Home Blog Page 72

Birmingham Mayor Woodfin Takes Oath for 3rd Time; 1st as Husband and Father

By
Birmingham Times
-
0
Jefferson County Circuit Court Shanta Owens swears in Birmingham Mayor Randall Woodfin as his wife Kendra looks on. (Marika N. Johnson, For The Birmingham Times)

By Barnett Wright | The Birmingham Times

Randall Lee Woodfin on Tuesday took the oath for the third time as Birmingham mayor and the first time as a husband and father which heavily influenced his inaugural address inside the historic downtown Boutwell Auditorium.

After cradling his 15-month-old daughter, Love, up until he was sworn-in by Jefferson County Circuit Court Judge Shanta Owens, the mayor left no doubt his priority for the city over the next four years.

“In my third term our children won’t just be a part of the agenda, they will be the ‘why’ that drives every decision we make,” he said.

The city’s 30th mayor was sworn in by Owens inside the Boutwell – after being inaugurated outside of City Hall in 2017 and 2021 — before an audience of all nine city councilors, his seven-member leadership team and former mayors William Bell and Bernard Kincaid. Also in attendance were former Sen. Doug Jones, who announced this week he’s running for Alabama governor, numerous elected officials, judges, employees and residents.

The inauguration lasted just under an hour, starting at 6 p.m. and ending 50 minutes later when Birmingham native and Grammy award-nominated R&B artist Ruben Studdard sang the Earth, Wind and Fire classic, “Shining Star.”

But this inauguration was far different for the 44-year-old mayor than in 2017, when he was first elected as one of the youngest mayors in the city’s history. With his wife and children seated on stage, Woodfin sounded this time as much a parent as he did elected official.

The mayor said, “Every decision we make as a city, every dollar we spend, every policy we pursue, every fight we pick, really comes down to one important question, ‘What does this mean for Birmingham’s children?’ Not as an afterthought, not as a priority among many, but as the lens through which we see everything. That is the commitment I am making tonight.”

Woodfin said he wants a city that cares “for the whole child, the whole family, the whole community.” (Marika N. Johnson, For The Birmingham Times)

Woodfin also introduced a plan titled “Cradle to Career,” he said, “where every child walks into school ready to thrive, where every baby born comes home to books and support, where every student sees a clear path from the classroom to college to career and where every young adult can see building themselves in the city that raised them. That’s not a dream. That’s a promise. That’s the Birmingham we’re building.“

He continued, “Cradle to Career is not just an early childhood initiative or an education program but an organizing principle for our entire city. [It] means we take responsibility for our children from the moment they are born until they are launched into a successful adulthood, not just in one program, not just in one neighborhood, but as an entire community working together every step of the way.”

The outcome of the 2025 mayoral election was Woodfin’s most dominant, with the incumbent receiving 75 percent of the votes and the distant-second-place candidate, Jefferson County Commissioner Lashunda Scales, receiving 14.58 percent.

“That’s not just a mandate,” Woodfin said. “That’s trust. And we will honor that trust by going bigger in our efforts to serve our children.”

While Woodfin’s past inauguration speeches were sprinkled with a range of topics, this one for the most part remained laser-focused on building a city that cares “for the whole child, the whole family, the whole community,” the mayor said. “You can’t build a pipeline to success on empty stomachs,” he added. “Our children can’t dream big if they are afraid. They deserve to play outside, to walk to school, and imagine their future without fear. That’s why public safety is not separate from our education work, it’s foundational to it.”

Under the leadership of Birmingham Police Chief Michael Pickett homicides in the city are down 50 percent and officer recruitment is up, said Woodfin. Aspiring to be the safest city in America is not a talking point, he said. “It’s a promise to every parent that their child’s potential won’t be cut short by violence, a promise to every child that they can watch their grades and not have to watch their backs.”

Former Mayors William Bell, left and Bernard Kincaid, right, flank Mayor Randall L. Woodfin. (Marika N. Johnson, For The Birmingham Times)

Some education programs currently in place will get bolstered, the mayor said. Already the Birmingham Promise has transformed more than 1,600 young lives with over $11 million in tuition assistance. “This isn’t just a number on a page,” he said. “That’s 1,600 young people who walked across the stage knowing their city saw them, their city believed in them and their city invested in them.”

Woodfin added that he wants more. “This term we’re going to strengthen the Promise,” he said. “We’re going to endow the Promise and we’re going to expand the Promise. We’re going to make sure students know about it earlier so they can plan their futures with confidence. We’re going to connect Promise scholars with more mentors and more internships and more career pathways right here in Birmingham.”

Birmingham, known for its Children’s Crusade that helped change the course of the 1963 Civil Rights Movement, “has always risen above circumstances from adversity to activism,” the mayor said. “Our children come from that legacy. They carry that same DNA … Everything we do is about preparing our children for that calling.”

“We are the city that literally changed America,” he said. “We are the city where courage met injustice and courage won. And now we are the city that will show America, we will show this country, what it means to truly invest in every child.”

The ceremony closed with a prayer from the Rev. John Cox, of Birmingham’s Vermont Avenue Baptist Church, who recognized city legends like A.G. Gaston and Fred Shuttlesworth.

“Let success be found in every little boy who believes his dreams are possible,” Cox prayed, “and every little girl who rises to great heights with grace and ease.”

Behind Mayor Randall Woodfin’s Staff Shake-Up at Birmingham City Hall

By
Birmingham Times
-
0

By Barnett Wright | The Birmingham Times

Even with his most lopsided margin of victory in three campaigns for Birmingham mayor, Randall Woodfin surveyed the landscape inside of City Hall after the August elections and did the unexpected — he began a staff shake up.

The outcome of the 2025 mayoral elections was Woodfin’s most dominant of three runs for City Hall, with the incumbent receiving 75 percent of the votes to the distant-second-place candidate, Jefferson County Commissioner Lashunda Scales, receiving 14.58 percent.

The mayor could have maintained the status quo. But he was laser-focused on efficiencies, said staffers.

