black history

Charles Douglas III is a leader at Common Power, a nonprofit organization dedicated to fostering a just and inclusive democracy through education and civic engagement. This week on StoryCorps, Douglas explores how his stepfather's legacy motivates him to take up the fight for the rights of black Americans.

Communities across Alabama are gathering to commemorate a historic milestone — Juneteenth, also known as Freedom Day. On May 9, Gov. Kay Ivey officially signed House Bill 165 into law. This legislation makes it permanent, meaning all offices in the Yellowhammer State will now close each year on June 19.

Lisa Lambert and Frederick Richardson sit down at StoryCorps to discuss Lisa becoming the first Black city clerk for Mobile, the pressures that come along with that achievement, and what her responsibilities look like in that role.

While at StoryCorps, childhood friends Joycelyn and Theris discuss the “fake love” they’ve seen Africatown receive despite it being in the spotlight and how they hope to see it change in the future.

This week on Storycorps, Sara Barkouli interviews Makinda Gbolohan about being an active member in the Africatown community, and Makinda talks about some of his work as a community organizer.

The City of Montgomery is announcing a digital project to commemorate the upcoming 60th anniversary of the Selma to Montgomery March of 1965. This is being done through a “metaverse” experience, defined as virtual space where users can interact with a computer-generated environment and other users.

February marks the start of Black History Month in America and in Alabama. The month-long holiday created by Carter G. Woodson in 1926 originally began as Negro History Week. It was not recognized as Black History Month until 1976. To commemorate this Black History Month, Birmingham Public Library is hosting 70 different programs.

For BRELAND, the last few years have been a whirlwind. He released his debut album, 2022’s “Cross Country,” a fluid approach to country music that now feels prescient because it's the direction the genre continues to move in. He just released a new EP under the provocative title, “Project 2024," inspired by a trip he took to Selma.

A Montgomery nonprofit is observing Juneteenth by shining a light on the history and impact of slavery in Alabama. Juneteenth is a holiday that celebrates when enslaved Black people from Galveston, TX, were told they were free. The holiday is celebrated every June 19.

Juneteenth is a holiday synonymous with freedom in America. Rosa Parks Museum has long been celebrating the observance, even before its national recognition. This year’s event marks the ninth anniversary of its celebration, making the museum one of the first large-scale Juneteenth events offered in Montgomery.