‘I Have Decided to Stick with Love … ‘ Words of Wisdom from Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.

January 16, 2026

King 3 — Martin Luther King Jr. speaking to journalists outside the Dallas County courthouse in Selma, Alabama, during a Civil Rights demonstration on January 19, 1964. (Ed Jones, Birmingham News/Alabama Department of Archives & History)

The Birmingham Times

As we commemorate Dr. Martin Luther King’s Day on Monday January 19 here’s a look at some of his stirring and inspiring words which remain as relevant and inspiring today as when he lived.

“We must accept finite disappointment, but never lose infinite hope.”
“Darkness cannot drive out darkness; only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate; only love can do that.”
“Forgiveness is not an occasional act. It is a permanent attitude.”
“I have decided to stick with love. Hate is too great a burden to bear.”
“Faith is taking the first step even when you don’t see the whole staircase.”
“Life’s most persistent and urgent question is, ‘What are you doing for others?’”
“Never succumb to the temptation of bitterness.”
“Our lives begin to end the day we become silent about things that matter.”
“We may have all come on different ships, but we’re in the same boat now.”
“The ultimate measure of a man is not where he stands in moments of comfort and convenience, but where he stands at times of challenge and controversy.”
“Change does not roll in on the wheels of inevitability but comes through continuous struggle.”
“Love is the only force capable of transforming an enemy into friend.”
“There comes a time when one must take a position that is neither safe, nor politic, nor popular, but he must take it because conscience tells him it is right.”
“Let no man pull you so low as to hate him.”
“If you can’t fly then run, if you can’t run then walk, if you can’t walk then crawl, but whatever you do you have to keep moving forward.”
“Intelligence plus character—that is the goal of true education.”
“Out of the mountain of despair, a stone of hope.”
“The time is always right to do what is right.”
“Be a bush if you can’t be a tree. If you can’t be a highway, just be a trail. If you can’t be a sun, be a star. For it isn’t by size that you win or fail. Be the best of whatever you are.”
Martin Luther King Jr. speaking at the annual Men’s Day celebration at New Pilgrim Baptist Church in Birmingham, Alabama on June 3, 1960. (Tom Lankford, Birmingham News/Alabama Department of Archives & History)
“We’ve got some difficult days ahead. But it really doesn’t matter with me now because I’ve been to the mountaintop… I’ve looked over and I’ve seen the promised land. I may not get there with you. But I want you to know tonight that we as a people will get to the promised land.”
“For when people get caught up with that which is right and they are willing to sacrifice for it, there is no stopping point short of victory.”
“I believe that unarmed truth and unconditional love will have the final word in reality. This is why right, temporarily defeated, is stronger than evil triumphant.”
“True peace is not merely the absence of tension; it is the presence of justice.”
“There is nothing more tragic than to find an individual bogged down in the length of life, devoid of breadth.”
“Shallow understanding from people of good will is more frustrating than absolute misunderstanding from people of ill will.”
“A lie cannot live.”
“There can be no deep disappointment where there is not deep love.”
“Man must evolve for all human conflict a method which rejects revenge, aggression and retaliation. The foundation of such a method is love.”
“There comes a time when people get tired of being pushed out of the glittering sunlight of life’s July and left standing amid the piercing chill of an alpine November.”
“We must develop and maintain the capacity to forgive. He who is devoid of the power to forgive is devoid of the power to love. There is some good in the worst of us and some evil in the best of us. When we discover this, we are less prone to hate our enemies.”
“Nonviolence is absolute commitment to the way of love. Love is not emotional bash; it is not empty sentimentalism. It is the active outpouring of one’s whole being into the being of another.”
“We are not makers of history. We are made by history.”
“Rarely do we find men who willingly engage in hard, solid thinking. There is an almost universal quest for easy answers and half-baked solutions. Nothing pains some people more than having to think.”
“We must build dikes of courage to hold back the flood of fear.”
“Let us not seek to satisfy our thirst for freedom by drinking from the cup of bitterness and hatred.”
“Oppressed people cannot remain oppressed forever. The yearning for freedom eventually manifests itself.”
“Hate is just as injurious to the hater as it is to the hated. Like an unchecked cancer, hate corrodes the personality and eats away its vital unity. Many of our inner conflicts are rooted in hate. This is why psychiatrists say, “Love or perish.” Hate is too great a burden to bear.”
“Power without love is reckless and abusive, and love without power is sentimental and anemic. Power at its best is love implementing the demands of justice, and justice at its best is power correcting everything that stands against love.”
“In some not too distant tomorrow the radiant stars of love and brotherhood will shine over our great nation with all their scintillating beauty.”
“We shall match your capacity to inflict suffering by our capacity to endure suffering. We will meet your physical force with soul force. Do to us what you will. And we shall continue to love you.”
“If one loves an individual merely on account of his friendliness, he loves him for the sake of the benefits to be gained from the friendship, rather than for the friend’s own sake. Consequently, the best way to assure oneself that love is disinterested is to have love for the enemy-neighbor from whom you can expect no good in return, but only hostility and persecution.”
“That’s love, you see. It is redemptive, and this is why Jesus says love. There’s something about love that builds up and is creative. There is something about hate that tears down and is destructive. So love your enemies.”
“You know, a lot of people don’t love themselves. And they go through life with deep and haunting emotional conflicts. So the length of life means that you must love yourself. And you know what loving yourself also means? It means that you’ve got to accept yourself.”
“All we say to America is, ‘Be true to what you said on paper.’ If I lived in China or even Russia, or any totalitarian country, maybe I could understand the denial of certain basic First Amendment privileges, because they hadn’t committed themselves to that over there. But somewhere I read of the freedom of assembly. Somewhere I read of the freedom of speech. Somewhere I read of the freedom of the press. Somewhere I read that the greatness of America is the right to protest for right.”
“You can kill the dreamer, but you can’t kill the dream.”
“I want to be the white man’s brother, not his brother-in-law.”
“Even though we face the difficulties of today and tomorrow, I still have a dream.”
“A right delayed is a right denied.”
“Freedom is never voluntarily given by the oppressor; it must be demanded by the oppressed.”
“The hottest place in Hell is reserved for those who remain neutral in times of great moral conflict.”
“We must learn to live together as brothers or perish together as fools.”
“The quality, not the longevity, of one’s life is what is important.”
“A genuine leader is not a searcher for consensus but a molder of consensus.”
“The moral arc of the universe bends at the elbow of justice.”
“I am not interested in power for power’s sake, but I’m interested in power that is moral, that is right and that is good.”

Birmingham’s Chris Richards Voted 2025 U.S. Soccer Male Player of the Year

Birmingham Times

January 16, 2026

82fbe9f23ff9938a4b426562e160548addd6cd66-580x580 — Birmingham native Chris Richards, a staple in the English Premier League with Crystal Palace FC, has been voted the 2025 U.S. Soccer Male Player of the Year. (U.S. Soccer)

ussoccer.com

ATLANTA – U.S. Men’s National Team defender Chris Richards has been voted the 2025 U.S. Soccer Male Player of the Year after an outstanding year in which he started 11 of 12 matches for which he was available for the USMNT and all six matches leading to the 2025 Gold Cup Final, a tournament in which he recorded two goals and earned a spot on the Best XI.

The Birmingham native has become a staple in the English Premier League with Crystal Palace FC, starting and playing the full 90 minutes in both domestic trophy wins, the FA Cup and Community Shield.

“It means a lot to me to join a very prestigious list of players,” Richards said. “This has been a big year, and we have an even bigger year coming up. This shows how well we’ve done as a team and the momentum we are building towards the World Cup.”

This is Richards’ first U.S. Soccer Male Player of the Year award and it comes in his first year being nominated. First recognized in 1984, a total of 28 players have won the award. The 25-year-old becomes the second consecutive defender to earn this recognition after Antonee Robinson won the award in 2024, marking the first time two defenders have won the award consecutively since Marcelo Balboa and Alexi Lalas in 1994 and 1995.

