The building at Avenue E and 19th Street was named after investment partners Erskine Ramsay and Carr McCormack of the Ramsay-McCormack Development Co. (File)
By Barnett Wright | The Birmingham Times
The Birmingham City Council on Tuesday approved $6 million for construction on the historic Ramsay McCormack Building in Ensley in hopes of finally bringing the long-delayed project to completion.
As far back as February 2019, city officials called for proposals to redevelop the building and properties in Ensley’s historic business district. In recent years, developers have faced delays due to the COVID pandemic, supply chain, increased construction costs and interest rate changes.
Despite the delays and some community opposition, city leaders said Tuesday they remained committed to the project.
The $6 million includes a $2 million initial cash payment, a $3 million forgivable loan contingent on project completion, and an optional $1 million loan repayable over 10 years at the Treasury rate. The overall project is estimated to cost about $20 million, with the developers required to contribute their own funds
Birmingham City Council President Darrell O’Quinn said the money is crucial bringing the building online.
“This is part of the [funding] that is required to make the development happen. There is some additional funds that the developer will have to come up with to get to the almost $20 million price tag that is going to be required to actually get the project done. The city of Birmingham is just doing its part to as part of making the project happen,” said O’Quinn.
Rick Journey, Director of Communications, for the City of Birmingham, said, “We are fully committed to investing in the Ensley community. A key part of that investment involves the completion of the Ramsay McCormack Building site. The resources approved today supports that commitment for developers to go vertical on the property.”
The city also approved an amended Redevelopment Agreement on the property “to ensure the project’s successful completion and mitigate risk … structured to significantly protect the city’s investment, providing incentives tied to concrete milestones.”
The developer is expected to commence vertical construction within 120 days of the new amended and restated redevelopment agreement.
The city will lease approximately 6,000 square feet in the new building — five stories as opposed to 10 for the demolished edifice — for a police sub-station and city services related to economic and community development.
Still, not everyone was in favor. Ensley business owner Brian Rice said he strongly opposes the agreement.
“For the last three or four years, we have looked at a gravel lot where the basement was filled in, and there has been no explanation as to why they are not developing this property with the first $4 million,” which went towards demolishing the building in 2021, said Rice.
Some of the money could have been invested in the developers, business owners, and merchants in the community, he added. “Ensley could be a thriving community if our city supported us … we’ve seen all this money going to the Ramsay-McCormack and nothing going to us.”
As recently as last week Rice said he sent an email requesting the council to take the item off its consent agenda and allow a public hearing for more than a dozen Ensley residents. “And they ignored all of us … We should’ve had a chance to speak before they voted on it, but they did not give us owners a chance to speak in advance,” he said.
Journey, of the Mayor’s office, said, “the city’s commitment has never wavered concerning this project. Today’s investment supports efforts to get this development across the finish line.”
The building at Avenue E and 19th Street was named after investment partners Erskine Ramsay and Carr McCormack of the Ramsay-McCormack Development Co.
The building housed the Bank of Ensley on the ground floor, as well as the developer’s offices and local offices for U.S. Steel for several years. Despite a renovation in 1970, the closure of U.S. Steel’s Ensley Works left much of the tower vacant and the building’s doors were closed in 1979.
The city has owned the building since 1983, when U.S. Steel sold it for $1. It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1984 but has been empty since 1986.
BY JE’DON HOLLOWAY-TALLEY | Special to the Birmingham Times
JAMESHA ‘JOI MINER’ HENDERSON AND TAMESHA CURRY
Live: Downtown Birmingham and Roebuck
Married: Feb. 29, 2024
Met: October 2018, on Facebook. They have Joi’s ex to thank for bringing their algorithms together. Tamesha said she wasn’t Facebook friends with Joi initially, but that she used to follow their mutual ex, who would often share Joi’s posts.
“I was dating a girl [their mutual ex] who also used to date Joi, and I would see things about Joi through her page,” Tamesha said. Eventually, Tamesha started following Joi herself, “because she was posting a lot of positive things and I needed that in my life at that time.”
Joi said she pays close attention to who interacts with her posts and that was how Tamesha caught her attention. “For six months this woman [Tamesha], was hearting [liking] all my posts, but never said a word to me,” Joi laughed, “and finally, I in-boxed her and said ‘stop liking all my [expletive] and let’s go to dinner.’”
Tamesha was shocked. “I thought she was playing. I never thought she would reach out to me because I’d never said anything to her,” she recalled.
Once mutual interest was confirmed, Joi had an important question — “How do you know my ex?” Joi asked, “because I didn’t need any more crazy in my life.” Tamesha was honest, “and that’s what I love about T, she’s going to be honest even if it’s going to get her feelings hurt or get her cussed out,” Joi said.
The pair exchanged numbers and talked on the phone for two weeks before arranging to meet in person.
First date: Mid-October at East Lake Park. Joi recalls heading back into town from an obligation but wanted to surprise Tamesha with a gift.
