By Gwen DeRu
CELEBRATING BLACK HISTORY…THIS AND EVERY MONTH!!
TODAY…
**COMEDIAN SID DAVIS at the StarDome Comedy Club.
**THIRSTY THURSDAY at Hookah 114 17th Street No.
**READ THE BIRMINGHAM TIMES. Get all the latest news.
**WATCH LOTS OF MOVIES …after dinner and with the family and friends. Check out the Sidewalk Film Fest.
FRIDAY…
**MOVIE NIGHT: Rent and Watch movies at Sidewalkfest.com. Don’t miss JUDAS AND THE MESSIAH…and other movies at Sidewalk Cinema.
**COMEDIAN SID DAVIS at the StarDome Comedy Club.
**JAY LAMBERT AND SAXOPHONIST DALEN MINNIFIELD at Perfect Note.
**LIT FRIDAYS WITH RIPCORD, 8 p.m. – 2 a.m. at 4501 Gary Avenue in Fairfield.
**ENJOY THE DAY …the food, reading books, watching movies, taking a nap or just talking with loved ones and friends on the phone. Get outside! Get some sun if you can!
SATURDAY…
**AFRICAN HEALERS WORKSHOP, 12 p.m. at 7619 First Avenue South
**SATURDAYS IN THE GARDENS at Birmingham Botanical Gardens.
**WINE DOWN HAPPY HOUR, 4-9 p.m. at Saferoom Lounge Bar.
**HOMECOMING PART 2 – GUCCI MANE at Luxe Ultra Lounge.
**COMEDIAN JJ WILLIAMSON at the StarDome Comedy Club.
**FUN, GAMES, YARD AND HOUSE WORK including Uno, Monopoly, Solitaire, Shopping, Eating. Times are changing soon.
**TRIBUTE TO JOHN LEGEND featuring HASAN GREEN at Perfect Note.
SUNDAY…
**FAMILY TIME, GOOD FOOD AND MOVIES.
**COMEDIAN JJ WILLIAMSON at the StarDome Comedy Club.
**BASS IN YOUR FACE, 4 – 7 p.m. at Perfect Note.
MONDAY…
**READ A GOOD BOOK…There are a few on the bookshelves, just lying around are some to read, BARRACOON by ZORA NEALE HURSTON…or you can get an e-book.
**LIVE FROM THE STARDOME WITH RICKEY SMILEY KARAOKE.
**EVERY MONDAY is MONSLAYYY – THE CARIBBEAN WAY, 8 p.m. at the Vault with TRINI and BRENT TRINI-FRESH PIERRE. FREE.
TUESDAY…
**READ A REAL GOOD BOOK…You might like cookbooks, to-do books, game books, picture books, history books. You might like: MARCH by JOHN LEWIS. Check it out!
WEDNESDAY…
**INTERFAITH NOONDAY PRAYER SERVICES every Wednesday, Noon at Linn Park in Downtown Birmingham.
**IT IS WET AND IT IS COLD …focus on NEW RESOLUTIONS, HEALTHY EATING HABITS and so much more. A NEW YEAR, A NEW DAY!!
NEXT THURSDAY…
**READ THE BIRMINGHAM TIMES. Catch up on the news!
**COMEDIAN MARIO TOREY at the StarDome Comedy Club.
NEXT FRIDAY…
**MOVIE NIGHT: Rent and Watch movies at Sidewalkfest.com. Don’t miss ONE NIGHT IN MIAMI…and other movies at Sidewalk Cinema.
**COMEDIAN CHICO BEAN at the StarDome Comedy Club.
**TRIBUTE TO JILL SCOTT featuring SHARRON COLLINS at Perfect Note.
**LIT FRIDAYS WITH RIPCORD, 8 p.m. – 2 a.m. at 4501 Gary Avenue in Fairfield.
CELEBRATING BLACK HISTORY… EVERY DAY!! This is the month – February – that some people celebrate Black History. This is one of the months that a lot people celebrate all year long, every day….365 days. Here is something to share this month….
AT THE BCRI…
TODAY – Redlining: No Gate Needed – An interactive town hall about our nation’s history of housing discrimination at 6 p.m.
FEBRUARY 22 – Historically Speaking: Who Am I? Genealogy basics and best practices with John Lanier and the Birmingham African American Genealogy Group at 11 a.m.
FEBRUARY 25 – Redefining the Image Fictional Black Families – A presentation and conversation surrounding the representation of Black families in film and television, 12 p.m.
