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 11: The first Alabama Jazz Festival was held at Railroad Park.
• September 14–16: The Frontier Conference 2020, originally scheduled for April, was held at the Lyric Theatre.

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.

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.
• Summer: Gardendale Pickers opened in the former K-Mart at 901 Decatur Highway in Gardendale.
• Summer: Rob and Emily McDaniel opened Helen restaurant in the Meelheim Building at 2013 2nd Avenue North.

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.
• August 10: Grede closed its Columbiana foundry.

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.

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.

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.

Awards

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

Retirements

• August: WBRC 6 news anchor Janet Hall retired.
• November: Vestavia Hills Rebels head football coach Buddy Anderson retired.

Deaths

• 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
• July 5: Cleveland Eaton, jazz bassist
• July 9: Billy Joe Driver, Mayor of Clanton
• 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.

Books

• The Summer House, novel by Lauren Denton

Buildings

• 1001 20th Street South at Five Points South
• 20 Midtown Phase 3
• AIDS Alabama Way Station in Smithfield
• Howlett Clubhouse for the A. G. Gaston Boys & Girls Club at CrossPlex Village
• Redevelopment of American Life Building as "workforce" apartments
• Bessemer Amazon Fulfillment Center
• Evonik Birmingham Laboratories expansion
• Firehouse Shelter
• Freedom Manor renovations
• I-20/59 downtown viaduct
• Macaroni Lofts
• New Ideal Lofts
• UAB Technology Innovation Center
• Valley Hotel on 28th Avenue South Homewood
• Wylam Library renovations

Demolitions

• January: Ensley High­lands Presbyterian Church
• July: De Paul Building at St Vincent's Birmingham
• Victory Tabernacle Community Church at 1300 12th Avenue North

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 actors Robert Conrad, Brian Dennehy, Kirk Douglas, Ian Holm, Kelly Preston, Jerry Stiller, Max von Sydow, and Fred Willard; basketball stars Kobe Bryant and Curly Neal; cartoonists Gene Deitch and Mort Drucker; composers Johnny Mandel and Ennio Morricone; critic Michael Sorkin; directors Carl Reiner, Joel Schumacher and Lynn Shelton; former president of Egypt Hosni Mubarak; General Electric chairman Jack Welch; journalist Jim Lehrer; writers Clive Cussler, Roger Kahn, Terrence McNally, Charles Portis, Elizabeth Wurtzel, and Carlos Ruiz Zafón; Monty Python founder Terry Jones; musicians Charlie Daniels, Joe Diffie, Little Richard, Vera Lynn, Ellis Marsalis, 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; and television host Grant Imahara.

2020s

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