“I stopped at the Walmart on Roebuck Parkway and got her a dozen roses,” Joi said. “And when she saw them she smiled because most masculine-presenting lesbians don’t receive roses. I opened doors and everything for her. Looks can be deceiving [in same sex relationships] because although I present as feminine, I’m more dominant, and she’s actually more submissive. I make her blush. Our love gives her permission to exist in her femininity,” Joi said.
The pair recalled talking underneath a pavilion for a significant amount of time, when another couple approached, noticed their chemistry and asked us how long they’d been together.
“We told them it was our first date, and what’s funny is, Joi didn’t want a relationship [at the time], but that chemistry was there between us, and I instantly knew she may be the one,” said Tamesha.
Joi remembers walking away from the date feeling like she wanted more. “I was not looking for a relationship, but after we [parted ways], I didn’t like how I felt. I didn’t like not [sharing space] with her and it was going against everything I was telling myself that I wanted,” Joi said.
Jamesha ‘Joi Miner’ Henderson and Tamesha Curry met in October 2018 on Facebook. The couple married in 2024. (Provided)
The turn: Nov. 1, 2018. At Joi’s house in Ensley. “I attempted to ask her to be my girlfriend on her birthday, which was the 31st of October, but she said no, ask me tomorrow,” Tamesha said.
“I told her she was not going to get a two for one with me! I said you are not going to be able to get me a present for my birthday and think it counts as an anniversary gift,” Joi laughed. “So, no, ask me tomorrow. And it’s crazy, because I was dating other people, I wasn’t trying to be in a relationship, but [Tamesha] broke all my rules. I had a 4-20 rule: I used to date people for four months or 20 weeks, whichever is longer, and from there I would decide if I wanted to be with them.”
Joi explained having to slow down courtship intentionally because, “lesbians live in dog years,” she laughed. “We get together, fall in love and bring a U-Haul on the second date, and I was trying to be a crockpot lesbian and slow-cook this thing. But here I was agreeing to a relationship in less than 30 days.”
The proposal: While Joi had proposed to Tamesha several times over the course of their four-year relationship, and kept “taking them back,” it wasn’t until the last time she popped the question that it stuck.
On April 16, 2021, at Joi’s apartment in downtown Birmingham, while making the spread for Tamesha’s birthday party, Joi proposed. She even asked Tamesha’s father for her hand in marriage.
“Tamesha had just gotten to my place and was standing in the living room talking to my daughter, Phoenix, [then 9] who knew all about [her mom’s plan to propose] and was more excited than me,” said Joi. “I had all the food going and went into my bedroom to get the ring and came back and got down on one knee behind her. And when Tamesha turned around, she saw me down there and her whole face said, ‘what the hell are you doing?’” Joi laughed, “but I asked her to marry me.”
“I’m pretty sure I asked Joi if she was sure, because I’m [a big proponent] of not rushing things and making sure this is what she wants,” Tamesha said. After all, Joi did “take back her proposal four times,” she laughed. “After Joi said she was sure, I said ‘yeah.’”
Although the ring was on Tamesha’s finger and the commitment to wed was solid, before Joi could follow through with her new marriage, she had to first dissolve her last one.
“I had been trying to divorce Phoenix’s father for seven years, and finally on my birthday, Oct. 31, 2023, a judge in Montgomery signed off on my divorce and that was the best birthday present ever,” Joi said. “And in the state of Alabama you have to wait 61 days to marry again; they call it the cooling off period.”
During the “cooling off period,” the couple played with a lot of dates, but eventually settled on Feb. 29, 2024, a nod at keeping their union light and fun. “It was a joke,” Joi said, “we said we’d only have to celebrate our anniversary every four years.”
The wedding: Joi and Tamesha had planned to wed at the Birmingham courthouse but could not because marriage ceremonies were no longer being held there. “You just print out the paperwork, take it to UPS and get it notarized, and then you take it to the courthouse and file it. There is no magistrate, no vows, nothing, and this was my third marriage, and the first and only one I did not get to exchange vows for,” Joi said. But, “third time’s the charm.”
Most memorable for Joi was, “the fact that we were actually married. Tamesha was the first person I married that I wanted to be married to. The first two times I got married for my kids. I was pregnant and wanted my children to be raised in a two-parent household, so when my children’s fathers proposed, I said, ‘yes.’ But this time my marriage is for me,” Joi said.
Most memorable for Tamesha was also the reality of being married. “It was the fact that it actually happened, and she was my wife now. That was a big thing for me because this is my first marriage,” Tamesha said.
Words of wisdom: The Henderson-Currys believe that healthy marriages are built on doing what works best for you, not following society’s traditions.
“We decided not to live together because Phoenix [now 13] has a life that’s already set, and so is mine,” Joi said. “[Living apart] gives us time to face-check [a term they use that refers to checking their emotions] ourselves, because when you’re in the same space it can aggravate things, but [living apart] feels like it’s new all the time. We still hang on the phone all the time. We are constantly dating. It works for us,” Joi said.
Tamesha said it’s all about “maintaining our individuality and respecting each other’s individuality. Having respect and understanding for each other and wanting what’s best for each other is what is best. You have to take yourself out of it and be unselfish in marriage,” she said.
