Who is best to bring eye witness personal accounts of today and enlightenment to young minds? Helping them to know that even though we have accomplished much, the struggle still continues for young women of today and tomorrow.
The Miss Black Alabama USA Scholarship Pageant has partnered with The Birmingham Civil Rights Institute (BCRI) during PAGEANT WEEK to make sure that the participating young women from all over the state of Alabama understand the significance of the 50 YEARS FORWARD CELEBRATION and that even though we have
made great strides the struggle still continues.
BCRI is the perfect place for the pageant’s special guest panel of sitting female judges to bring enlightenment and understanding to the 2013 pageant participants. The mission of the Birmingham Civil Rights Institute (BCRI) is to
promote civil and human rights worldwide through education. They do this by helping visitors understand the past’s relationship to the present and future developments of human relations in Birmingham, the U.S. and abroad.
Ahmad Ward, Head of Education and Exhibition for the BCRI will recap the highpoints of Birmingham’s 50 YEARS FORWARD activities which included the Symposium on Youth, Activism and Human Rights, which celebrated and commemorated the roles of youth in movements for change and justice around the world. The year 2013 marked fifty years since the historic Birmingham Children’s Movement and The Miss Black Alabama Scholarship Pageant wants to make sure that all participants are well educated on this State of Alabama history.
The panel of Judges will be led by the Honorable Judge Elisabeth French. Elisabeth French attended the University of Montevallo on an athletic scholarship and received her B.A. Degree with a double major in Political Science and Spanish in 1993. She earned her law degree from Samford University’s Cumberland School of Law in 1997 and entered the private practice of law, representing clients in the areas of education law and general civil litigation. In 1999, she began litigating complex civil cases. French managed cases ranging from medical malpractice actions to mass tort litigation including, diet drug litigation, hormone therapy cases, Vioxx, Celebrex, and Bextra. She continued to handle
civil matters in her private practice at the French Firm. As an attorney, she tried multiple civil jury trials. In November of 2010, French was elected as a Judge for Jefferson County’s Circuit Court. She presides over civil cases. Judge
French is a member of the Circuit Judges Association, the National Bar Association, the American Bar Association, the Birmingham Bar Association, the Magic City Bar Association and the Alabama Lawyers Association (ALA). She is a
former president of the ALA. She is married to Attorney G. Courtney French.
They have three children.
For the VIP PACKAGE which includes this event plus: V.I.P. PAGEANT SEATING TICKET ($40) V.I.P. RECEPTION ($25); V.I.P. GIFT BAG ($50 value) and the 2014 PRAYER BREAKFAST($20) call Valerie L. Jones at (205) 354-3480.
This year the event to crown the ALABAMA QUEEN, will be held in Birmingham, Alabama, December 29th, 5p.m., at the Boutwell Auditorium. The Birmingham Mayor’s Office and the City of Birmingham is a key supporter of the state Pageant. For pageant registration information contact Clarissa Lester-Kenty, Director at the MISS BLACK ALABAMA USA SCHOLARSHIP PAGEANT, Post Office Box 11209 Birmingham, Alabama, 35202, Office: (205) 727-8779; For sponsorship and volunteer information contact Valerie L. Jones, Assistant Director at (205) 354-3480.
