Birmingham, Alabama
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Birmingham is the largest city in the U.S. state of Alabama and the county seat of Jefferson County. The city also occupies portions of Shelby County. Birmingham was at the center of the American Civil Rights Movement throughout the 1960's. Birmingham is a city that features a mixture of Old South meets New South, but perhaps without the progressive government that the label connotes in this new southern culture. In recent years Birmingham has been named by various groups as one of the best U.S. cities to live in.
It was founded as an industrial enterprise after the close of the Civil War. However, beginning in 1873, the city began to grow at an astonishing pace through the turn of the century, earning itself the nicknames of "The Magic City" and "The Pittsburgh of the South". Over the course of the 20th century, while industry declined nationwide, the city's economy diversified. Though manufacturing is still a strong sector, Birmingham also is a major medical research center and a regional banking and publishing power.
The population of the city proper is only 242,820 (2000 U.S. census), and declined to 236,620 according to the 2003 estimate. However, it serves as the primary nucleus for a sprawling urbanization known as Greater Birmingham with 1,052,238 inhabitants.
Birmingham's area code is 205.
Birmingham_panorama.jpg
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| City nickname: "The Magic City", "Pittsburgh of the South" | |||||
 Location in the state of Alabama | |||||
| County | Jefferson County | ||||
| Area - Total - Water | 393.5 km² (151.9 mi²) 388.3 km² (149.9 mi²) 1.34% |
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Population
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| Time zone | Central UTC-6 | ||||
| Area code | 205 | ||||
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Latitude
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33°31'29" North 86°48'46" West | ||||
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History
Birmingham was founded on June 1, 1871 by real estate promoters who sold lots near the planned crossing of the Alabama & Chattanooga and South & North railroads. The site of the railroad crossing was notable for the nearby deposits of iron ore, coal, and limestone - the three principal raw materials used in making steel. Birmingham is one of the very few places worldwide where significant amounts of all three minerals can be found in close proximity. From the start the new city was planned as a great center of industry. The founders borrowed the name of Birmingham, England's principal industrial city, to advertise that point. Birmingham got off to a slow start: the city was impeded by an outbreak of cholera and a Wall Street crash in 1873. But soon afterward the city began growing rapidly.
In the 1950s and '60s Birmingham received national and international attention as a center of the civil rights struggle for African-Americans. A watershed in that movement occurred in 1963 when four black girls were killed by a bomb planted at the 16th Street Baptist Church. Violent racial conflicts have long since abated and most residents of Birmingham are eager to put such distasteful history behind them.
Following the same pattern as many other American cities, the population inside Birmingham's city limits has fallen over the past few decades. From 340,887 in 1960, the population was down to 242,820 in 2000, a loss of about 45 percent. However, the growth of suburbs to the south of Birmingham over that same time period has kept the metropolitan population growing.
In 1971 Birmingham celebrated its centennial with a round of public works improvements, including the upgrading of Vulcan Park.
In 1979 Birmingham elected Dr. Richard Arrington as its first African-American mayor.
In 1996 Birmingham's Legion Field hosted early rounds of Olympic soccer.
Over the course of the 20th century, while industry declined nationwide, the city's economy successfully diversified. Though manufacturing is still a strong sector, Birmingham also is a major medical research center and a regional banking and publishing power.
Bham_al_pan_1916.jpg
Geography
Birmingham is located at 33°31'29" North, 86°48'46" West (33.524755, -86.812740)Template:GR.
Birmingham occupies Jones Valley, flanked by long parallel mountain ridges (the tailing ends of the Appalachian foothills) running from north-east to south-west. The valley is drained by small creeks (Village Creek, Valley Creek) which flow into the Black Warrior River. More importantly, the valley was bisected by the principal railroad corridor, along which most of the early manufacturing operations began.
Red Mountain lies immediately south of downtown. Birmingham's television and radio broadcast towers are lined up along this prominent ridge. The area "Over the Mountain," including Shades Valley and Shades Mountain and beyond, was largely shielded from the industrial smoke and rough streets of the industrial city. This is the setting for Birmingham's more affluent suburbs of Mountain Brook, Homewood, Vestavia Hills, and Hoover. South of Shades Valley is the Cahaba River basin.
