
Today’s guest columnist is Michael Sznajderman.
Hey Birmingham. Why do we have such low self-esteem?
Yes, we have a dark history.
Yes, our steamy summers can be trying.
And yes, we’ve got some tough issues that aren’t easily solved.
I could go on.
But it’s our chronic insecurity – the discomfort we display when trying to talk up Birmingham as a pretty phenomenal town – that may be our city’s most troubling problem.
Because, if you ask first-time visitors to Birmingham what they think, they’ll tell you that this is a pretty cool place. Just maybe, we could learn something from them.
Last month, I took in a giant dose of Birmingham-love from thousands of outsiders who came to our city – many of whom had never been here before.
They came for the 2024 Main Street Now conference – an annual gathering of community planners and designers, architects, and others devoted to revitalizing towns and neighborhoods of all sizes, across the United States. The conference was hosted by Main Street Alabama, the coordinating program for Main Street communities in our state.
Typically, Main Street Now chooses cities far larger than Birmingham. Last year, they were in Boston; next year, it’s Philadelphia.
And yet, Main Streeters converged on Birmingham in force, breaking the record for attendance.
The Main Streeters packed a ton into the four days they spent here. Beyond the more than 140 educational sessions at the Birmingham-Jefferson Convention Complex and the Alabama Theatre, there were “mobile workshops” (field trips) to rejuvenating communities across central Alabama, as well as expertly-led bus and walking tours of downtown Birmingham, Woodlawn, the city’s historic churches, Sloss Furnaces, and Vulcan Park and Museum.
I was privileged to volunteer at some of the Main Street Now events. I met people from tiny towns in Utah and Colorado, Maine and Montana. I also chatted with folks from big towns, like Atlanta and Milwaukee, Detroit and Miami. To a person, they were blown away by our city and state and the innovative ways towns as diverse as Montgomery and Jasper, Wetumpka and Gadsden are redeveloping and enhancing some of their unique and authentic spaces and places.
As for what they thought of Birmingham, the first-timers I talked with were stunned by our community’s natural beauty, its architecture, its cultural and historic attractions, its expanding parks and greenways, the amazing food, and cool nightspots. They really had no idea.
They had a blast, and were absolutely charmed by our warmth and our hospitality. And, they said, they want to come back.
Again, I’m not saying Birmingham and other Alabama cities and towns – and our state – don’t have challenges. We have plenty of difficult, unresolved issues.
But these visitors reaffirmed for me how Birmingham can amaze the stranger, in a good way. And, how our city and state can impress even the most jaded big-city dweller or world traveler. All we have to do is get them here.
Last year, the reaction from newcomers was the same when the National Association of Black Journalists (NABJ) brought their annual conference to Birmingham. Like Main Street Now, NABJ typically descends on much larger cities. They chose Birmingham in 2023 because it was the 60th anniversary of the human rights campaign that took place here and changed the world for the better. That conference, too, broke the organization’s attendance record.
Next year, the Birmingham area will host the World Police and Fire Games, which will draw more than 8,500 athletes from more than 70 countries, plus thousands more who want to root on their friends and loved ones competing at the games. This global event is even larger than The World Games that took place in the city in 2022.
I love how all these folks are finding their way to Birmingham and Alabama. We have a lot to show them, and I know we can pleasantly surprise a lot of them.
So, love this place. It’s actually pretty cool, and worth working on to make it even better.
Don’t take my word for it. The Main Streeters raved about their trip to our lovely place. And it was lovely to hear it.
Now, swallow your insecurities and spread the word.
Michael Sznajderman is a retired public relations professional and former newspaper reporter, columnist and editor. He lives in Birmingham.
David Sher is the founder and publisher of ComebackTown. He’s past Chairman of the Birmingham Regional Chamber of Commerce (BBA), Operation New Birmingham (REV Birmingham), and the City Action Partnership (CAP).
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Invite David to speak for free to your group about how we can have a more prosperous metro Birmingham. dsher@comebacktown..com.
Tuesday, June 11, 2024
Michael Sznajderman,
“Why does Birmingham have such low self-esteem?”
Well, it doesn’t take a lot of brain charge to know this one…Any bright sixth grader, in any part of the country, knows Birmingham’s reputation.
Birmingham Alabama, by dint of willful ignorance and pure unbridled racism, put a blight on Alabama that it will never get over.
So how does one instill confidence and esteem on a city with such an ignoble past ?
Not gonna happen.
No matter how many obvious rationalizations, no matter how much protest to the contrary, no matter how many new buildings, and no matter how many stage showings of “Mary Poppins”, Birmingham with not recover.
After so much suffering Birmingham has brought upon its citizenry, Birmingham can never “come back” a clean town and look into a mirror without shame and disgust.
Earth to Birmingham : Just move on and make peace with your children. And don’t lie to them.
The question is both moot, and academic.
~ Ballard from Huntsville
Wrong. This city has one of the most noble pasts of any place in this country. Here, in this city and on this land, the bravest of the brave stared down the evils of injustice and brought it to its knees. Here is where children, mere 14 and 15 year olds, went to the streets in the thousands to demand that this country abide by the principles set forth in its Constitution. Birmingham Alabama, my dear Sir, literally ushered this entire country into the modern Civil Rights Era. These actions in this city by these brave people compelled and really demanded the passage of the Civil Rights Acts of 1965 and 1965 and the Voting Rights Act. These pieces of legislation are directly responsible for the subsequent passage of the Americans with Disabilities Act, Title IX for gender equality, and the Stonewall Riots and the beginning of Gay Liberation Movement. All Americans live with the consequences of each of these pieces of legislation today. They have fundamentally changed every life in this country. And this ALL began right here in BIRMINGHAM. You have sadly adopted a false narrative. This is the real story of this city, and one that I am tremendously proud of and that every citizen of this town should be.