Richards was surprised with the news during an interview with Pat McAfee on the eponymous The Pat McAfee Show, which aired on ESPN earlier this afternoon.

“It was sick. I see Pat all the time on College GameDay. It was cool for him to announce this on his show and to give a shoutout,” Richards added. “It just shows how much the game is growing in the U.S., how much respect there is for the sport, and how much the excitement is building for the World Cup this summer.”

In a list of nominees that included defender Max Arfsten, defender Alex Freeman, goalkeeper Matt Freese and midfielder Malik Tillman, Richards won with 48.6 percent of the weighted total, followed by Tillman (21.7%) and Freeman (13%).

In addition to fan voting, votes for U.S. Soccer Male Player of the Year are collected from National Team coaches, USMNT players who earned a cap in 2025, members of the U.S. Soccer Board of Directors, U.S. Soccer Athletes’ Council, professional league head coaches and sporting directors, select media members and former players and administrators.

In 2025, Richards played the most games (12) and minutes (1004) of his career in a calendar year. The 25-year-old started at the center of defense for the U.S. in every game on the way to the 2025 Gold Cup Final, a tournament that he scored twice, including a header in the final against Mexico. A combination of leadership and strong performances led to his inclusion in the 2025 Concacaf Gold Cup Best XI.

At the club level, Richards has established himself as a key fixture within the Crystal Palace defense. Throughout the 2024-25 season with The Eagles, he made 32 total appearances in all competitions, registering a goal and assist.

Richards backstopped Crystal Palace to a trophy at the end of the season, defeating Manchester City 1-0 in the 2025 FA Cup Final to collect the first FA Cup trophy in the club’s history which dates back to 1861. Later that summer, Richards and Palace opened the 2025-26 season with a victory over Liverpool in penalty kicks in the 2025 Community Shield, with Richards once again going the distance.

Birmingham native Chris Richards, a staple in the English Premier League with Crystal Palace FC, has been voted the 2025 U.S. Soccer Male Player of the Year. (U.S. Soccer)

Memorable MLK Jr. Visits to Birmingham That Became a Part of His Legacy

Birmingham Times

January 15, 2026

btCropKing 5 — Martin Luther King Jr. speaking at Brown Chapel AME Church in Selma, Alabama, possibly on Turnaround Tuesday in March, 1965. (Spider Martin, Birmingham News/ Alabama Department of Archives & History)

The Birmingham Times

Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and Birmingham have been intertwined ever since the Civil Rights leader helped dismantle segregation in a city once known as “Bombingham” for the frequent explosions at homes and Black churches during the 1950’s and 60’s.

Many point to King’s efforts in Birmingham in the spring of 1963, when he helped direct thousands of demonstrators to fill up Birmingham jails, as legacy-defining. His work during that pivotal year helped loosen the grip of segregation not just in the South but nationwide. However, King, whose birthday will be celebrated on January 19, began his work in the Magic City before 1963 and he did return afterwards. Here’s a timeline of King’s most memorable visits to the city.

Jan. 23, 1955: King gives speech titled “A Realistic Approach to Race Relations” at a Birmingham NAACP rally at Tabernacle Baptist Church. In the speech, King rebukes pastors for ignoring the cause of civil rights.

March 7, 1956: King meets in Birmingham with journalist William Worthy and veteran organizer Bayard Rustin to develop strategy for the Montgomery Improvement Association. The MIA, which guided the Montgomery bus boycott, was led by King and civil rights titans Edgar “E.D.” Nixon and the Rev. Ralph Abernathy. The boycott, which began the Monday after Rosa Parks refused to give her seat to a white passenger on Dec. 1, lasted from Dec. 5, 1955 to Dec. 20, 1956, a little over a month after a U.S. Supreme Court decision deemed Alabama’s bus segregation unconstitutional.

March 6, 1960: King speaks at Men’s Day at New Pilgrim Baptist Church in Birmingham’s South Titusville neighborhood. The church, which was led by pastor Nelson H. Smith, a leader in the Fred Shuttlesworth-led Alabama Christian Movement for Human Rights (ACMHR), was a common meeting place for many Civil Rights leaders. King had just left his role as pastor at Dexter Avenue Baptist Church in Montgomery to dedicate more time to his Civil Rights work.

Feb. 12, 1962: King speaks on Abraham Lincoln’s birthday at an ACMHR event at Sixteenth Street Baptist Church in downtown Birmingham. In his speech, King urges members to keep the fight going for Civil Rights. “I wish I could tell you our road ahead is easy, that we are in the Promised Land, that we won’t have to suffer and sacrifice anymore, but not so. We have got to be prepared,” King says, according to archived police documents. “The time is coming when the police won’t protect us, the mayor and commissioner won’t think with clear minds, then we can expect the worse.”

King also recognizes the Rev. Fred Shuttlesworth, the president of the ACMHR, who was in jail at that time.

Sept. 24, 1962: King speaks at the beginning of the SCLC annual convention which is held in Birmingham. A few days into the convention, just after King had been reelected as president of the SCLC, a 22-year-old member of the American Nazi Party punches King twice. King urged those present to pray for the man and not hurt him.

From left, the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.; the Rev. Fred L. Shuttlesworth and the Rev. Ralph Abernathy hold a press conference at the A.G. Gaston Motel in Birmingham, on May 10, 1963. (Alabama Department Of Archives And History. Donated By Alabama Media Group. Photo By Tom Self, Birmingham News)

April 2, 1963: King arrives at the A.G. Gaston Motel for the start of the Birmingham Campaign. Wyatt Walker, another civil rights leader and strategist, lays out plans for demonstrations to be held in the coming weeks.

April 3, 1963: King speaks alongside Walker and James Lawson, another Civil Rights Movement, to around 65 people before they are to sit in at five different lunch counters in the city. At Britt’s Department Store’s segregated lunch counter, 21 demonstrators are arrested.

April 4, 1963: King leads a small group in a march to Birmingham City Hall followed that evening by a mass meeting at St James Baptist Church.

April 11, 1963: King and other leaders receive a court-ordered injunction against “boycotting, trespassing, parading, picketing, sit-ins, kneel-ins, wade-ins, and inciting or encouraging such acts.”

April 12, 1963: In defiance of the injunction, King leads a march on Good Friday, alongside Abernathy and Shuttlesworth. King and 52 others arrested. While in solitary confinement at Birmingham City Jail, King pens his “Letter from Birmingham Jail.” He also writes that the “greatest stumbling block” for Black people may be the “white moderate who is more devoted to ‘order’ than justice.”

April 20, 1963: King bailed out of Birmingham City Jail, through money raised by singer and actor Harry Belafonte, who is a close friend and supporter of King.

April 30, 1963: After Birmingham city officials deny permits for a march on May 2, King allows James Bevel, another SCLC leader, to go before a mass meeting to inform people that demonstration would happen without the permits. Prior to his time with the SCLC, Bevel was part of the Nashville Student Movement, which organized student sit-ins in Nashville, Tennessee. King and other leaders decide to use similar tactics for the latest demonstration, courting high schoolers and younger children for the march. Around 600 children are arrested at the march. At a mass meeting that night, King said, “If they think today is the end of this, they will be badly mistaken.”

May 7, 1963: After days of marches, which had jailed over a thousand Black demonstrators, King speaks at a press conference at the A.G. Gaston Motel. He says the nonviolent protests have been wildly successful. “This is the first time in the history of our struggle that we have been able literally to fill the jails,” King says. As he speaks, young demonstrators prepare for yet another march, which begins around noon. Thousands of Black demonstrators flood downtown Birmingham’s streets and businesses and are met by high-powered fire hoses with such force that even Shuttlesworth is sent to the hospital as a result of the encounters.

The Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., left, and Pastor Wyatt Tee Walker at a press conference at the A.G. Gaston Motel in Birmingham, AL on May 10, 1963. (Alabama Department Of Archives And History. Donated By Alabama Media Group. Photo By Tom Self, Birmingham News)

May 8, 1963: Following the violence of the previous day and overnight negotiations between King and local leaders, demonstrations are called off for the day. Following a press conference from King and Shuttlesworth, and a press conference from President John F. Kennedy which praises the negotiation in Birmingham, the two Civil Rights leaders are arrested for being unable to pay fines for their protests, which violated an April 11 injunction barring them from demonstrating. Local business leader A.G. Gaston pays $5,000 to bail both King and Shuttlesworth out of jail.

May 10, 1963: King announces that Birmingham officials have agreed to end segregation during a press conference from the A.G. Gaston Motel. At a mass meeting later, he lays out the phases of desegregation and says jailed demonstrators were “either out of jail or on the way out of jail.”

May 11, 1963: A bomb explodes outside King’s room at the A.G. Gaston Motel, which had become the headquarters for King and his colleagues. Fortunately, King had already left for Atlanta.

Aug. 5, 1963: Entertainer Ray Charles, Writers James Baldwin and boxer Joe Louis are all present alongside King at the Miles College Salute to Freedom ’63, which was a fundraiser for the March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom, at which King would deliver his “I Have a Dream” speech later that month.

Sept. 18, 1963: King back in Birmingham for a somber moment as he delivers eulogy during a joint funeral for three of the four victims of Sixteenth Street Baptist Church bombing. In the bombing, four girls died — 11-year-old Denise McNair and 14-year-olds Addie Mae Collins, Carole Rosamond Robertson and Cynthia Dionne Wesley.

Oct. 30, 1967: King, Abernathy, Walker, and A. D. King in Birmingham to serve five-day sentences from contempt charges they received during the Birmingham campaign to end segregation in 1963.

Sources: Taylor Branch, “Parting the Waters”; Barnett Wright, “1963”; Stanford University’s Martin Luther King, Jr. Research and Education Institute; Birmingham Public Library; Birmingham News; New York Daily News.

Martin Luther King Jr. speaking to journalists outside the Dallas County courthouse in Selma, Alabama, during a Civil Rights demonstration on January 19, 1964. The Rev. Fred L. Shuttlesworth is to Dr. King’s left and the Rev. Ralph David Abernathy to the right. (Ed Jones, Birmingham News/Alabama Department of Archives & History)

MLK Unity Breakfast Marks 40 Years in Birmingham on Jan. 19 at The Star Church

Birmingham Times

January 15, 2026

MLK_breakfast — Observers fill Birmingham's Boutwell Auditorium for the 37th Annual MLK Unity Breakfast in downtown. (File)

birminghamal.gov

The Community Affairs Committee (CAC) will host its 40th Annual Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Unity Breakfast on Monday, January 19 bringing together community leaders, educators, students, and residents to begin a day centered on reflection, education, and unity.

The event will be held at The STAR Church, located at 7400 London Avenue in Birmingham, beginning at 7:00 a.m.

Since its inception in 1986, the MLK Unity Breakfast has served as a cornerstone community event honoring the life, legacy, and vision of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. This year’s gathering reflects a purposeful shift in format – designed to create space for meaningful dialogue, fellowship, and thoughtful engagement.

“We want to put things back into perspective by focusing on education and the youth,” said Alice Westery, Executive Chair of the Community Affairs Committee. “Young people are not only our future — they are leaders right now, and their voices matter in shaping equitable and transformative change.”

This year’s program will feature a panel discussion with education leaders and students centered on the theme Putting It Back Into Perspective: Leading Transformation Through Education. Panelists will explore the role education plays in community advancement and share perspectives on how students and educators can drive meaningful change within schools and neighborhoods.

A keynote message will be delivered by Dr. Thomas Beavers, Senior Pastor of The STAR Church in Birmingham. A fourth-generation pastor, Beavers is recognized for his commitment to spiritual growth, education, and community transformation. His leadership continues to empower families and inspire positive change across Birmingham.

The 2026 Unity Breakfast also carries special significance as it marks the first event since the passing of long-time Event Director Aaron Carlton. The planning committee’s decision to move forward in a more intentional way reflects a deep desire to honor his legacy while continuing the mission he faithfully supported for decades.

In addition to the Unity Breakfast, the Community Affairs Committee will host a Pre-MLK Day Celebration on Sunday, January 18 at 4 p.m. at Sixth Avenue Baptist Church in Birmingham. This special evening gathering will serve as a spiritual and cultural lead-in to the Unity Breakfast, offering the community an opportunity to come together in reflection, worship, and celebration to commemorate Dr. King’s life and work.

Pre-MLK Day Celebration

Sunday, Jan. 18, 4 p.m., Sixth Avenue Baptist Church, 1101 Martin Luther King Jr. Drive SW, Birmingham, Alabama 35211

40th Annual MLK Unity Breakfast

Monday, Jan. 19, 7 p.m. -7:45 a.m. | Program Begins: 8 a.m., The STAR Church, 7400 London Ave, Birmingham, AL 35206

Anticipation Builds for the 2026 A.G. Gaston Conference in Birmingham

Birmingham Times

January 15, 2026

CREATOR: gd-jpeg v1.0 (using IJG JPEG v62), quality = 82 — For over two decades, the A.G. Gaston Conference has distinguished itself as a pivotal force in the realm of entrepreneurship and business development. (File)

By Valerie Wilson | ReBirth Marketing & Consulting

In just a few weeks, business leaders, entrepreneurs, investors, and innovators will gather once again in the Magic City for the A.G. Gaston Conference. Set to take place Feb. 18, 2026, at Red Mountain Theatre, this year’s event promises to be a powerful and transformative experience, one that honors the past while inspiring the future.

The 2026 theme, “Legacy, Leverage, and Liberation: Accumulating Assets That Lead to Wealth,” reflects the heart of both the conference and its namesake. Arthur George Gaston, who built a business empire during segregation, demonstrating that wealth is far more than a paycheck, it is a catalyst for empowerment, choice, and community transformation.

“No one better understood the connection between ownership and liberation than A.G. Gaston,” says Bob Dickerson, co-founder of the A.G. Gaston Conference and longtime advocate for Black business advancement. “Every business he created, from banking to insurance to the funeral home industry was built to solve problems in our community and ensure that we controlled our own economic destinies. This conference continues that work.”

Since its founding, the A.G. Gaston Conference has become a destination for serious conversations and strategies focused on building economic strength. Not simply a networking opportunity, the conference functions as a hub of actionable insight, a place to learn from accomplished executives, connect with investors and innovators, and unlock new levels of potential.

“There is no better moment to emphasize the importance of A.G. Gaston’s legacy,” Dickerson says. “We are at a point in history where African American entrepreneurs are generating ideas at a pace we have never seen before. But those ideas must become profitable. We want attendees to leave equipped with the tools to create generational wealth that allows families and communities to thrive long after we‘re gone,” Dickerson added.

This year’s speaker lineup reflects that mission with a roster whose careers embody the very essence of bold enterprise. Headlining the 2026 A.G. Gaston Conference:

— Michael V. Roberts, Chairman, The Roberts Companies
A powerhouse in hospitality, broadcasting, aviation, and beyond, Roberts has built one of the largest Black-owned business empires in the country.

— Cheryl McKissack, President & CEO, McKissack & McKissack
Leading the oldest Black-owned architecture and construction firm in the United States.

— Roy Wood, Jr., Comedian, Producer, and Cultural Commentator
Known for his sharp wit and insightful storytelling, Wood has used his platform, from The Daily Show to major networks, to challenge narratives and uplift community voices.

— Stephen Glaude, President & CEO, The Coalition
A national leader in community reinvestment and economic justice, Glaude brings critical insight into policy, advocacy, and how equity can be designed into the systems shaping business growth.