Sand Mountain, a smaller ridge, flanks the city to the north and divides Jones Valley from much more rugged land to the north. The Louisville and Nashville railroad enters the Valley through Boyles Gap, a prominent gap in the long low ridge.
Ruffner Mountain, located due east of the heart of the city, is home to Ruffner Mountain Nature Center, one of the largest urban nature reserves in the United States.
According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 393.5 km² (151.9 mi²). 388.3 km² (149.9 mi²) of it is land and 5.3 km² (2.0 mi²) of it is water. The total area is 1.34% water.
Climate
Birmingham has a temperate climate characterized by warm summers, mild winters, and abundant rainfall. Birmingham has slightly less rainfall than the Gulf Coast and is slightly cooler. January sees average daily high temperatures of 53.0°F and lows of 31.8°F. In July the average daily high is 90.6°F and the low is 69.2°F. The average annual temperature in Birmingham is 62°F. Snowfall is infrequent in the area, with a yearly average of only 0.5 inches (15 mm). The average yearly rainfall in Birmingham is about 52 inches (1330 mm), with March being the wettest month and October the driest.
The spring and fall months are pleasant but variable, but cold fronts frequently bring strong to severe thunderstorms and occasional tornadoes to the South. The fall season features less rainfall and fewer storms, as well as lower humidity than the spring, but it is also a secondary severe weather season. Birmingham is located on the heart of a tornado alley known as the Dixie Alley due to the frequency of tornadoes in Central Alabama. In late summer and fall months, Birmingham experiences occasional tropical storms and hurricanes due to its proximity to the Central Gulf Coast.
Communities
For purposes of community development and citizen participation, the City of Birmingham's 9 Council districts are divided into a total of 23 communities, and again into a total of 99 individual neighborhoods with their own neighborhood associations. Communities don't necessarily follow Council District boundaries. This structure was created in 1974 as part of a formal "Citizen Participation Program" designed to improve communication between residents and city leaders. Neighborhood associations are routinely consulted by the on matters related to zoning changes, liquor licenses, economic development and city services. Neighborhoods are also granted discretionary funds from the city's budget to use for capital improvements and for non-capital projects and events. Each neighborhood's officers meet with their peers to form Community Advisory Committees which are granted broader powers over city departments. The presidents of these committees, in turn, form the Citizen's Advisory Board which meets regularly with the mayor, council and department heads.
Communities and associated Neighborhoods
- Airport Hills (Airport Highlands, Brownsville Heights, Brummitt Heights, Maple Grove, Penfield Park)
- Brownville (East Brownville, Roosevelt, West Brownville)
- Cahaba (Highway 280, Lake Purdy, Overton)
- Crestline (Crestline, Eastwood)
- Crestwood (Crestwood North, Crestwood South)
- East Birmingham (East Birmingham, Inglenook, Kingston, North Avondale)
- East Lake (Brown Springs, East Lake, Gate City, North East Lake, Wahouma, Zion City)
- East Pinson Valley (Apple Valley, Bridlewood, Echo Highlands, Pine Knoll Vista, Sun Valley)
- Ensley (Dolomite, Ensley, Oak Ridge, Sherman Heights, Tuxedo, Wylam)
- Five Points West (Belview Heights, Bush Hills, Central Park, Ensley Highlands, Fairview, Green Acres)
- Grasselli (Grasselli Heights, Hillman, Hillman Park, Industrial Center, Tarpley City, West Goldwire)
- Huffman (Huffman, Killough Springs, Liberty Highlands, Spring Lake)
- North Birmingham (Acipco-Finley, Collegeville, Fairmont, Harriman Park, Hooper City, North Birmingham)
- Northside (Central City, Druid Hills, Evergreen, Fountain Heights, Norwood)
- Pratt (Central Pratt, North Pratt, Sandusky, Smithfield Estates, South Pratt, Thomas)
- Red Mountain (Forest Park-South Avondale, Highland Park, Redmont Park)
- Roebuck/South East Lake (Roebuck, Roebuck Springs-South Roebuck, South East Lake)
- Smithfield (College Hills, East Thomas, Enon Ridge, Graymont, Smithfield)
