Category Archives: What’s great about Birmingham

Guest blogger, What's great about Birmingham

Birmingham once headed for greatness–We can do it again!

October 10, 2018 David Sher Leave a comment

David Fleming,, President &CEO of REV Birmingham — David Fleming, President & CEO of REV Birmingham

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

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

If you were standing on the corner of 1^st Avenue North and 20^th Street in 1871, you would be standing in a forest. A few miles to the west would be the small county seat town of Elyton. You’d see a few pioneer homes scattered throughout the valley. Continue reading Birmingham once headed for greatness–We can do it again! →

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

Director reckons with Art Museum’s ugly past

September 13, 2018 David Sher 5 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 →

Guest blogger, What's great about Birmingham

What’s this black woman doing in the Junior League of Birmingham?

September 5, 2018 David Sher 4 Comments

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

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

I know you’ve seen it:

The Help. That movie another Southern girl (Kathryn Stockett) wrote, that shook up the publishing world and shone a light on a group of women’s audacity to use the written word to create change. Continue reading What’s this black woman doing in the Junior League of Birmingham? →

Corporate community, David Sher posts, What's great about Birmingham

The Birmingham company that ate Atlanta

August 22, 2018 David Sher 5 Comments

Birmingham Barons playing baseball at Regions Field

When I was growing up in the ‘50’s Birmingham and Atlanta were about the same size.

Birmingham was actually larger than Nashville, Charlotte, and Austin—but I digress.

My father took me to Rickwood Field to watch the Southern League Birmingham Barons play baseball against the Atlanta Crackers. Continue reading The Birmingham company that ate Atlanta →

Guest blogger, UAB, What's great about Birmingham

Can UAB football continue to astound the experts?

August 7, 2018 David Sher 5 Comments

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

Today’s guest blogger is UAB Football coach Bill Clark. If you’d like to be a guest blogger, please click here.

How special was #theReturn, our first season back as a football team at UAB in 2017? Everything we did was beyond my expectations.

In my wildest dreams, I thought if we won six games it would be a miracle. We won eight, the most victories in our Football Bowl Subdivision history. I said if we can somehow get bowl-eligible, it would really be a miracle. We went to the Bahamas Bowl, just the second bowl trip in our young history. Continue reading Can UAB football continue to astound the experts? →

Guest blogger, UAB, What's great about Birmingham

Birmingham: Our possibilities are limitless!

July 31, 2018 David Sher 4 Comments

Chuck Holmes, Executive Director and General Manager of WBHM

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

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

It happened again.

At WBHM, the public radio station that I lead here in Birmingham, we get occasional visits from our NPR colleagues in Washington, D.C.

After they’ve spent a day or so here, I know what’s coming. The reactions of first-time visitors to Birmingham have become predictable. Continue reading Birmingham: Our possibilities are limitless! →

Guest blogger, What's great about Birmingham

Birmingham: Not as comfortable as I thought

July 2, 2018 David Sher 4 Comments

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

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

Growing up in Birmingham, I had a large comfort zone surrounded by my family, the Indian community, and with the Altamont school of which I attended. Continue reading Birmingham: Not as comfortable as I thought →

Guest blogger, UAB, What's great about Birmingham

What I did at UAB will surprise you

June 6, 2018 David Sher Leave a comment

Avei Logoleo

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

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

I was not a cheerleader.

No, I was not a soccer player.

I wasn’t on the Blazer dance team.

And I didn’t play the tuba in the UAB marching band.

But most of you would be surprised to learn about my unique UAB experience. Continue reading What I did at UAB will surprise you →

Guest blogger, What's great about Birmingham

Birmingham ready for a food fight!

April 11, 2018 David Sher 1 Comment

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

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

There’s a four letter ‘F‘ word that could help define Birmingham’s future–but as you might expect–it’s not the one you’re probably thinking.

However, when I tell you the word, it still won’t be in the context of what you might expect. Continue reading Birmingham ready for a food fight! →

Guest blogger, UAB, What's great about Birmingham

Tony Petelos: I was at death’s door

March 6, 2018 David Sher 1 Comment

Tony Petelos, County Manager of Jefferson County

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

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

I’ve lived in and served Jefferson County my entire life.

However, I never would have imagined that living in Birmingham and in Jefferson County would have saved my life.

In May of 2014 I was diagnosed with an aggressive life-threatening bladder cancer. Continue reading Tony Petelos: I was at death’s door →

To begin a conversation about a better Birmingham