2023

2023 was the 152nd year after the founding of the City of Birmingham.

Events

• The 60th anniversary of the Birmingham Campaign was observed by the City of Birmingham with the theme of "Forging Justice."
• January 25: Chris Rock and Dave Chappelle co-headlined a comedy performance at Legacy Arena.
• January 28: 2023 Talladega County plane crash.
• January 31: The Alabama Bureau of Pardons and Paroles transferred 80 of 369 eligible inmates into supervised release under the terms of Act of Alabama 2021-549 passed during the 2021 special legislative session.
• February 26: The final print editions of The Birmingham News, The Huntsville Times and The Mobile Press-Register were distributed as Alabama Media Group shifted to all-digital delivery.
• March 17–19: HBCU SpringComing Birmingham
• March 23: Editorial staff for Hearst Magazines represented by the Writers Guild of America staged a walkout at Pepper Place to protest the company's unwillingness to negotiate a new contract.
• April: Burgin Mathews founded the Southern Music Research Center.
• April 2: 2023 Shelby County helicopter crash
• April 10: Fort Rucker in Dale County, named for Edmund Rucker, was redesignated as Fort Novosel in honor of Medal of Honor recipient Michael Novosel.
• April 21: 5 people were injured in a fire at The Union at Cooper Hill apartments on Montclair Road.
• May 1–7: Birmingham Peace Week
• May 4–6: The 2023 International Peace Conference was hosted in Birmingham.
• May 5: Flooding from a broken pipe forced the O'Neal Library to close.
• July 4: The inaugural 4th of July Family Festival was hosted at Railroad Park.
• July 19: Erykah Badu's "Unfollow Me" tour with Yasiin Bey at Legacy Arena.
• July 26: Secretary of Housing and Urban Development Marcia Fudge announced that the Housing Authority of the Birmingham District would receive a $50 million Choice Neighborhoods Implementation Grant to fund redevelopment of the Smithfield Court public housing project.
• August 2–August 6: The 2023 National Association of Black Journalists Convention and Career Fair was held at the BJCC.
• August 4: Sloss Tech was held at the Lyric Theatre.
• August 21: Luxe Ultra Lounge was heavily damaged in an early-morning fire.
• August 21–27: 2023 Sidewalk Film Festival
• September 15: Supreme Court Justice Ketanji Brown-Jackson addressed a ceremony in recognition of the 60th anniversary of the 1963 bombing at 16th Street Baptist Church. Afterward a delegation from Wales signed a Friendship Pact with the city and dedicated four trees at Kelly Ingram Park.
• September 20: The O'Neal Library reopened after repairing flood damage.
• September 20: The 2023 ZF Chassis Systems strike began.
• September 23–24: The Alabama Comic Con was held at the BJCC.
• September: The Nature Conservancy acquired a 596-acre tract at Wheeler Mountain in Bibb County.
• October 11–12: The Walk Productions' giant "Little Amal" puppet was exhibited at City Walk, Sloss Furnaces and the Birmingham Civil Rights Institute.
• October 12–15: 2023 FOOD+Culture Festival
• October 16: The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service reclassified the Bachman's warbler and six freshwater mussel species formerly endemic to Alabama as extinct.
• October 23: The Birmingham Biotechnology Hub partnership was selected by the U.S. Economic Development Administration as one of 31 Regional Innovation and Technology Hubs eligible for federal funding under the CHIPS and Science Act of 2022.
• November 8–11: The National Association of Real Estate Brokers' 2023 Black Housing Summit was held in Birmingham.

