Category Archives: Race relations

A city, a mountain, and a Tiny Kingdom

March 12, 2019 David Sher Leave a comment

ComebackTown is published by David Sher to begin a discussion on a more prosperous Birmingham.

Today’s guest blogger is Reverend John Bagby. If you’d like to be a guest blogger, please click here.

Margaret Brown lived in Titusville, a neighborhood in Birmingham. Two months before I was born in 1949, she was hired to come and live with my family, and work in our home six days a week as a maid, or “the help,” as folks in Mountain Brook would have said back then. Continue reading A city, a mountain, and a Tiny Kingdom →

Corporate community, Guest blogger, Race relations

Let’s galvanize behind a community effort to grow the Black Business Class

January 29, 2019 David Sher 6 Comments

ComebackTown is published by David Sher to begin a discussion on a more prosperous metro Birmingham.

Today’s guest blogger is Bob Dickerson. If you’d like to be a guest blogger, please click here.

If we close Birmingham’s racial wealth gap we all benefit.

If you’re black and you’re reading this then you know exactly what I mean by the racial wealth gap. If you’re white there’s a chance that you might not realize and worse, might not have ever focused on the problems that this gaping disparity cause. Continue reading Let’s galvanize behind a community effort to grow the Black Business Class →

David Sher posts, Race relations, Regional collaboration

Look out divided Birmingham: Here come the Millennials!

October 30, 2018 David Sher 6 Comments

I live in two different worlds.

The world of my contemporaries—folks 50, 60, 70 years old who are generally happy with the status quo.

And the world of 20, 30, and 40 year olds—who are desperate for change.

I make some of my contemporary friends nervous. Continue reading Look out divided Birmingham: Here come the Millennials! →

David Sher posts, Government structure, Race relations

What I’ve learned about Birmingham, Mtn. Brook, & people

October 2, 2018 David Sher 18 Comments

It’s been a wild ride publishing ComebackTown.

I never dreamed publishing a weekly blog about how to create a more prosperous Birmingham could be so challenging—but so DARN interesting!

I’ve learned so much about human nature, Birmingham, and our suburban neighbors. Continue reading What I’ve learned about Birmingham, Mtn. Brook, & people →

Guest blogger, Race relations, What's great about Birmingham

Director reckons with Art Museum’s ugly past

September 13, 2018 David Sher 6 Comments

Graham Boettcher, The R. Hugh Daniel Director of the Birmingham Museum of Art

ComebackTown is published by David Sher to begin a discussion on a more prosperous Birmingham.

Today’s guest blogger is Graham Boettcher. If you’d like to be a guest blogger, please click here.

The Birmingham Museum of Art is proud to serve the people of our city.

Through the generosity of our community, we’ve built an exceptional collection of more than 27,000 works of art, and last year, welcomed 123,000 visitors through our doors.

It wasn’t so long ago, however, when we failed many of our citizens, writing a shameful chapter in the Museum’s history that we are still striving to overcome. Continue reading Director reckons with Art Museum’s ugly past →

David Sher posts, Race relations

My dad’s struggle to do the right thing in racially charged Birmingham

August 15, 2018 David Sher 12 Comments

I grew up in the South in the 1950’s.

‘Negroes’ drank from water fountains labeled ‘Colored’; used separate restrooms from whites; and were relegated to sit in the back of buses.

My father owned a small retail store in downtown Birmingham. Continue reading My dad’s struggle to do the right thing in racially charged Birmingham →

Guest blogger, Race relations

David Carrington: ‘My most embarrassing moment’

April 25, 2018 David Sher 2 Comments

Jefferson County Commissioner David Carrington

ComebackTown is published by David Sher to begin a discussion on a better Birmingham.

Today’s guest blogger is David Carrington. If you’d like to be a guest blogger, please click here.

(Comments of Commissioner David Carrington at the unveiling of the new mural at Jefferson County Courthouse April 24th)…

Today is my 70^th birthday – and I’m closer to my journey’s end – than I am to its beginning.

I’ve seen so many new things in my lifetime – from air conditioning – to indoor plumbing at my grandparent’s house – to color television sets – to images of a man walking on the moon – to microwave ovens – to a personal computer that conveniently fits in my shirt pocket – and is insultingly called a phone. Continue reading David Carrington: ‘My most embarrassing moment’ →

David Sher posts, Government structure, Population, Race relations

Mtn. Brook, Homewood, Vestavia wannabe gambles & loses

March 14, 2018 David Sher Leave a comment

Rarely do you have an opportunity to read an article that clearly shows why we’ve had virtually no job growth in our metropolitan area.

Erin Edgemon of al.com recently wrote a piece about how a Jefferson County municipality took a big gamble and lost.

Continue reading Mtn. Brook, Homewood, Vestavia wannabe gambles & loses →

Guest blogger, Race relations, What's great about Birmingham

Birmingham’s award-winning food scene vilified: BAD FOR AMERICA

September 19, 2017 David Sher 11 Comments

ComebackTown is published by David Sher to begin a discussion on a better Birmingham.

Today’s guest blogger is Samantha Dubrinsky. If you’d like to be a guest blogger, please click here.

Earlier this year, it was announced that Food & Wine magazine would be relocating to Birmingham. For weeks, there were articles highlighting what a wonderful move this is for Birmingham and the food industry. Continue reading Birmingham’s award-winning food scene vilified: BAD FOR AMERICA →

David Sher posts, Race relations, What's great about Birmingham

Time for Birmingham to embrace our civil rights past

July 25, 2017 David Sher 5 Comments

Birmingham’s been called the ‘city of perpetual promise.’

But that potential seems to elude us.

Destiny, however, has dealt us a hand and it’s up to us to grab it.

If we want to make our mark on the world then we must identify how we’re unique and how we can exploit that uniqueness. Continue reading Time for Birmingham to embrace our civil rights past →

To begin a conversation about a better Birmingham