AT&T Unveils 2014 Edition of The Alabama African American history Calendar

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. – AT&T* has announced the unveiling of the 2014 edition of the Alabama African American History Calendar. The publication highlights individuals from across the state who have made a lasting impact on communities and individuals in Alabama and around the world.

“The 2014 history calendar is a testimonial to the hard work and dedication of the people honored in the calendar,” said Fred McCallum, president, AT&T Alabama. “I am very pleased that AT&T, along with our valuable partners, is once again presenting this inspirational calendar that will serve as an educational guide to tens of thousands of children across Alabama.”

Representing communities from across Alabama, the class of 2014 represents a wide variety of fields, including education, community activism, civil rights, local government, law, medicine, and music.

To download an electronic copy of the 2014 calendar or to access biographies of current and past honorees and resources for educators, please visit http://alafricanamerican.com/.

The 2014 History Calendar’s honorees include:

Thom Gossom – Athlete, actor, author, entrepreneur, and speaker are a few of the titles listed on his resume.  He was the second African American to play football at Auburn, and reportedly the first African American to walk-on and earn a scholarship in the Southeastern Conference, which he later wrote about is his acclaimed memoir Walk-On: My Reluctant Journey to Integration at Auburn University.

Benjamin Sterling Turner – Born into slavery, he went on to become an entrepreneur, business executive, civic leader, and legislator. In 1870, he became the first African American from Alabama elected to the United States Congress, where he served from 1871 to 1873.

Ralph David Abernathy – Over the course of his lifetime, he served as a pastor, veteran, author, co-founder of the Southern Christian Leadership Conference, and Civil Rights activist.  From organizing the historic yearlong Montgomery bus boycott to leading the Poor People’s Campaign of 1968, he was deeply involved with leveling the playing field and improving the lives of African Americans throughout the country.

Herschell Lee Hamilton – He committed his life to the advancement of civil rights and the health and well-being of all people, but particularly African-Americans. Under his direct care, many sick and injured civil rights participants received free medical and surgical care. In 1965, he served as a medical coverage team member on the first day of the Selma to Montgomery March, and two of his well-known patients included Rev. Fred Shuttlesworth and Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.
John LeFlore – For more than 50 years, he was the voice and face of the civil rights movement along the Gulf Coast. He played a key role in the desegregation of the Mobile public schools and worked to change the at-large election format in Mobile to ensure African Americans had a voice in government.

Lawrence J. Pijeaux, Jr. – As President and Chief Executive Officer of the Birmingham Civil Rights Institute, he works to bring to life both the anguish and the accomplishments of the long march to freedom through interactive, multi-media exhibits, along with an impressive archives and oral history collection that records firsthand accounts from more than 400 of the movement’s courageous followers and celebrated leaders.

Alexis M. Herman – At the age of 29, an appointment by President Jimmy Carter made her the youngest director of the Women’s Bureau in the history of the Labor Department.  In 1997, she was sworn in as the first African American ever to lead the United States Department of Labor, where under her tenure, unemployment in the country reached a 30-year low and the nation witnessed the safest workplace record in the history of the department.

Amelia Boynton Robinson – She was a leader in the civil rights movement and a key figure in the 1965 march that became known as Bloody Sunday.  Her efforts and work with Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. were instrumental in leading to the Voting Rights Act of 1965.

Arthur Shores – Called “Alabama’s Drum Major for Justice”, he became one of the most successful African American and civil rights attorneys in Alabama and the nation. His landmark case, Lucy v. Adams, opened the doors at the University of Alabama for all African Americans. The case was heard by the U.S. Supreme Court in 1955, and the Court’s decision struck down the University of Alabama’s policy of denying admission based solely on race or color.

Richard Arrington – In 1979, he was elected as Birmingham’s first African American mayor and served as the chief executive of Alabama’s largest city for 20 years. He was at the helm of the city’s transition to the most-diversified economy in the southeast – an economy now led by biomedical research and health care, telecommunications, engineering, and banking. When he left office in 1999, the city had a record number of jobs and the lowest unemployment rate in its history.

Henry Panion – As a producer, composer, arranger, and orchestrator, his work has produced two Grammy Awards, two Dove Awards, and a host of other national music awards and nominations. He is most known for his work as conductor and arranger for superstar Stevie Wonder, for whose performances and recordings he has led many of the world’s most notable orchestras.  He made history by topping the Billboard charts on both the Gospel and Classical Crossover Charts simultaneously.