Business

• January: Maynard Cooper & Gale acquired Soltero Sapire Murrell of Austin, Texas.
• January: Birmingham Fastener & Supply acquired the Pacific Coast Bolt Corporation of Santa Fe Springs, California.
• January 17: Marcus & Millichap relocated from the Steiner Building to 800 Shades Creek Parkway.
• February: Wayne's Pest Control acquired Southeastern Termite & Pest Control of Mobile.
• March 2: Members of UMWA Local No. 2397, on strike since April 1, 2021, returned to work at Warrior Met Coal without agreeing to a new contract.
• March: Bruno Event Team rebranded as Eventive Sports.
• March: Landscape Workshop acquired Solid Ground Landscape Services of Atlanta, Georgia.
• March: The Pell City operations of Ford Meter Box Co. and Baker Coupling Inc. merged into Ford Meter Box and Baker Coupling LLC.
• April 1: Maynard Cooper & Gale merged with Nexsen Pruet of Columbia, South Carolina to form Maynard Nexsen.
• April 1: APCO Employees Credit Union merged with Powerco Federal Credit Union of Atlanta, Georgia.
• May: Boise Cascade of Boise, Idaho laid off 200 workers from its Thorsby Engineered Wood Products division.
• June: Waverly Advisers acquired Silicon Hills Wealth Management of Austin, Texas.
• July: Yohonna Johnson and Duncan Ndungu purchased the Steakhouse of Helena.
• July: PS Logistics acquired the Action Dedicated operations of Action Enterprise Holdings and all transportation holdings of Rinaudo Enterprises and Ringo Specialized Hauling of Jacksonville, Florida.
• July: Landscape Workshop acquired Louisiana Landscape Specialty Inc. of Gretna, Louisiana.
• September: Landscape Workshop acquired Martin Landscape of Port Royal, South Carolina.
• October: Waverly Advisors acquired Rainsberger Wealth Advisors of Colorado Springs, Colorado.
• December 1: BMSS Advisors & CPAs merged with Haddox Reid Eubank Betts PLLC of Ridgeland, Mississippi.
• December 6: News Nation hosted a Republican presidential debate moderated by Megyn Kelly at the University of Alabama's Moody Music Building.

Establishments

• Jarrard and Casey Ray opened Sunshine Creamery at Rocky Ridge Square in Vestavia Hills.
• Valencia and Edward Johnson opened the Epic Center in the Crown Plaza Shopping Center in Rising-West Princeton.
• February 25: Blue Agave Cantina opened in Columbiana.
• April 21: Eric Mitchell and Scott Worthington opened Steele Hall Brewing in the Trussville Entertainment District.
• April: Draper Mason opened Urban Parc in the former The Hive space on 20th Street South.
• May: Anita & Jennifer Craig, Steve Debrow and Chauncey Moore opened 2 Dough Girlz pizzeria in the Langner Building in Woodlawn.
• May: Mary and Elizabeth Martin opened Corbeau Wine Bar in the Trussville Entertainment District.
• May 8: Homewood Gourmet reopened on 18th Place South.
• Sain Associates engineers opened offices in Auburn and Montgomery.
• May: Red Bike Coffee opened at Crestwood Village shopping center.
• June 3: Arlond James opened the Emerald Lounge at 7916 1st Avenue North in East Lake.
• June: Applebee's reopened at 5050 Academy Lane in Bessemer.
• June 13: Jeremiah's Italian Ice opened in Chelsea.
• August: Kyleen Kramer and Tina Tamburro opened Tamburro's Italian Home restaurant in the Trussville Shopping Center.
• August: STIX restaurant at the Riverchase Galleria reopened with new owners.
• Fall: Tracy Delaney opened Maple Avenue Coffee House in Trussville.
• Therita Lawler and Michelle Jones founded Lawler-Jones Real Estate & Development
• November 4: Donald and Erica Band opened Big Doon's BBQ in Hueytown.
• December 30: April and Derrick Curry opened the I Do Wedding Chapel at 9433 Parkway East.