- Southside (Five Points South, Glen Iris, Southside)
- Southwest (Garden Highlands, Jones Valley, Mason City, Powderly, Riley-Travellick, Sand Ridge)
- Titusville (North Titusville, South Titusville, Woodland Park)
- West End (Arlington-West End, Germania Park, Oakwood Place, Rising-West Princeton, West End Manor)
- Woodlawn (East Avondale, Oak Ridge Park, South Woodlawn, Woodlawn)
(See Community Development Department at the City of Birmingham (http://www.informationbirmingham.com/community/CommunitySelectForm.jsp) and Birmingham Participation at CPN.org (http://www.cpn.org/topics/community/birmingham.html))
Metropolitan Area
Birmingham and Hoover are the primary cities in the Birmingham-Hoover-Cullman Metropolitan Area, consisting of the Birmingham-Hoover metropolitan statistical area and the Cullman micropolitan area that include 8 counties in Central Alabama. The following counties are part of the metropolitan area: Bibb, Blount, Chilton, Cullman, Jefferson, St. Clair, Shelby, and Walker.
Government
The City of Birmingham has a mayor/council form of government with a 9-member city council. This replaced a City Commission in 1962, primarily as a way to remove Commissioner of Public Safety Eugene "Bull" Connor from power. By Alabama law, an issue before a city council must be approved by a two-thirds majority vote (Act No. 452, Ala. Acts 1955, as supplemented by Act No. 294, Ala. Acts 1965.). Executive powers are held entirely by the mayor's office.
Current Mayor
Current Council
- Council District 1 (Joel Montgomery, Councilor)
- Council District 2 (Carol Reynolds, Councilor)
- Council District 3 (Valerie A. Abbott, Councilor)
- Council District 4 (Gwen Pouncy Sykes, Councilor)
- Council District 5 (Elias Hendricks, Jr, Councilor)
- Council District 6 (Carole Smitherman, Councilor and President Pro-Tem)
- Council District 7 (Bertram D. Miller, Councilor)
- Council District 8 (Lee Wendell Loder, Councilor and President)
- Council District 9 (Roderick Royal, Councilor)
Planning
Before the first structure was built in Birmingham, the plan of the city was laid out over a total of 1,160 acres (4.7 km²) by the directors of The Elyton Land Company. The streets were numbered from west to east, leaving Twentieth Street to form the central spine of downtown, anchored on the north by Capital Park and stretching into the slopes of Red Mountain to the south. A "railroad reservation" was granted through the center of the city, running east to west and zoned solely for industrial uses. As the city grew, bridges and underpasses separated the streets from the railroad bed, lending this central reservation some of the impact of a river (without the pleasant associations of a waterfront). From the start, Birmingham's streets and avenues were unusually wide at 80 to 100 feet (24 to 30 m), purportedly to help evacuate unhealthy smoke.
In the early 20th century professional planners helped lay out many of the new industrial settlements and company towns in the Birmingham District, including Corey (now Fairfield) which was developed for the Tennessee Coal, Iron and Railroad Company (subsequently purchased by U. S. Steel).
The Robert Jemison company developed many residential neighborhoods to the south and west of Birmingham which are still renowned for their aesthetic quality.
The city of Birmingham is currently (November 2004) reviewing a City Center Master Plan developed by Urban Design Associates of Pittsburgh, which advocates strongly for more residential development in the downtown area and includes a major park over several blocks of the central railroad reservation.
Transportation
Birmingham is served by 3 Interstates, Interstate 20, Interstate 65, Interstate 59, and a southern beltway Interstate 459 and the Elton B. Stephens (Red Mountain) Expressway (U.S. Highway 31 & U.S. Highway 280). There have been some recent developments with the regional interstate system including the construction of Corridor X (Future Interstate 22), and the possible future construction of a Northern Beltline corresponding to the existing Interstate 459. Birmingham is served by the Birmingham-Jefferson County Transit Authority (http://www.bjcta.org) through the Metro Area Express (MAX) bus system.