“It would be easy to coast, but the immediate thought after winning, … before that morning, was, ‘That’s a lot of trust in us,’” Woodfin told the Birmingham Times in an hour-long interview that took place at his City Hall office ahead of his inauguration on Tuesday. “We have to deliver for our folks.”

While Woodfin would not reveal his staff changes, City Hall insiders say Earl Hilliard Jr., Senior Public Affairs Officer; Sherry-Lee Bloodworth Botop, Chief Resilience and Sustainability Officer; and Sybil Scarbrough, Public Information Officer, Department of Public Works, are among those who are no longer part of the administration.

“Nobody who gets 75 percent [of the vote] shakes up everything,” said one insider. “[The mayor] wants people to be permanently uncomfortable at City Hall.”

Asked about the shake-up Woodfin would only say, “The changes [didn’t mean things] we’ve been doing weren’t working. It’s [about] leveling up to honor our core values of customer service, how we show up for our residents, how we can be more efficient in delivering services, how we show up for our residents.”

During his inauguration at the Boutwell Auditorium on Tuesday, the mayor pointed to leaders who will help guide his administration’s third term. Reappointed to his executive team are Cedric D. Sparks, Sr., Chief of Staff; Ed Fields, Chief Strategist and Senior Advisor; Melissa E. Smiley, Chief Economic and Community Development Officer; and Chaz Mitchell, Chief Financial Officer and Commissioner of Sports and Entertainment.

The mayor also announced three new leadership roles: James Fowler as Chief of Public Infrastructure, Dr. Sylvia Bowen as Deputy Chief of Administrative Services, and Carlton Peeples as Deputy Chief of Public Safety.

Accountability

Woodfin’s hold on the mayor’s office appears to be growing tighter with time. He received 58.95 percent of the vote in beating former mayor William Bell in a runoff in 2017 to become the city’s youngest mayor in more than 120 years. Four years later, he reeled in 64.3 percent of the votes to secure his second term. (Scales finished second then too with 20.77 percent.)

While Woodfin remains popular with voters that doesn’t mean everybody is happy.

Some neighborhood leaders have expressed disappointment because of the pace of some city projects, including the proposed Family Fun Center at the Birmingham CrossPlex. To date, the only visible evidence of that project is a fenced area on the CrossPlex campus.

Birmingham Mayor Randall Woodfin discusses his third term during City Hall interview. (Solomon Crenshaw Jr., For The Birmingham Times)

But those leaders aren’t the only ones who are exasperated. “I share their frustration,” Woodfin told The Times. “But I want to be very clear: I’m a man of my word. If I say something’s going to happen., it may not happen now, it may be delayed, but it’s going to happen.”

In regard to delays with the Family Fun Center project, the mayor said bids came in well over the amount of funding that was in place for the project. He and his team have been in discussions with developers, trying to find an acceptable number, he said.

“We’ve still got to find the additional money, … That project will be completed,” he said.

To help address the problem of long long-delayed projects Woodfin said Melissa Smiley, his chief accountability officer, “will make sure we hold internal and external team members accountable for moving projects and projects coming to fruition,” he said. “[The Family Fun Center] was one of the ones where I put the money in and said, ‘This is going to happen,’ … and then [some] people didn’t honor their part. So, we’re back at the table trying to figure out how to land this plane.”

Legacy

Though the mayor is all in when it comes to delivering for residents of Birmingham for the next four years, City Hall insiders speculate that some of his personnel moves are made with an eye on his legacy. Asked about that, Woodfin told The Birmingham Times: “What I hope to do is just do good work that improves the quality of life.”

“I’m responsible for the work,” he added. “I’m judged on the work, whether it’s good or bad, including from a legacy standpoint.”

But if Tuesday’s inauguration showed anything the mayor wants to build a better Birmingham for future generations. Most of his 25-minute inaugural address focused on what the city would do for its young people. 

“In my third term our children won’t just be a part of the agenda, they will be the ‘why’ that drives every decision we make,” he said.

Woodfin cited three things he’d like to tackle before leaving office.

“One is [to] really push and move beyond the legacy of racism,” he said. “There’s a sincere duplication of services within our city limits, [a holdover from the city’s segregated past, that] we’re still paying for. How do we show up for our fire stations and city parks and pools and libraries? We’ve got to make better investments, period. And we’ve got to make them where they work for our community today.”

Another legacy-builder is education “beyond K through 12,” the mayor said. “We [need to] set it up for the next generation to be gainfully employed,” Woodfin said. “Not just career ready, but college ready, life ready.”

That was part of a plan he unveiled Tuesday titled “Cradle to Career where every child walks into school ready to thrive, where every baby born comes home to books and support, where every student sees a clear path from the classroom to college to career … That’s not a dream. That’s a promise. That’s the Birmingham we’re building,” he said.

Lastly, hearkening back to the legacy of Birmingham’s first African American mayor—Richard Arrington Jr., whose two-decade tenure from 1979 to 1999 marked a pivotal era for the city—Woodfin seeks to chart a course for the Magic City and its residents that fosters lasting economic growth and prosperity. He recalled Arrington leading Birmingham through a full shift in its economic identity, transitioning from a leader in the steel industry to a thriving hub for health care and financial services.

“I want to go back and honor what happened, what he [Arrington) inherited, and [how he] reimagined all these brownfields that produced thousands of jobs [in the city],” Woodfin said. “Ensley Works, those … [brownfields] in North Birmingham, and other sites., We want to repurpose these sites [so] we can go back to them, [and] have real, tangible job creation where [that provides opportunities for] Birmingham residents [to] be gainfully employed,” Woodfin said. “… We employ our people, we educate our children, we make our city amenities work for our families. That’s legacy.”