Happily ever after: The Henderson-Currys are a blended family with two children from Joi’s previous marriages: Qadara Miner, 23, Phoenix Henderson, 13, and Tamesha’s fur babies, Rocket, Crimson, and Negan.
Joi, 43, is a Montgomery native who attended Booker T. Washington Magnet High School [Montgomery]. She is an ‘Author-prenuer, writer, and teaches writing classes for Intoto Creative Arts and the Alabama Prison Arts & Education Program.
Tamesha, 41, is a Talladega native, by way of Roebuck in Birmingham. She is a Huffman High School grad and works for the Grand Bohemian Hotel in Birmingham in laundry facility services.
“You Had Me at Hello’’ highlights married couples and the love that binds them. If you would like to be considered for a future “Hello’’ column, or know someone, please send nominations to Barnett Wright bwright@birminghamtimes.com. Include the couple’s name, contact number(s) and what makes their love story unique.
Hollis R. Towns has decided to pursue other opportunities after 11 months as vice president of content and editor in chief of Alabama Media Group.
By Barnett Wright | The Birmingham Times
After 11 months on the job, Hollis R. Towns on Tuesday announced his resignation as vice president of content and editor in chief of Alabama Media Group effective March 28.
In an email to staff obtained by The Birmingham Times, Towns wrote in part, “I’m leaving as editor and will be pursuing other opportunities. I will take time off but will be around through the end of the month.”
Reached by phone Tuesday evening, Towns did not elaborate beyond what he wrote in his email but said, “it wasn’t the right fit. I had a fantastic team that does exceptional journalism but … it was time to pursue other opportunities.”
Those opportunities could include consulting work in the Birmingham metro area for the near future, said Towns, the first Black editor in chief in AMG’s history and the shortest tenured top editor.
The resignation comes at a time when many of his initiatives were beginning to take hold. In November, Towns announced two high level promotions in the newsroom, Ben Flanagan as director of content for AL.com, overseeing breaking news, features and sports and Ruth Serven Smith as senior managing producer, leading a team to cover the Birmingham metro, the Beyond the Violence initiative, which was expected to launched this week (with The Birmingham Times as a partner).
A native of Fort Valley, Georgia, Towns came to AMG from Gannett, where he oversaw 160 daily newspapers and news websites across the country as Gannett’s vice president for local news and regional editor.
Under his leadership, newsroom teams won multiple Emmy awards for investigative journalism, were Pulitzer Prize finalists for public service in 2010 and were honored with the National Association of Black Journalists’ Public Service Award in 2018.
He replaced Kelly Ann Scott, who left in October 2023 to become editor in chief of the Houston Chronicle. Towns’ hiring led to the departure of at least two newsroom leaders who had applied for the job, according to sources who asked not to be named for fear of retribution.
Towns’ first day at AMG was March 25, 2024. He will leave almost to the day that he became editor of AMG.
Carole Smitherman retired in 2025 after a distinguished career that included being the first Black woman hired as a deputy district attorney in Jefferson County. (Marika N. Johnson, File, The Birmingham Times)
By Sym Posey | The Birmingham Times
Surveying a crowded courtroom in the downtown Jefferson County Courthouse recently, retired judge Carole Smitherman said she saw more than the family, friends, judges — Democrats and Republicans — and others who gathered in her honor.
“I look at the heart when I look at people,” she told the Birmingham Times. “I’ve always thought that labels interfere with who people really are. I don’t look at labels, if one person is a Republican or a Democrat … “
Smitherman retired in January after a distinguished career that included being the first Black woman hired as a deputy district attorney in Jefferson County and becoming Birmingham’s first Black woman municipal and circuit court judge. She was also the first female African American President of the Birmingham City Council and first female mayor of the City of Birmingham.
“I could feel the love in the room,” said Smitherman, about the courtroom crowd gathered in her honor. “People came from California and New York and Atlanta … no matter how dim it ever gets we have to remember the goodness in people and I’ve tried to see the positive and use my position to help people. We tend to see all the negative in the world. That showed me there is still a lot of positive, still a lot of love.”
Judges and elected officials from both sides of the aisle were in the room including Alabama Supreme Court Chief Justice Sarah Stewart and Jefferson County Commission President Jimmie Stephens, both Republicans.
“I think it is really important to recognize the icon that Judge Smitherman is to the entire judiciary,” Stewart said. “Borrowing a little bit from the [Bible] book of Esther ‘every now and then someone comes for times such as this’ and she has been that person. She has been a trailblazer in all of the forms when you think about that word. She has set the path for women, female lawyers, or female judges.”
Smitherman has been about relationships and not about politics, Stephens said.
“Carole Smitherman’s legacy has been about public service representing the citizens of Jefferson County – white, Black, Democrats, Republicans,” said Stephens.
He added that Smitherman and her husband Rodger came to Bessemer with worship at his church’s 200th commemorative anniversary. “They didn’t do that because they had to or needed to they did that because they wanted to,” said Stephens, who attends Canaan Baptist Church in Bessemer. “They sat with us and on the second pew and worshipped with us.”