In addition, to these presenters the conference welcomes rising innovators for the Young Professionals Panel, a space designed to spotlight emerging leaders shaping the future economy:

Moderator, Gilberto Herrera
Justin Evans, Young Entrepioneers
Jarrod Stisher, TechBirmingham
Rae’Mah Henderson, TechStars

“Young entrepreneurs are rewriting the playbook,” Dickerson shares. “They are fearless in technology, brilliant in new models of business, and determined to make an impact. We want them in the room.”

The A.G. Gaston Conference founded by Bob Dickerson and Gaynell Adams Jackson has always been more than a tribute, it is a call to action. It is an annual reminder that true progress is forged through cooperation, education, and bold economic participation.

Dickerson emphasizes that now, more than ever, African American communities must move from simply engaging in the marketplace to owning a significant piece of it. “Legacy means that the work we do does not end with us,” he explains. “Leverage means understanding the power of our skills, networks, and capital. Liberation means freedom to create, live, build, and dream without limitation.”

“If you are serious about changing your business, your family’s future, or your community’s economic footprint you need to be here!,” Dickerson says. “Bring your ambition. Bring your talent. Bring your hunger to learn and grow.”

To get your tickets to the A.G. Gaston Conference or to learn more visit:

https://aggastonconference.biz/

PEOPLE, PLACES & THINGS

Birmingham Times

January 15, 2026

PPT0115_WEB(1) — Kevin “Krispy’ Key, cinematographer and Media Producer of song “AMEN” by Pastor Mike McClure, Jr. wins 2025 Stellar Award for Music Video of the Year. (Provided)

By Gwen DeRu | The Birmingham Times

“CELEBRATING DR. MARTIN LUTHER KING, JR.’S BIRTHDAY!!!”

TODAY, JANUARY 15…

**READ THE BIRMINGHAM TIMES. Catch up on the news!!!

**IRONDALE’S MAYOR JAMES D. STEWART, JR. is KEYNOTE SPEAKER AT THE FIRST ANNUAL LIVING THE DREAM FELLOWSHIP BREAKFAST – Honoring the Legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., 7 a.m. breakfast and a 7:45 a.m. program at the Alabama AGC Conference Center, 5000 Grantswood Road in Irondale. Keynote Address is by MAYOR JAMES D. STEWART, JR. Irondale’s First African American Mayor. Visit www.IrondaleCommunityFoundation.com for more.

**DRIED FLORAL WEATH-MAKING WORKSHOP, 10 a.m. – Noon, with TANIS CLIFTON from Happy Trails Flower Farm at the Birmingham Botanical Gardens.

**COMEDIAN SPECIAL EVENT: COMEDIAN DAMON DARLING at the StarDome Comedy Club.

**VIRGINIA L. MONTGOMERY, award winning experimental filmmaker and multimedia artist will have her works on exhibition at the University of Alabama at Birmingham, Noon – 5 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday, FREE at the UAB Abroms Engel Institute for the Visual Arts. The exhibit is entitled BLUE MOON COCOON.

**THE IMPOSTERS TOUR: DROP THE LEASH AND DEAD & BLOATED at Saturn.

**KARAOKE KICKBACK EVERY THURSDAY, 6 – 9 p.m. at Jazzi’s on 3^rd, with Happy Hour 5-6 p.m. FREE. There is a weekly Cash Prize hosted by Loretta Hill.

**BLUES JAM EVERY 3rd THURSDAY, 7- 10 p.m. at True Story Brewing.

**THAT’S MY JAM THURSDAYS KARAOKE & MINGLE at Platinum with music by DEVYBE BAND and hosted by Jirus Horton. Line Dance with DESI KEITH & D2 at 6 p.m.

**RnB POETICALLY LIT, 5-7 p.m. at Lit on 8^th, 518 Abraham Woods Jr. Blvd. with HUNCHO ZAVY, KD MCQWEEN, CAROL HOOD, DKMODE, BRIANNE SHARDAW and hosted by HEMP THE ARTIST. Every Thursday.

**JAZZ IN THE MAGIC CITY HAPPY HOUR featuring Alabama’s own Jose Carr and his band, 4:30-7 p.m. at the Carver Theatre. FREE. EVERY THURSDAY!

**BLUES JAM EVERY 3rd THURSDAY, 7- 10 p.m. at True Story Brewing.

**THAT’S MY JAM THURSDAYS KARAOKE MINGLE, each week with Karaoke at 8 p.m., Spin to Win ‘til 9 p.m. and Happy Hour ‘til 9 p.m. with Sounds by DJ SLUGGA and hosted by JIRUS HORTON at Tee’s on 2nd. FREE, Entry all night.

**3^rd THURSDAY at the Nick with RAMBLIN’ RICKY TATE at The Nick.

**FILMMAKER NETWORKING NIGHTS, 5 p.m. at 1821 2^nd Avenue North

**EVERY THURSDAY- THAT’S MY JAM THURSDAYS, 7 p.m. at Platinum of Birmingham with DJ Slugga.

**ALABAMA BLAZIN BINGO, 6 p.m. at Overtime Grill and Bar.

**FILM at Sidewalk Film.

**KARAOKE, 7 p.m. at True Story Brewing.

**THE AMAZING HAM BAGBY at The Nick.

**THE IMPOSTERS TOUR: DROP THE LEASH AND DEAD & BLOATED at Saturn.

FRIDAY, JANUARY 16…

IT IS FRIDAY…the weekend starts…

**COMEDIAN SPECIAL EVENT: COMEDIAN D.L. HUGHLEY at the StarDome Comedy Club.

**COMEDIAN CHRIS HIGGINS at the StarDome Comedy Club.

**NOWHERE SQUARES, DOMESTICATRIX, REPUBLICANTS & WAX FUR at The Nick.

**VARSITY BLUES & SAFEKEEP LATE NIGHT at The Nick.

**ALL YOUR FRIENDS: THE INDIE PARTY at Saturn.

**FRIDAY NIGHT LIGHTS, 5 p.m. at Howard’s Unlimited Lounge & Cocktail Bar at 4010 Avenue I with food by 1918 Catering Food Truck. Happy Hour at 5, Call 205-213-9097 for more.

**GOOD PEOPLE & GOOD MUSIC WITH GOOD PEOPLE BREWING at Dave’s, 6 p.m. at Dave’s Pub.

SATURDAY, JANUARY 17…

**A BOY NAMED KING: THE MAKING OF A DREAMER – Encore Theatre presents, A Boy Named King: The Making of a Dreamer, Saturday through Monday, at the Carver Theatre. It is written and directed by MARC RABY. Before the monument. Before the speeches. Before the Dream that changed the world – there was a boy named King.

**FREE – FUNERAL PARTY GOTH NIGHT at Saturn.

**BURLESQUE NIGHT at The Nick.

**COMEDIAN SPECIAL EVENT: COMEDIAN D.L. HUGLEY at the StarDome Comedy Club.

**COMEDIAN CHRIS HIGGINS at the StarDome Comedy Club.

SUNDAY, JANUARY 18…

**SINGO BINGO EVERY SUNDAY, 1 p.m. at Cahaba Brewing Company.

**HOWARD’S UNLIMITED LOUNGE & COCKTAIL BAR, 4010 Avenue I, in Belview Heights opened recently by our own favorite son radio personality and D.J. CHRIS COLEMAN. Check it out for Sunday Brunch with food by 1918 Catering, music and more!! For more, call 205-213-9097. 1918 Catering is the best food for lunch, dinner or your special event. (Take my word.)

**JOSE CARR performing at JAZZ IN THE GARDEN SUNDAYS, Every 1^st and 3^rd Sunday, 5-8 p.m. at Denim on 7^th, 2808 7^th Avenue Suite105.

