2020

2020 is the 149th year after the founding of the City of Birmingham.

Events

January 5: Two people died in a plane crash at Cullman Regional Airport.
January 21: The new I-20/59 downtown viaduct opened after a year of construction.
February 27: AL.com disabled its online comments section.
March 7: A Lil Baby rap concert at Bill Harris Arena was broken up by a backstage shooting.
March 16: Alabama public schools were closed to slow the spread of the 2020 Coronavirus pandemic.
April 12: A tornado outbreak affected central Alabama on Easter Sunday.
April 17: An apartment building at 1613 19th Street Ensley was damaged by fire, and one resident was killed.
April 19: The Moody Music Building at the University of Alabama was damaged by fire.
May 28– : A series of protests were held over the death of George Floyd at the hands of police in Minneapolis, Minnesota.
May 31: A surge of vandalism following a day of protests caused significant damage at Linn Park and around downtown Birmingham.
June 1: The Confederate Soldiers & Sailors Memorial at Linn Park was dismantled by the City of Birmingham.
July 1: Parking at Birmingham's 3,945 downtown metered spaces could be paid for through the "ParkMobile" mobile app.
August 24–30: The 2020 Sidewalk Film Festival was held at the Grand River Drive-In.
September 11: Retired EBSCO CEO Elton Stephens Jr was kidnapped and ransomed for $250,000.
September 18-27: The 2020 Alabama State Fair was held at the Birmingham Race Course.
October 2: President Donald Trump announced that he had contracted COVID-19.

Business

January 1: TTL Inc. of Tuscaloosa acquired DBS & Associates Engineering of Tennessee.
January 1: Graham & Co. acquired the Brookmont Realty Group.
January 14: ProctorU announced a merger with Yardstick Assessment Strategies of Ottawa, Ontario to form Meazure Learning.
January: Daxko acquired PlayerSpace of Wrightsville Beach, North Carolina.
Regions Bank consolidated workers at its Regions Riverchase Operations Center and closed its Regions Lakeshore Operations Center.
GoodJob acquired Fetch Talent.
Wayne's Pest Control acquired Priority Pest of Mt Juliet, Tennessee.
ProAssurance acquired NORCAL Group of San Francisco, California.
February: ARC Realty merged with H2 Real Estate.
February: PS Holdco acquired Southeast Logistics of Tuscaloosa.
March: JEST IPA, Princeton Premier IPA, Red Mountain IPA, Shelby Chilton IPA and Synergy IPA merged to form the Iron City Independent Physician Association.
April: EBSCO Industries acquired Zepheira of Reston, Virginia.
May: Longtime pharmacist Matt Leach purchased Crestline Pharmacy from Mike Cobb and Scooter Hammers.
May: Birmingham Fastener & Supply acquired Atlanta Rod & Manufacturing.
May: PS Logistics acquired the assets of CT Transportation of Savannah, Georgia.
May 26: Birmingham Direct Primary Care moved from 2231 Victory Lane in Hoover to 901 Oxmoor Road in Edgewood.
June: George Sarris merged his Yellow Bicycle Catering Co. with Richard Wilkins' R & S Food Services.
Washee Quickee Car Wash moved from 2700 3rd Avenue South in Lakeview to 4401 4th Avenue South in Avonwood.
July: Jay and Laura Middleton purchased the Fleet Feet Birmingham franchise at Patchwork Farms in Vestavia Hills.
August: Ponder Properties merged with NAI Chase Commercial Realty.
August: DataPerk acquired ByteSize.
September: Jay Industrial Repair acquired Flanders Inc.'s Muscle Shoals Regional Service Center.
October 1: Hamilton Wealth Advisors relocated from 1 Corporate Drive at Chase Corporate Park to 100 Concourse Parkway in Riverchase.
October 1: Attorneys Redden Mills Clark & Shaw merged with Wallace Jordan Ratliff & Brandt.
October: Peabody Energy halted production at its Shoal Creek Mine, laying off 350 workers.
October: Featheringill Capital acquired a majority interest in InvestEdge of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
October 7: Hot and Hot Fish Club and Ovenbird reopened.