Retired Judge Carole Smitherman first stepped into the Jefferson County Courthouse in 1976 when she was hired as a legal clerk in the Circuit Civil Clerk’s Office. (Sym Posey, The Birmingham Times)
Balance
While many know Smitherman for her public life, there is a balance, she said.
“I enjoy music and dancing. I’m always going to have a good dance partner too because [husband] Rodger is always ready to dance especially on that music that we grew up on fell in love with — [R&B icons] Chaka Khan, Whitney Houston. There should always be two parts of everyone. One, your professional life which is my robe. And my personal life which is other things I like to do. I’ve always liked to dance … I think it’s a real celebration when you can dance and sing and be happy.
“[And] I like to read … those things make me whole,” she continued. “And I use those experiences to guide my professional life as well. Dancing makes you feel good. I even go to a church [Rock City Church] where we dance. It’s always been a part of me and I enjoy it.”
Smitherman said she also likes to garden.
“My mother was President of the Alabama Colored Teachers and Parents Association (the PTA when it was segregated) and I used to watch her and wanted to mimic her and be like her; she loved plants and I grew that love from her. She used to say, ‘he who plants a seed and waits to see, believes in God.’ I’ve always liked to plant things: watermelons, potatoes, greens, … and if for any reason at all we have to survive on the land then we know how to do that.”
For her daughter, Birmingham City Councilor Crystal Smitherman, the judge’s greatest role has always been that of a mother.
“No matter what accomplishment she’s had, she’s always been a mom first,” said Crystal Smitherman. “Cooking breakfast in the morning, showing up for every honor roll ceremony, golf tournament, basketball tournament—it really inspires me to know that you can be a mom and have it all.”
What’s Next
The retired judge first stepped into the Jefferson County Courthouse in 1976 when she was hired as a legal clerk in the Circuit Civil Clerk’s Office. In 1979, she began her legal career as a Deputy District Attorney becoming the first Black woman to serve in this capacity in the history of Jefferson County and remained with the DA’s office until 1987.
In 1991, Republican Governor Guy Hunt appointed Smitherman to the Tenth Judicial Circuit Court Criminal Division Court where she served until 1992 and was the first Black woman to serve as a Circuit Court Judge in Alabama.
In 1997, she began teaching Constitutional Law at Miles Law School and continued for almost 30 years. In 2001, she was elected to the Birmingham City Council for District 6 where she served until 2013, and as President of the Birmingham City Council from November 2005 to November 2009.
In 2012, Carole Smitherman won successful election as a Circuit Judge to the Tenth Judicial Circuit Court, she was re-elected in 2018, and has served continuously, with distinction, until her recent retirement from the bench in January 2025.
Her influence has left a lasting mark on Alabama’s legal and political landscape. For those following in her footsteps, her leadership has been invaluable.
“She is the only female African American to serve in every single area of the branches of government,” Javan Patton Crayton, Civil Circuit Judge for Alabama’s 10th Judicial Circuit, told WBRC Fox 6 “She’s been a part of the judiciary, the legislature, and the executive branch as well. She’s done it all. She created the opportunities for all of us to be who and where we are.”
Looking back on her career, Smitherman said, “I’ve only wanted to help people. When you help people for real you kinda forget about what you do and you go to the next person … It’s been a wonderful journey and I thank the people of Birmingham for always for believing in me and trusting what I had to say as being one of the right things to do.”
As for what’s next, Smitherman said, “I’ll still be practicing law. I’m going to write a book about all of this. I’m going to work in my community because that’s important.”
A LIFE IN FOCUS
Early Years:
Born September 25,1952 in Birmingham, AL to parents Willie & Rochelle Davis.
Adopted and raised by her grandparents Jerry & Thelma Catlin – Thelma Catlin was a professor at Lawson State Community College and Jerry Catlin was a Porter for the Louisville & Nashville (L&N) Railroad.
Growing up, Carole attended Westminster Presbyterian Church where Rev. John Wesley Rice, Condoleezza Rice’s father, served as Pastor.
Graduated from Spelman College in Atlanta, GA in 1973.
Graduated from Miles Law School in 1979 finishing #1 in her law school class and the only women.
Professional Career:
In 1976, Carole first stepped into the Jefferson County Courthouse when she was hired by Polly Conradi as a legal clerk in the Circuit Civil Clerk’s Office.
In 1979, Carole began her legal career as a Deputy District Attorney for Jefferson County District Attorney Earl Morgan becoming the First Woman of Color to serve in this capacity in the history of Jefferson County, and remained with the DA’s office until 1987.
She led the effort to open the very First Victim Assistance Program in the DA’ s office providing additional care and support for victims of crime and their families.
Served as a Birmingham Municipal Judge for seven years and the First Woman to serve on the Birmingham Municipal Court.
In 1991, Republican Governor Guy Hunt appointed Carole to the Tenth Judicial Circuit Court Criminal Division Court where she served until 1992. Carole was the First Woman of Color to serve as a Circuit Court Judge in Alabama.
In 1992, she joined her husband Rodger in private practice forming Smitherman & Smitherman Law Firm.