**EASE BACK 4th SUNDAYS, 5 p.m. at True Story Brewing.

**2^ND SUNDAY FREE SHOW with ZACH AUSTIN at The Nick.

**HAPPY HOUR FREE with LUKE WOOD at The Nick.

**AN EVENING with KYLE KIMBRELL at The Nick.

**4^th SUNDAY FREE SHOW with TAYLOR HOLLINGSWORTH at The Nick.

**MOTION SUNDAYS at Platinum, 8 p.m. – 1 a.m. with DJ CUZZO X DJ A1 Controlling the Vibes. There will be Drink Specials.

**COMEDIAN CHRIS HIGGINS at the StarDome Comedy Club.

**COMEDIAN SPECIAL EVENT: COMEDIAN D.L. HUGLEY at the StarDome Comedy Club.

**AN EVENING WITH SPAFFORD at Saturn.

MONDAY, JANUARY 19…

**WEEK DAYS – IRONDALE SENIOR ACTIVITY CENTER has activities starting at 8 a.m. with a Hot Lunch served for Seniors Monday – Friday, 11:30 a.m. – 12:30 p.m. Call 205-951-1418 for details about the FREE program.

**MONDAYS – THURSDAYS – CFJS CARES RESPITE PROGRAM, 10 a.m. – 2 p.m. Call 205-278-7113 for more info.

**MONDAYS – GRIEF SUPPORT GROUP, 10-11:30 a.m. at CJFS Conference Room. Open to survivors who have experienced loss within the past 2 years. Call 205-278-7101 to sign up.

**MONDAYS – DEMENTIA CAREGIVER VIRTUAL SUPPORT GROUP, 3 p.m. and/or Tuesday at 7 p.m. on Zoom. Call 205-278-7113 for more info.

**BIRMINGHAM BANDSTAND at The Nick.

TUESDAY, JANUARY 20…

**TACO TUESDAY R & B NIGHT, EVERY THURSDAY at Hemings on 2^ND Avenue.

**PODCASTING 101 at CREED63, EVERY TUESDAY at 5:45 p.m. Learn how to launch and create your own podcast at 1601 5^th Avenue North, Birmingham 35203.

**JOSE CARR EVERY TUESDAY NIGHT at True Story Brewing.

**SONGWRITER’S NIGHT EVERY TUESDAY at The Nick.

**SUPERSTAR KARAOKE LATE NIGHT TUESDAYS at The Nick.

**TYLER RAMSEY & CARL BROWMEL (of My Morning Jacket) at Saturn.

WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 21…

**REAL FUNNY COMEDY WEDNESDAYS at True Story Brewing. Sign up at 7:30 p.m.

**FRIENDSHIP at Saturn.

**BUDDY RED at The Nick.

**JASON PAUL + THE KNOW IT ALLS at The Nick.

THURSDAY, JANUARY 22 …

**READ THE BIRMINGHAM TIMES. Catch up on the news!!!

**COMEDIAN SPECIAL EVENT: DALE JONES at the StarDome Comedy Club.

**CLUB SILENCIO: MUSIC FROM THE WORK OF DAVID LYNCH at Saturn.

**KARAOKE KICKBACK EVERY THURSDAY, 6 – 9 p.m. at Jazzi’s on 3^rd, with Happy Hour 5-6 p.m. FREE. There is a weekly Cash Prize hosted by Loretta Hill.

**BLUES JAM EVERY 3rd THURSDAY, 7- 10 p.m. at True Story Brewing.

**THAT’S MY JAM THURSDAYS KARAOKE & MINGLE at Platinum with music by DEVYBE BAND and hosted by Jirus Horton. Line Dance with DESI KEITH & D2 at 6 p.m.

**HAYDEN HUNTER & THE YEARLY TRIALS + ZOEY PETE FORD + ALABAMA HEATHENS at The Nick.

FRIDAY, JANUARY 23….

**COMEDIENNE SPECIAL EVENT: JESS HILARIOUS at the StarDome Comedy Club.

**COMEDIAN MICHAEL ROWLAND at the StarDome Comedy Club.

**MARA NAGRA, BO LEE, THE ABUSEMENTS AND BLEACH GARDEN at The Nick.

**FREE – WILL STEWART, SLACK TIMES, LENA BATRTELS, and LAMPLIGHT at Saturn.

**THE FLOOZIES + TOO MANY ZOOZ: TOO MANY FLOOZ TOUR at Iron City.

NEWS TO KNOW AND USE – PEOPLE, PLACES AND THINGS TO WATCH…

**KEVIN ‘KRISPY’ KEY, Producer, Owner and Operator of Media Production Creates the Music Video that Wins 2025 Stellar Award for Pastor Mike McClure, Jr. – The hit song ‘AMEN’ took home the ‘2025 Stellar Award for Music Video of the Year’ following the creative collaboration between Pastor Mike, Jr., Drae Rudolph, Tony Minifield and Key who was Director of Photography. The award winning song ‘’AMEN’, is now up for a 2026 Grammy for Best Gospel Performance/Song. The song was produced at MOON MEN DJS (MMDJS) a media production studio converted from a downtown Birmingham warehouse. Key said that winning a Stellar Award for filming Pastor Mike, Jr.s ‘Amen’ music video represents more than recognition. It is a testament to the power to creative collaboration and high-quality production work, from the LED video wall technology to the cinema-grade equipment; every element comes together to create something special. Key is a Birmingham-based film producer and founder of Moon Men DJS. Key’s Hollywood production credits include ‘Unhinged,’ ‘Line of Duty’, ’Embattled’ and the original dark comedy, ‘Miss Audition’, currently streaming on the ROKU Channel and TUBI.

IN THE CITY OF IRONDALE …

**TODAY – FIRST ANNUAL LIVING THE DREAM FELLOWSHIP BREAKFAST honoring the legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., 7 a.m. at the Alabama AGC Conference Enter, 500 Grantswood Road in Irondale. Mayor James D. STEWART, Jr. delivers Keynote Address.

**JANUARY 16 – DEADLINE FOR THE DR. MARTIN LUTHER KING, JR. PUBLIC SERVICE PROJECT CONTEST. Winners Announced on January 20. Submit your proposal at www.tinyurl.com/irondalemlk26.

**JANUARY 20 – A.G. GASTON BOYS AND GIRLS CLUB IRONDALE BRANCH RIBBON CUTTING, 3:30 – 4:30 p.m. at 105 20^th Street South in Irondale. For more call 205-923-3377.

**JANUARY 26 – DEADLINE EDUCATION AND YOUTH FUND GRANT OPPORTUNITY presented by Mayor James D, STEWART, Jr. Apply at www.tinyurl.com/IrondaleEdu26.

**JANUARY 31 – DEADLINE FOR GARBAGE COLLECTION FEE EXEMPTION OPPORTUNITY based on your income and other ways to qualify. Application at www.tinyurl.com/IrondaleGarbageExempt. Submit at Irondale City Hall.

AT UAB ALYS STEPHENS PERFORMING ARTS CENTER…

FOR BLUES LOVERS…

**FEBRUARY 6 – THE GRATEFUL DEAD’S “BLUES FOR ALLAH” performed by DON WAS AND THE PAN-ENSEMBLE, 7:30 p.m. at the Alys Stephens Performing Arts Center at UAB’s Center for the Arts. Curated and led by six-time Grammy Award-winning Musician, producer and composer DON WAS, this tribute brings together world-class musicians from across Detroit’s music scene to celebrate the album’s 50^th Anniversary. The Pan-Ensemble include DAVE MCMURRAY on saxophone, keyboardist LUIS RESTO, trombonist VINCENT CHANDLER, trumpeter JOHN DOUGLAS, drummer JEFF CANADAY, percussionist MAHINDI MASAI, guitarist WAYNE GERARD and vocalist STEFFANIE CHRISTI’AN.

AT THE CARVER THEATRE…

FOR JAZZ LOVERS…

**JANUARY 25 – JAZZ ON 4^TH WITH JSU COMBO 1 – Join the Alabama Jazz Hall of Fame at the Carver Theatre for the Sunday series, Jazz on 4^th. Kicking off 2026 is the Jacksonville State University Combo 1 for a captivating live jazz performance.