For more info: www.bcri.org
AND MORE…
**CIVIL RIGHTS EXPERIENCE, February 22 – 27, 11 a.m. – 2 p.m. at the Birmingham Civil Rights Institute by the Alabama Civil Rights Tourism Association. The Civil Rights Movement of the 1950s and 1960s reshaped the history of the United States and the World leaving a legacy that is both vibrant and inspiring, but also fragile. In Alabama the cities of Montgomery, Birmingham and Selma were home to some of the greatest touring points of the multi-year efforts. For more about this trip and others: www.civilrightstourism .org/itinerary/2021.
**ROSA PARKS MUSEUM VIRTUAL TOURS….TUESDAYS AT 12 P.M. AND THURSDAYS AT 3 P.M. Virtually learn about Rosa Parks’ arrest, see a 1950s Montgomery city bus and understand how a group of willing men and women fueled the resolve movement. While traveling through time, hear about the young Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. and see the mass effect the Montgomery Bus Boycott and Civil Rights Movement had on the world. Sign up at Troy.edu/rosaparks.
FOR COMMUNITY LOVERS…
AT THE BIRMINGHAM ZOO…
**CELEBRATING THE COMMUNITY SUPPORT – The Birmingham Zoo celebrates the conclusion of its successful Feed Your Animals year-end campaign to provide care for over 550 animals, including endangered species that call the Zoo “home”. With a goal of $780,000, the Zoo challenged the public with $390,000 in matching gifts from Wells Fargo, Alabama Power, Robert R. Meyer Foundation, generous individual donors, and Protective Life Corporation who jump-started the campaign by awarding a $250,000 grant. The Feed Your Animals campaign supports the Emergency Animal Fund, which started in spring 2020 and is one of the ongoing efforts to help make up for the Zoo’s financial shortfall caused by the pandemic. Chris Pfefferkorn, Birmingham Zoo President & CEO wants to acknowledge the public’s charitable giving and remind everyone that the Birmingham Zoo is a relaxing oasis to get away from life’s daily pressures. He wants to thank everyone that supported in every way.
**ANNUAL TEEN SUMMIT – The National Hook-Up of Black Women Birmingham, February 27, 2 p.m. with virtual presentations: Transitioning to Adulthood, Healthy eating with Live Cooking Demos, the Science of African Drumming, Challenges of Virtual learning and more. Special Guest is FLOURISH. For more visit the national Hook-Up of Black Women Birmingham.
**SAVE THE DATE MARCH 20 – UNCF GALA VIRTUAL LIVESTREAM, 6:30 p.m. VIP Reception and 7:30 p.m. Program. The Honorable Mayor RANDALL WOODFIN hosts the event with entertainment by ERIC ESSIX TRIO. The 2021 Masked Awards Honorees are DR. JESSE J. LEWIS, SR., JJ Lewis Investment and JONATHAN K. PORTER, Alabama Power Company. LEROY ABRAHAM of Regions Bank is Chair and TRACEY MORANT ADAMS, with Renasant Bank is Vice Chair.
**BIRMINGHAM JEWISH FEDERATION CAMPAIGN – The Birmingham Jewish Federation campaigns ‘Federation Today for a Brighter Tomorrow’ …MARCH 10 is the COMMUNITY CAMPAIGN PROGRAM: A Conversation with the SON OF HAMAS – MOSAB HASSAN YOUSEF on Zoom at 7 p.m. APRIL 17 is the NEXT GEN AND YBIB CAMPAIGN EVENT, 7-9 p.m. with the location to be announced later. For more info call (205) 879-0416 or federation@bjf.org.
**MAGIC CITY MARKET PLACE at Good People Brewing and Urban Supply, 1- 5 p.m. on MARCH 6, MARCH 20, APRIL 3 AND APRIL 17. For more: magiccitymarketplace@gmail.com.
AT THE BIRMINGHAM BOTANICAL GARDENS…
**SATURDAYS IN THE GARDENS: REPOT AND REJUVENATE ORCHIDS VIRTUAL – Part of ‘Saturdays in the Gardens’ Series, February 20, 10 a.m. – Noon. Preregister at https://bbgardens.org/repot-rejuvenate-orchids.php.
**GEORGE WASHINGTON CARVER GARDEN VIRTUAL FIELD TRIP with the Discovery Field Trip Series. Join CeCe Todd to explore the George Washington Carver Garden. For more, visit https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=44SuE2oLvdA.
**VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES – Aid with watering and plant care in the Gardens’ greenhouses and outdoor lath houses and discover the lush exotic varieties of tropicals and rare beauties. Go to volunteer@bbgardens.org for details.
