During the second week of Listen to America, HuffPost’s 25-city tour around the U.S., we stopped in the bustling city of Birmingham, Alabama.
Birmingham was a rapidly growing industrial center from 1881 to 1920, garnering it the nickname “Magic City,” and it’s currently an important business center in the Southeast.
HuffPost camped out in Railroad Park for a day to talk to locals about what it is that makes Birmingham tick. From up-and-coming areas of the city, to racial tensions, to transportation, to dancing ― residents were open to talking about it all.
Additionally, we held a panel at the historic 16th Street Baptist Church regarding the violence that devastates pockets of the city on a daily basis. We heard from Henry Irby, the deputy chief at Birmingham Police Department; Danny Carr, Jefferson County deputy district attorney; Jarralynne Agee, Birmingham Violence Reduction Initiative manager; and Carolyn Johnson, a community activist.
“You might get the idea that Birmingham is the Wild West. A small percentage of the community is committing a large percentage of the crime,” Agee said at the start of the panel.
For a bit of what went on Birmingham, you can take a look at our time there below.
The HuffPost bus sits in front of Region Field stadium as HuffPost visits Birmingham, Alabama, on Sept. 20 as part of Listen To America.
HuffPost tents bustling with people waiting to be interviewed.
Jonathan, who is 4 years old, checks out his temporary tattoo.
Brownie the dog walks around the HuffPost activation site.
HuffPost Editor-in-Chief Lydia Polgreen chats with Glenny Broch.
HuffPost Senior Front Page Editor Chloe Angyal gets dog kisses from Brownie the dog.
David Odenwelder shows off his dance moves for HuffPost during the outlet's visit to Birmingham.
Railroad Park sign in Birmingham.
Lydia Polgreen interviews Birmingham Mayor William Bell on the HuffPost bus.
Nadine Barton show off her dance moves for HuffPost during the outlet's visit to Birmingham.
Birmingham Mayor William Bell points to his city's name on the HuffPost bus.
Nadine Barton and David Odenwelder show off their dance moves.
The HuffPost bus in front of the 16th Street Baptist Church.
The HuffPost bus in front of the 16th Street Baptist Church.
William Bell, the mayor of Birmingham, speaks before the event called "Overcoming and Surviving Inner City Violence in Birmingham"
Interior shots of the 16th Street Baptist Church.
Sarah Verser speaks during the "Overcoming and Surviving Inner City Violence in Birmingham" event.
Sarah Verser interviews Lydia Polgreen before the "Overcoming and Surviving Inner City Violence in Birmingham" event.
City Council member Sheila Tyson speaks to moderator Sarah Verser and panelists David Luker, Danny Carr, Henry Irby, Carolyn Johnson and Jarralynne Agee during the "Overcoming and Surviving Inner City Violence in Birmingham" event.
Jarralynne Agee speaks to the crowd.
Carolyn Johnson speaks about her son.
Birmingham Deputy Police Chief Henry Irby speaks to the attendees.
A.J. Johnson explains his point of view at the event.
Eric Craig helps a person down the stairs after the "Overcoming and Surviving Inner City Violence in Birmingham" event.
A Martin Luther King Jr. statue in front of the 16th Street Baptist Church in Birmingham.
We’re popping our bubble and dare you to do the same. Follow our bus tour across America to find out how much you really know about the state of the nation. Sign up for our email.
Former NBA guard Darius Morris has died at the age of 33. He played for five teams during his four NBA seasons. Morris played college basketball at Michigan.
Affluent Americans may want to double-check how much of their bank deposits are protected by government-backed insurance. The rules governing trust accounts just changed.
With free agency and the draft behind us, what 32 teams look like today will likely be what they look like Week 1 and beyond for the 2024 season. Matt Harmon and Scott Pianowski reveal the post-draft fantasy power rankings. The duo break down the rankings in six tiers: Elite offensive ecosystems, teams on the cusp of being complete mixed bag ecosystems, offensive ecosystems with something to prove, offenses that could go either way, and offenses that are best to stay away from in fantasy.
It’s key to note that we’re not saying the “best team” or “best roster.” Instead, we’re talking about the best confluence of factors that can outline a path for survival and then success.
Jake Mintz & Jordan Shusterman discuss the Padres-Marlins trade that sent Luis Arraez to San Diego, as well as recap all the action from this weekend in baseball and send birthday wishes to hall-of-famer Willie Mays.
An annual government report offered a glimmer of good news for Social Security and a jolt of good news for Medicare even as both programs continue to be on pace to run dry next decade.
Budgeting apps can help you keep track of your finances, stick to a spending plan and reach your money goals. These are the best budget-tracking apps available right now.
Minneapolis Fed president Neel Kashkari said interest rates will likely stay at current levels for an "extended period" and didn't rule out a hike if inflation stalls near 3%.