Establishments

January 7: Art's Barber Shop reopened at 3301 Crestwood Boulevard
January 7: Yum Yai reopened at 5426 U.S. Highway 280
January 20: Dave Horn and Taylor Hughes opened SoHo Standard at SoHo Square.
Marco and Juan Perez opened Maya Mexican Restaurant at the former Del Toro in Alabaster.
February: Marco Butturini opened Le Fresca at 2218 2nd Avenue North.
June 7: Refined to Go opened in Old Town Helena.
July: Sublime Media acquired the assets of Alliance Communications, including Fabricating and Metalworking magazine.
July: Jon Riddle and Micheal McCants founded Magic City Dumpsters
August 1: Gardendale Pickers opened in the former K-Mart at 901 Decatur Highway in Gardendale.
August 3: Michael's opened at the Negro Southern League Museum.
August 6: Urban Market opened at 200 9th Street South Bessemer.
August 17: Holly Gunn opened Gunn Dermatology in Crestline Village.
August 25: Rob and Emily McDaniel opened Helen restaurant in the Meelheim Building at 2013 2nd Avenue North.
August 30: Frank and Katherine Alverson opened Porch in Crestline Village.
September: The Tavern at East Lake opened on 1st Avenue North.
September 3: Monday Night Brewing Social Club opened at The Denham.
September 22: Cecil Peoples opened Chef Peoples Cafe
September 26: Harvest Roots opened a tap room at the Avondale Mills Shopping Center.

Disestablishments

ISCO Industries of Louisville, Kentucky acquired M. T. Deason.
Zula's Mart on Highland Avenue closed.
January 8: Magic City Krabs at 2201 4th Place West closed.
January 15: Charlemagne Records on 11th Avenue South closed.
January 18: Hot Diggity Dogs of 5th Avenue South closed.
February: Plant Power & Control Systems was acquired by IES Holdings of Houston, Texas.
March 8: The Whole Foods in Hoover's Whole Foods Market Plaza closed.
March: Babalu at 29 Seven closed.
March: Mile End Deli at Parkside Apartments closed.
March: Brio Tuscan Grille at Brookwood Village closed.
March: Command Alkon was acquired by Thoma Bravo of San Francisco, California.
April: Gold's Gym locations at The Colonnade and Oak Mountain Marketplace closed.
April: Olive Garden closed its Eastwood Village location.
April: Cowfish closed at The Summit.
April: Momma Goldberg's Deli locations on Frank Street in Trussville and at Station 121 in Midtown closed.
April 22: The North Jefferson News was shut down.
April 27: Z's Restaurant closed.
May 4: Lucy's Coffee and Tea closed.
May: The Kordoroy Krocodile consignment shop closed.
May: Sol's Sandwich Shop at Two North Twentieth closed.
May: Blevins Barber Shop at Two North Twentieth closed.
May: Books-A-Million closed its Brookwood Village store.
June: Klingler's in Vestavia Hills closed.
June 14: Cocina Superior at Brookwood Village closed.
June: Shrimp Basket closed its Crestwood Boulevard location.
June: Johnny Ray's closed its Chelsea location.
June 17: Urban Standard on 2nd Avenue North closed.
July: Building Specialties was acquired by the Cook & Boardman Group of Winston-Salem, North Carolina.
July: Avanti Polar Lipids was acquired by Croda International of Snaith, United Kingdom.
July: Sur la Table closed its store at The Summit.
July: Jason's Deli closed its Brookwood Village location.
July 14: California Pizza Kitchen closed its restaurant at The Summit.
July: Ann Taylor LOFT closed its store at Brookwood Village.
July: Birmingham magazine suspended print publication.
July: Brennan's at Five Points South closed.
July: StrategyWise was acquired by E Source of Boulder, Colorado.
August 2: Woodlawn Cycle Cafe closed.
August: Little Savannah Restaurant & Bar closed.
August: Oak Hill Capital acquired Otelco of Oneonta.
August 10: Grede closed its Columbiana foundry.
August: HomeServe USA of Norwalk, Connecticut acquired Freedom Heating & Cooling.
August: Zoe's Forest Park closed.
September: Trinity Hunt Partners of Dallas, Texas acquired MainStreet Family Care.
October: HC3 acquired Banc Statements Inc.
October: LaBella Associates of Rochester, New York acquired Highland Technical Services.

Education

March 16: Public K-12 schools were closed by order of Governor Kay Ivey due to the 2020 Coronavirus pandemic.
July: Strayer University relocated from Grandview Parkway to Two North Twentieth.