Birmingham is served by Birmingham International Airport (there is another airport of the same name in Birmingham, England).
Amtrak's Crescent train connects Birmingham with the cities of New York, Philadelphia, Baltimore, Washington, Charlotte, Atlanta and New Orleans. The Amtrak station is situated at 1819 Morris Avenue.
Birmingham_skyline_from_the_Civic_Center.jpg
Economy
In the 1970s and 1980s, Birmingham's economy was transformed with investments in bio-technology and medical research at the University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB). UAB is now the area's largest employer and the largest in Alabama with a work force of about 20,000. Birmingham is also a leading banking center, serving as home to three major banking companies: AmSouth, Compass Bancorp and Regions Bank. SouthTrust, which had also been headquartered in Birmingham, was acquired by Wachovia in 2004. Telecommunications provider BellSouth has a major presence with several large offices in the metropolitan area.
Major employers
- Accenture
- Alabama Power
- AmSouth Bancorp
- BellSouth
- Bruno's Supermarkets
- Compass Bancorp
- EBSCO Industries - the largest private company in Alabama with diverse operations in publishing, manufacturing, and real-estate development
- Energen
- HealthSouth - the nation's largest outpatient clinic company
- Liberty National Life Insurance Co. (now owned by Torchmark)
- McWane Corporation - manufacturer of fire hydrants, industrial valves, pipes and flanges
- Regions Financial Corporation
- Royal Cup Coffee, Inc.
- Saks Incorporated - department store operator
- Southern Research Institute - pharmaceutical, automotive, and chemical defense research firm
- University of Alabama at Birmingham
- Vulcan Materials - producer of construction aggregates and industrial chemicals
- Wachovia
Demographics
As of the censusTemplate:GR of 2000, there are 242,820 people, 98,782 households, and 59,269 families residing in the city. The population density is 625.4/km² (1,619.7/mi²). There are 111,927 housing units at an average density of 288.3/km² (746.6/mi²). The racial makeup of the city is 24.07% White, 73.46% Black or African American, 0.17% Native American, 0.80% Asian, 0.04% Pacific Islander, 0.62% from other races, and 0.83% from two or more races. 1.55% of the population are Hispanic or Latino of any race.
There are 98,782 households out of which 27.7% have children under the age of 18 living with them, 31.1% are married couples living together, 24.6% have a female householder with no husband present, and 40.0% are non-families. 34.4% of all households are made up of individuals and 10.4% have someone living alone who is 65 years of age or older. The average household size is 2.37 and the average family size is 3.09.
In the city the population is spread out with 25.0% under the age of 18, 11.1% from 18 to 24, 30.0% from 25 to 44, 20.4% from 45 to 64, and 13.5% who are 65 years of age or older. The median age is 34 years. For every 100 females there are 85.7 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there are 80.4 males.
The median income for a household in the city is $26,735, and the median income for a family is $31,851. Males have a median income of $28,184 versus $23,641 for females. The per capita income for the city is $15,663. 24.7% of the population and 20.9% of families are below the poverty line. Out of the total population, 35.4% of those under the age of 18 and 18.5% of those 65 and older are living below the poverty line.
Education
The Birmingham-Hoover metropolitan area is home to numerous independent primary school systems. The area's largest are the Jefferson County, Birmingham City, and Shelby County school systems.
Institutions of Higher Education
- University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB)
- Samford University
- Birmingham-Southern College
- Miles College
- Lawson State Community College
- Jefferson State Community College
- Bessemer State Technical College
- ITT Technical Institute
- Virginia College of Birmingham
- Andrew Jackson University
Attractions
Landmarks
- Alabama Theatre
- Arlington House
- Legion Field
- Rickwood Field, built in 1910, America's oldest standing baseball park. Website (http://www.rickwood.com)
- Kelly Ingram Park, site of notable Civil Rights protests and adjacent to historic 16th Street Baptist Church
- Sloss Furnaces National Historic Landmark. Website (http://www.slossfurnaces.com)
- Vulcan, (featuring the god Vulcan at his forge) the largest cast iron statue in the world which was first cast for the 1904 St. Louis Exposition, and displayed on top of Red Mountain in 1938.
