The Best of Times, 2016-2026: BT Journalism Awards by the Year

The Birmingham Times

The Birmingham Times this month celebrates the 10th year of its 2016 rebranding. Since that time, the publication has won nearly 80 journalism awards in the Alabama Press Association (APA) and National Newspaper Publishers Association (NNPA) competitions, including 41 for first place and two for General Excellence (2018 and 2021, NNPA).

The Times has earned accolades in nearly every category—news, health, features, business, photos, sports, layout and design, and Special Sections—and in 2025 was the winner in every category for which it submitted nominations, including 10 first-place finishes, a record number for the paper founded by Jesse J. Lewis Sr. in 1964.

“When the Foundation for Progress in Journalism decided to buy the Times 10 years ago, we had a couple of goals: the first one was to reimagine the Times in a new format with new content priorities and the second was to position it for years to come. I think we have done both,” said Sam Martin, president and publisher of Birmingham Times Media Group. “The Times has expanded its audience over the last 10 years, and it is a go-to source for news and information about Birmingham and Jefferson County. We are very proud of what the Times has become.”

As The Times observes the start of Black History Month, we take time to celebrate work by countless copy editors, page designers, writers, reporters, freelancers and photographers who’ve contributed to the publication’s success over the past decade.

2025

Best Local Economic Coverage

1^st – Birmingham Times (Keisa Sharpe, Sym Posey, Ameera Steward)

Best Local News Coverage

1^st – Birmingham Times (Barnett Wright, Keisa Sharpe)

Best Use of Photographs/Editorial Content

2^nd – The Birmingham Times

Best Layout and Design

1^st – The Birmingham Times (Kathryn Sesser-Dorné)

Best In-Depth News Coverage

1^st – Birmingham Times (Jeffco’s Turnaround Story Brings Billions from Investors, Solomon Crenshaw Jr.)

Best Sports News In-Depth Coverage

1^st – The Birmingham Times (America’s Oldest Baseball Park Gets Major League Attention, Solomon Crenshaw Jr.)

Best Sports Single Story

1^st – Birmingham Times (A.H, Parker High School Captures First Ever State Football Championship, Solomon Crenshaw Jr.)

Best Feature Photo

1^st – Birmingham Times (Germaul Barnes, Meet The Global Dance Maker, Marika N. Johnson)

Best Use of Graphics or Illustrations

1^st – The Birmingham Times (Rickwood Field Tribute, Kathryn Sesser-Dorné)

Best Special Section – Newsprint

1^st — The Birmingham Times (We Are Better Together, Chandra Splond, Kathryn Sesser-Dorné)

2^nd – The Birmingham Times (Rickwood Field, Tribute to The Negro Leagues, Kathryn Sesser-Dorné, Barnett Wright)

 Best Production and Printing

1^st – The Birmingham Times

General Excellence:

3^rd – The Birmingham Times

2024

Best Local Education Coverage

1st Place: The Birmingham Times, by staff

Best Local News Coverage

1st Place: The Birmingham Times

Best Business Story or Column

1st Place – The Birmingham Times – Shegun Otulana and The Joy of Building (Ryan Michaels)

Best Use of Photographs/Editorial Content

1st Place: The Birmingham Times

Best Photo Essay

1st Place: Birmingham Times for Works of Art (Staff)

Best Special Section – Newsprint

1^st Place: The Birmingham Times for “Black History from Science to Sports” by staff

Best Layout And Design

2nd Place: Kathryn Sesser-Dorné

Best Use of Graphics and Illustrations

2nd Place: Birmingham Times

Best News Photo

2nd Place: Birmingham Times

Mother’s Love (Joe Songer)

Best Feature Story Coverage

2nd Place: The Birmingham Times (Shelley Stewart: Legacy and Lessons of ‘The Voice’) Javacia Harris Bowser

Best Feature Photo

2^nd Place: The Birmingham Times

Coping with grief (Joe Songer)

General Excellence

3rd Place: The Birmingham Times

2023 (APA)

Best Local News Coverage

1st Place: The Birmingham Times, by staff

Best In-Depth News Coverage

1st Place: The Birmingham Times for “Deadly City” by Barnett Wright

Best Layout and Design 

1st Place: The Birmingham Times by Kathryn Sesser-Dorné

Best Newspaper Website

1st Place: The Birmingham Times for www.birminghamtimes.com

Best Special Section – Newsprint

2nd Place: The Birmingham Times for “Black History in the Arts” by staff

Best Production and Printing

3rd Place:  The Birmingham Times

General Excellence

3rd Place: The Birmingham Times

2023 (NABJ)