**HONEY FROM THE GARDENS – The Library at the Gardens have a curbside service, 9 a.m. – 4 p.m. weekdays, to purchase locally sourced honey from the Gardens’ hives or flavored in cinnamon, lemon or jalapeno from Ivy Brook Apiary. Call (205) 588-4593 or (205) 533-6062 to schedule a pickup.
**AN EVENING WITH AN EXPERT is a ‘Cook Along with Chef Chris Hastings,’ on Sunday, March 7, 5:30 – 7 p.m. Join Friends of Birmingham Botanical Garden for a fun and festive evening featuring Chris Hastings, James Beard Award-winning chef and co-owner of Birmingham’s own OvenBird and Hot and Hot Fish Club! As part of this live stream fundraiser, which supports the Friends of Birmingham Botanical Gardens’ Internship Program, you’ll receive a custom, three-course dinner menu created by Chef Hastings especially for the event, as well as his recipes, ingredient list, pro tips, and recommended wine pairings. Cook along with Chef Chris Hastings as he shares cooking tips and tricks and answers your questions live from his kitchen at Hot and Hot Fish Club. The event will begin at 5:30 p.m. and include—of course—a number of garden-fresh favorites! For more, info@bbgardens.org or call (205) 414-3950.
**NATIVE PLANT CONFERENCE-GROWING RESILIENCE – Discover why native plants are vital to our gardens, March 11-14. The event will include virtual talks, roundtables and trivia, in-person small group field trips for professionals and hobbyists. Register at https://bbgardens.org/npc.php.
AT OPERA BIRMINGHAM…
**JUKEBOX 2021 – Opera Birmingham presents Jukebox 2021, a virtual concert of soaring melodies and beloved favorites! Jukebox 2021 will be available for viewing at www.operabirmingham.org/Jukebox2021 on Saturday, March 20 at 6 p.m. CDT. The concert is free. Watch and sing along from the comfort of your own home. An auction of arias and songs for the Jukebox Playlist will end on Sunday, February 14 at 8 pm. CST. For $10 per vote, you can vote for your favorite song(s) sung by one of the participating singers to be included in the lineup at Jukebox 2021. Pick all of your favorites chosen by each of the singers: baritone Corey McKern, soprano Susanna Phillips, soprano Brandie Sutton, and baritone Corey Trahan. As part of the Jukebox 2021 festivities, there is also a silent auction, featuring artwork, collectibles, restaurant gift certificates, special experiences, and more! Bidding opens March 18 at 5 p.m. CDT, but you can preview the items now. To participate in the auction, visit www.operabirmingham.org/Jukebox2021.
FOR POLITICAL LOVERS, PEOPLE INTERESTED IN POLITICS AND PEOPLE THAT VOTE…
With the national campaign for President and Vice President over, the doors have opened for state and local elections. (Look for what I get, right here.)
FOR MUSIC LOVERS…
**FEBRUARY 19 – JAY LAMBERT AND DALEN MINNIFIELD at Perfect Note
**FEBRUARY 20 – TRIBUTE TO THE KING OF REGGAE “BOB MARLEY”, 6 p.m. – 2 a.m. featuring CULTURE DREAD at 1801 11th Avenue North.
**FEBRUARY 24 – POETRY OPEN MIC, 6 p.m.at Fountain Heights Recreation Center, 1101 15th Avenue North. Call (205) 514-3912 for more.
FOR BOOK LOVERS…
**BOOK READ – There is a book discussion, TODAY, 6 p.m. by Birmingham native MAJOR GENERAL N. LEE S. PRICE for her book NO GREATER HONOR: LESSONS FROM MY LIFE AS A SOLDIER, all Leadership Birmingham alumni and others can preregister at: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSfqnXf4JN6w5OIuYJJEV9ldZHgss0kn1WrdUSC2D9KFes9YcA/viewform.
…HERE are a few good books… It is BLACK HISTORY MONTH. Here are a few Black History books to read…. Check them out (Some taken from Book Riot)
**BOOK: BARRACOON: THE STORY OF THE LAST “BLACK CARGO” by ZORA NEALE HURSTON who uses this book to give a voice to the last presumed survivor of the Middle Passage. She went to Plateau, Alabama in 1927 to interview the 86-year-old Cudjo Lewis, and this is his story. Lewis recounts how he was abducted in Africa and brought to the U.S. on the last “Black Cargo” ship during the Middle Passage, as well as the years he spent enslaved before he was freed. He shares the horrors of slavery, like being stuck in a barracoon waiting to be “selected” by American slavers, as well as his childhood memories of Africa. Barracoon gives a voice to a story that has to be told, a harrowing part of Black History that more people should know about.
