Oprah, 60 Minutes airs photos of lynchings from new Alabama memorial; here’s why
Montgomery, Ala. The original capital of the Confederacy, a city once mired in racism, will soon redefine its legacy when it opens the nation’s first memorial dedicated to lynching victims and a new museum dedicated to slavery in the spring. The National Memorial for Peace and Justice in Alabama’s capital city on April 26, 2018. A project of the Equal Justice Initiative (EJI), the memorial is devoted to 4,075 blacks EJI’s research shows were killed by lynching in the U.S. from 1877 to 1950. It will serve to acknowledge an era of racial terror in the United States when thousands of African Americans were lynched and publicly tortured, sometimes in the presence of thousands of people. On Sunday night’s episode of 60 Minutes, Oprah Winfrey visited the memorial before it’s opening to give viewers a glimpse into’s America’s painful history. As part of the report, the episode showed photos of actual lynchings — a decision CBS said Oprah and a team of producers intentionally made knowing they would disturb many viewers. “I don’t think the story exists without those photos,” Jeff Fager, the executive producer of the broadcast told CBS. According to CBS, “News executives have a tendency to self-censor too much, he says, out of concern that viewers will be turned off. For him, the decision to show the photos was about reporting important facts about a little-known but important chapter of history.” The decision to air the footage partners perfectly to the reason the memorial was created in the first place: the hope of creating a sober, meaningful site where people can gather and reflect on America’s history of racial inequality. “Our story is about a part of history, really almost 80 years of American history, that isn’t in the history books, 60 Minutes Overtime’s Ann Silvio said of the broadcast. “We don’t see these pictures. We don’t talk about it.”
Building falls through for Montgomery’s first charter school
The LEAD Academy, Montgomery, Ala.’s first charter school is still looking for a building for its students. The charter school was approved earlier in February, by the Alabama Public Charter School Commission. Charlotte Meadows, the LEAD Academy board chair expects the academy to have 360 students enrolled in the fall. The problem is, they have nowhere to put them. The plan was to renovate the building that houses the Small Business Resource Center in downtown Montgomery. Board members were ready to move forward with the renovations, but the Chamber of Commerce recently notified them that the building would not be sold to them after all. “We definitely can start in 2019 because we can buy a building and renovate it between now and then,” Meadows told Alabama News. “So that’s not the issue. The issue is finding a specific building that is already move in ready. We just don’t have time between now and August to do a ton of renovations.” The academy will begin the search for a new building to occupy before August. LEAD Academy will focus on K-5 education in the first year, adding higher grades every year. By 2024, the school aims to offer all grades K-12. The focus being on teaching children how to interact effectively with one another and adults. The school’s curriculum will focus on STREAMS: science, technology, reading, engineering, art, math and social/emotional learning. “Start from kindergarten on to help children learn social skills needed to survive in this world. Teach a child to speak face to face, look someone in the eye when you speak to them and shake hands when you meet someone,” said LEAD Academy board member, Lori White.
