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Birmingham, AL—As most people of a certain age remember, an American revolution took place in the streets of Birmingham, Alabama. It was the battlefield of America’s Civil Rights Movement, a struggle for simple decency and common sense. The story of Birmingham’s role in the long march to civil rights has been told and retold around […]

The 22 Best Places to Go in 2022 Whether you’re looking for a cutting-edge food destination or a relaxing beach getaway. BY CNT EDITORS This was the year of getting back out there—as vaccines became readily available in the spring and borders opened slowly throughout the summer and fall, our travel calendars began to fill […]

Plus, support Black-owned businesses along the way. BY VANESSA WILKINS AUGUST 30, 2021 ROAD TRIPS HAVE BECOME INCREASINGLY POPULAR IN THE PAST YEAR AND A HALF, AND AS TRAVELERS LOOK TO PLAN THEIR NEXT CROSS-COUNTRY ADVENTURE, TRAVEL + LEISURE HAS BEEN CURATING NEW ROUTES THAT CELEBRATE BLACK HISTORY AND CULTURE THROUGHOUT THE U.S. HERE, WE […]

By Jeff and Virginia Orenstein Note: We recommend that travelers should continue to follow current Centers for Disease Control and Prevention guidelines and check with each mode of transportation and specific venue of interest for current information before traveling. Check birminghamal.org/travel-update/. Birmingham, Alabama is an intriguing microcosm of the contemporary American South. A city of […]

Beauty, Class, Okra, Charm, Cornbread, James Beard, Folk Art, Sweet Tea, and Intrigue Birmingham, AL—Something we hear time and again from first time visitors to Birmingham is that they never realized the beauty of the area. With the foothills of the Appalachians as a dramatic backdrop, the city is laid out on a series of […]

LEFT IMAGE: Like many places throughout Birmingham, the newly-renovated Gaston Motel was the site of powerful moments that changed the nation. NPS Photo RIGHT IMAGE: Young civil rights demonstrators speaking at a press conference at the Gaston Motel during the Children’s Crusade. Alabama Department of Archives and History. Donated by Alabama Media Group. Photo by […]

Birmingham, Ala. —– In one of his final acts as president, Barack Obama signed a proclamation naming the Birmingham Civil Rights District a national monument. Birmingham was Ground Zero for the civil rights campaign in 1963, an era marked by attacks and jail cells on one side and non-violence and the resolute certainty of a […]

By: simplysm Cooped up in and around greater Sarasota Florida for what seemed like a covid-dictated eternity and with a brand new Genesis G-70 sitting in the garage, it finally seemed like the right time for us to take a fun road trip. Besides, we really needed to explore some new (to us) places as […]

The Irondale Café was the model for a hit movie Birmingham, Ala.—As anyone who has ever cooked or eaten fried green tomatoes knows, preparing that Southern delicacy is something of an art form. The good ones are hot and tangy, gilded with a light golden crust. Just like they cook at the Irondale Cafe in […]

Did you know that the following celebrites were born or raised in Greater Birmingham? Willie Mays (baseball great) Kate Jackson (actor) Wayne Rogers (actor) Nell Carter (actor/singer) John Badham (movie director) Courteney Cox (actor) Walker Percy (writer) Erskine Hawkins (composer/musician) Emmy Lou Harris (musician) Mel Allen (actor) Louise Fletcher (actor) Lionel Hampton (musician) Tallulah Bankhead […]