In 1995, began serving as the City of Irondale Municipal Court Prosecutor for the next two decades.
In 1997, began teaching Constitutional Law at Miles Law School and continued to teach at the law school for almost 30 years.
In 2001, the voters of Birmingham elected Carole to the Birmingham City Council for District 6 where she served until 2013, and as President of the Birmingham City Council from November 2005 to November 2009.
In 2009, Carole Smitherman was sworn in as the 31st Mayor of the City of Birmingham becoming the First Female to Serve as Mayor of Birmingham and the First Woman of Color to serve as Mayor of Birmingham.
In 2012, Carole Smitherman won successful election as a Circuit Judge to the Tenth Judicial Circuit Court, she was re-elected in 2018, and has served continuously, with distinction, until her recent retirement from the bench in January 2025.
Family:
Carole’s greatest love and proudest accomplishment is her family.
In 1980, she married the love of her life, an intelligent and handsome up and coming fellow attorney, Rodger Mell Smitherman, who was elected in 1994 to the Alabama State Senate representing District 18. Rodger also served as President Pro Tempore of the Alabama Senate.
In 2025, Carole will be celebrating 45 wonderful and happy years of marriage to Alabama State Senator, Attorney and Coach Rodger Smitherman, the man she lovingly describes as “the air beneath my wings”.
Carole is the proud mother of four children: Rodger Mell II, Tonya Renee, Mary Elaine, and Crystal Nicole, and grandmother of six grandchildren: Naomi, Justin, Tony, Leah, Jaden, Noah and one granddog her Yorkie, Charlie.
Some of her fondest memories were as a chaperone on her children’s field trips, she never missed a game, field trip, recital, or school activity.
In 2018, daughter Crystal was appointed to serve as the Birmingham City Councilor for District 6, the same Council District once represented by her mother. Crystal successfully won election in 2019 to a full term and served as President Pro Temp of the Council continuing the Smitherman family legacy of leadership and service in the City of Birmingham.
Impactful Events:
On Sept. 16, 1963, Carole was invited to attend Youth Day at the 16th Street Baptist Church by her best friend Denise McNair. Carole was unable to attend that day which cost the lives of her friend Denise along with Addie Mae Collins, Cynthis Wesley, and Carole Robertson.
The 16th Street Baptist Church Bombing in 1963 set Carole on her path to pursue a lifelong interest in the law guided by an unwavering commitment to fairness and justice.
Grew up across the street from childhood friend Condoleezza Rice who went on to become the First Woman to serve as National Security Advisor from 2001-2005 and the First Female African-American U.S. Secretary of State from 2005-2009. Carole and Secretary Rice remain close, personal friends to this day.
Heartbreaking loss of her first-born son Roderick Smitherman at eight months of age.
Professional Organizations and Community Involvement:
Alabama State Bar Association
Alabama Lawyers Association
Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority
American Bar Association
Birmingham Bar Association serving as Chair of the Birmingham Bar Association Awards Committee and Member of the Entertainment, Law Day and Executive Committees
Birmingham Bar Fellow
Board of Directors, Delta Inc.
Board of Directors, Girls, Inc.
Chair, Jefferson County Judicial Commission
Member, Jefferson County Judicial Commission Judicial Nominating Committee.
Magic City Bar Association
National Bar Association
Board of Directors & Coach, Birmingham Police Athletic Team
Longtime advisor to the “Youth in Government” Club at the former West End High School, the only all African American City Youth team winning several state championships over the years.
A Life of “Firsts”:
Graduated First in her Miles Law School Class
First Female and First Female African American Deputy District Attorney in Jefferson County.
Started the First Victim Assistance Program while serving in the Jefferson County District Attorney’s Office.
The First Woman to serve on the Birmingham Municipal Court Bench.
The First African American Woman to serve as a Circuit Court Judge in Alabama, appointed by a Republican Governor.
First African American Female President of the Birmingham City Council.
First African American Female Mayor of the City of Birmingham
Faith & Principle:
Member of The Rock City Church led by Pastor Michael McClure.
Carole firmly believes that the Lord blessed her with a servant’s heart and that He sent her to serve and that her faith sustains and propels her.
Carole Smitherman opened the door for woman and woman of color to enter the legal profession.
Judge Smitherman Courtroom decorum for practicing attorneys is “Don’t get ready, Stay Ready, Be Prepared when you show up, be cordial and respectful to the opposing counsel, be on time and be humble”.
Although a lifelong dedicated and loyal Democrat, Judge Smitherman treats everyone with respect and has effectively cultivated relationships and the respect and admiration of both Republicans and Democrats in her successful serve to Jefferson County and the state of Alabama.
Accolades:
Awarded the Alabama Bar Association Maude McLure Kelly Award in June 2022.
Inducted into the Magic City Bar Association Hall of Fame in 2024
Inducted into the Birmingham Bar Association Lifetime Achievement Award in 2025.
Jefferson County Commission dedicating a courtroom in her honor in February 2025.