Government

The City of Trussville celebrated its Bicentennial.
January 7: Randall Woodfin delivered the 2020 State of the City address.
March 17: Jefferson County Health Officer Mark Wilson imposed countywide rules restricting visitors to nursing homes, barring on-premises service at restaurants and bars, and closing private schools and pre-schools.
March 19: Governor Kay Ivey ordered on-premises food and beverage service, public gatherings and beaches to be closed due to the 2020 Coronavirus pandemic.
March 24: The Birmingham City Council passed a "shelter in place" ordinance due to the 2020 Coronavirus pandemic.
March 27: Governor Ivey issued a statewide order to close non-essential businesses and prohibit gatherings of 10 or more people.
April 3: Governor Ivey issued a statewide "shelter in place" order.
May 19: The City of Fairfield filed for municipal bankruptcy.
July 14: Mayor Randall Woodfin announced a ban on police chokeholds and a requirement for officers to intervene and report incidents of excessive violence.
August 25: 2020 Jefferson County municipal elections were held.

Religion

March 15: Dorinda Broadnax was installed as pastor of First Congregational Christian Church in College Hills.

Sports

January 1: The Alabama Crimson Tide defeated the Michigan Wolverines 35-16 in the Citrus Bowl in Orlando, Florida.
January 1: The Auburn Tigers lost to the Minnesota Golden Gophers 24-31 in the Outback Bowl in Tampa, Florida.
January 2: The Cincinnati Bearcats defeated the Boston College Eagles 38-6 in the 2020 Birmingham Bowl at Legion Field.
January 6: Alabama Crimson Tide juniors Henry Ruggs III, Jerry Jeudy and Tua Tagovailoa announced for the 2020 NFL Draft.
February 22: Deontay Wilder fought Tyson Fury to defend his WBC heavyweight title.
March: UAB Men's basketball coach Rob Ehsan was fired and former player and assistant coach Andy Kennedy was hired to succeed him.
March 6–8: The 2020 Bassmaster Classic was held at Lake Guntersville and the BJCC.
The 2020 Birmingham Legion FC season was postponed.
June: The 2020 National Indoor Pickleball Championship was held at the Finley Center in Hoover.
The Regions Tradition golf tournament was canceled.

Individuals

Chef Brandon Cain left Roots & Revelry.
January 27: Ginny Tucker succeeded interim Brooke Bowles as CEO of Impact America.
February 3: Cory Moon was sworn in as Chief of the Birmingham Fire and Rescue Service.
April 17: Andrea Taylor resigned from her role as CEO of the Birmingham Civil Rights Institute.
May 4: David Hyche succeeded Sean Lemley as chief of the Calera Police Department.
May: State Representative April Weaver resigned her office to accept a job in the Trump administration.
July: Lee Yount was hired as interim director of United Ability.
August: Debra Hays succeeded Tanveer Patel as CEO of ConcertCare.

Births

Awards

Alabama Music Hall of Fame: Gary Baker, Mervyn Warren, Willie Mae "Big Mama" Thornton and Elton B. Stephens

Graduations

Marriages

Retirements

August: WBRC 6 news anchor Janet Hall retired.
August: Lawson State Community College president Perry Ward retired.
November: Vestavia Hills Rebels head football coach Buddy Anderson retired.

Deaths

Sammy Salvo (1932–2020)

Tarvaris Jackson (1983–2020)

Cleve Eaton (1939–2020)