**BOOK: MEDICAL APARTHEID: THE DARK HISTORY OF MEDICAL EXPERIMENTATION ON BLACK AMERICA FROM COLONIAL TIMES TO THE PRESENT by HARRIET A. WASHINGTON tells another dark moment in Black History. Dark because it talks about medical experimentation, but also because it’s a lesser-known fact that the medical establishment also discriminates to the point of experimenting on unwilling Black Americans. From grave-robbing for unauthorized autopsies in the past to the use of eugenics to justify experimental exploitation in the present.This book addresses the relationship between racism and medicine and how it has shaped the health sector for Black people in the United States.
**BOOK: MATCH TRILOGY by JOHN LEWIS is the memoir of Congressman John Lewis. Made up of three volumes, it tells the story of his rise and struggle as a leader of the Civil Rights Movement. March: Book One deals with his life in Alabama, his meeting with Martin Luther King Jr., as well as the rise of the Nashville Student Movement. This memoir shows an important narrative in an unconventional format, making it a fun but difficult read.
**BOOK: WAITING ‘TIL THE MIDNIGHT HOURS is written by PENIEL E. JOSEPH. The Black Power Movement renounced Martin Luther King’s pacifism, pioneering a new radical approach to the fight for equality. Waiting ‘Til the Midnight Hour tells their story, from its beginnings in 1950s Harlem to its death in the ’70s. It also shows the rise of some of the groups that were a part of the movement, like the Black Panthers. Joseph uses research and oral history to paint the picture of a movement that defined another path for Black people to fight for equality.
**BOOK: LIFE UPON THESE SHORES: LOOKING AT AFRICAN AMERICAN HISTORY 1513 – 2008 by HENRY LOUIS GATES, JR. tells the story of African Americans from their forced arrival to the country and their enslavement in the 16th century to the election of Obama as President in 2008. It talks about the Great Migration, the Civil Rights Movement, the Civil War, the hip-hop generation and many other important events in Black History. If you want to read a single book to learn the most about Black History in a larger scope, this is it.
FOR MOVIE LOVERS…
**JUDAS AND THE BLACK MESSIAH is a narrative directed by SHAKA KING. This is a story of Fred Hampton, Chairman of the Illinois Black Panther Party, and his fateful betrayal of FBI informant William O’Neal. Screening through 25th February.
**MINARI is a narrative directed by LEE ISAAC CHUNG. It is about a Korean family that starts a farm in 1980s Arkansas. Screening is through – March 4.
**STOWE STORY LABS 2021 APPLICATION SEASON OPENS – Sidewalk Film Fest is partnering with the Labs for the Third Annual Sidewalk/Stowe Narrative Lab. The Stowe Story Labs was founded to help top emerging screenwriters, filmmakers and creative producers from around the world get work made and seen. The 2021 Programs include: MAY 14-18: Stowe Writers Retreat, JUNE 5-8: Stowe Narrative Lab, AUGUST 25-28: Sidewalk Narrative Lab (Remote) and SEPTEMBER 3-7: Stowe Writers’ Retreat. Apply at Sidewalkfest.com.
**MARCH’S BOOK AND FILM CLUB…
BOOK: Some Kind of Hero: The Remarkable Story of the James Bond Films by MATTHEW FIELD.
FILM: SKYFALL (2012 directed by ANTHONY SCHATTERMAN. Register before March 3rd at 7 p.m. Discussion Date is March 31st at 7 p.m. via Zoom.
Book + Film Club will remain virtual through June 2021. Email kiwi@sidewalkfest.com for more.
FOR LOVERS OF ART AND CULTURAL ENTERTAINMENT…
AT STEPHEN SMITH FINE ART…
**HEALERS IN THE SKY, PENTACLE IN MY HEART is a solo exhibition by LANETTE BLANKENSHIP. The Gallery is open Tuesday through Friday 11 a.m. – 4 p.m. and Saturday 12-5 p.m. at the Stephen Smith Fine Art Gallery in Fairfield. This exhibition will coincide with the Grand Opening of GYPSY TREASURE, an antique emporium located within Stephen Smith Fine Art.