Hobbies and Interests:
Born with a green thumb, Carole loves gardening, she is a lover of art and enjoys painting and creating art, she is a voracious reader, particularly historic non-fiction and romance novels, has a real passion for high school and college sports, loves music and movies of all genres, is proficient on the piano, delights in travel and experiencing new places, and can often be found at parties and receptions with her friends learning the latest line dance. Source: Jefferson County
Journalist Javacia Harris Bowser will be guest editor of The Times’s Women’s History Edition, available March 6, 2025, around Birmingham. (Provided)
Editor’s Note
Recently on Instagram – perhaps on TikTok too but this elder millennial doesn’t spend much time there – content creators have been posting Reels in which they imagine what it would be like to have lunch with their younger selves. Inspired, I hopped on this trend and made a Reel of my own.
But even after my post, I couldn’t stop thinking about this concept. I couldn’t stop thinking about how my younger self would be so excited to know that I’ve had the honor of serving as the guest editor of this week’s 2025 Women’s History Month issue of The Birmingham Times. I had my first byline 25 years ago at the age of 19 in The Birmingham Times. So what a full-circle moment this has been! When Executive Editor Barnett Wright approached me about the opportunity, I cried tears of joy.
While we may not actually be able to have lunch with our younger selves, we can sometimes find ourselves seated across from a person who gives us a glimpse of our future self, a reminder of our past self, or the courage to be confident in the person we are right now. The women who are a part of the Momentum Works leadership development program, the focus of this week’s centerpiece story, have had the opportunity to sit with other women who show them what’s possible.
Melanie Bridgeforth, who’s profiled in this issue, has spent the last six years doing work that could help women make their younger selves proud. As CEO of the Women’s Foundation of Alabama, Bridgeforth grew the organization from the former Women’s Fund of Greater Birmingham to a philanthropic powerhouse and statewide influencer advancing women’s economic power. As she steps down from this role, she vows to continue to be a catalyst for change and, as you’ll see in her profile, still has the excitement of a girl dreaming of who she wants to be when she grows up.
If Marie Sutton could have lunch with her younger self, they certainly would have a lot to discuss – starting with her recent book deal. Sutton was one of six writers chosen for the debut roster of authors for Storehouse Voices, a new imprint of Penguin Random House dedicated to elevating Black authors. Sutton, whose book is about her grandmother Jimmie Lee Elliott, is making history by sharing the history of the family that made her the woman she is today. I hope you enjoy reading more of Sutton’s and Jimmie Lee’s stories.
This issue celebrates several women of Birmingham who are making history today whether that be through economic development, entrepreneurship, servant leadership or storytelling. I’m certain if any of these women could have lunch with their younger selves, those girls would be so proud of the women they’ve become.
So please grab your copy of the March 6, 2025, edition of the Birmingham Times and celebrate with me the past, present and future work of women. May this issue be a reminder to honor who you are, who you were, and who you have the potential to become.
Alabama State University (ASU) is making history as one of the first Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) to offer cannabis certification programs. This initiative reflects the university’s commitment to innovation, workforce development, and expanding opportunities in emerging industries.
ASU’s new cannabis education program, developed in partnership with Green Flower, provides students with specialized knowledge and credentials that can open doors in the rapidly growing cannabis industry.
The university is offering five online certification programs in key areas: healthcare and medicine, horticulture and cultivation, business and entrepreneurship, compliance and risk management, and product development and sales. Each course is designed to equip students with the skills needed to excel in different sectors of the cannabis market, whether they are interested in patient care, legal compliance, cultivation, or launching a cannabis-related business.
The launch of these programs aligns with Alabama’s recent steps toward medical cannabis legalization. In 2021, Alabama became the 36th state to legalize medical marijuana, though products have yet to be available for legal purchase. As the state continues to develop its regulatory framework, ASU’s certification programs can help prepare students and professionals for careers in this evolving industry.
“Cannabis is a multi-billion-dollar industry, and it is essential that HBCUs take part in providing educational pathways into this space,” said a representative from ASU’s administration. “These programs will give our students and community members the knowledge they need to navigate the industry and build successful careers.”
ASU’s partnership with Green Flower, a leader in cannabis education, ensures that students receive industry-recognized training from experts. The online format allows for flexibility, making the certifications accessible to a broad range of learners, including working professionals looking to transition into the cannabis sector.
HBCUs have long been at the forefront of advancing education and economic empowerment in Black communities. By introducing cannabis certification programs, ASU is positioning itself as a trailblazer in preparing students for opportunities in a rapidly expanding field. As discussions around cannabis equity and inclusion continue nationwide, programs like these can play a critical role in ensuring that communities historically affected by cannabis prohibition have a stake in the industry’s future.
For more information about ASU’s cannabis certification programs, visit ASU’s website.
The South Hampton K-8 STEM team was selected recently as the state winner for Alabama in the 2024-25 Samsung Solve for Tomorrow competition. (Provided)
By Sym Posey | The Birmingham Times
Students at South Hampton K-8 continue to earn accolades for their innovative STEM projects.
The team was selected recently as the state winner for Alabama in the 2024-25 Samsung Solve for Tomorrow competition. The students received $12,000 and will advance to the National Finalist competition for a chance to win $100,000 this spring.