Times freelancer Solomon Crenshaw Jr. contributed to this report

GASP: Alabama’s Champion for Environmental Justice

By
Birmingham Times
-
0
GASP has become a leading force in Alabama’s push for environmental justice, working to secure cleaner air, healthier neighborhoods, and a fairer future for everyone. (Adobe Stock)

By Javacia Harris Bowser | For the Birmingham Times

To many people, Birmingham is synonymous with the fight for Civil Rights. Jilisa Milton, executive director of the Greater-Birmingham Alliance to Stop Pollution (GASP), wants the fight for environmental justice to be at the city’s forefront, too.

“Environmental justice isn’t separate from anything else — it’s a Civil Rights issue, a health issue, and a human rights issue,” Milton said.

Jilsa Milton

GASP has become a leading force in Alabama’s push for environmental justice, working to secure cleaner air, healthier neighborhoods, and a fairer future for everyone. Since its start in 2009, GASP has focused on promoting healthy air and environmental justice by educating the public, advocating for policy change, and building strong community partnerships.

Guided by Milton — a Birmingham native, attorney, and social worker — the organization carries forward the city’s long tradition of fighting for justice, now centered on environmental health and racial equity.

‘Until The Smoke Clears’

GASP has several ways for people to get involved in the fight for environmental justice. Residents can donate, volunteer, or sign up for an air monitor and become a community air keeper. GASP has a junior board and an internship program for young adults.

Those looking to support GASP can also attend the organization’s annual Toast to Clean Air celebration. The theme for this year’s event, set for Wednesday, December 4 at 6 p.m. at Sloss Furnaces National Historic Landmark, is “Until the Smoke Clears.” The theme reflects GASP’s commitment to fight until every neighborhood breathes freely and the legacy of pollution and inequity is finally lifted.

“This is a tough year for everybody on the environmental justice side,” Milton said. “A lot of funds given during the last administration for cities and communities to be equitable have been rescinded. People have lost their jobs.”

But GASP won’t give up.

“We chose the theme ‘Until the Smoke Clears’ to represent that we are going to keep going despite those things,” Milton said.

Education, Advocacy, and Collaboration

GASP prioritizes empowering communities with the information they need to be their own advocates. The group installs air quality monitors throughout the city and also offers monitors that residents can place outside their homes.

“And we teach them about understanding the air quality index,” Milton said, adding that GASP also informs residents how to report air pollution problems once they’re detected.

For people who live in Jefferson County, air pollution concerns should be reported to the Jefferson County Department of Health. Residents outside of Jefferson County can contact the Alabama Department of Environmental Management (ADEM).

“We also do climate work,” Milton added. “We teach people about issues related to sustainability, and we teach about solar and renewable energies as well.”

To further expand the group’s education and advocacy work, GASP often collaborates with other organizations such as Black Warrior Riverkeeper, the American Lung Association, and the University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB).

GASP partnered with the Southern Environmental Law Center to host Smoke School, a hands-on training and certification in Method 9 visible emissions evaluation. Participants learned how to judge the opacity of smoke and were equipped with the skills to identify and report air pollution violations using EPA-approved techniques.

GASP also steps up in matters of litigation against companies that are in violation of pollution regulations.

Devoted to Advocacy

Milton has devoted her career to advocacy work. An attorney with a master’s degree in social work, Milton has worked on issues such as Medicaid expansion, reproductive justice and anti-carceral work. She’s also been heavily involved in Birmingham’s Black Lives Matter movement.

Milton, who became executive director of GASP in 2023, believes it was all leading her to environmental justice work. “It wasn’t until I started at GASP that I understood the connection that this issue has with absolutely everything else I’ve done,” she said.

Milton grew up hearing stories about the impact – both good and bad — that the steel industry had on the city of Birmingham and on the lives of its residents. “So, I talk about that history a lot because I think it’s not often connected to the civil rights movement the way it should,” Milton said.

Understanding Environmental Justice

Environmental justice means recognizing that marginalized communities — especially Black residents in Birmingham — have long carried a disproportionate burden of pollution, environmental degradation, and the effects of climate change. This inequity is rooted in the city’s history: Black people made up roughly 70 percent of the labor force that built Birmingham, Milton said.

“Even though our names are not the ones you see like Ensley, Ramsay and McWane, we were the ones that were laboring,” she said.

Cliff Villa

Black families were often forced to live closest to the industries they powered, breathing polluted air, working in dangerous conditions, and facing barriers to basic public health necessities like running water and electricity, Milton went on to explain. When Black residents sought safer neighborhoods, they were often met with racial terror and discriminatory planning practices. Because federal funds and infrastructure decisions have historically excluded or harmed Black communities, environmental justice is not just about pollution — it’s a civil rights issue, tied to the same systems of inequity that shaped housing, schools, and political power.

Catherine Coleman Flowers

This year’s GASP event on Dec. 4 will feature keynote speakers Cliff Villa, environmental law expert, and Catherine Coleman Flowers, acclaimed environmental justice advocate and MacArthur Fellow. Guests can also expect dinner, craft cocktails, live music, interactive art and storytelling experiences, and awards recognizing environmental justice champions. VIP guests will also have access to an exclusive pre-event experience that includes appetizers and a private guided tour of Sloss Furnaces.

Learn more and purchase tickets at gaspgroup.org/toasttocleanair.

For Most, Thanksgiving Sides Are Key to the Magic of the Holiday Plate

By
Birmingham Times
-
0
According to Campbell’s most recent State of the Sides, 63% of Americans say they’d rather fill their plates with side dishes, such as cornbread dressing. (Adobe Stock)

BY SHRUTHI BASKARAN-MAKANJU | Associated Press

For decades, Thanksgiving’s supporting cast: the casseroles, the rolls, the mashed potatoes, existed in quiet service to the turkey. But the spotlight has shifted. According to Campbell’s most recent State of the Sides, 63% of Americans say they’d rather fill their plates with side dishes than the bird itself.

Across kitchens and social feeds, side dishes are now the main event. The real soul of Thanksgiving isn’t the bird at the center of the table, but everything that surrounds it.

