Birmingham

Reflecting on Supreme Court Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson’s Message to Birmingham

Supreme Court Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson, the first Black woman on the nation’s highest court, speaks at the 60th Commemoration of the 16th Street Baptist Church bombing Friday, Sept. 15, 2023, in Birmingham, Ala. (AP Pool Photo/Butch Dill)

U.S. Supreme Court Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson, the first Black woman on the nation’s highest court, spoke on Friday, September 15 at 16th Street Baptist Church in Birmingham for the 60th anniversary memorial service in honor of the four girls killed in the 1963 bombing at the church.

Though she stressed that she was raised by parents who made sure she knew Alabama’s rich history, Jackson shared that this week marked her first visit to the state.

“I felt in my spirit that I had to come,” she said to us, explaining why she’d decided to make the trip. “I’ve come to Alabama to commemorate and mourn, celebrate and warn,” she said.

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Help MONOPOLY tell Birmingham’s story

Birmingham Mayor Randall Woodfin and Mr. Monopoly want to know which Magic City landmarks, businesses, and nonprofits you think should become squares on the board of MONOPOLY: Birmingham Edition.

Birmingham, you’ll soon be able to take family game night to another level with a special Magic City edition of the classic game MONOPOLY.

Top Trumps USA, the American division of Winning Moves International, creators of classic games and puzzles, recently announced that MONOPOLY: Birmingham Edition will debut in March 2024, under license from toy and game company Hasbro.

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Good People Vote: Election Day Journal Prompts

When you think of Election Day journal prompts, you may only think of writing exercises for kids.

But a chat with Tyra Robinson of Good People Vote helped me realize that adults should do some journaling in preparation for Election Day too.

Good People Vote is a Birmingham-based organization dedicated to celebrating active voters and providing relevant information on every aspect of electoral processes, both locally and nationally. Their goal is to spark conversations and self-reflection to encourage communities to take ownership of the civic process.

Read on to learn more about Good People Vote and for Election Day journal prompts for kids and adults.

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For Birmingham

Photo by Bill Blevins via Flickr Creative Commons

On June 1, I published a post titled “Dear Birmingham” in response to black-owned businesses being damaged and reporters being assaulted in the unrest of May 31 and June 1. In the post, I declared that rioting is wrong and discussed the importance of peaceful protests and strategic political action.

The next day I decided to remove this post.

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