Disestablishments

Final front page of The Birmingham News, published February 26, 2023

Lloyd's Restaurant in Inverness closed on October 15, 2023

• January 1: Alabama Power Company shut down its Gadsden Steam Plant.
• January: The Ensley Fairfield Mattress Co. closed.
• January: Norwood Clinic was acquired by Complete Health of Jacksonville, Florida.
• January: Simpeo was acquired by Group Management Services Inc. of Richfield, Ohio.
• January 28: Interstellar Ginger Beer and Exploration Co. in Alabaster closed.
• February: Saturn was acquired by TVG Hospitality of London, England.
• February 20: Railcrew Xpress closed its Birmingham and Talladega operations.
• February 26: The final edition of The Birmingham News was published.
• March 1: St Vincent's Orthopedics was acquired by Hughston Clinic Orthopaedics of Phenix City.
• March 7: Thorsby Engineered Wood Products layed off 200 workers.
• March 7: Wheel Pros layed off 224 workers in Auburn.
• March 10: Harvest Market in South East Lake closed.
• March 15: RubinBrown of Saint Louis, Missouri acquired KnowledgePath Consulting.
• March: Tuscaloosa's Moon Winx Lodge closed.
• March 29: The Bonefish Grill on Galleria Circle closed.
• March 31: The McDonald's restaurant on 1st Avenue North in Woodlawn closed.
• March 31: SNL Distribution Services Corp. closed.
• April 1: Iron City Grill closed.
• April: John's City Diner closed.
• April: City Wholesale was acquired by Imperial Trading Co. of New Orleans, Louisiana.
• April: Little Italy's Pizza & Pints closed.
• May: The CVS Bessemer Distribution Center closed.
• May: United Structural Systems of Nashville, Tennessee acquired Ox Foundation Solutions of Calera.
• June 2: Scott's Koneys closed.
• June 6: Luxor Scientific closed its Birmingham facility.
• June: Cardinal Roofing and Restoration was acquired by Northpoint Roofing Systems of Woodstock, Georgia.
• June 23: Revelator Coffee Co. closed their flagship 3rd Avenue North shop.
• June 23: David's Bridal layed off 40 workers in Birmingham.
• June 30: 5 Point Public House & Oyster Bar in Highland Point Plaza at Five Points South closed.
• July: Utz Quality Foods closed the Golden Flake production plant in North Titusville.
• July: Eagle Pharmacy was acquired by Osceola Capital Management of Tampa, Florida.
• July: Joonko closed in the wake of allegations of fraud against CEO Ilit Raz.
• July: Con Forms of Port Washington, Wisconsin acquired Tricon Wear Solutions
• July 30: Yellow Corporation shut down its Birmingham operations.
• July 30: SiO2 Medical Products layed off 104 workers in Auburn.
• August 1: Aprio LLC of Atlanta, Georgia acquired Culotta Scroggins Hendricks accountants.
• August: CakEffect closed.
• August: The sale of Southeastern Grocers' Winn-Dixie and Harveys Supermarket brands to ALDI was announced.
• August: True Dermatology was acquired by Aqua Dermatology of Palm Beach Gardens, Florida.
• August: Paul's Hot Dogs at Clay Marketplace closed.
• August: Rochelle's Place in Center Point closed.
• September: York Pharmacy in North Birmingham closed.
• October 15: Lloyd's closed its Inverness restaurant.
• October 25: Kelly Road Builders was acquired by TWO Oaks Construction.
• October 29: Lloyd's closed its Sylacuaga restaurant.
• November: Savant Wealth Management of Rockford, Illinois acquired Bridgeworth Wealth Management.
• November: Higginbotham of Fort Worth, Texas acquired WRM Group insurance agencies.
• November 19: Birmingham Oddities closed.
• November 30: Baxter Healthcare Corporation of Opelika closed.
• December: Yellowhammer Creative closed its retail store at the Studios at Pepper Place.
• December: U.S. Steel announced that it would be acquired by Nippon Steel of Tokyo, Japan.
• December: The UAB Proton Therapy Center closed.
• December: Club Duquette in Woodlawn closed.
• December 22: Smoke House Steak & Seafood Restaurant closed.
• December 29: Dondi & Shell's Food Oasis in Helena closed.
• December 30: Queen's Park closed.
• December 31: Moreson Conferencing closed.
• December 31: Urban Parc closed.

Education

• April 6: The Board of Trustees of Birmingham-Southern College voted not to shut down the school.
• May 9: The Alabama Public Charter School Commission approved a charter for Independence Preparatory Academy in Fairfield.

Government

• 2023 Alabama legislative session
• May 9: A 2023 Vestavia Hills property tax referendum to increase property tax rates for Vestavia Hills City Schools failed.
• June 8: The U.S. Supreme Court ruled in Allen v. Milligan that Alabama's congressional district map was unlawful.
• September 26: House District 55 special election primaries
• October 24: House District 55 special election primary runoffs

Religion

• May 11: The North Alabama Conference of the United Methodist Church accepted the disaffiliation of 132 churches.