A NEW KIND OF CENTERPIECE

Something subtle has happened to American tables over the past few years. As people experiment with smaller gatherings, new dietary preferences and regional twists, the idea of a main course has loosened. The turkey might still anchor the table, but it’s no longer the reason everyone gathers around it.

Side dishes are where personality shows, where generations, cultures and creativity collide. They’re also where home cooks feel free to play, experiment and express who they are. A creamy green bean casserole, a roasted vegetable medley or a bright salad can carry as much emotional weight as any carved slice of turkey.

It’s not just about the flavors; it’s about representation. The side dish has become a space for identity; a dish that says something about where you’ve been, who taught you to cook and what traditions you’ve chosen to keep.

FROM BACKGROUND MUSIC TO SOLO PERFORMANCE

Side dishes used to be predictable. There was comfort in that sameness: corn pudding, mashed potatoes, green beans, cranberry sauce and stuffing. But sameness eventually invites reinvention. Over time, those familiar staples have evolved into more dynamic, layered dishes that reflect today’s food landscape. They’re bolder, more diverse and more seasonal.

Now, a simple pan of roasted Brussels sprouts might come with pomegranate molasses, miso or chili crisp. Stuffing might borrow from sourdough and wild mushrooms instead of white bread and sage. Even mashed potatoes get remixed with parsnips, roasted garlic or browned butter.

The beauty is that none of this replaces tradition; it builds on it. Side dishes have always been the most adaptable part of the Thanksgiving table, and that adaptability is what’s allowing them to shine right now.

THE DEMOCRATIZATION OF THE MENU

Social media has helped reframe what counts as a Thanksgiving dish. Scroll through your feed, and you’ll see spreads that include everything from biryani to gouda mac and cheese to vegan pot pies. The idea of the classic side dish has expanded to include global flavors and personal histories, each with equal standing on the table.

That inclusivity is reshaping how people cook and gather. The menu no longer has to follow rigid expectations; it just has to feel like home. For many, that means bringing something new alongside something old. It’s a way of honoring where you come from while making space for what feels right now.

PRACTICALITY MEETS PLEASURE

It’s also no coincidence that side dishes fit the mood of modern home cooking: resourceful, make-ahead and unfussy. Most sides can be prepared in advance, travel well and adapt to any number of dietary preferences. They’re the flexible backbone of a meal that’s increasingly about collaboration and convenience.

Even beyond the holiday table, side dishes have carved out a year-round presence. A pan of roasted vegetables can stretch across several meals; a casserole doubles as comfort food and meal prep. These dishes carry the same kind of practicality that once defined casseroles in mid-century kitchens, just updated for contemporary lives.

And yet, practicality doesn’t diminish their appeal. In fact, it’s part of the charm. There’s joy in creating something deeply satisfying from simple, familiar ingredients. The modesty of a side dish gives it freedom; it doesn’t have to impress, so it often does.

NOSTALGIA, REIMAGINED

There’s also a wave of nostalgia driving this new side dish movement. People are rediscovering recipes passed down through families, such as handwritten cards and creased pages in old cookbooks, and giving them a fresh life. That act of reinterpretation keeps memory alive without freezing it in time.

The dishes that once sat quietly on the edge of the table are now becoming the centerpieces of connection. A revived corn casserole or a reimagined green bean bake bridges generations — proof that tradition doesn’t have to mean repetition.

THE NEW THANKSGIVING EQUATION

When people sit down to Thanksgiving dinner now, it’s rarely about one dish. It’s about balance, a mosaic of textures and flavors that feel comforting and expressive all at once. A meal where a tangy salad can cut through the richness of a casserole, or where a perfectly crisp roasted vegetable can spark as much excitement as dessert.

It’s a more democratic table, one that celebrates abundance without hierarchy. Everyone brings a little of themselves: a favorite spice, a family recipe, a borrowed idea, and it all belongs.

The turkey may still hold tradition’s title, but the sides have quietly stolen the show.

They’re the dishes that spark conversation, invite experimentation and remind us that joy in cooking often lives in the margins, not the spotlight.

Because the sides, humble, colorful and endlessly adaptable, aren’t really sides at all anymore. They’re the story of Thanksgiving itself: how we gather, how we evolve and how we find beauty in the details.

Shruthi Baskaran-Makanju is a food and travel writer and a global food systems expert based in Seattle. She has lived in or traveled extensively to over 60 countries, and shares stories and recipes inspired by those travels on Urban Farmie.

PEOPLE, PLACES & THINGS

By
Birmingham Times
-
0
Glow Wild at the Birmingham Zoo through January 4, 2026. (Provided)

By Gwen DeRu | The Birmingham Times

HAPPY THANKSGIVING…TO ALL OF YOU, FROM ALL OF US!!!

 TODAY, NOVEMBER 27…

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

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

**THANKSGIVING NIGHT with RICKY TATE & WILD MAN at The Nick.

**RnB POETICALLY LIT, 5-7 p.m. at Lit on 8th, 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!

**KARAOKE KICKBACK EVERY THURSDAY, 5 – 9 p.m. at Jazzi’s on 3rd, 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, 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.

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

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

FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 28…

IT IS FRIDAY…the weekend starts…

**GLOW WILD at the Birmingham Zoo through January 4.

**ALABAMA ALL-STAR COMEDY SHOW BATTLE OF THE SEXES EDITION at the StarDome Comedy Club featuring COMEDIAN DENO POSEY, SCOTT LAMAR, WOOD DELANIE, MARY, CECE PICKETT and DARNELLO hosted by CHARLES and ANDREA  WINSTON.

**COMEDIAN FUNNYMAINE LIVE TAPING at the StarDome Comedy Club.

**BUGWHORE at The Nick.

**PROJECT PAT at Iron City.

**GIMME GIMME DISCO: JERSEY SHORE EDITION at Saturn.

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

SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 29…

**GLOW WILD at the Birmingham Zoo through January 4.

**EMO NIGHT BROOKLYN at Saturn.

**SANITY’S END at The Nick.

SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 30…

**BIRMINGHAM MUSEUM OF ART STORE SUNDAY – MUSEUM STORE SUNDAY is 12 – 5 p.m. at the Birmingham Museum of Art where you can meet local artists and makers, as well as enjoy art activities, light bites, giveaways and discounts on the merchandise.