**FEBRUARY 11 – JAZZ & PILATES WITH KENYELE – Join the Alabama Jazz Hall of Fame at the historic Carver Theatre, 6 – 7 p.m. for Jazz and Pilates with instructor Kenyele Harrison. Get strength, stretch and center your body as you move through Pilates exercises set to smooth, soulful sounds of jazz. It is the perfect blend of wellness and rhythm.

**FEBRUARY 13 – JAZZ IN A GLASS – LOVE NOTES EDITION of A Valentine’s Day Treat, 7-9 p.m. at the AJHOF. This partnership with Pour Crazy invites yo to an cocktail-making experience where mixology meets the magic of jazz.

**FEBRUARY 22 – JAZZ NIGHT WITH BIRMINGHAM YOUTH JAZZ ENSEMBLE ALUMNI CONCERT, 5 – 6 p.m. p.m. at the Carver Theatre with the Birmingham Youth Jazz Ensemble. This will be a captivating live jazz performance with New York-based trombonist and educator Calvin Sexton for an Alumni Concert like no other.

**FEBRUARY 28 – MAUSIKI SCALES & COMMON GROUNG COLLECTIVE – MESSAGE IN THE MUSIC, 7 p.m. at the Carver Theatre. This concert will be a powerful fusion of Afrobeats, Jazz, Funk and Soul. Music.

AT THE VULCAN PARK AND MUSEUM…

FOR ART LOVERS, EXHIBITIONS…

**2026 EXHIBITION: REVOLUTIONARY ROOTS – Celebrating Alabama’s Unique History and Natural Beauty, in honor of the United States 250^th Anniversary, a part of America250. While Alabama was not yet a state at the nation’s founding, the exhibit honors individuals from across Alabama whose courage, resilience and leadership have helped shape the state and the country, many of whom have been historically overlooked or unsung. The exhibit will feature Calvin McGhee, who helped establish the Poarch Creek Indians, educator Carrie Tuggle, voting rights activist Virginia Durr, NASA scientist Clyde Foster and contemporary leaders including Alabama Poet Laureate Ashley M. Jones and JICA! CEO Dr. Carlos E. Aleman. COMING SOON!!!

AT BIRMINGHAM BOTANICAL GARDENS…in January …

**JANUARY 29 – JASON POWELL is Special Guest Speaker for the Annual John A. Floyd, Jr., Lecture, with the 5:30 p.m. reception and presentation from 6-7 p.m.

**JANUARY 31 – COMMUNITY SEED SWAP, 10 a.m. – 1 p.m. on National Seed Swap Day.

FOR COMMUNITY LOVERS AND HELP…

**BE KIND BIRMINGHAM LIBRARY POP-UP SCHEDULE… January, March, May July, September, November: 1^st Wednesday – 3 p.m. at Woodlawn Library, 2^nd Wednesday – 10 a.m. at Wet End Library, 3^rd Wednesday, 10 a.m. at Smithfield Library, and 4^th Wednesday, 10 a.m. at 5 Points West Library. February, April, June, August, October, December: 1^st Wednesday, 10 a.m. at Titusville Library, 2^nd Wednesday, 3 p.m. at North Birmingham Library, 3^rd Wednesday, 11 a.m. at East Ensley Library and 4^th Wednesday, 3 p.m. at Southside Library.

**ASBURY UMC FOOD PANTRY, 6690 Cahaba Valley Road, Wednesdays 2-4 p.m. and Every 1^st Sunday at 12:30 – 2 p.m. For more info, 205-995-1700, info@asburybham.org and www.asburybham.org/food.

**FOR EMERGENCY RESOURCES, Call 205-942-8911 or go to www.feedingal.org/findfood for more. OR call 211 for assistance.

FOR FUTURE EVENTS, SPORTS, FOOTBALL AND SUPERBOWL LOVER EVENTS…

**FEBRUARY 8 – Watch the Superbowl Game at the Embassy Suites by Hilton Birmingham.

**FEBRUARY 21 – 3^rd ANNUAL MAGIC CITY DESSERT COMPETITION, 7-10 p.m. at The City Club Birmingham benefits the Cahaba Valley Health Care.

**MARCH 7 – GRAND BOHEMIAN VILLAGE2VILLAGE RUN – Join friends, neighbors, families and coworkers form across our community to run, walk, cheer, and celebrate a favorite tradition in Mountain Brook. Register at www.village2village10k.com.

Well, that’s it. Tell you more ‘next’ time. People, Places and Things by Gwen DeRu is a weekly column. Send your questions, contact info with your events, your things of interest and more to: gwenderu@yahoo.com AND thelewisgroup@birminghamtimes.com.

During State of City Address, Woodfin Issues Challenge to Birmingham Business Leaders

Birmingham Times

January 14, 2026

City0115 1 — Mayor Randall Woodfin speaks to the media in the Harbert Center after delivering his State of the City address before the Kiwanis Club of Birmingham. (Barnett Wright, The Birmingham Times)

By Sym Posey | The Birmingham Times

Mayor Randall Woodfin used his State of the City address at the downtown Kiwanis Club on Tuesday to call on Birmingham’s business, civic and community leaders to unite around a shared economic vision, emphasizing education, equitable growth and long-term investment in the city’s next generation.

“Central Alabama is only as strong as Birmingham is,” Woodfin said during his 26-minute address. “And right now, we need to be stronger.”

Speaking before an audience of elected officials, corporate leaders, nonprofit partners, and members of his administration inside the downtown Harbert Center, Woodfin urged listeners to move beyond siloed decision-making and take an active role in shaping the city’s future.

“I will not allow any of us in this room — elected officials, civic leaders, corporate leaders, small business owners, entrepreneurs — to sit on the sideline and remain silent,” he said.

A central theme of the address was education as the foundation of economic development. Woodfin highlighted recent gains by Birmingham City Schools and later reinforced that message during a post-speech gaggle with reporters.

“Our future workforce is our students,” Woodfin said. “When future employers look at a city, their number one commodity is the workforce. Birmingham City Schools is our pipeline — cradle to career — and we want our young people not only educated, but career-ready.”

The mayor praised Superintendent Dr. Mark Sullivan and district staff for significant progress, noting that Birmingham City Schools earned its highest-ever state report card score in 2025. He also said the number of schools receiving failing grades dropped to 1 this year from 15 in 2023.

“That didn’t happen by accident,” Woodfin said. “It happened because principals, teachers, parents and students showed up and did the hard work.”

Woodfin reaffirmed that Birmingham remains “open for business,” citing redevelopment efforts at the Carraway and Montclair hospital sites and continued work to secure the future of the Birmingham-Southern College campus.

At the same time, he stressed that growth must be intentional and inclusive.

“At City Hall, we have a clear mandate to make sure economic development is done in the most equitable way it can be done,” he said.

Speaking inside the downtown Harbert Center, Mayor Woodfin urged listeners to move beyond siloed decision-making and take an active role in shaping the city’s future. (Barnett Wright, The Birmingham Times)

The mayor touched on a number of topics.

Economic Vision

Asked during a Q&A with the audience afterwards how the city defines its broader economic vision, Woodfin said that work is still underway — by design.

“That’s the actual work we’re doing right now,” he said. “Quietly in 2024 and 2025, working with the Birmingham Business Alliance, Prosper Birmingham and others. In 2026, you’ll see a very public approach where we bring everyone together and say: this is our shared vision.”

He emphasized that the goal is regional collaboration, not a mayor-driven agenda.

“It’s not so much my vision,” Woodfin said. “It’s our vision — and how we hold ourselves accountable to it.”

Competing With Other Cities

Birmingham must measure itself against peer cities across the region, Woodfin said.

“Any major city in the South is our competition,” he said. “We have to get workforce, safety, development and quality of life right if we want to remain competitive.”

Data centers

Woodfin also addressed concern among many about data centers, saying the city supports business development but wants clearer rules in place.

“The city of Birmingham is pro-business,” he said. “But we want to strike a balance.”

He noted that Birmingham currently has no ordinance regulating data centers and said concerns such as water usage, power demands, noise and neighborhood impacts must be addressed.