Dinah Washington – Known as the “Queen of the Blues,” she became the most popular African American female recording artist of the decade with a string of hits during the 1950s. Her talents landed her performances at the most prestigious national and international jazz festivals and a royal performance at the London Palladium.  From 1948 to 1955, she produced 27 Top Ten hits on the R&B charts and earned a Grammy for best Rhythm & Blues Performance.

Primary partners on the History Calendar project are Fox 6 WBRC, Alabama State Department of Education, Alabama State University, Alabama Learning Exchange, Birmingham Civil Rights Institute and The Birmingham Times.

 The act of giving is important throughout the year, but giving peaks in significance during the holiday season. The City of Birmingham’s Division of Youth Services (DYS) created the Youth First Holiday Campaign to help create happy holiday memories for hundreds of less-fortunate Birmingham youth.
Kicking off in November 2013, the campaign consists of three major components:

YOUTH FIRST CBS42 HOLIDAY TOY DRIVE
November 1, 2013 – December 13, 2013
8:30a.m. – 4:30p.m. (Monday – Friday)
You can help us serve Birmingham youth this holiday season. Public donations of new, unwrapped gifts will be accepted at the DYS office located at 1608 7th Avenue North for the duration of the donation drive. Donations can also be made at any America’s First Credit Union location.

HOLIDAY GIVEAWAY APPLICATION DATE
November 6, 2013
**9:00a.m. until capacity is reached**
Applications will be accepted at the DYS office located at 1608 – 7th Avenue North in downtown Birmingham.

(Special Note: DYS collaborates with other local organizations that provide holiday assistance. We do this to avoid duplication of service. If your child(ren) will be receiving assistance through another program, please leave the DYS application process open for other youth who have not yet received help for the holidays.)

“STEP IN THE NAME OF LOVE” EXTRAVAGANZA
Friday, November 22, 2013 | 7p.m. – 9p.m.
Boutwell Auditorium
FREE ADMISSION! One nonperishable food item or one new, unwrapped gift will get you in to see some of the most dynamic step and
dance teams in our region!

For more information about the 2013 Youth First Holiday Campaign,
call DYS at 205-320-0879.

 BIRMINGHAM, Ala. – Central Alabama Caribbean American Organization
(CACAO) announced today, that His Excellency Dr. Neil Parsan, Ambassador of Trinidad and Tobago will be attending the Organization’s 3rd Annual Christmas Dinner Dance, December 14th at the Perimeter Hilton.
Given it’s vast resources to include oil and natural gas, the Republic of Trinidad is a true Caribbean success story, as evidenced by their recently unveiled plans to solicit bids from construction and design companies in its sister city Atlanta, Georgia, to create design guidelines for Piarco International Airport in Port of Spain, Trinidad and Tobago.
According to CACAO President, Pauline Ford-Caesar: “We are gratified that the Ambassador accepted our invitation to visit Birmingham, as this is exactly the type of relationship where CACAO can play a significant role, especially since we now have a representation on the Birmingham Sister Cities Commission.”
Central Alabama Caribbean American Organization was formed in 2011 with the two-fold mission of being a resource for Caribbean students attending school in Alabama and to share the culture of the region. To date they have hosted several successful events to include the June 15th Caribbean Festival at the Boutwell Auditorium.
In addition to being the special guest at the dinner, while in Birmingham the Ambassador will also visit the UAB School of Business where Dr. Eric Jack a native of Trinidad, serves as Dean. Visits to the historic 16th Street Baptist Church, Kelly Ingram Park and the Birmingham Civil Rights Institute are also planned.
Tickets for the dinner dance are $50 per person and can be purchased by calling 205-478-1013, 205-542-5279 or 205-568-7118. A meet and greet reception at 6:30pm will precede the dinner.

50 DAYS FORWARD

The Inaugural State of Alabama-Miss Black USA Scholarship Pageant-Director’s Committee Luncheon will be held on November 7th, 11:30am at the Historic Arlington House in Birmingham, Al. The speaker is The Honorable Judge Helen Shores Lee. Our theme for the 2013 luncheon is:

50 DAYS FORWARD INTO A FUTURE OF FAVOR

The Director’s Committee is The “ASPIRATION” of the State of Alabama’s scholarship pageant competition. The committee members are heads of organizations, judges, legislators, corporate leaders and other accomplished women who have  reached notable milestones and  pinnacles in their various areas of expertise.