P.S. It is noted that you write from Huntsville. And what mark have you all left on history? Oh, rockets that landed on the moon built by escape Nazis who were given safe haven in North Alabama. Got it.
So some people came to town for a few days and you fed them good food and showed them the best entertainment we have to offer and they left surprised. How many businesses have left town? Why is the population shrinking? How many of the people you talked up Birmingham to are moving their companies here?
If they even thought of doing it for a moment the high crime and homicide rate, the poor public educational system and things like our horrible mass transit system discourage them. Perhaps if all the Bling Birmingham has invested in things like partnering with a company under Federal investigation and which could very well be broken up and financially unable to uphold its commitment to the city had been invested in subsidizing companies to come here I would get out my Pom Poms.
And you and your attitude and the people like you are the real answer to the question. The fortunes of this city are really no different than those of places like Detroit, St. Louis, Baltimore, and Cleveland, ect., cities with a glorious and prosperous industrial past that faced significant changes in the global economic system. Yet despite the challenges and negative consequences of this they can all still acknowledge their beauty and value and be proud of what they are. Not here though. Not with people like you and their self-hating defeatist mindsets. The good news is that younger generations feel differently about this place and think differently and it is manifesting in the energy and the businesses around the area and their attitudes in general. It is manifesting in all of the initiatives and non-profits and tech incubators, etc., being run by the young. The good news is that the older generation and their self-hating and defeatist attitudes are disappearing from the consciousness of this town more and more every day, to the benefit of us all. If you can only see this city through this very myopic, one-dimensional lens of its problems and failures and not Also for its specialness and beauty and promise, I can only imagine that that is also the only lens through which you can see yourself and your own reality. And that is the saddest thing of all.
You are sooo right in that it’s the younger generation that will/is bring Birmingham back. The younger generation knows the dreadful history of racism in the city, our state and throughout the South. The younger generation though is not wallowing in the past but forging ahead with creative ideas and a positive vision of what an inclusive Birmingham and the state of Alabama can be.
Tom in Huntsville
Michael: Thank you for sharing your experiences and your thoughts. One thing that I have learned from being an avid Comeback Town reader is that there will always be Birmingham deniers. Those, like you, who are working to move the needle in a positive direction always face push-back.
We know there are problems here, just as there are problems in every city. The question is whether one chooses to stay involved to make a positive difference or chooses to escape to try to live a life with others of just their same views on politics, history, race, religion and culture.
Those who call Birmingham home have chosen to stay and are reaping the benefits of living in a culturally diverse and thriving city–with great opportunities for a meaningful and exciting lifestyle. Yes, sometimes Birmingham is a rough and tumble world. But, I wouldn’t trade places.
It’s like when guests come to your house, they only gleam on the positive aspects. It’s common courtesy. Of course there are good parts of birmingham, but to a young professional, it’s pretty dismal. The young professional / singles crowd is awful in Birmingham. The young professionals crowd in Mountain Brook is literally nothing but “wannabe Buckheads” or old family money. I just don’t prefer that vibe.
That’s the cringe part of the city. The other part is there isn’t much opportunity at all. Whatever opportunity there is to be found often leaves.
Just looking at the quality of roads/landscaping/overall asthetic, it’s not well taken care of. NOW, sure there are some areas that are nice but by and far, it’s trashy. Even driving down 280 or 31. Things are not taken care of.
If Birmingham was cheaper to live in, then maybe there’s an argument there, but it’s really not! So for the same price, why would I choose Birmingham over Nashville, Austin, Atlanta, Charlotte, Dallas, Orlando, etc.?
I understand you want to spin positivity about where you live. It’s probably home to you and you want to make it great. I get that, but you have to call it for what it is. Maybe for you it’s great. But for most, it’s not an attractive option.
Michael,
First I’d challenge your assumption that people of Birmingham have low esteem for the city. But let’s assume you are correct. I’d ask you to review articles from this site and the comments. You will find the answers which you seek. You will see people desire for more and better. People longer for past days when Biringham was home to multiple Fortune 500 companies. People miss their children that live in other states pursing well paying careers. People are tired of the fragmented municipalities. People wish they didn’t have to live in suburbs just to feel safe and provide a good/safe education for their children. People wish they didn’t have to turn a blind eye to blight they drive past between their suburban homes and downtown jobs. People are envious of places like Huntsville that is built on high paying jobs rather than blue collar jobs. Birmingham was built on coal mines, iron ore, and steel mills. Times have changed but the blue collar nature hasn’t. People always want more/better. People will always covet what they see from others that are better off.
BUT I think your assumptions are wrong. I don’t think people of Birmingham and surrounding areas have low esteem for the city. I think it is a false narrative perpetuated by those outside of Birmingham. By those that see the positives and jealous…jealous it isn’t happening to their town.
This was a great read. Our little family moved to the Birmingham area almost 5 years ago now. We love Birmingham! I am a Birmingham wedding photographer, and have enjoyed growing my business and meeting new people here. We are excited for the future of Birmingham, and where it is headed!