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

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

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

**GLOW WILD at the Birmingham Zoo through January 4.

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

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

**SCOTT BRADLEE’S POSTMODERN JUKEBOX – MAGIC, MOONLIGHT & MISTLETOE TOUR at Iron City.

**SUNDAY FUNNIES COMEDY SHOW featuring COMEDIAN SOLO JONES, JB ROBINSON, DJ GEORGE and JAQUEZ J. with Comedic Narrator BENNIE MAC. at the StarDome Comedy Club.

MONDAY, DECEMBER 1…

**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.

**GLOW WILD at the Birmingham Zoo through January 4.

**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, DECEMBER 2…

**GLOW WILD at the Birmingham Zoo through January 4.

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

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

**EVERYTHING IS GREAT- A TOWN HALL FOR THE PEOPLE at Saturn.

WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 3…

**GLOW WILD at the Birmingham Zoo through January 4.

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

**EL MANTIS at The Nick.

**OPEN DECK with SUNDROP EVERY WEDNESDAY at The Nick.

**FREE – UNDER THE MOUNTAIN” METROPOLIS at Saturn.

**WHITECHAPEL – RITUALS OF HATE TOUR at Iron City.

**COBB LANE BENEFIT CONCERT – The Upstairs at Avondale.

THURSDAY, DECEMBER 4…

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

**GLOW WILD at the Birmingham Zoo through January 4.

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

**DUCKY NEPTUNE at The Nick.

**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.

**IT’S BEGINNING TO LOOK A LOT LIKE IMPROV at Saturn.

 FRIDAY, DECEMBER 5….

**GLOW WILD at the Birmingham Zoo through January 4.

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

**QDOT & JAXXXON + FRIENDS at The Nick.

**FUTUREBIRDS at Iron City.

**A CHARLIE BROWN CHRISTMAS with JEFFREY BUTZER at Saturn.

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

**FEED THE NEED FOOD DRIVE in Irondale – The City of Irondale is having a food drive until January 5, 7 a.m. – 5 p.m. at the Irondale City Hall. Donate can good and non-perishable items: canned meats (chick and Tuna), canned vegetables (low sodium), canned fruit or applesauce, peanut butter, beans, peas (canned or dried), pasta, rice, cereal, oatmeal, grits, boxed mac & cheese, 100 percent fruit juice and canned milk.  Also, donate money for maximum impact: $1 provides four meals, $25 feeds a family for a week, $100 provides 400 meals. Money allows the purchase of fresh items and specific needs. Cash or check made Payable to: “Irondale Community Foundation OR give online: www.IrondaleCommunityFoundation.com. All donations will be directed through the Community Food Bank of Central Alabama for distribution to families in need.

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

 THINGS TO HELP…and Do.

**FILL THE BOX CHALLENGE – FOOD DRIVE THROUGH NOVEMBER 28, at Family court 1st and 2nd Floors of Family Court Birmingham and at Bessemer Courthouse.  Bring: peanut butter, pasta, rice quinoa, breakfast cereals, oatmeal, grits, fruit juice, shelf-stable milk, canned meat, canned vegetables, canned fruit, boxed meals, mac & cheese, Potato Flakes, canned/dried beans, peas and lentils. NO GLASS CONTAINERS, PLEASE.

**MAGIC CITY TOY DRIVE is NOW until December 5 accepting new and unopened toys for boys and girls form ages birth – 10 years old, new bicycles and coats and jackets.  Donation sites are at the East, West, north and South Police Precincts, Police Ad Building, All Birmingham Fire and Rescue stations, All AmFirst Credit Unions in Birmingham, Department of Youth Services and City Hall. For more info, www.birminghamal.gov’DYS/ToyDrive. OR call 205-320-0879.

**FOR BE KIND BIRMINGHAM LIBRARY POP-UP in December:

1st Wednesday – Titusville Library at 10 a.m., 2nd Wednesday – North Birmingham Library at 3 p.m., 3rd Wednesday – East Ensley Library at 11 a.m. and 4th Wednesday – Southside Library at 3 p.m. Always check Be Kind on Facebook for updates and changes to schedules.

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

**TOY DRIVE IN DECEMBER – Juicy’s Sunday Funday and MoneyGang Enterprise presents the First Annual Toy Drive. Dates and Locations: December 7 at Patton Park, December 14 at Avondale Park, December 21 at Harrison Park and December 28 at Linn Park. The times are 2-3:30 p.m. Each child received 1 free toy, an instant photo with the Grinch and can enjoy music, fun and festive surprises for the whole family.  For more info, 205-413-0577. Juicyshoppe.com or FB: MoneyGang Mikey.

HAPPENINGS AROUND TOWN…

**SOUTH ARTS ARTIST CREATIVE PRACTICE GRANTS is offering $3000 to help Southern artists access professional development and career-milestone opportunities NOW through June 30, 2026. Recipients can still apply to other South Arts programs including Southern Prize & State Fellowships, Jazz Road for unrelated projects. Contact jcrawford@southarts.org or estevenson@southarts.org.

**SPACE ONE ELEVEN IS HIRING creative leaders and teaching artists to help shape meaningful arts experiences for youth and the community.

**BOOK RELEASE – A HISTORY OF BIRMINGHAM ROCK & ROLL is released and there is a book signing on Saturday, 2-5 p.m. at WorkPlay.  Author CRAIG LEGG has published a fabulous book containing more than 350 original paintings illustrating over seven decades of rock music, people, places and events in the Magic City.  There will be live music performed by several of the artists featured in the book, t-shirts, select prints and other swag for sale. Get your copy of the book, if you love rock and roll.

**COMING SOON: COCKTAILS WITH CREATIVES.  Look for more. This will be a spin-off of Coffee with Creatives, but with a night-time vibe.