- WTTO Tower a 2000 ft / 609.6 m tall guyed mast communication tower. (one of the tallest in the world.)
Major attractions
- Barber Motorsports Park (http://www.barbermotorsports.com) is a $40 million motorsports complex that includes a 2.3 mile (3.64 km) long track built to MotoGP specifications and a spacious museum housing George Barber's world class collection of motorcycles and racing cars. The park currently hosts Superbike and Sports Car Grand Am races.
- The Birmingham Botanical Gardens is a 67 acre (270,000 m²) park displaying a wide variety of plants in interpretive gardens, including formal rose gardens, tropical greenhouses, and a large Japanese Garden. The facility also includes a white-tablecloth restaurant, meeting rooms, and an extensive reference library.
- The Birmingham Zoo is a large regional zoo with over 700 animals and a recently-opened interactive children's zoo.
- The Riverchase Galleria mall hosts more than 200 retail stores, a five-star hotel, and an office tower under the largest skylight in the world in the suburb of Hoover. The anchors are JCPenney, McRae's, Parisian, Proffitt's, Macy's, and Sears.
- The Talladega Superspeedway, located east of Birmingham, is home to two of NASCAR circuit's annual races in April and October. The speedway also has a Motorsports Hall of Fame museum.
- Visionland (http://www.visionland.com) is an amusement park with two independent sections: Splash Beach Waterpark and Magic Adventure Theme Park,. The theme park has 25 different thrill rides including The Rampage wooden roller coaster and, Zoomerang, a steel roller coaster purchased in 2004 from the Brisbane expo.
- The Robert Trent Jones Golf Trail (http://www.rtigolf.com), a world-famous development of high-caliber public golf courses throughout Alabama, includes two championship courses and a an 18-hole short course in Oxmoor Valley just south of Birmingham.
- McWane Center (http://www.mcwane.org) is a science center and IMAX Dome Theater located downtown with state-of-the-art permanent and traveling educational exhibits.
Annual major events
- CityStages is a world-renowned music festival that occurs around Birmingham's Linn Park on Father's Day weekend, that offers 3 days of music from all genres on 11 stages.
- Sidewalk Moving Picture Festival (http://www.sidewalkfest.com) this film festival is considered the third largest film festival in the US behind Sundance and Tribeca. It brings filmmakers from all over the U.S. and even the world to Birmingham to have their films viewed and judged. This festival usually occurs on the last weekend in September at 8 different venues around downtown, but is more concentrated around the Alabama Theatre. [1] (http://www.sidewalkfest.com)
- Mercedes Marathon, is a 10-k and 5-k road race that takes place on the 1st or 2nd Sunday in February that was started in 2002.
- Southern Heritage Festival, this festival is one with a second chance at life. Originally began the 1960s as a music, arts, and entertainment festival for the African American community in Birmingham, but ceased to exist by the early 1990s. It was replaced by the now-defunct Birmingham Heritage Festival, which was basically an all-music festival, that targeted mostly the younger demos. But in July 2004 the Southern Heritage Festival was revived with a new name, The Original Southern Heritage Festival. This festival offers 3 days of music, culture, and arts. The first day of the festival is Hip Hop Night, the second day is Classic R&B and Old School night, while the final and third day is Gospel. This festival takes place on the Alabama State Fair Grounds at its Fair Park on the first weekend of September.
- "Aaron's 499 & EA Sports 500" are two NASCAR circuit races that occurs in April and October at the Talladega Superspeedway, and bring a major boost to the area's economy.