Sports

• March 16 & 18: A 2023 NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament first and second round regional was held at Legacy Arena.
• May 8–10: The 2023 PGA WORKS Collegiate Championship was held at Shoal Creek Golf and Country Club and Bent Brook Golf Course
• June 7: Birmingham Legion FC lost a quarter-final U.S. Open Cup match to Inter Miami 0-1 before a record crowd of 18,418 at Protective Stadium.
• June 9–11: 2023 Alabama State Games were held in the Birmingham area, with ceremonies at Bartow Arena.
• July 1: The UAB Blazers officially joined the American Athletic Conference.
• July 8: The 2023 Move United Nationals were held in Birmingham and Hoover.
• September: The Logan family sold the Birmingham Barons to Diamond Baseball Holdings of Menlo Park, California.
• October 28: The Alabama State University Hornets defeated the Alabama A&M University Bulldogs 31-16 in the 2023 Magic City Classic at Legion Field.
• November 25: The Alabama Crimson Tide defeated the Auburn Tigers 27-24 in the 2023 Iron Bowl at Jordan-Hare Stadium.
• December 2: The Alabama Crimson Tide defeated the Georgia Bulldogs 27-24 in the Southeastern Conference championship game in Atlanta, Georgia.
• December 23: The Duke Blue Devils defeated the Troy Trojans 17-10 in the 2023 Birmingham Bowl at Protective Stadium.

Professional teams

• 2023 Birmingham Barons (Minor League Baseball, Double-A South)
• 2023 Birmingham Legion FC (USL Championship)
• 2023 Birmingham Squadron (NBA G League)
• 2023 Birmingham Stallions (USFL)
• 2023 Birmingham Bulls (SPHL)

Individuals

• April 1: Cynthia Cardona began her term as president and CEO of the Vulcan Park Foundation.
• Brooke McKinley became CEO of Shelby Emergency Assistance.
• May 4: The University of Alabama dismissed baseball coach Brad Bohannon in connection with "suspicious wagering activity" reported at the team's April 28 game at Louisiana State University in Baton Rouge. Jason Jackson stepped in as interim head coach.
• May: Steve Ammons resigned from the Jefferson County Commission to become CEO of the Birmingham Business Alliance.
• June: J. Michael O'Brien succeeded Van Richey as president and CEO of ACIPCO.
• June: Brian Case succeeded Jeff Ray as executive director of the Barber Vintage Motorsports Museum.
• July 1: Christopher Shook began his term as dean of the UAB Collat School of Business.
• September 15: Dave Masom succeeded Austin Senseman as CEO of Conserv.
• October 1: Steven Lindsey succeeded Suzanne Sitherwood as president and CEO of Spire.
• October 3: David Hicks succeeded Mark Wilson as Jefferson County Health Officer.
• November 28: Janet Woodruff-Borden was appointed as senior vice president of academic affairs and provost for UAB.
• December: Rick Karle stepped down from WVTM 13's Morning News anchor desk.

Awards

• March 12: Daniel Scheinert and partner Dan Kwan won Academy Awards for "Best Original Screenplay", "Best Director", and "Best Picture", and Paul Rogers won for "Best Editing" for their work on the feature film "Everything Everywhere All at Once."
• March 29: Timothy Hontzas was announced as a finalist for "Best Chef: South", and Bottega Restaurant as a finalist for "Outstanding Hospitality" by the James Beard Foundation.
• May 8: AL.com's John Archibald, Ashley Remkus, Ramsey Archibald and Challen Stephens won the Pulitzer Prize for Local Reporting for documenting police abuses in Brookside and columnist Kyle Whitmire won the Pulitzer Prize for Commentary for his "State of Denial" series.
• August 24: Will Ferniany, James Sloss, A. Page Sloss Jr, Sloss Real Estate, Pete Sloss, Carrie Tuggle, and Odessa Woolfolk were inducted into the Birmingham Business Hall of Fame.
• Mark Blackburn of Greystone Golf & Country Club was named "Teacher of the Year" by Golf Digest magazine.