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

‘I Was So Nervous. All I Said Was, ‘Would You Be Mine?”

By
Birmingham Times
-
0

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

KEVIN AND TIFFANY MURPHY

Live: Pinson

Married: June 29, 2017

Met: While the two were classmates at A.H. Parker High School, Kevin does not remember having ever met Tiffany, but she does remember meeting him. However, in January 2014, Tiffany was working a second job at Burlington in Crestwood, when Kevin came in to make a purchase, and she recognized him from high school.

“I didn’t see a price tag on the item, so I was looking for assistance, and she called me over to her line. That’s when she asked if I went to Parker, and we got to talking,” said Kevin, “and I told her to write her number down on my receipt so I can have it, and she laughed and said, ‘you can take your phone out and put my number in it.’” Kevin remembers hitting her with a Bernie Mac line from the movie ‘Life’, and she caught the reference.

“That was actually one of the ways we connected, quoting random lines from movies and we both always got [the reference],” said Tiffany. “And the next day, he called and he asked if I had any plans that night, and I said ‘no,’ and he said well let’s go to dinner.”

First date: The next day, at a Mexican restaurant in the Pinnacle shopping center, in Trussville. Kevin remembers showing up late. “I had some things going on and I actually ended up wearing [the item] I purchased the day before at the store,” Kevin laughed. “Over dinner, we basically just talked about the things going on in our lives, and the time in between since high school and college…”

“We talked about old friends, asking who remembered who, and seeing who was still hanging out with who from high school because we actually had some mutual friends,” said Tiffany. “I thought the date went good — considering the lateness [Kevin was 30 minutes late],” she laughed. “But the conversation flowed, which I liked, so I ended the date feeling good.”

“I thought she was pretty chill and laid back and thought I would like to get to know more about her, so I continued to pursue her,” Kevin said.

The turn: “It happened pretty quickly,” Tiffany remembered. “We began hanging out every weekend, and then we had that bad snowstorm, Snowmageddon in [January] 2014. Kevin got snowed in at work, and I almost got snowed in on the road, but I was able to make it home … but we talked the whole night off and on while he was stuck at work and he asked me to be his girlfriend.”

“When you’re 6-5 and 300 pounds and stuck at a car dealership trying to figure out where or how you can get comfortable for the night, it makes you realize how much more comfortable you would be if you were where you wanted to be,” Kevin laughed. “I was thinking about her a lot that night, so I asked her to be mine.”

Kevin and Tiffany Murphy met as classmates at A.H. Parker High School, but met again in 2014. The couple married in 2017. (Provided Photos)

The proposal: March 17, 2017, at Tiffany’s home [which is now their shared residence] in Pinson. The two were getting ready to go to dinner to celebrate their birthdays –- Kevin’s is March 13th, and Tiffany’s is March 15th.

“He told me he bought me a new Brahmin bag [a designer handbag] for my birthday and was waiting for it to come in, and that’s why the gift was late. And that night, he said it had arrived and gave me a gift bag, and I pulled out the [purse cover bag] and inside it was a purse that I already owned, and I looked at him crazy, ‘like what is going on?’” Tiffany laughed. “And he said go inside the purse, so I opened it up and saw the ring box, and by the time I looked back up at him, he was down on one knee.”

“… I chose to do it intimately in case the answer didn’t go the way I wanted it to go,” Kevin laughed, “and then if it did go the way I wanted, I wanted us to be able to celebrate the moment intimately. I didn’t put a lot of words to it because I was so nervous. All I said was, ‘Today, would you be mine?’, and she said ‘yes’.”

“Before we went out to eat, we went to my parents’ house to show them the ring and share the news, and my sister happened to be there,” Tiffany remembered.

Kevin added that he asked Tiffany’s father and uncle for her hand in marriage.

The wedding: At Tiffany’s home church, Mount Olive Baptist Church on Birmingham’s southside, officiated by its pastor and Tiffany’s uncle, Lonnie Hall, with the covenant prayer performed by Minister Joseph Harris, of Faith Chapel Christian Center, in Wylam. Their colors were navy blue, white, and gold.

Most memorable for the bride: “I remember it was raining, and I wanted to go ahead and start because we were all dressed, but my cousins were delaying me because they knew Kevin had left to go and get the ring (that he left at his mother’s house) … but when it was time to walk around to the front of the church [to make my entrance] Kevin sent [one of my male cousins] around to the back of the church with his umbrella to walk me to the front. And it was so sweet because Kevin knows I don’t care nothing about no rain, I’ll just make a dash for it because I have natural hair, and I had locs at the time, but he was showing me that he will cover me at all times, and he still has that umbrella to this day that he wants me to walk under,” Tiffany said.

Most memorable for the groom was having to run a last-minute errand 30 minutes before the wedding was set to start. “I was kind of nervous and thought I had everything together, but about 30 minutes before the wedding started, I realized I didn’t have the ring; it was still at my mom’s house. So, I had to shoot from the church [on the southside] to my mom’s house in East Thomas, and get back to the church in 30 minutes, all while it was raining,” said Kevin, who did make the wedding on time.

They honeymooned in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina. “We already had that trip planned, and to be honest, we only had a wedding for our mothers, we weren’t going to have [a wedding] … And when we were [trying to pick a date] we planned it around our [upcoming vacation] so it could be our honeymoon,” said Tiffany.

The couple left out for their honeymoon road trip the next morning. “I remember Tiffany’s friends packed up a road trip basket of food from the reception for us, and that was the first food that I had eaten since before the wedding, because I was [socializing] and didn’t get to eat at the reception,” Kevin recalled.

Words of wisdom: “Always remember you’re on the same team. Even if you have disagreements or are angry, remembering that helps you come to a resolution faster. When you realize this is your person and this is who you chose to go through life with, that’s what helps us bounce back from disagreements,” Tiffany said.

“Stay true to yourself, keep it light, keep it fun, and enjoy the person that you’re with because that’s who you’re gonna do life with and see daily,” said Kevin.