January 10: John Bresnan, Chief of the Homewood Fire Department
January 13: Doug Barnes, street character
January 21: De'Runnya Wilson, former college football player
February 2: Raymond Williams, former NASA administrator
February 6: Jerry Levin, journalist and activist
February 7: Sammy Salvo, crooner and grocer
February 11: Dartie Flynt
February 22: Thracie Pace, Birmingham Public Library Friends Bookstore manager
March 1: Mable Anderson, psychology professor and activist
March 8: Parker, a red panda at the Birmingham Zoo
March 17: Mamie Brown Mason, healthcare consultant and co-founder of the ACHMR Choir.
March 27: Joseph Lowery, Methodist minister and SCLC co-founder
April 2: Ruth Appelhof, former Birmingham Museum of Art curator
April 6: Rodney Dodson, former Birmingham Fire and Rescue Service Captain
April 12: Tarvaris Jackson, former NFL quarterback
April 25: Erskine Faush, AME Zion minister, radio executive and gospel singer
May 3: Brandy Ayers, former Anniston Star publisher
May 4: Jeff Fore, Trussville Fire Department fire marshal and assistant chief
May 5: Lewis Manderson Jr, founder of Creative Displays
May: Thomas Linton, barber and civil rights leader
June 1: Pat Dye, former Auburn Tigers football coach
June 5: Gary Edwards, CEO of United Ability
June 6: Joseph Boohaker, former presiding judge for the 10th Judicial Circuit of Alabama
June 18: Matt, a Komodo dragon at the Birmingham Zoo
June 19: Tadpole, a Nile hippopotamus at the Birmingham Zoo
June 21: Jimmy Pursell, founder of Pursell Industries
June 26: Thomas Blanton, convicted murderer
June 28: Peggy Prickett, clothier
July 1: Elise Penfield, educator and community activist
July 5: Cleveland Eaton, jazz bassist
July 9: Billy Joe Driver, Mayor of Clanton
July 14: Ron Johnson, state legislator
July: Dave Holloway, naturalist
July 20: Marty Schulman, naturalist
July 21: Stanley Robinson, professional basketball player
July 23: Ouida Fritschi‎, community activist
July 29: James Nelson, ASFA director and arts critic
July 30: Harvey Updyke, former Texas state trooper convicted of poisoning the oak trees at Toomer's Corner
August 1: J. D. Weeks, author and historian
August 6: Wayne Shirley, chief of Chelsea Fire and Rescue
August 8: John Brown, minister and street preacher
August 10: Arnold Singer, Hoover civic leader
August 20: Mickey Dean, comedian
September 5: Mike Wilson, founder of Saw's BBQ
September 7: Henrietta Boggs-MacGuire, former first lady of Costa Rica
September 11: Sis Levin, peace activist
September 16: Winston Groom, novelist
September 20: Henry Joe, restaurateur
See also:
- 2020 Folsom Field plane crash
- List of homicides in 2020

Works

The completed I-20/59 downtown viaduct on January 16, 2020. Photograph by Joe Songer.

Context

In 2020 a worldwide pandemic associated with the "COVID–19" virus caused massive disruption to public health, markets and society. The United Methodist Church split over acceptance of gay marriage. President Trump approved a drone strike that killed Qasem Soleimani and Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis at Baghdad International Airport. Massive bushfires spread across Australia. The 2020 Olympic Summer Games were held in Tokyo, Japan.

Notable deaths in 2020 included activist C. T. Vivian; actors Chadwick Boseman, Wilford Brimley, Robert Conrad, Olivia de Havilland, Brian Dennehy, Kirk Douglas, Ian Holm, Kelly Preston, Diana Rigg, John Saxon, Jerry Stiller, Max von Sydow, and Fred Willard; baseball Hall of Famer Lou Brock; basketball stars Kobe Bryant and Curly Neal; business executives Herman Cain, Sumner Redstone, and Jack Welch; cartoonists Gene Deitch and Mort Drucker; coach John Thompson; composers Johnny Mandel and Ennio Morricone; critic Michael Sorkin; directors Alan Parker, Carl Reiner, Joel Schumacher and Lynn Shelton; former president of Egypt Hosni Mubarak; journalist Jim Lehrer; writers Clive Cussler, Roger Kahn, Terrence McNally, Charles Portis, Elizabeth Wurtzel, and Carlos Ruiz Zafón; Emir of Kuwait Sabah al-Ahmad al-Jaber al-Sabah; Monty Python founder Terry Jones; musicians Charlie Daniels, Joe Diffie, Justin Townes Earle, Little Richard, Vera Lynn, Ellis Marsalis, Todd Nance, Neil Peart, John Prine, Kenny Rogers, Adam Schlesinger, Joseph Shabalala, McCoy Tyner and Bill Withers; former NBA commissioner David Stern; physicists Freeman Dyson and Katherine Johnson; playwright/activist Larry Kramer; publisher Earl Graves Sr; Supreme Court justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg; television hosts Grant Imahara and Regis Philbin; U.S. Representative John Lewis; and White House advisor Brent Scowcroft.

2020s

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Births - Deaths - Establishments - Events - Works

2020

Contents

Events

Business

Establishments

Disestablishments

Education

Government

Religion

Sports

Individuals

Births

Awards

Graduations

Marriages

Retirements

Deaths

Works

Books

Buildings

Demolitions

Context

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2020

Events

Business

Establishments

Disestablishments

Education

Government

Religion

Sports

Individuals

Births

Awards

Graduations

Marriages

Retirements

Deaths

Works

Books

Buildings

Demolitions

Context

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