mural

The Murals Of Downtown Birmingham Transform Vandalized Streetscapes To Avenues Of Hope

Murals can be found on plywood throughout downtown Birmingham.

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.

Correspondence That Shaped the Jefferson County Courthouse Murals

Since last Fall, the Jefferson County Commission has been debating what to do about the murals in the foyer of the county courthouse.

Committee Could Decide the Fate of the Jefferson County Courthouse Murals

Back in September, the Birmingham chapter of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored Peoples (NAACP) petitioned the Jefferson County Commission to remove two murals that currently hang in the entrance way to the county courthouse.

Gas Smells Worry Avondale Residents

It’s been almost two years since a gas-leak fueled explosion destroyed an apartment building at a public housing complex in Gate City. The explosion killed one woman and injured seven others. As infrastructure deteriorates across the country, citizens in Birmingham are worried a tragedy like what happened at Gate City could happen again. We hear more on this and other stories from Nick Patterson, editor of the weekly newspaper WELD. He joins us most Thursdays during All Things Considered.

Driver’s License Offices Closures Could Affect Voting

Governor Robert Bentley warned there would be cuts to state services if lawmakers didn’t pass enough new revenue measures for the budget that goes into effect Thursday. The budget includes some new money but still cuts many agencies about 6-percent. As a result state law enforcement announced Wednesday examiners will no longer travel to 31 part-time satellite driver’s license offices. It’s a move that some worry could affect voting. We talk about it with Alabama Media Group columnist John Archibald.

Hale Woodruff’s Talladega College Murals At Birmingham Museum of Art

Hale Woodruff is regarded as one of the most important African-American artists of the 20th century. His best-known works are six very large murals he painted for the Talladega College library in the 1930s. An exhibition of the murals, along with early works from Woodruff’s career, opens this Saturday at the Birmingham Museum of Art. WBHM took a tour of the show this week with curators Kelli Morgan and Graham Boettcher.