Happily ever after: The Murphys attend Faith Chapel Christian Center in Wylam, and have an American Staffordshire, named Kaptain.

Tiffany, 43, is a Norwood native, and A.H. Parker High School grad. She attended Jacksonville State University where she earned a bachelor’s degree in criminal justice, and a master’s degree in public administration. Tiffany works as a program specialist for DHR for the State of Alabama.

Kevin, 44, is an East Thomas native, an A.H. Parker High School grad, and works for DHR as an ASA [administrative support assistant] for the State of Alabama.

“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.

Birmingham Personal Injury Attorney | Guster Law Firm, LLC

“We’re growing so families can receive high quality, accessible, affordable and compassionate care they need close to home, from a team that knows them, listens to them and puts their well-being first.”

By
Birmingham Times
-
0

DR. JOHN B. WAITS, CEO OF CAHABA MEDICAL CARE, ON EXPANSION OF THE PROVIDER’S WEST END HEALTH CENTER; BIRMINGHAMTIMES.COM, NOV. 21.

Former U.S. Sen. Doug Jones Announces Run for Alabama Governor

By
Birmingham Times
-
0
Sen. Doug Jones delivers his concession speech surrounded by family during his election night watch party, Nov. 3, 2020, in Birmingham, Ala. (AP Photo/Julie Bennett, File)

By KIM CHANDLER

MONTGOMERY, Ala. (AP) — Former U.S. Sen. Doug Jones, whose 2017 election renewed hope for Democrats in Alabama, announced Monday that he is running for governor of the state in 2026.

Jones announced his campaign Monday afternoon, hours after filing campaign paperwork with the Secretary of State’s Office. His gubernatorial bid could set up a rematch with U.S. Sen. Tommy Tuberville, the Republican who defeated Jones in 2020 and also is running for governor. Both candidates have party primaries in May before the November general election.

“I am running for governor of Alabama,” Jones said in a campaign video posted on social media. “Folks in Alabama deserve a governor who is going to fight for them.” He will do an official campaign kickoff next month.

“What we have heard all along is that Alabama wants their next governor to be someone who lives here, who works here, who listens to the people of this state, who understands the people of this state. And Alabama wants their next governor to be someone who treats this state with grace and dignity and not just like a rest stop on the way to the Florida beach,” Jones said.

The comment was an apparent reference to Tuberville, who faced questions about his residency in the 2020 Senate race, when his political opponents referred to him as “Florida man.” Property tax records show he owns a $270,000 home in Auburn, where he claims a homestead exemption, and a $4 million beach home in Walton County, Florida.

In a statement issued by his campaign, Jones said it is a critical time for Alabama as people “struggle with the cost of the most basic stuff in life — food, housing, and health care.”

“In rural communities and big cities, the gap between living costs and income keeps growing. We need to give Alabamians a real path, real relief, and economic opportunity,” Jones said.

Jones’ entry into the race comes after weeks of speculation and teasing about a possible run as he worked to promote Democrats in the Deep South state.

Jones, a lawyer and former U.S. attorney best known for prosecuting two Ku Klux Klansmen responsible for Birmingham’s infamous 1963 church bombing, was elected to the Senate in 2017. He defeated Republican Roy Moore, who was hit with sexual misconduct allegations.

in a special election to fill the Senate seat previously held by Jeff Sessions. Jones lost three years later to Tuberville, a former football coach backed by President Donald Trump.

A spokeswoman for Tuberville noted the Republican senator, who is often addressed as “coach” because of his coaching career, easily defeated Jones in 2020 and predicted he will do so again in 2026.

“Last time Doug Jones ran against Coach Tuberville, it didn’t go well for Doug,” Mallory Jaspers, a spokeswoman for the Tuberville campaign wrote in an email. “Coach has spent the past six months building coalitions across the state, securing endorsements from every key player in Alabama politics, and shattering fundraising records. This race is already over — but if Comrade Doug wants to get blown out again, be our guest.”

Tuberville in 2020 had more than 1.3 million votes to Jones’ 920,478.

The Cook Political Report rates the Alabama gubernatorial race as “solid Republican.”

Jones was the last Democrat elected to statewide office in Alabama. Republicans have had a lock on the Alabama governor’s office for more than 20 years. Former Gov. Don Siegelman was the last Democrat to hold the office. He lost in 2002 to Republican Bob Riley by a razor-thin margin.

Kevin Donohoe, a spokesman for the Democratic Governors Association, said Democrats have won in other tough states such as Kentucky, Kansas and North Carolina.

“With health care costs rising, schools failing and not enough good-paying jobs, Alabama families are hurting — but Tommy Tuberville would only make things worse. Alabama deserves new leadership that will get results, and there’s an opportunity for a Democrat who fits the state well to make this race competitive,” Donohoe said.

Former Black Panther Leader, Jamil Abdullah Al-Amin (H. Rap Brown), Dies at 82

By
Birmingham Times
-
0
Jamil Abdullah Al-Amin, one of the formidable leaders of the Black Power movement died this week at age 82. (Tami Chappell, AP File)

Associated Press

BUTNER, N.C. — H. Rap Brown, one of the most vocal leaders of the Black Power movement, has died in a prison hospital while serving a life sentence for the killing of a Georgia sheriff’s deputy. He was 82.

Brown — who later in life changed his name to Jamil Abdullah Al-Amin — died Sunday at the Federal Medical Center in Butner, North Carolina, his widow, Karima Al-Amin, said Monday.

A cause of death was not immediately available, but Karima Al-Amin told The Associated Press that her husband had been suffering from cancer and had been transferred to the medical facility in 2014 from a federal prison in Colorado.

Like other more militant Black leaders and organizers during the racial upheaval of the late 1960s and early 1970s, Brown decried heavy-handed policing in Black communities. He once stated that violence was “as American as cherry pie.”

“Violence is a part of America’s culture,” he said during a 1967 news conference. “… America taught the black people to be violent. We will use that violence to rid ourselves of oppression, if necessary. We will be free by any means necessary.”

