Honoring Birmingham’s past, present and future as thousands arrive in city for NABJ convention
The National Association of Black Journalists for the first time held its annual convention in Birmingham. The event brought more than 3,500 people to our city — the second highest attendance in NABJ’s history. I was proud to speak during the opening ceremony and share our city’s story with this esteemed group of storytellers.
Good evening,
On behalf of the city of Birmingham — the city that raised me, and the city I’m so proud to serve as mayor — I extend a warm welcome to all of you for choosing the Magic City as home of this year’s NABJ convention.
NABJ’s mission of equality, fairness and telling the true stories of Black communities is not lost on us.
In fact, you couldn’t have chosen a better time to join us.
Because we need you. And, in turn, you need Birmingham.
If you haven’t been to the South in a while, you might need to be reminded how hot it is. I’m not talking about the temperature. I am talking about the climate. A climate where sitting governors, senators and former Presidents are leading a movement to erase the history, the stories and the very lives of our people.
You need Birmingham. And Birmingham needs you.
The fourth branch of our democracy is media. And I believe that media has the ability to speak truth to power.
Birmingham is a living example of this.
This year, Birmingham is celebrating the 60th anniversary of the events of 1963, one of the most pivotal years for social progress in our country’s history.
It was the terrifying morning in September of 1963 when Sixteenth Street Baptist Church was bombed before Sunday school, robbing four precious little girls of their futures and injuring so many more.
It was the year that Black activists embarked on the Birmingham campaign, leading marches and sit-ins to counter the racial segregation that plagued our city. The result was our homegrown leaders like the Rev. Ralph Abernathy and my personal hero, the Rev. Fred Shuttlesworth, being arrested for that defiance. Among those leaders was Dr. Martin Luther King, who would pen the Letter from the Birmingham Jail, a powerful reminder that “Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere.”
It was the year that our greatest resource, our young people, decided to literally march into their destinies by becoming civil-rights foot soldiers. These young people literally stood eye to eye with their oppressors — marching, chanting, and fighting so that every person in this room would be allowed the opportunity to vote.
When white publications turned a blind eye to these stories or rewrote narratives, it was the fourth branch of media — Black media specifically — that raised awareness about our people’s fight for justice.
Media turned the tide.
And in today’s age of misinformation, media again can turn the tide.
Birmingham is a living witness. That’s why we need you, and you need us.
Though we celebrate our history proudly, please do not be mistaken. Birmingham is not a city frozen in its past.
We are a progressive, forward-thinking city that is building upon its legacy. While you’re here visiting with us, you will experience nationally-recognized, award-winning restaurants. Our newly renovated arenas are establishing Birmingham as a sports and entertainment destination in the South. And, of course, exploring our historic civil rights district is a must.
You see, our commemoration of 1963 isn’t about self-reflection. We aren’t waxing nostalgic about past glory while staring at old photos.
Because Birmingham’s history, our history, isn’t in black and white. It’s in 4K.
60 years later, we’re reminded that injustice still lingers, but Birmingham has provided the blueprint for victory. It’s a reminder of the role journalists like yourselves have played in telling the stories that moved mountains. It’s a reminder that, as a people, our strength is matchless.
So NABJ, this week especially, I challenge you go out and tell Birmingham’s story — of the change we helped create, but just as importantly, the progress we’re helping to establish.
I’d like to personally thank NABJ leadership for your hard work in creating this event, as well as a shoutout out own BABJ — the Birmingham chapter of NABJ.
We’re so grateful for the tireless work of our homegrown journalists through the decades, which is why I’m so proud that our own Dr. Jesse Lewis, founder of the Birmingham Times, and AL.com columnist Roy S. Johnson will be among this year’s inductees into the NABJ Hall of Fame.
Master storytellers who have ensured that Birmingham’s legacy of progress is preserved, but just as importantly, they know that our story is far from over.
So they write, they report. They walk the streets. They listen and connect.
They give voice to the voiceless. And they trigger action in the name of justice.
Journalism, at its most powerful, is another form of activism.
Lessons learned from the streets of Birmingham.
Thank you again, NABJ. Thank you for making Birmingham your home for the new few days. Thank you moving forward with us, 60 years and beyond.
Thank you for telling our story.
