South

To reduce gun violence, New Orleans is turning to community groups instead of police

Advocates in New Orleans work to curb gun violence by focusing on prevention and community needs over policing and aim to spread it across the Gulf South.

R&B artist Anthony Hamilton brings his Southern flair back to Birmingham

Hamilton discussed touring after a pandemic break, Southern food, and his return to The Magic City. 

What Hollywood Gets Wrong About The South

Author Ben Beard surveys the South through movies in his new book "The South Never Plays Itself."

“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.

Teaching Tough Topics: The South’s Real History

Teaching subjects that trigger strong emotions and political divides is challenging. In the South, many of those fault-lines — racial, religious and otherwise — are intimately tied to its history. This week the Southern Education Desk is exploring how teachers tackle tough topics. WBHM’s Dan Carsen starts with an overview of some the major challenges, and […]

Capacity Crowd Turns Out For Vestavia Mascot Forum

An emotional issue across the South and the nation came to a head in Vestavia Hills last night — the debate over symbols related to the Confederacy. The school board held a public forum, partly spurred by residents who want the system to drop its “Rebel” mascot. Listen above or read below. Under the text, […]

State Schools Chief Of Staff On Decrease In Per-Pupil Spending

Since before the recession, the number of dollars Alabama spends per student has dropped more than it has in any other state. Percentage-wise, Alabama's decrease was second only to Oklahoma's. That’s all according to a recent report from the Center for Budget and Policy Priorities. WBHM’s Southern Education Desk reporter Dan Carsen caught up with Alabama schools Chief of Staff Craig Pouncey to find out why, and what it all means.

Pre-K Series, Part 3: Access Is Everything

Most education researchers and even many economists think high-quality Pre-K benefits children and the communities where they live. But the effects are limited when programs just don't reach many kids. In Part Three of the Southern Education Desk series on Pre-K in the Deep South, WBHM's Dan Carsen has more from right here in Alabama, which has a highly regarded program that reaches a just a fraction of the state's four-year-olds.

One Woman’s Story

HIV, once thought of as a virus that affected mainly men, is becoming more of a women's issue. The women who do become infected typically get the virus from a husband or boyfriend. Marvelyn Brown talks about her life as an HIV positive woman in the South.