It is the very presence of the DIRECTOR’S COMMITTEE members and their stories, that will make a difference in the futures of the 50 young women from the state of Alabama, who will be seeking the national title of MISS BLACK USA.

This year the event to crown the ALABAMA QUEEN, will be held in Birmingham, Ala. December 29th, 5pm, at the Boutwell Auditorium. The Mayor’s office and the City of Birmingham is a key supporter.  For pageant registration information contact Clarissa Lester-Kenty, Director at the MISS BLACK ALABAMA USA SCHOLARSHIP PAGEANT,  Post Office 11209 Birmingham, Alabama, 35202, Office: 205.727.8779.
For Volunteer information or to participate in PAGEANT PRINCESS FUNDRAISER WEEK, contact Valerie L. Jones, Assistant Director at (205) 354-3480.

PAGEANT REGISTRATION ON LINE:
www.missblackalabamausa.org

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. – Keith Granger, President & CEO of Trinity Medical Center, was a keynote speaker at the Studer Group’s 11th annual What’s Right in Health Care conference held in Atlanta, Ga. Granger’s topic was “Elevating Results through Systems, Processes and Accountability.”
More than 1,200 health professionals and leaders attended the conference designed to share best practices, tools, and step-by-step tactics that will help an organization achieve and sustain clinical, service and operational excellence.
Granger was asked to share the story of how Trinity Medical Center, in a short period of time, has achieved top-tier rankings for quality initiatives and patient experience. He was the only hospital CEO to serve as a keynote speaker.

Cash For Crooks, Div. of Refuge In (RITT) Trouble Times Community Development, Inc., would like to shed light on the years of youth killing. From 2006 thru 2009 most of the murders that happened across the country, happened here in Birmingham, Ala. They were from the ages of 25 and under.  They were accused of murder and who was murdered. The victims were mostly shot to death. With this info, my question is, what shall we do about the rate of males leaving this earth at such a large number. How long must we endure or when do we plan to stop this vicious trend. During the Classic weekend last week, nearly seven people were shot and two died. Early this week there were two more murders with our lastest victim, Mr. Tywaun Theon Perkins, 33.
More young people now have guns to shoot it out than fighting it out with fists as it was done years ago. Young people as young as seven have had guns in schools; some with drugs.  The children we bore, raise, who live in our homes are cold hearted, stuborn killers. They have status groups. Eighty-six percent of the homicides done in Birmingham were done with guns. Homicides of whites were up as well as Blacks; but substantialy it dropped while Blacks during this time rose. We must come to a fast solution to this fast genocide of the children. People never realize that when we settle fights with bullets instead of fists, the results can’t ever be reversed.  Please Stop The Violence.
Cash For Crooks has for the past 2½ years shown case after case in hopes that you, our readers, would remember something about the Homicides listed here. If you do, call Crimestoppers at 205-254-7777: DO NOT GIVE NICK NAMES.  Give police as much info as possible. If there is an arrest/conviction you may be paid. No One Will Ever Know Your Name.
RITT is working with local and state police to help bring an end to these crimes. If you know of any story you’d like relived here on these printed pages; contact Minister Ward at 205-240-9910, mail story to address above or e-mail: odussasplace@yahoo.com . Let’s Unite to take this bite out of crimes worldwide.  And remember, Reality is, “when it happens to you.”
Thank you.

During the Birmingham City Council Meeting held Tuesday, November 5, 2013, Council:

1. Approved an Ordinance “to further amend the zoning district map of the city of Birmingham” (Case No. ZAC2913-00014) to change zone district boundaries from R-3, Single Family District to M-1, Light Industrial District, filed by Steve Stinson, representing the owners, Diesel Equipment Company, Inc., and Norfolk Southern Combined Railroad for properties located at 912, 914, 916, and 918 37th Street North, and at 913 36th Way North, and situated in the SE¼ of Section 19, Township 17 South, Range 2 West. For more information, contact the office of Councilor Valerie Abbott at 254.2355.

2. Approved an Ordinance “to further amend the zoning district map of the city of Birmingham” (Case No. ZAC2013-00016) to change zone district boundaries from R-6, Multiple Dwelling District to “Q”B-1, Neighborhood Business District, filed by John Forney, representing the owner, Avondale Turn LLC., for properties located at 4112 and 4116 4th Avenue South; and situated in the SW¼ of Section 29, Township 17 South, Range 2 West. For more information, contact the office of Councilor Valerie Abbott at 254.2355.