Marriages

• September 8: Television host Robin Roberts married Amber Laign at their home in Farmington, Connecticut.
• October 8: Mayor Randall Woodfin married Kendra Morris at a private residence at 2000 Warwick Drive opposite Vulcan Park.

Retirements

• March 31: Darlene Negrotto retired as CEO of the Vulcan Park Foundation
• April: "Dollar Bill" Lawson retired from WDXB-FM (102.5 The Bull)
• June 23: Archivist Jim Baggett retired from the Birmingham Public Library
• September 1: Emmett McLean retired from Medical Properties Trust
• December: Pam Benoit retired as provost and senior vice president for academic affairs at UAB.

Deaths

Catherine Burks-Brooks

Country Boy Eddie

Karl Seitz

• January 1: Ruth Bartow, widow of Gene Bartow
• January 7: James Roberson Sr, educator and auto dealer
• January 9: Ahmaad Galloway, educator and former running back
• January 11: Terry Oden, former Mayor of Mountain Brook
• January 13: Country Boy Eddie, musician and television host
• January 15: C. J. Harris, singer
• January 25: Ed Boutwell, founder of Boutwell Studios
• February: Thomas Robey, chef
• February 10: Louise Josof
• February 13: Jim Boone, newspaper publisher
• February 14: Dennis Washington, former WBRC-TV meteorologist
• February 15: Daniel Bailey, auto mechanic and watchmaker
• February 17: Loxcil Tuck, former mayor of Tarrant
• March 8: Bill Horton, attorney
• March 11: James Wilson III, real estate developer
• March 18: Karl Seitz, Birmingham Post-Herald editorial page editor
• April 1: Rod Davis, dean of Howard College of Arts and Sciences
• April 14: Bruce Irwin, founder of American Family Care
• May 6: Vida Blue, Major League pitcher
• May 7: Rebecca Gordon, "Buttermilk Lipstick" founder
• May 10: "Phyllis from Mulga" Perkins, radio personality
• May 16: Don Newton, long-time president of the Birmingham Chamber of Commerce
• May 18: Chervis Isom, attorney and civic booster
• May 27: Anne Durward, Jefferson County Domestic Relations Court
• June 12: Harvey Glance, Olympic athlete and Auburn Tigers coach
• June 13: Anne-Marie Adams, former Jefferson County Circuit Clerk
• July 3: Catherine Burks-Brooks, teacher and "Freedom Rider"
• July 7: JerrMarius "Li Heat" Sills, rapper
• July 10: Phyllis Hoffman DePiano, founder of Hoffman Media
• August 1: Danny Rary, chief of the Vestavia Hills Police Department
• August 12: Robert Haslam, bartender
• August 14: John L. Carroll, former federal judge and dean of Cumberland School of Law
• August 16: Ed Reynolds, rock musician and writer
• August 26: Delrico Gibson, restaurateur and artist
• August 30: A miner was killed in a fatal accident at Warrior Met Coal Mine No. 4.
• September 8: Bridgett Rutledge Jones salon owner
• September 11: Nick Bolton, general manager of WBRC-TV
• October 11: Alvin Benn, former UPI correspondent
• October 11: Roger Bedford, former State Senator
• October 14: Ron Mims, Birmingham Water Works general manager and board chair
• October 20: Le'Darius Hilliard, community activist
• October 31: Tolton Rosser, trumpeter, bandleader and educator
• November 2: Leroy Stover, Deputy Chief of Birmingham Police Department
• November 3: Buck Brock, banker and Samford University vice president
• November 11: Frank Dukes, civil rights leader and educator
• November 22: Steve Gilmer, antiques dealer
• November: Bob (bobcat), Birmingham Zoo animal
• December 1: Ezekiel Hameen, restaurateur
• December 1: [Mary Allen Jolley]], political activist
• December 3: Carol Nunnelley, journalist
• December 5: David Ullrich, Birmingham-Southern College English professor
• December 18: William Flippo, former Gardendale city councilman
• December 23: Jill Madajczyk, City of Birmingham chief compliance officer
• December 29: Historian Kermit Dooley
  • List of homicides in 2023

Works

• March 31: The feature film Assassin, shot in Birmingham, was released.
• May 23: The documentary feature "Bama Rush" aired on Max.
• September 23: "Now and Forever," stained glass windows by Kerry James Marshall, were dedicated at the National Cathedral in Washington D.C.

