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Photo by Amy Lawhon/Staff Photographer
Houston Brown, retired circuit judge, says he is looking forward to honoring Angela Davis, Wednesday, January 9 during a press conference at Kelly Ingram park.
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Myles Womack
CityLifestyle Editor
[email protected]
The Birmingham Civil Rights Institute (BCRI) hosts an annual gala during Black History Month to honor an individual of its choosing to receive the Fred Shuttlesworth Human Rights award. However this year’s event has been cancelled by the institute’s Board of Directors.
The BCRI released a statement Jan. 5 that said after “closer examination she [Dr. Davis] does not meet all of the criteria on which the award is based.” Dr. Angela Davis, Birmingham native and civil rights activist, has been opposed to the policies of the Israeli state and in support of Palestinian rights throughout her career.
Davis said in statement posted on Facebook, Jan. 7, that she was “stunned” by the institute’s decision and that the award was “certain to be the highlight of my year” as she planned to return to her hometown. Despite the BCRI’s cancellation of the award, The Birmingham Committee for Truth and Reconciliation (BCTR), a Birmingham-based civil rights group, intends to honor Davis in alternate event on Feb. 16 titled “A Conversation with Angela Davis.”
The BCTR announced its reactivation in a news statement on Jan. 9 at Kelly Ingram Park given hours after the BCRI’s Board Chairman Mike Oatridge, First Vice Chairman Walter Body and Secretary Janice Kelsey resigned from their positions.
“Our mission going forward is to value every voice that takes a responsible stand on human and civil rights issues,” said Houston Brown, retired circuit judge. “We look forward to celebrating Dr. Davis and honoring a true icon who once called Birmingham home.”
As members from the BCTR ended the press conference protesters from the Outcast Voters League, a political and civil rights activist group in Birmingham, disapproved of the committee’s plans.
“They are going for reactions and not results,” said Frank Matthews, president of the Outcast Voters League. “That’s what black folks have been doing in this town. Kowtowing to big business and corporate interest.”
Matthews said the BCTR wants to “parade her [Davis] around” and that the committee needs to be “stepping up like we did for every member of that board to resign.”
In his first statement, Jan 7, Mayor Woodfin said his “overriding feeling is one of dismay” after the institute’s decision to revoke the honor “after protests from some members of the community, Jewish and otherwise,” in Birmingham.
“While the City of Birmingham proudly contributes operational funding to the BCRI,” Woodfin said. “It is our practice not to involve city government in the programmatic decisions of organizations that receive city funding.”
Mayor Woodfin in a detailed statement released on Jan. 11 made clear of his initial thoughts on of the Jewish community and its relation to the institute’s decision and a list of requests of what actions the institute needs to take.
Woodfin said “it was not my intent to suggest that the entire Jewish community was opposed” to Dr. Davis receiving the award and “Birmingham’s Jewish community is not monolithic in thought.” Woodfin requested from the BCRI a release of public minutes of the Board of Directors, written communication either “shared, or yet to be shared,” with Davis regarding the initial invitation, an apology to the community, the award selection criteria and facilitation between stakeholder organizations to meet with the board of directors.
Woodfin said in the statement he acknowledges the formation of the BCTR and also announced an upcoming series of conversations that will “facilitate constructive dialogue around civil and human rights” starting Jan 21, Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Day.