Their project is Hygiene Hub, which upcycles donated clothing into sustainable hygiene products and diapers.
“It’s a STEM-based competition” held annually for 6th-12th graders to solve local issues, said school librarian Tambra Clark.
“This sustainable initiative transforms donated cotton clothing into reusable hygiene products through an up-cycling process for reusable diapers and pads,” said Clark. “The students thought it would be a relevant topic to discuss because of the stigmas around period poverty and diaper insecurity.”
James Speights is a sixth grader on the South Hampton K-8 STEAM team. (Sym Posey, The Birmingham Times)
“A lot of people suffer from not having the [resources] that they need. One out five families suffer from diaper insecurity,” said James Speights, a sixth grader on the Science, Technology, Engineering, Art and Math team.
Speights said he takes pride in the work by he and his fellow classmates.
“At first, I didn’t think we would come this far. I didn’t think we would be this popular. I didn’t think we would do well [competing] nationwide. I’m just so happy that we did and I’m proud of our team and I believe we will win the $100,000 prize.”
Coming together as a team is what made the win so special, said Kiley Simpson.
The 7th grader said she felt especially passionate about the project’s solution to hygiene product security.
“It’s important to me because so many girls miss school because they don’t have access to hygiene products for themselves. That’s not fair. I don’t want anyone to miss school because of something that is human,” she said.
Kiley Simpson, a 7th grader at South Hampton k-8, said she felt especially passionate about the project’s solution to hygiene product security. (Sym Posey, The Birmingham Times)
Clark said she and the students spent time discussing a topic and had to help find a solution to a problem faced in society whether in community or global.
“The urgency is clear: 40 percent of women struggle to buy period products, and 1 in 3 families face diaper insecurity, spending $80-$100 monthly on diapers,” said the librarian, adding “this crisis particularly affects low-income families, leading to missed work, school absences, and health risks.”
The Bulldogs are already on the next steps as they plan to create a three-minute video to showcase their project for the competition.
“We need to submit a video explaining the hygiene hub, with the sustainability part, once we sub that, if we are one of the top finalists, we have chance to win $50,000 for the sustainability part, or $100,000, which would be one of four national winners,” said Clark.
The students previously won $10,000 in the Altec Innovation Challenge for a variation of this project also called Hygiene Hub, a vending machine for donated hygiene products.
For Clark, this is more than a passion. “I truly love what I am doing. I don’t care if I was teaching Santa Claus, everybody deserves a quality education. They deserve to be exposed to things like this. Learning what sustainability is, how to solve problems, and being more community aware of issues in society.”
Alabama Gov. Kay Ivey commuted the death sentence of Robin “Rocky” Myers to life in prison Friday. (File)
BY KIM CHANDLER | Associated Press
MONTGOMERY, Ala. — Alabama Gov. Kay Ivey commuted the death sentence of Robin “Rocky” Myers to life in prison Friday, saying there were enough questions about his guilt that she could not move forward with his execution.
Robin “Rocky” Myers
Ivey said Myers, 63, will spend the rest of his life in prison without the possibility of parole instead of being executed later this year. Ivey noted that was the sentence jurors recommended at his 1994 trial.
The Republican governor said she is a staunch supporter of the death penalty but “I have enough questions about Mr. Myers’ guilt that I cannot move forward with executing him.”
“In short, I am not convinced that Mr. Myers is innocent, but I am not so convinced of his guilt as to approve of his execution. I therefore must respect both the jury’s decision to convict him and its recommendation that he be sentenced to life without parole,” Ivey said in a statement.
Myers was convicted of capital murder in the 1991 stabbing of Ludie Mae Tucker, 69, at her Decatur home. Myers, who lived across the street from Tucker, has long maintained he is innocent, and a juror at his 1994 trial supported the push for clemency.
The reprieve came over the objections of Republican Attorney General Steve Marshall, who said he was “astonished” by the decision.
Last week the Alabama Supreme Court granted the state attorney general’s request to authorize an execution date for Myers using nitrogen gas. The next step was for Ivey to set that date.
It was the first execution Ivey has stopped since she first took office in 2017. Ivey, who has presided over more than 20 executions, called it “one of the most difficult decisions I’ve had to make as governor.”
“But I pray that the Tucker family may, in some way, find closure and peace knowing this case is closed, and Mr. Myers will spend the rest of his life in prison,” Ivey said.
There were multiple questions surrounding Myers’ case, his attorney had argued. No physical evidence at the scene connected him to the crime. Tucker identified her assailant as a short, stocky Black man but did not name Myers or a neighbor as the attacker even though they had met several times, according to Myers’ son. Jurors voted 9-3 that he serve life in prison. However, the judge sentenced Myers to death under Alabama’s now-abolished system that let judges decide death sentences.
Ivey said there was “circumstantial evidence” against Myers, but it is “riddled with conflicting evidence from seemingly everyone involved.” Much of the state’s case involved a VCR taken from Tucker’s home and whether Myers was the person who brought it to a drug house to sell, according to court records.