Doug Jones announces first state tour
Senator Doug Jones announced a state tour of Alabama on Friday. This is Jones first tour since being sworn into office in January. Jones’ plan is to travel across Alabama, stopping in Birmingham, Huntsville, Montgomery, Mobile, Selma, Centreville, and Muscle Shoals, highlighting crucial changes that need to be made in the cities he visits. The newly elected U.S. Senator plans to speak on several issues including rural healthcare, defense, infrastructure, workforce development, and education. “It’s been a privilege to represent Alabama in Washington, but there’s nothing like getting home and hearing from folks first-hand,” said Jones. “I’m eager to hit the road and visit with as many Alabamians across the state as I can next week. We’re going to focus on the issues that are most important to our communities, from healthcare to jobs to education.” The tour begins in Mobile on Monday, Feb. 19 and ends in Montgomery Friday, Feb. 23. Here is a detailed list of all stops: Monday, February 19: MOBILE Where: 100 Addsco Road, Mobile, Ala. 36602 When: 3:00 p.m. Roundtable discussion about issues facing HBCU students Where: Bishop State College, 351 North Board Street, Mobile, Ala. 36603 – President’s Board Room When: 4:30 p.m. Tuesday, February 20: SELMA / CENTREVILLE Roundtable discussion on infrastructure, healthcare, and education with Selma Mayor Dario Melton and community leaders Where: Selma Performing Arts Center, 1000 Selma Ave., Selma, Ala. 36701 When: 10:00 a.m. Tour of the Rural Health Medical Program, Inc. to learn how the federally qualified community health center program helps them provide care Where: 101 Park Place, Selma, Ala. 36701 When: 2:00 p.m. Tour of Cahaba Medical Care Foundation to learn how the how the federally qualified community health center program helps them provide care and how they train medical students to serve in rural and underserved areas Where: 405 Belcher Street, Centreville, AL 35042 When: 4:15 p.m. Wednesday, February 21: BIRMINGHAM / MUSCLE SHOALS Visit to the Alabama Air National Guard 117th Air Refueling Wing Where: 5401 East Lake Boulevard, Birmingham, Ala. 35217 When: 8:45 a.m. Visit Northwest Shoals Community College to tour the Child Care Access Means Parents in School Program (CCAMPIS) Where: 800 George Wallace Blvd., Building 100 (Administrative Building), Muscle Shoals, Ala. 35661 When: 2:30 p.m. Roundtable with students in the Northwest Shoals Community College Workforce Development Program and David Fernandes, President, Toyota Motor Manufacturing, Alabama Where: 800 Wallace Blvd. Building 110 (Seminar Room), Muscle Shoals, AL 35661 When: 3:30 p.m. Thursday, February 22: HUNTSVILLE Where: Redstone Arsenal, 4488 Martin Road, Huntsville, Ala.(Garrison headquarters lobby) When: 4:00 p.m. Friday, February 23: MONTGOMERY Remarks at the YMCA Alabama Youth Legislature Where: RSA Activity Center, 201 Dexter Avenue, Montgomery, Ala. 36104 When: 11:45 a.m.
On this day in Alabama history: State capital relocated to Tuscaloosa
The state capital was relocated from Cahaba to Tuscaloosa. Located in Dallas County, Cahaba – originally known as Cahawba – was designated the future state’s permanent capital in 1818 when Gov. William Wyatt Bibb used his connections to arrange for a free land grant at the site from the federal government. At the Constitutional Convention in 1819, however, Cahaba’s detractors successfully passed a constitutional provision designating it as the capital only until 1825. That year, Tuscaloosa’s advocates narrowly succeeded in relocating the capital, citing frequent floods and health concerns in Cahaba. Tuscaloosa served as the capital until 1846, when the Legislature moved the capital to Montgomery to accommodate a population shift to the east. Republished with permission from the Alabama NewsCenter.
Montgomery makes NY Times’ global list of 52 places to visit in 2018
Looking to travel in 2018? There are thousands of getaways across the globe to explore, which is why The New York Times curates an annual list of 52 suggestions as “a starter kit for escaping into the world” to inspire travelers for the new year, and Alabama’s capital city is among them. Coming in at the 49th spot, Montgomery, Ala. joins a handful of other American cities that are listed amongst dozens of international must-sees such as Colombia (“With the war finally over, the entire country is opening up”), Basilicata, Italy (“caves, beaches and more in Italy’s secret southern region”) and Kuélap, Peru (“new access to the fortress in the clouds). The Times cited the city’s upcoming National Memorial for Peace and Justice, the nation’s first memorial dedicated to lynching victims and a new museum dedicated to slavery which opens in the spring, as the top reason to travel to Montgomery this year. A monument to the victims of racial terror rises in a Confederate capital. A number of monuments in Montgomery hail the Confederacy. Come April, one new memorial will speak for the victims of slavery and prejudice. On a hilltop overlooking the city, the National Memorial for Peace and Justice from the nonprofit Equal Justice Initiative will consist of 800 suspended columns etched with the names of over 4,000 victims. Another 800 columns, dedicated to the counties where lynchings occurred, will lie in an adjacent garden until claimed by and erected in those counties.— Elaine Glusac It’s safe to say, the list of “52 Places to Go in 2018,” is finally a list Alabamians can be proud to be a part of.