Culture
Birmingham is the cultural and entertainment capital of Alabama with its numerous art galleries in the area and home to Birmingham Museum of Art, the largest art museum in the state. Birmingham is also home to the state's major ballet, opera, and symphony orchestra companies such the Alabama Ballet, Alabama Symphony Orchestra, Birmingham Ballet, and Opera Birmingham.
- The historic Alabama Theatre hosts film screenings, concerts and performances.
- The Alys Stephens Center for the Performing Arts is home to Alabama Symphony Orchestra and Opera Birmingham as well as several series of concerts and lectures. It is located on the UAB campus in the Southside community.
- The Birmingham-Jefferson Convention Complex (BJCC), houses a theater, concert hall, exhibition halls, and a sports and concert arena. The BJCC is home to the Alabama Ballet and hosts major concert tours and sporting events.
- Boutwell Auditorium (formerly Municipal Auditorium) is located at Lynn Park.
- The Verizon Wireless Music Center, formerly Oak Mountain Amphitheater, is a large outdoor venue with two stages.
Other entertainment venues in the area include:
- Fair Park Arena, on the west side of town, hosts sporting events, local concerts and community programs.
- WorkPlay, located in Southside, is a multi-purpose facility with offices, audio and film production space, a lounge, and a theater and concert stage for visiting artists and film screenings.
- The Wright Center Concert Hall at Samford University is home to the Birmingham Ballet
Birmingham's nightlife is primarily clustered around Five Points South and Lakeview.
Museums
- The Birmingham Museum of Art (http://www.artsbma.org) is the Southeast's largest municipal art museum with over 20,000+ artworks. Important collections include the largest Wedgewood collection outside England, the premier collection of German decorative cast iron, and important collections of Asian and European decorative arts. European and American painting and sculpture from every period are well-represented. This museum was renovated and expanded in 1993.
- McWane Center (http://www.mcwane.org), located downtown, is a regional science museum with hands-on science exhibits, temporary exhibitions, and guided demonstrations. The building has a 42,000 square foot (3,900 m²) IMAX dome theater with science-related programming. The center also houses a major collection of fossil specimens for use by researchers.
- The Birmingham Civil Rights Institute (http://bcri.org) houses a detailed and emotionally-charged narrative exhibit putting Birmingham's history into the context of the American Civil Rights Movement of the 1960s and the contemporary Human rights struggle around the world. It is located on Kelly Ingram Park adjacent to the 16th Street Baptist Church. the Institute also houses archival and research materials for public use and gallery space for temporary exhibitions.
- The Barber Museum of Motorsports (http://barbermotorsports.com), located in a large motorsports complex in the suburb of Leeds, displays one of the most important collections of motorcycles in the world. The museum includes an extensive reference library and restoration workshop, as well as views over Barber's 2.3 mile long race course.
- Sloss Furnaces National Historic Landmark (http://www.slossfurnaces.com) offers tours of one of Birmingham's signature blast furnaces. The site is also used for cultural programs and houses a nationally recognized metal arts program.
- The Southern Museum of Flight (http://www.southernmuseumofflight.org), located near the Birmingham Airport, has a large collection of aircraft and aviation models and memorabilia.
- The Alabama Jazz Hall of Fame (http://www.jazzhall.com), located in the lobby of the Carver Theatre for the Performing Arts downtown, exhibits material relating to the history of Jazz in Alabama and hosts frequent concerts.
- The Alabama Sports Hall of Fame (http://www.ashof.org), located in the Birmingham-Jefferson Convention Complex downtown, showcases the disproportional contribution of Alabamians to the world of athletics.
- The Bessemer Hall of History (http://www.bhamrails.info/bess_hall_hist.htm), housed in a 1916 railroad depot in the nearby industrial city of Bessemer, has a diverse collection of artifacts, including a modern mummy and Adolf Hitler's typewriter.
- The Alabama Museum of the Health Sciences (http://www.uab.edu/historical/museum.htm), located on the UAB campus, houses a collection of medical instruments, artifacts and specimens dating to the 16th century.