“This is not about a moratorium — it’s about a pause,” Woodfin said. “An ordinance is needed. That doesn’t mean we don’t want data centers. We do. But our citizens deserve smart growth.”

Start of the Legislative Session

As the Alabama legislative session began on Tuesday, Woodfin said the city will push legislation aimed at holding negligent property owners accountable.

“We have over 15,000 tax-delinquent properties,” he said. “These are properties where owners are not being good neighbors, and the city is left holding the bag.”

High-Speed Rail

The mayor reiterated support for a proposed high-speed rail connection between Birmingham and Atlanta, calling it a potential economic catalyst.

“What would it take?” Woodfin said. “Money — state, federal and public-private partnerships. But the economic opportunity would be tremendous.”

Claudette Colvin, Who Refused to Move Bus Seats at Start of Civil Rights Movement, Dies at 86

Birmingham Times

January 14, 2026

dims.apnews — Claudette Colvin, a Civil Rights-era pioneer born in Birmingham, has died. She was 86. (Julie Jacobson, AP File.)

By Kimberly Chandler | Associated Press

MONTGOMERY, Ala. — Claudette Colvin, whose 1955 arrest for refusing to give up her seat on a segregated Montgomery bus helped spark the modern civil rights movement, has died. She was 86.

Her death was announced Tuesday by the Claudette Colvin Legacy Foundation. Ashley D. Roseboro of the organization confirmed she died of natural causes in Texas.

Colvin, at age 15, was arrested nine months before Rosa Parks gained international fame for also refusing to give up her seat on a segregated bus.

Colvin had boarded the bus on March 2, 1955, on her way home from high school. The first rows were reserved for white passengers. Colvin sat in the rear with other Black passengers. When the white section became full, the bus driver ordered Black passengers to relinquish their seats to white passengers. Colvin refused.

“My mindset was on freedom,” Colvin said in 2021 of her refusal to give up her seat.

“So I was not going to move that day,” she said. “I told them that history had me glued to the seat.”

At the time of Colvin’s arrest, frustration was mounting over how Black people were treated on the city bus system. Another Black teenager, Mary Louise Smith, was arrested and fined that October for refusing to give up her seat to a white passenger.

It was the arrest of Parks, who was a local NAACP activist, on Dec. 1, 1955, that became the final catalyst for the yearlong Montgomery Bus Boycott. The boycott propelled the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. into the national limelight and is considered the start of the modern civil rights movement.

Colvin was one of the four plaintiffs in the landmark lawsuit that outlawed racial segregation on Montgomery’s buses. Her death comes just over a month after Montgomery celebrated the 70th anniversary of the Bus Boycott.

Montgomery Mayor Steven Reed said Colvin’s action “helped lay the legal and moral foundation for the movement that would change America.”

Colvin was never as well-known as Parks, and Reed said her bravery “was too often overlooked.”

“Claudette Colvin’s life reminds us that movements are built not only by those whose names are most familiar, but by those whose courage comes early, quietly, and at great personal cost,” Reed said. “Her legacy challenges us to tell the full truth of our history and to honor every voice that helped bend the arc toward justice.”

Claudette Colvin arrives outside juvenile court to file paperwork to have her juvenile record expunged, Tuesday, Oct. 26, 2021, in Montgomery, Ala. (AP Photo/Vasha Hunt, File)

Colvin in 2021 filed a petition to have her court record expunged. A judge granted the request.

“When I think about why I’m seeking to have my name cleared by the state, it is because I believe if that happened it would show the generation growing up now that progress is possible, and things do get better,” Colvin said at the time. “It will inspire them to make the world better.”

Bruce Ayers, Owner of Birmingham’s Popular Stardome Comedy Club, Announces Retirement after 42 Years

Birmingham Times

January 14, 2026

Stardome 1 — Bruce Ayers, seated center, is surrounded by Birmingham-area comedy talent in this 2025 photo in Stardome Comedy Club. (Courtesy Bruce Ayers)

By Mary Colurso | mcolurso@al.com

Bruce Ayers, owner of The Comedy Club Stardome in Hoover, is retiring from the business he founded about 42 years ago.

Ayers, a beloved figure on Birmingham’s entertainment scene, announced his retirement Tuesday morning via social media, telling fans the venue at 1818 Data Drive has been sold.

“I am stepping into retirement with deep gratitude,” Ayers, who’s in his 70s, said in posts on the Stardome’s Facebook and Instagram.

“This was never just a business. It was a family commitment.

“Since 1984, I have been blessed to share this journey with my wife, CheChe, and my daughters Gina Zimmerman, Dena Dow, Sheena Ayers (deceased) and my son-in-law Rodney Zimmerman,” Ayers said. “Together, we worked side by side through long nights, challenges, rebuilds and countless unforgettable moments.

“Beyond our family, hundreds of employees over the years became part of our extended family — servers, bartenders, cooks, hosts, technicians, managers and staff who showed up night after night and helped create something special. Their dedication, loyalty and pride in this place made The Stardome what it is today.

“We were blessed to work with the best performers in the business, and serve as a stage that superstar comedians like Sinbad, Steve Harvey, James Gregory, Rickey Smiley, Rodney Carrington and so many others could always call home,” Ayers said.

Ayers ended his farewell message this way: “To our audiences, our employees past and present, and everyone who walked through our doors: thank you for turning a venue into a home and a lifetime of work into a lasting legacy. I leave this chapter with humility, pride and gratitude.”

New Owners

Although he didn’t mention the new owners by name in his posts, Ayers told WBRC-TV’s “Good Day Alabama” that Helium Comedy Clubs, a company based in Philadelphia, bought the business.

“I have all the faith in the world in them,” Ayers said in a Tuesday morning interview on the FOX affiliate. “They’re awesome. … They have 10 other clubs. These guys are great, and we’ll still be the Stardome.”

Ayers echoed that sentiment in his social media posts, saying “It is my sincere hope that the new owners will honor what has been built here and continue the legacy of laughter, integrity and world-class entertainment.”

Ayers has been a key figure in Birmingham’s entertainment world since 1983, when he founded a 200-seat comedy club at the old Tara House motel in Homewood. The venue’s popularity grew slowly, but was ignited in 1985 when Sinbad, then an up-and-coming comedian, took the stage.

“The crowd went absolutely nuts,” Ayers said in a 1998 interview with Bob Carlton of The Birmingham News. “It was the first bit of electricity that ever happened. Everybody started talking about this Sinbad guy.”

Ayers’ business, then called The Comedy Club, changed locations a few times, endured a catastrophic fire during a blizzard in March 1993, and moved to Hoover’s Data Drive six months later, adding the word Stardome to its name.

“There were a lot of times where we could have just said to heck with it and closed,” Ayers said in 1998, as The Comedy Club Stardome celebrated its 15th anniversary. “But I always believed in this whole thing.”

Launched Comedic Giants

Over the decades, Ayers has presented a long list of established stars at his venues and helped to launch the careers of talented newcomers who went on to become big names. His stages have seen performances by Carrot Top, Chris Rock, Tim Allen, Richard Belzer, Jeff Foxworthy, Roy Wood Jr., Bobcat Goldthwait, Pete Davidson, Tommy Chong, Dennis Miller, Paul Reiser, Rita Rudner, Pauly Shore, Craig Ferguson, George Wallace, Matt Mathews and many more.

Celebrities have praised Ayers’ venues, as well, including the late James Gregory.

“I don’t think the people who live in Birmingham really comprehend what they have there when it comes to comedy clubs,” Gregory told The Birmingham News in 1998. “Most people assume the best comedy clubs are in Boston, New York, Los Angeles or Chicago. And there’s no other comedy club in the country that can top Birmingham. None.”

There’s no word yet on a celebration or farewell party for Ayers at The Comedy Club Stardome, but the venue’s calendar for 2026 includes shows by Emo Philips, D.L. Hughley, Trae Crowder, Akaash Singh, Michael Rowland, Jeff Allen, Learnmore Jonasi and more.

