers behind the logos, and help choose the official logo for The Junction!

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.

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54% of support comes from members