Salute to Excellence

‘Fifth Little Girl’ in Birmingham Church Bombing and Her Nurse at Hospital Reunite – After 6 Decades (Barnett Wright)

2023 (NNPA)

Original Photography Use

1^st Place: Birmingham Times, Summerfest, Food and Fun

Frank L. Stanley Award Education

1^st Place: Birmingham Times, Maranathan Academy Still Serves Critical Need, (Nicole S. Daniel)

Newspaper Excellence John H. Sengstacke Award

3^rd Place: Birmingham Times

2022 (APA)

Best In-Depth News Coverage
1st Place: The Birmingham Times for “COVID 19 And Birmingham: One Year Later” by Erica Wright and Ameera Steward

Best Feature Story Coverage
1st Place: The Birmingham Times for “Dr. Jesse J. Lewis Sr: The Drive of a Birmingham Business Legend” by Barnett Wright

Best Photo Essay
1st Place: The Birmingham Times for “Joe Minter: An Artist’s Legacy” by Amarr Croskey

Best Special Section-Newsprint
1st Place: The Birmingham Times for “A History of Black History” by Chandra Sparks Splond, Kathryn Sesser-Dorné

Best Production and Printing
1st Place: The Birmingham Times

Best Layout and Design
2nd Place: Kathryn Sesser-Dorné

General Excellence
3^rd place

Best Feature Photo
3rd Place: The Birmingham Times for “Adi Devta Kaur brings yoga to overlooked communities” by Joe Songer

Best Local News Coverage
3^rd Place

2022 (NNPA)

Emory O Jackson Health Award
1st Place: “COVID 19 And Birmingham: One Year Later” by Erica Wright and Ameera Steward

Leon W. Washington Special Edition Award
1st Place: “A History of Black History” by Chandra Sparks Splond and Kathryn Sesser-Dorné

Don King Sports Award
2nd Place: “Aqeel Glass Has No Ceiling” by Solomon Crenshaw Jr.

Robert Vann Layout And Design Award
2nd Place: Hats Off and A New Light, April 22 and April 29 editions, Kathryn Sesser-Dorné

Business Award
3rd Place: “Dr. Jesse J. Lewis Sr: The Drive of a Birmingham Business Legend” by Barnett Wright

 2021 (APA)

Community COVID Coverage (1st place)

Best News Photo (1st place)

A City Protests

(Ameera Steward)

Best Spot Photo (1st place)

A City Protests

(Ameera Steward)

Best Layout And Design (1st place)
(Kathryn Sesser-Dorné)

Best Special Section (1st place)

(Sherrel Stewart & Javacia Harris Bowser, Black History Month)

Best Use of Photographs/Editorial Content (1^st place)

Best Newspaper Website (2^nd place)

Best Production and Printing (2nd place)

General Excellence (3rd place)

NATIONAL NEWSPAPER PUBLISHERS’S ASSOCIATION (NNPA)

General Excellence (1st place)

Social & Criminal Justice (1st place)

(Know Justice Know Peace)

Layout & Design

(Black Lives Matter & Know Justice Know Peace)

2020 (APA)

Best Education Coverage (1st place)

Best Layout and Design (1st place)
Kathryn Sesser-Dorné

Best News Feature Story Coverage (1st place)
Hidden Pain (Je’Don Holloway Talley)

Best Newspaper Website (1st place)

Best Feature Story Coverage (2nd place)
“Working Hard for All of Us” (Ameera Steward)

Best Production and Printing (2nd place)

General Excellence (3rd place)

Best Headline (3rd place)
Painting The Town, Kathryn Sesser-Dorné

Best Lifestyle/Family Pages (3rd place)

Best Sports Feature
Bring It On (staff).

 2019 (NNPA)

 Best Feature Story

1st- Birmingham Times

“Survivor Sisters” written by staff reporter Erica Wright

Best Layout and Design, Tabloid and Broadsheet Award

1st- Birmingham Times, Kathryn Sesser-Dorné

Best News Story Award

2nd- Birmingham Times

“The Life of Emantic Bradford Jr.” by staff reporter Ameera Steward.

2018 (NNPA)

General Excellence Award

1st –  The Birmingham Times

Best News Story Award

2nd – Birmingham Times

2017 (APA)

Best Layout and Design

Kathryn Sesser-Dorné