Brown was chair of the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee, a powerful civil rights group, and in 1968 was named minister of justice for the Black Panther Party.

Three years later, he was arrested for a robbery that ended in a shootout with New York police.

While serving a five-year prison sentence for the robbery, Brown converted to the Dar-ul Islam movement and changed his name. Upon his release, he moved to Atlanta in 1976, opened a grocery and health food store and became an Imam, a spiritual leader for local Muslims.

“I’m not dissatisfied with what I did,” he told an audience in Kansas City, Missouri, in 1998. “But Islam has allowed things to be clearer. … We have to be concerned about the welfare of ourselves and those around us, and that comes through submission to God and the raising of one’s consciousness.”

On March 16, 2000, Fulton County Deputy Sheriff Ricky Kinchen and deputy Aldranon English were shot after encountering the former Black Panther leader outside his Atlanta home. The deputies were there to serve a warrant for failure to appear in court on charges of driving a stolen car and impersonating a police officer during a traffic stop the previous year.

English testified at trial that Brown fired a high-powered assault rifle when the deputies tried to arrest him. Then, prosecutors said, he used a handgun to fire three shots into Kinchen’s groin as the wounded deputy lay in the street. Kinchen would die from his wounds.

Prosecutors portrayed Brown as a deliberate killer, while his lawyers painted him as a peaceful community and religious leader who helped revitalize poverty-stricken areas. They suggested he was framed as part of a government conspiracy dating from his militant days.Brown maintained his innocence but was convicted in 2002 and sentenced to life.

He argued that his constitutional rights were violated at trial and in 2019 challenged his imprisonment before a U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals. In 2020, the U.S. Supreme Court declined to take the case.

“For decades, questions have surrounded the fairness of his trial,” his family said Monday in a statement. “Newly uncovered evidence — including previously unseen FBI surveillance files, inconsistencies in eyewitness accounts, and third-party confessions — raised serious concerns that Imam Al-Amin did not receive the fair trial guaranteed under the Constitution.”

Funeral to be Held Wednesday for Melva Langford, 83, Wife of Former Mayor Larry Langford

By
Birmingham Times
-
0
Mrs. Melva Langford died this week after an illness. She was the wife of former Birmingham Mayor Larry Langford. (File)

By Roy S. Johnson | rjohnson@al.com

Funeral arrangements for Melva Langford, wife of the late former Fairfield and Birmingham mayor Larry Langford, have been finalized.The native of the Woodward neighborhood in Bessemer passed away on Thursday evening following a long illness, her family confirmed. She was 83.

Public visitation will be held on Tuesday, Nov. 25 from 3 p.m. to 5 p.m. at St. Mary’s Catholic Church. It is located at 6101 DR. Martin Luther King Dr. in Fairfield.

A Links ceremony will occur at 5:30 p.m., with Ivy Beyond the Wall following immediately after. The funeral mass will be held on Wednesday, Nov. 26. at 11 a.m., also at St. Mary’s.

Birmingham Mayor Randall Woodfin ordered flags at city hall to be flown at half-staff.
“Anyone who ever met Melva Langford knew her as a gracious, caring woman who loved her community,” Woodfin said. “She was a dedicated public servant in every way and a wonderful First Lady for our city.”

“She was very compassionate and had a love for humanity,” said former Birmingham City Councilor Steven Hoyt, for whom Melva served as chief of staff for four years. “She was a former First Lady but never carried that air about her. She was there to serve.”

Early in her professional career, as the first African American woman manager at South Central Bell/BellSouth in Birmingham, she was confronted by an angry mob of whites throwing eggs as she entered the building on her first day at work.

“She faced it with impeccable poise, quiet courage and an elegance that could not be shaken,” shared niece LeNa McDonald in a family statement. “As she walked into the building, she didn’t know she would be walking into a career marked by distinction, service and grace.”

After graduating from Brighton High School, Melva attended Knoxville College and earned a degree from the University of Alabama-Birmingham. In New York, she became a manager at New York Telephone and married Ronald Strothers, Sr., who died in 1965.

She returned to Birmingham with their son, Ronald, Jr., and later married Langford while continuing a career characterized by service.

Larry and Melva Langford. (File Photo)

Larry Langford died on January 8, 2019, 10 days after being transferred from a federal prison in Lexington, Ky. to a hospital in Birmingham. A federal judge reduced his 15-year sentence for bribery and corruption convictions after the former mayor served eight and a half years.

“He’s in good spirits,” Melva shared with me that night, moments after the ambulance arrived with her husband.

It was a moment that embodied the quiet presence she exhibited, a stark contrast to her husband’s flamboyant persona. Yet her nature was not without resolve.

“Her proudest achievement was hiring and mentoring people from her community,” said McDonald, “giving countless families their first foothold towards economic independence and stability.”

Outside the corporate world, Melva displayed entrepreneurial acumen. She owned Guys and Dolls, a long-time staple of Birmingham nightlife that drew noted artists such as Rock & Roll Hall of Fame member Bobby “Blue” Bland and singer Z.Z. Hill.

Melva’s faith was manifested in many ways. A member of St. Mary’s Catholic Church, she established the youth and young adult ministries and was an active member of numerous committees and auxiliaries.

“She was a great Christian,” said Hoyt, the former councilman who pastors the Noble CME Church in west Birmingham. “Her work in the church spoke volumes to me.

“She was a workaholic,” he said with a laugh. “She didn’t know how to cut it off because that just wasn’t in her DNA. Not many people know it, but she was on her way to medical school before she met Larry.”

Melva was also a Silver Star member of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Incorporated and a charter/alumna member of the Tri-County (AL) Chapter of The Links, Incorporated.

“A committed partner with her husband, Mayor Langford, Ms. Langford will be missed by everyone who had the pleasure to know her,” added Woodfin. “May God bless her family and friends in this time of her passing.”

1...717273...1,772Page 72 of 1,772
©