Here’s a timeline for The Comedy Club and The Comedy Club Stardome:

Oct. 18, 1983. The original Comedy Club opens in the old Tara House motel in Homewood. Mike McDonald is the opening night headliner.

Dec. 12, 1985. The Comedy Club moves to a new location in The Village on Green Springs shopping center. It’s owner Bruce Ayers’ 36th birthday. “This is the 11th club I’ve opened,” Ayers says. “But this is the first time I’ve had a chance to build one from the ground up.”

March 13, 1993. The Comedy Club burns to the ground in an early-morning fire during the ’93 snowstorm. Almost everything in the club is destroyed, and Carrot Top, who was scheduled to perform that weekend, loses all of his props in the fire. A firefighter hands Ayers the smoldering contents of a safe that survived the fire. “So this is the Comedy Club?” the firefighter asks. “This was the Comedy Club,” Ayers says.

May 13, 1993. Two months after the fire, the Comedy Club moves into a temporary space in the Sheraton Perimeter Park hotel on U.S. 280. Ayers continues to look for a new home for the club.

Sept. 21, 1993. The Comedy Club celebrates its grand reopening in the Stardome in Hoover. The swanky, 400-seat nightclub was originally the home of Carnegie’s Dinner Theater. “This is going to make one of the really beautiful comedy clubs in the land,” headliner Larry Miller says. “I’m glad to be here.”

Jan. 13, 2026. Bruce Ayers announces his retirement from The Comedy Club Stardome after more than four decades at the helm of the business. “I leave this chapter with humility, pride and gratitude,” Ayers says on social media. During a TV interview, Ayers says Helium Comedy Clubs, a company based in Philadelphia, bought the club but will keep its name.

‘One of my Grandmother’s Gold Rings Sized for my Wedding Day’ was Memorable

Birmingham Times

January 14, 2026

BY JE’DON HOLLOWAY-TALLEY | Special to the Birmingham Times

ARRIKA & CHARLES MCCAULEY II

Live: Center Point

Married: Dec. 22, 2018

Met: March 2017, at the ‘Four Seasons’ bar/lounge in Birmingham. Arrika was there with a mutual friend of theirs, Candyce Curry, who had invited Charles. “I’m pretty sure it was a set up,” Arrika laughed. “I had never seen Charles before, but another mutual friend had mentioned Charles to me a few months before… and for another friend [Candyce] to actually set the meeting date, it felt destined.”

“I was just coming to hang out, I didn’t know that Arrika was there,” Charles remembered. “But we had a couple of drinks, we were talking and laughing and the conversation was cool.”

The two didn’t exchange numbers that night, but the following day, Charles corrected that. “I shot her a message on SnapChat and asked her if she wanted to hangout again,” said Charles. The pair had a few impromptu meetups before going on their first official date a few weeks later.

First date: Two weeks later, at the Brunswick Bowling Alley on Highway 280. Charles picked Arrika up from her home in Hoover, and they rode to the bowling alley together.

“When we met, neither one of us were in a place where we were looking for someone to date, but we felt like there was something different [about our connection]. I was really done with relationships, but on that date, we expounded on what we were feeling and were willing to explore the option of dating… there was something about him that made me want to reconsider dating again,” Arrika said.

“I had no preconceived notions,” said Charles. “I just know at that time she was cool, and I was trying to figure out if I really liked her. I wanted to see if we could be in each other’s presence without pressure or awkwardness because I wanted to be with somebody that I actually liked as a person [in order to] determine whether I could be in a relationship with them.”

As for how the date went: “I’m competitive and remember wanting to win,” Charles said. “I brought my own ball, and she made jokes about that, but she ended up using my ball. We laughed, we joked, we had a good time.”

The turn: Summer 2017, at Arrika’s apartment in Hoover. “I did kinda ask Charles what we were doing,” Arrika laughed. “I didn’t want to get feelings for him, and it not go anywhere. I knew at that time that I wanted to make it exclusive, but I was also the type that was not going to say it first because I do not believe in forcing a man to do anything,” she said. “If he wanted it, he was going to have to say it. [However], I was pretty straight forward with him…”

Charles said he knew that Arrika was someone he could be with because spending time with her was easygoing and peaceful. “I remember us having a full-blown conversation about clouds, and the fact that we could have a meaningless conversation about clouds and [she engaged me], that’s when I knew. [Also] I was really big on having peace, and with Arrika, I had peace.

Soon after the conversation at Arrika’s place, on the next visit Charles made it official, ‘Will you be mine?’”

Arrika and Charles McCauley II met in March 2017 at a bar through a mutual friend. The couple married in 2018. (Provided Photos)

The proposal: Thanksgiving 2018, in Atlanta, Georgia, at Arrika’s brother and sisters-in-law home. Arrika’s family has a tradition of giving thanks before having their meal and all were fully aware Charles was about to pop the question.

“I had hidden the ring behind a picture frame, and when it got to my turn to say what I was thankful for, I looked at my parents [who spent the holiday me and my future in-laws] and told them I was thankful for them and started heading for the ring, and all I could think was ‘Lord, I hope I’m able to get back up clean off this knee,” Charles laughed. “But I told her, ‘This journey has been a roller coaster, and I wanna know if you still wanna ride?’ Arrika started crying and ran away, they had to bring her back to me and her sister-in-law gave her the flowers…” But most importantly, “Arrika said, ‘yes,’ and I did get up off the floor clean, so everything was all good,” said Charles.”

The wedding: At The Tower of Prayer Church in Leeds officiated by Apostle C. Shaemun Webster. Their colors were shades of blue and burgundy.

Most memorable for the bride were the vows Charles wrote to her. “Charles has a way with words, and his vows were pretty poetic… Hearing the vows he wrote to me was the most memorable part for me. That and my cousin had one of my grandmother’s gold rings sized so that I could wear it for my wedding day. My grandmother was my heart, so that was really special to me,” Arrika said.

Most memorable for the groom was “the fact that I got married,” he said. “Seeing her come down the aisle, and having at least one of my brothers there was one of those things that stuck out to me.”

They honeymooned in Arrika’s hometown, Detroit, Michigan, visited family for Christmas and went to a Pistons game. “That was cool, that was my first NBA game,” Charles said.

Words of wisdom: “Make sure you choose your spouse every day. Every morning you wake up, make sure you’re being intentional about being in the marriage and make sure you’re giving 100 percent all the time,” Arrika said.

“Learn to forgive quickly,” Charles said. “That’s the biggest thing because the more you let things fester, that lets other things in. Sometimes a lot of stuff is not that deep …”

Happily ever after: The McCauley’s attend The Tower of Prayer Church in Leeds, where they’re both ordained ministers. Arrika serves as the director of worship, and Charles over the men’s ministry. They’re a blended family with four children: Charles III, 22, Gabriel, 17, Jayce, 6, and Charleigh, 3.

Arrika, 39, is a Detroit Michigan native, and relocated to Huntsville, Ala, in 2004 to attend Alabama A&M University, where she earned a Bachelor of Science in music education. She also attended Concordia University [online] where she obtained a master’s degree in curriculum and instruction with a concentration in reading, and Winonah International School of cosmetology where she earned a cosmetology license. Arrika works full-time as a cosmetologist, at her home-based salon called Amahley Beauty Brand.

Charles, 44, is a Shreveport, Louisiana native, and relocated to Birmingham with his family at age 7. He is a Homewood High School grad, and attended Miles College, where he earned a bachelor’s degree in math education, and the University of Montevallo, where he obtained a master’s degree in secondary math education. Charles is a member of Phi Beta Sigma Fraternity Inc., works as a math teacher for Bessemer City Schools, and runs a freelance photography business called ‘ThatDudeWitThaCamera’ on the side. Charles also sat as a Black Santa Clause for ‘Santa For The Culture’, in Birmingham, during holiday season 2025.

“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.

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