Alabama cities rank among some of the worst in America to find a job
Even with the national unemployment rate at a 17-year low and employers expecting to hire 4 percent more college graduates from the Class of 2018 than from the previous graduating cohort, Alabama’s biggest cities might not be the best places for job-seekers to look for employment in 2018. According to a new study by personal financial website WalletHub, 2018’s Best Places to Find a Job, Birmingham ranked the 5th worst city in America to find a job, closely followed by Montgomery ranked 9th, and Mobile ranked 10th. Huntsville, Ala. fared little better than the state’s southern cities, ranking the 20th worst on the list. To determine the strongest local job markets in the U.S., WalletHub compared more than 180 cities across 26 key metrics. The data set ranges from job opportunities to employment growth to monthly average starting salary. Finding work in Birmingham (1= best; 91= avg.) 31st: Housing affordability 64th: Job opportunities 74th: Industry variety 74th: Avg. work and commute time 127th: Monthly average starting salary* 136th: Employment growth 162nd: % of workforce living in poverty 164th: Median annual income* 170th: Unemployment rate *Adjusted for cost of living Finding work in Montgomery (1= best; 91= avg.) 48th: Housing affordability 146th: Job opportunities 148th: Industry variety 58th: Avg. work and commute time 173rd: Monthly average starting salary* 98th: Employment growth 135th: % of workforce living in poverty 98th: Median annual income* 143th: Unemployment rate *Adjusted for cost of living Finding work in Mobile (1= best; 91= avg.) 87th: Housing affordability 157th: Job opportunities 84th: Industry variety 84th: Avg. work and commute time 138th: Monthly average starting salary* 102nd: Employment growth 134th: % of workforce living in poverty 133th: Median annual income* 170th: Unemployment rate *Adjusted for cost of living Here’s how Alabama compares to the rest of the country: Source: WalletHub
Martha Roby: It’s official! Montgomery lands F-35 Joint Strike Fighter mission
It’s official: The F-35 is coming to Alabama! After a multiyear selection process, the Alabama National Guard’s 187th Fighter Wing at Dannelly Field in Montgomery has been chosen for the U.S. Air Force’s F-35 Joint Strike Fighter mission. Secretary of the Air Force Heather Wilson called me to inform me of the decision. I firmly believe Montgomery and the 187th are uniquely qualified to carry out this special mission. This is a historic win for Alabama and the River Region. I could not be prouder of the men and women of the 187th for how they demonstrated their capability to take on such an important mission. The F-35 is the military’s most cutting-edge war machine that will eventually replace many Cold War-era fighters like the F-16 Falcons currently flown by the 187th. Landing this mission is a tremendous boost for the River Region community and the entire state. It could bring as many as 1,000 jobs, $70 million in up-front facility upgrades, and as much as $3 billion in capital investment in Montgomery. It also further enhances Alabama’s already significant military footprint. Over the last few years, I’ve been working with a partnership of unit commanders, community and state leaders, local business leaders, and Alabama’s congressional delegation to bring the F-35 to Montgomery. A lot of hard work went into this process, and many thanks are in order. I’d like to thank Brig. Gen. Randy Efferson, Col. William Sparrow, Mayor Todd Strange, Governor Kay Ivey, my colleagues in the Alabama congressional delegation, and the F-35 Task Force for their incredible teamwork in showing the Air Force all our area has to offer. There’s no question that our community’s firm support for our military installations and units made a big impression on the key decision makers. We anticipate that the first F-35s will arrive in Montgomery within five years, and we are expecting 18 aircraft. Before this happens, some improvements to Dannelly Field will be made, including the development of a simulator facility and modifications of existing infrastructure. As the legacy unit for the Tuskegee Airmen “Red Tails,” the 187th Fighter Wing has an incredibly proud history. With this announcement, we know this unique unit has a very bright future with the F-35. I’m looking forward to hearing the sound of freedom roaring over the River Region soon. I hope you’ll join me in celebrating this fantastic news for our area. ••• Martha Roby represents Alabama’s Second Congressional District. She lives in Montgomery, Alabama with her husband Riley and their two children.