3. Referred to the Budget and Finance Committee an Ordinance “to further amend the grants fund budget” by amending the amounts in the FY2014 Council Approved Budget for the Community Development Block Grant, Emergency Shelter Grant, Housing Opportunities for Persons with AIDS and the Home Investment Partnership Program for a total of $948,267.00 to reflect the amounts granted by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development.

4. Referred to the Budget and Finance Committee an Ordinance “to further amend the General Fund Budget” by appropriating $750,000.00 to Non Departmental – Transfer to Fund 102 Capital Improvement Fund, and “TO FURTHER AMEND THE CAPITAL BUDGET” by appropriating $750,000.00 to PEP – Demolitions for the demolition of Adams Inn.

5. Approved an Ordinance to amend “The Business License Code of the City of Birmingham, Alabama,” as adopted by Ordinance No. 97-183, as amended, to amend Article I, Section 1, “Schedule of Business Licenses,” to further provide for the use Of NAICS Identification to classify taxpayers, to repeal NAIC 454, “Non-Store Retailers,” Schedule 131, “Ice Cream Peddler,” and NAICS 722, “Food Services and Drinking Places,” Schedule 153, “Lunch Wagons,” and to adopt Schedule 7223, “Mobile Food Services.” For more information, contact the office of Councilor Johnathan Austin at 254.2678.

6. Placed on consent a Resolution accepting the unit price bid of Dunn Construction, Inc., Birmingham, in the amount of $1,506,971.00, for Ensley Complete Streets Project – TIGER Phase 2, this being the lowest bid submitted meeting specifications, and authorizing the Mayor to enter into a contract with Dunn Construction, Inc. in accordance with said bid, providing that the total contract not exceed the appropriation.

7. Set a public hearing December 10, 2103 to consider the adoption of an Ordinance to amend Title Two: Zone Districts, Article II: Commercial Classifications, Section 1, Subsection 2.21, Section 3, Subsection 2.38; Article III: Industrial Classifications, Section 2, Subsection 2.21; and Title III: Miscellaneous Regulations, Article VI: Supplementary Regulations and Modifications, by adding Section 21: Payday Loans (Deferred Presentment) and Title Loans, to the City of Birmingham’s Zoning Ordinance (Ordinance No. 90-130 as amended), filed by the Zoning Advisory Committee of the Birmingham Planning Commission, in order to regulate payday and title lending institutions within the City of Birmingham. For more information, contact the office of Councilor Valerie Abbott at 254.2355.

8. Set a public hearing December 10, 2013 to consider the adoption of an Ordinance to amend Title One: General Provisions, “Non Conforming Uses” and “Definitions”, of the City of Birmingham’s Zoning Ordinance (Ordinance No. 90-130 as amended), filed by the Zoning Advisory Committee of the Birmingham Planning Commission, in order to clarify the regulation of legal non-conforming (grandfathered) uses, (City Wide), Case No. ZAC2013-00021. For more information, contact the office of Councilor Valerie Abbott at 254.2355.

9. Placed on Consent a Resolution authorizing the City Clerk to publish a notice advertising that on November 19, 2013, the Council will consider the request of WF Real Property LLC to waive the vacation fee for Case No. SUB2013-00032.

Announcements and Reminders: 



1. The City Clerk announced a vacancy on the Medical Clinic Board. Councilor Johnathan Austin, Chair of the Public Safety Committee, is accepting letters of interest and resumes. Candidates should e-mail the aforementioned information to kamilah.graylewis@birminghamal.gov and courtney.hunter@birminghamal.gov For more information, call 254.2678.

2. The Transportation and Communications Committee is scheduled to meet on Wednesday, November 6, 2013, 12:30 p.m., Conference Room A.

3. The Joint Public Safety and Technology Committee Meeting scheduled on Wednesday, November 6, 2013, is canceled.

4. In observance of Veteran’s Day, City Hall is closed on Monday, November 11, 2013.

Are you unable to attend the Birmingham City Council meetings? Watch Council Meetings on demand. From anywhere in the world you can log on to www.birminghamalcitycouncil.org and click on the tab Watch Council Meetings; or from the comfort of your home, tune to Bright House Cable Channel 244. The Birmingham City Council meetings are free and on demand. 
 The City of Birmingham will make reasonable accommodations to ensure that people with disabilities have equal opportunity to enjoy all city services, programs and activities. If accommodations are required for public meetings, please contact John Long, Senior Public Information Officer, with reasonable advance notice by emailing John.Long@birminghamal.gov, or by calling 205-254-2036.