Books

"Magic City by Burgin Mathews.

• History of Birmingham’s Endangered Watercress Darter, by Mike Howell
• Inclusive Systemic Economic Injustice: Corruption, Exclusion & Oppression in My Hometown: How White and Black Public Officials Injure Black Communities, Today. by Brian Rice
• Learning from Birmingham: A Journey into History and Home by Julie Buckner Armstrong
• Life in the G: Minor League Basketball and the Relentless Pursuit of the NBA by Alex Squadron
• Magic City: How the Birmingham Jazz Tradition Shaped the Sound of America by Burgin Mathews
• Magic City Blues, novel by Bobby Mathews
• You Have to Be Prepared to Die Before You Can Begin to Live: Ten Weeks in Birmingham That Changed America, by Paul Kix
• Silent Cavalry: How Union Soldiers from Alabama Helped Sherman Burn Atlanta—and Then Got Written Out of History by Howell Raines

Buildings

UAB Science & Engineering Complex

• A 1-story commercial building at 2409 1st Avenue North collapsed.
• Alabama Fallen Warriors Monument at Trussville Civitan Park.
• Brookwood Baptist Medical Center operating room expansion
• Buck Creek Bed and Breakfast in Helena
• The Cottages at Greystone
• Cullman Regional Medical Center 4-story tower
• Highlands College residence hall
• Magnolia City Place
• Northside Park
• pavilion at Franklin Park in Tarrant
• Powell Steam Plant
• Rhinoceros exhibit at the Birmingham Zoo's "Trails of Africa"
• The Star Uptown
• Theatre Lofts on 3rd Avenue North
• UAB Science & Engineering Complex

Demolitions

• Mike's Fine Jewelry at 2324 1st Avenue North
• February 5: The Birmingham Air Freight building on Messer Airport Highway was destroyed by fire.
• June 5: Ensley Highlands Methodist Church on Ensley Five Points West Avenue was damaged by fire.
• November: Moon Winx Lodge in Alberta City.

Context

In 2023 Ukraine continued to defend itself against Russian invaders. The United States ended its "national emergency" relating to the COVID-19 pandemic. Retailers Tuesday Morning and Bed, Bath & Beyond went into bankruptcy liquidation. Former President Donald Trump was indicted by grand juries in Washington D.C.; New York City; and Atlanta, Georgia. Wildfires in Maui, Hawaii killed nearly 100 people. Hamas' Al-Qassam Brigades carried out a massive terrorist strike in Israel, provoking a devastating war of retaliation in Gaza. In December Pope Francis formally approved the blessing of same-sex marriages.

Notable people who died in 2023 include actors Alan Arkin, Richard Belzer, Andre Braugher, Ryan O'Neal, Lance Reddick, Paul Reubens, Richard Roundtree, Suzanne Somers, Chaim Topol, Cindy Williams, Treat Williams, and Raquel Welch; architect Rafael Viñoly; authors Martin Amis, Milan Kundera and Cormac McCarthy; basektball coach Bobby Knight; bomber Ted Kaczynski; cartoonists Al Jaffee and Sam Gross; comedian Barry Humphries; film director William Friedkin; former First Lady Rosalynn Carter; football player Jim Brown; hockey player Bobby Hull; game show host Bob Barker; musicians Burt Bacharach, Jeff Beck, Harry Belafonte, Tony Bennett, Jimmy Buffett, Bobby Caldwell, David Crosby, Astrud Gilberto, Gordon Lightfoot, Sinéad O'Connor, Lisa Marie Presley, Wayne Shorter, and Tina Turner; poet Charles Simic; photographer Kwame Brathwaite; former U.S. Secretary of State Henry Kissinger; U.S. senator Dianne Feinstein; U.S. Supreme Court Justice Sandra Day O'Connor; sculptor Fernando Botero; television hosts Pat Robertson and Jerry Springer; television producer Norman Lear; and wrestler Hossein "The Iron Sheik" Khosrow.

2020s

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