Montgomery lands Air Force’s F-35 Joint Strike Fighter mission
For over two years, unit commanders, community and state leaders, local business leaders, and Alabama’s congressional delegation have worked together to bring the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter to the 187th Fighter Wing at Dannelly Field in Montgomery, Ala. On Thursday all of their efforts paid off when the U.S. Air Force announced Montgomery landed the coveted mission. Secretary of the Air Force Heather Wilson made the announcement that the Alabama Air National Guard’s 187th Fighter Wing was chosen as the home for the new F-35 Joint Strike Fighter Jet mission. “I am thrilled and very pleased that the 187th Fighter Wing has been chosen as the home for the new F-35 fighter jet,” Governor Kay Ivey said of the news. “This announcement is huge for the River Region, it is huge for Alabama and is certainly a welcome gift for us as we approach Christmas. The decision to send the F-35 to Montgomery is a testament to the quality of our people and our workforce, and further cements Alabama’s reputation as the leading aerospace state in the nation.” The F-35 is the military’s latest fighting machine and will eventually replace many Cold War-era fighter planes, which are currently in use. The 187th Fighter Wing of the Alabama Air National Guard currently includes a squadron of F-16 fighter jets, a combat communications group, an RC-26 reconnaissance aircraft squadron, and an eagle vision unit. The 187th was one of five Air National Guard units on the short list to receive the F-35. “The Alabama Air National Guard is dedicated to excellence in protecting both our state and nation,” Alabama Adjutant General Sheryl Gordon commented. “We look forward to adding the F-35 to our slate of tools available to enable us to carry out our mission.” “Today is a historic day for Alabama and the River Region,” added Alabama 2nd District U.S. Rep. Martha Roby who worked to bring the project to her District. “I could not be prouder of the men and women of the 187th for how they demonstrated their capability to carry out this special mission. There’s no question that our community’s firm support for our military installations and units made a big impression on decision makers. With today’s announcement, we know this unique unit has a very bright future with the F-35.” The F-35 decision builds on the long and proud history of the 187th Guard Unit which is also home to the historic Tuskegee Airmen Red Tail Fighters. As a result of the decision, the City of Montgomery and the River Region will receive approximately $3 billion in new capital investment and $70 million in new construction. Alabama 7th District U.S. Rep. Terri Sewell, who also represents part of Montgomery in Congress, joined Roby in celebrating the decision with her District. “What amazing news! I am thrilled that our district’s t Unit will become the first home in the Southeast to F-35 fighter jets,” said Sewell. “I am so proud of the unit commanders, federal, local and state leaders, and all those in Montgomery and the River Region community for working together to win the F-35 competition. The F-35 builds on the legacy of military excellence exhibited by the 187th Fighter Wing, which is home to the famed ‘Red Tails.’” Ala. Sen. Richard Shelby agreed, and said he looks forward to seeing the success of this new project. “This announcement by the Air Force is excellent news for our state and a true testament to Alabama’s work in the defense sector,” said Shelby. “The strong support of the community, along with the proximity of Dannelly Field to several other major military bases, saving both time and money, led Air Force Secretary Wilson to choose Montgomery for the new F-35A fighter jet program. I am extremely proud of the operational strength of the 187th Fighter Wing, and I look forward to seeing the success of this new undertaking.” Once production is concluded, the 187th Fighter Wing will receive the F-35 as a replacement of the F-16. The delivery of the F-35 fighter jets is slated for 2023.
Coca-Cola to invest $28 million in Montgomery facility, add more jobs
Coca-Cola Bottling Company United Inc. on Friday announced plans to invest $28 million in its Montgomery, Ala. plant. The funds will go towards improvements at the production facility and warehouse, which includes a $23 million expansion of production capability and another $5 million to expand the warehouse. The project is expected to be completed in mid-2018 and will add around 48 jobs to the existing 460 between the two facilities. The company made the announcement at its Montgomery Sales Center, as part of a bus tour of local industries. “Coca-Cola United continues to invest in Montgomery as a way to better serve our customers and communities in the important River Region,” said President and CEO John Sherman. “This community became part of the Coca-Cola United family in 2014, and the dedication and commitment of our team here is second to none.” Coca-Cola Bottling Co. United acquired the operations in Montgomery in 2014 from The Coca-Cola Company.