AT THE BIRMINGHAM MUSEUM OF ART…
**AN EPIC OF EARTH AND WATER Claire Leighton and the New England Industries Series through May 2, 2021.
**ALL THINGS BRIGHT AND BEAUTIFUL through March, 2021, primarily from the Museum’s permanent collection that looks at themes of power and agency. This exhibition takes its name from a painting by Amy Sherald, whose portraits depict Black sitters with pride, dignity, and joy, representation historically only afforded to white people. Some artists in the exhibition look towards power in other creative endeavors, like music. Others contemplate the hidden potential of everyday objects by transforming them into works of art. Several artists engage the representation of space and architecture – including museum spaces – to discover the dynamics of power. Considered together, these works illustrate the importance of being seen, choosing how to be depicted, and telling one’s own history.
**WAYS OF SEEING – BUILDINGS AND MONUMENTS through March 2021
**WALL TO WALL – MERRITT JOHNSON through Spring 2021. BMA hours are Tuesday – Saturday 10 a.m. – 5 p.m. and Sundays Noon – 5 p.m. with virtual offerings will continue, including live programs, meditation exercises, art-making activities and much more!
FOR COMEDY LOVERS…
AT THE STARDOME COMEDY CLUB…
**TODAY AND FRIDAY… COMEDIAN SID DAVIS…Get ready for Non-Stop Laughter! This former airline worker hilariously unloads side-splitting baggage on stage. Sid’s humor is fueled with A.D.D., a wavering ego and a grade school teacher wife who views him as a child left behind. Sid Davis’ late in life arrival in the comedy business immediately impressed several A-list comics who loved his writing and mentored him. His first ComedyTime TV spot shot up to the highest ranking spot for over twelve consecutive weeks. In 2012 Sid Davis was voted “Best in Fest” by the audiences at the San Luis Obispo Comedy Festival. In case anyone thought that was a fluke; Sid returned to the SLO fest and fans voted him Best in Fest again in 2013 and AGAIN 2014.
**SATURDAY AND SUNDAY…COMEDIAN JJ WILLIAMSON…J.J.’s devotion to his art has indeed been rewarding. He has worked with comedy giants such as Chris Tucker, D.L. Hughley, Rickey Smiley and Bruce Bruce. He has electrified stages across the country with Cedric “The Entertainer” during summer tours and also graced the stages and entertained thousands at numerous popular venues such as the Los Angeles Improv, Miami Improv, the Chicago House of Blues, Caroline’s of New York, the Comedy Store of Los Angeles, the Universal Amphitheater of Los Angeles and the Palace Theaters in Cleveland and Columbus, Ohio and MANY MORE.
**MONDAY…LIVE FROM THE STARDOME WITH RICKEY SMILEY KARAOKE
**NEXT THURSDAY…COMEDIAN MARIO TORY… Mario M. Tory, an up and coming comedian. Funny, witty, and down to earth, this ambitious comedian has had his opportunity to host, feature and involve himself in many outrageous open mic nights. Since his first appearance on stage at the Original Uptown Comedy Corner open mic night Tripping on Tuesday, featuring Grand Hustle. This talented young man hit the ground running! He was featured in an televised UPN talent showcase in his first month. In the months to follow Mario recorded his debut DVD entitled “I Ain’t Lyin”, at the famous Comedy House in Columbia South Carolina. He held down one of the longest running comedy nights in the southside of Atlanta at The Gate.He is also a graduate and a member of the Black Top Circus Improve Group (one of the few Black improve shows).
**NEXT FRIDAY THROUGH SUNDAY…COMEDIAN CHICO BEAN … Chico is ¼ of the infamous 85 South Show Podcast Crew along with DC Young Fly, Karlous Miller, and Clayton English and a current castmember of MTV’s “Wild ‘N Out.”
Although Anthony “Chico” Bean has only been doing stand-up for 6 years, has compiled the experience of a well-seasoned comedian. Through his budding success as an opener for Chris Wiles, Chico became a founding member of the NC Comics All-Stars as well as NC’s Freestyle Funny Comedy Show. He has performed all over the country at Comedy Clubs, Colleges and Universities. Recently he just completed a run in New York City which included taking the stage at the renowned Gotham Comedy Club for the Nick Cannon CBS Fresh faces Comedy show. Chico also recently worked as a writer & actor on the upcoming E! network sketch comedy series The James Davis Project.
**COMING SOON – COMEDIANS KELLY KELLZ AND JORDAN JACKSON, JON “POLAR BEAR” GONZALEZ, COREY HOLCOMB, STEVE MCGRAW, CARLOS MENCIA, JESS HILARIOUS and more… DON’T MISS THEM!
Well, that’s it. Tell you more ‘next’ time. People, P