Sports
Though Birmingham has no major professional sport franchises, there is a very strong fan base for collegiate sports - primarily the University of Alabama and Auburn University football teams. The University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB) has a popular basketball program and is trying to broaden its base for football. Birmingham is home to the Birmingham Barons, the AA minor league affiliate of the Chicago White Sox. The city also hosts the Birmingham Steeldogs of the Arena Football League 2.
Area Sport Venues
- Birmingham-Jefferson Convention Complex (http://www.bjcc.org/) Arena
- Hoover Metropolitan Stadium home of the Birmingham Barons
- Legion Field
- Rickwood Field
- Fair Park Arena
- Pelham Civic Complex Arena
Media
Newspaper
Birmingham is served by two daily newspapers; the Birmingham News, (circulation 150,346) owned by Advance Publications and the Birmingham Post-Herald, (circulation 25,652) owned by Scripps. The two have a joint-operating agreement and publish a combined edition on Saturdays and major holidays. The Birmingham News' Wednesday edition features 6 subregional section that covers the news stories of those areas tentatively named: East, Hoover, North, Shelby, South, and West.
The Birmingham Weekly and Black & White (published biweekly) are Birmingham's free alternative publications. The Birmingham Times, an historic African-American newspaper, is also published weekly.
Television
Birmingham is part of the Birmingham/Anniston/Tuscaloosa television market, which is the nation's 40th largest.
Radio
See List of radio stations in Alabama
Other
Birmingham mentioned in music
Randy Newman wrote and sang a song about the city, called "Birmingham" (lyrics (http://www.sing365.com/music/lyric.nsf/SongUnid/04D46CF44A095E9B48256A3700484562)). The city is also referenced in folk singer Ani DiFranco's song "Hello Birmingham" (lyrics (http://www.danah.org/Ani/ToTheTeeth/HelloBirmingham.html)) and in the song "Sweet Home Alabama" by Lynyrd Skynyrd.
Tracy Lawrence had a country hit in 2004 with his song "Paint Me A Birmingham". Other songs include "Postmarked Birmingham" by Blackhawk, "Down and Out in Birmingham" by Pirates of the Mississippi, "The Birmingham Bounce" by Red Foley, "Birmingham" by Amanda Marshall, "Birmingham Blues" by John Lee Hooker and Charlie Daniels, "Birmingham Breakdown" by Duke Ellington, "Birmingham Daddy" by Gene Autry, "Birmingham Jail" by Leadbelly and many others, "Birmingham Sunday" by Joan Baez, "Birmingham Turnaround" by Keith Whitley, and "Birmingham, Alabama" by Harry Belafonte and R. B. Greaves.
Notable Natives
See List of Birmingham, Alabama people
Sister cities
- Hitachi, Ibaraki, Japan
- Gweru, Zimbabwe
- Szekeshfehrevar, Hungary
- Cape Town, South Africa
- Pomiglian D'Arco, Italy
- Vinista, Ukraine
- Anshan, China
External links
- Official Site for the City of Birmingham, Alabama (http://www.informationbirmingham.com)
- Greater Birmingham Convention & Visitors Bureau (http://www.bcvb.org)
- Wikitravel for Birmingham (http://wikitravel.org/en/Birmingham_(Alabama))
- History of Railroads and Industries in Birmingham (http://www.bhamrails.info)
- The Birmingham News (http://www.al.com/birminghamnews) - larger (morning) daily and paper of record
- The Birmingham Post-Herald (http://www.postherald.com/) - smaller (evening) daily
- The Birmingham Times (http://thebirminghamtimes.com) - African-American community news
- The Birmingham Weekly (http://www.bhamweekly.com/) - alternative news weekly
- The Black and White (http://www.bwcitypaper.com/) - alternative news weekly
- Birmingham Business Journal (http://birmingham.bizjournals.com/birmingham/) - business news weekly
- MallBirmingham.com (http://www.mallbirmingham.com)
- Photos of Birmingham on Flickr (http://flickr.com/groups/magic_city/)
da:Birmingham, Alabama de:Birmingham (Alabama) id:Birmingham, Alabama ja:バーミンハム pl:Birmingham (miasto w USA) pt:Birmingham (Alabama)