Loveless Academic Magnet Program named best public high school in Alabama
Among all public services in this country, few are as uneven in quality as the American public education system. While schools must follow certain guidelines and are held to public standards, they are largely funded by property taxes — which means their budgets largely depend on neighborhood wealth rather than per student or by need. A review of data on public high schools in the United States shows a substantial diversity in quality and educational outcomes between school districts. Across the country, just over 80% of students graduate, 4.9% of students enroll in Advanced Placement (AP) classes, and the average SAT score is a little over 1000 out of 1600. In some of the nation’s top public schools, virtually all students graduate, AP enrollment is well above 70%, and average SAT scores are above 1400. While the nation’s top public high schools are primarily concentrated in a few of the the most populous states, every state in the country has at least one high school that exceeds national averages, and whose students are better set up for success — it Alabama it is none other than Loveless Academic Magnet Program (LAMP) High School in Montgomery. Just just 488 students, LAMP classrooms have a 14:1 student-to-teacher ratio. But the most impressive statistic — LAMP students average a 1340 out of 1600 SAT score. To determine the best public high school in every state, 24/7 Wall St. reviewed rankings for all public schools from school and neighborhood data clearinghouse Niche. Data on rank, number of students, student teacher ratio, average graduation rate, average SAT score, average ACT score, and AP enrollment also came from Niche. Data on the ratio of students to teachers by state came from the National Center for Education Statistics. Graduation rates by state also came from the NCED and are for the 2012-13 school year. Data on AP enrollment by state for the 2011-12 school year came from Civil Rights Data Collection. Click here to see the best public high school in each state.
National lynching memorial and slavery museum sets open date in Alabama
The original capital of the Confederacy, a city once mired in racism, will soon redefine its legacy when it opens the nation’s first memorial dedicated to lynching victims and a new museum dedicated to slavery in the spring. The Equal Justice Initiative on Monday announced it will open the National Memorial for Peace and Justice in Montgomery, Ala. on April 26, 2018. The memorial, devoted to 4,075 blacks EJI’s research shows were killed by lynching in the U.S. from 1877 to 1950, will acknowledge an era of racial terror in the United States when thousands of African Americans were lynched and publicly tortured, sometimes in the presence of thousands of people. Designed with hundreds of six-foot, corten steel monuments aligned in a structure that sits above the city of Montgomery, EJI’s memorial will feature new sculptures from African and African American artists that explore slavery, segregation, and contemporary issues of racial inequality. The spacious park holding the memorial will include a monument for every county in America where a racial terror lynching took place that can be claimed by community groups and installed locally. “Our nation’s history of racial injustice casts a shadow across the American landscape,” Bryan Stevenson, director of EJI, said in a statement. “This shadow cannot be lifted until we shine the light of truth on the destructive violence that shaped our nation, traumatized people of color, and compromised our commitment to the rule of law and to equal justice.” The six-acre site will also feature a museum, From Enslavement to Mass Incarceration, a few blocks away from the memorial that will be situated within 150 yards of one of the South’s most prominent slave auction sites, near the Alabama River dock and rail station where tens of thousands of enslaved black people were trafficked. Check out a preview of the memorial below: Tickets for admission to the museum and the memorial are now available at museumandmemorial.eji.org.
Montgomery airport announces new direct flight to Washington, DC
The Montgomery Regional Airport and American Airlines have announced a new daily, direct flight between Montgomery and Washington, D.C. American Airlines will offer the nonstop flights to Reagan National Airport (DCA) beginning June 8, 2018. There will be a daily morning flight arriving in Montgomery and another flight departing back to DC later in the afternoon. “The Montgomery Airport Authority continues to work with our airline partners to expand service for passengers,” said, Tammy Knight Fleming, Board Chair. “This new, nonstop service connecting Alabama’s capital to the nation’s capital, one of the top destinations in our market, will be a tremendous asset for business travelers, government officials and the community at large.” Tickets for the flights are already available online at aa.com.