“God is answering prayers,” juror Mae Puckett, who now believes Myers is innocent and had urged Ivey to intervene.
“Governor Ivey put it back into the jury’s hands,” Puckett wrote.
Kacey Keeton, a lawyer for Myers, had said that there were multiple failures in Myers case, including how an earlier attorney abandoned his case, causing him to miss a deadline to raise issues in federal court. Myers, who is a Black, was convicted by a nearly all-white jury.
“I’m not sure there are words enough to convey my joy, relief, and gratitude at learning of Gov. Ivey’s decision to commute Mr. Myers’s sentence,” Keeton wrote in an email.
“I have represented Mr. Myers since 2007. As evidence accumulated of his innocence and the many injustices he experienced over the course of his case, I held out hope that he would someday see some measure of justice, of mercy, of humanity.”
The last time an Alabama governor commuted a death sentence was in 1999.
Marshall sent the governor a letter Thursday disputing the innocence claim and urging her to let the execution go forward.
“I am astonished by Governor Ivey’s decision to commute the death sentence of Rocky Myers and am bewildered that she chose not to directly communicate with me about this case or her decision,” Marshall said Friday in a statement.
He added that his staff “will go home tonight deeply saddened, not for themselves, but for the family of Ludie Mae Tucker.”
Jazz trumpeter Collins "Bo" Berry performs during Jam Session at Birmingham's Carver Theatre. (Marika N. Johnson, For The Birmingham Times)
Story and Photos by Marika N. Johnson
Birmingham’s Carver Theatre last week hosted a Swinging Jazz Jam Session featuring an All-Star High School Sextet and other invited musicians held in partnership with the Herbie Hancock Institute of Jazz, the Alabama Jazz Hall of Fame, and the Birmingham City Council.
Students from the Birmingham area joined local artists José Carr and Bo Berry to perform and improvise.
Musicians from the Herbie Hancock Institute of Jazz traveled from Los Angeles to participate. The program pairs six of the nation’s top high school jazz musicians with local students, allowing them to learn from some of the best in the genre. Peers of the program and local students learn to play music and form friendships. Program organizers say the results speak for themselves.
“Most importantly, they’re saying, ‘Hey, we’re doing something with our lives. You need to do something with yours. It doesn’t have to be music like it is for us; it could be engineering or computers or medicine, or law or sports, but find a passion for something, believe in yourself, work hard and go for it,” said Dr. JB Dyas, vice president of education and curriculum development at the Herbie Hancock Institute of Jazz.
Saxophonist Don Braden, left, and trumpeter Jose’ Carr at the Birmingham Carver Theatre’s Jazz Jam Session. (Marika N. Johnson, For The Birmingham Times)
This year musicians visited schools in Montgomery, AL and ended their visit in Birmingham with stops at A.H Parker High School, Wenonah High School and Alabama School of Fine Arts. “For two to three weeks each year, we visit schools where kids teach kids through peer-to-peer conversations about jazz,” Dyas said. “We show them that there’s more to music than just hip-hop and rock.”
Dyas also spoke about the values jazz represents. “Jazz teaches teamwork, diversity, and the connection between hard work and accomplishment. A jazz ensemble is one of the best examples of democracy—individual freedom with responsibility to the group. It also shows us the vital importance of really listening to one another.”
The event was a celebration of jazz education, uniting musicians across generations in their shared love for the genre.
Hazel Dukes, the president of the New York State chapter of the NAACP and lifelong civil rights advocate, died Saturday at the age of 92.
Dukes peacefully passed away in her New York City home surrounded by family, her son, Ronald Dukes, said in a statement.
Dukes, who led the New York State NAACP for nearly five decades, fought tirelessly for voting rights, economic development, fair housing and education through her career. Even in her 90s, she spoke out against police brutality and for adequate health care in underserved neighborhoods, the NAACP’s New York State chapter said in a statement.
In 2023, former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton presented Dukes with the NAACP’s highest honor — the Spingarn Medal.
“I’m not tired yet,” Dukes said in her acceptance speech for the award. She added that she would continue her advocacy and empower the next generation of NAACP leaders.
Dukes helped lay the foundation for Black women to ascend to the nation’s highest offices. In 1972, she took the stage at the Democratic National Convention to second the presidential candidacy of Shirley Chisholm, the first Black woman to run for the party’s nomination.
Dukes was instrumental in former President Joe Biden’s decision to choose a Black woman as his 2020 running mate, she noted in an interview with CBS last year. Her career-long fight was bookended by former Vice President Kamala Harris’ 2024 bid for the presidency.
In a post in X Saturday, Harris called Dukes one of the heroes “upon whose broad shoulders we stand.”
“I’m just proud of Kamala. I’m just excited if I can live to see this happen. It would be the joy of my life,” Dukes said in the CBS interview.
Dukes was the president of her own consulting firm. She also served as the member of the NAACP National Board of Directors. Leaders of the NAACP said in a statement Saturday that Dukes was a “living embodiment” of the NAACP and that her legacy has touched every aspect of the movement.
New York City Mayor Eric Adams ordered flags to be lowered at half-staff as a tribute to Dukes.
