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.
The Cahaba Solid Waste Disposal Authority was formed and contracted with Amwaste for household waste collections.
Gadsden's Coosa Valley YMCA sold its properties to focus on providing programs at community centers and public pools.

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.
Red Clay Technology Group merged wit Shaw Technology of Montgomery.

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.
October: Sarah Randolph opened rEVOLVEr resale and Yolaine Sykes opened Yolaine's Enhancing Skincare Products in the Five Points Market shopping center.
Therita Lawler and Michelle Jones founded Lawler-Jones Real Estate & Development.
November 3: Nicky Vann Tisdale founded Tucana Tiki Bar in the Denham Building.
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: The Green Lantern Restaurant & Lounge on Old Tuscaloosa Highway 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.
Lawler Foundry was dissolved and acquired by TS Distributors of Houston, Texas.

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.
Matt Fridy was appointed to the University of Montevallo Board of Trustees.

Births

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.
Miss Alabama USA: Sophie Burzynski
Birmingham Business Hall of Fame: Will Ferniany, James Sloss, Pete Sloss, Carrie Tuggle, and Odessa Woolfolk

Graduations

Marriages

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
January 29: Brandon Smiley, son of radio host Rickey Smiley
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 1: George Watson (ABC News), ABC News executive
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.
"So You Say You Play Jazz? José Carr’s True Story" documentary film by Matthew Bellisario about Daniel José Carr.

Books

"Magic City by Burgin Mathews.

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.

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Births - Deaths - Establishments - Events - Works

2023

Contents

Events

Business

Establishments

Disestablishments

Education

Government

Religion

Sports

Professional teams

Individuals

Births

Awards

Graduations

Marriages

Retirements

Deaths

Works

Books

Buildings

Demolitions

Context

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2023

Events

Business

Establishments

Disestablishments

Education

Government

Religion

Sports

Professional teams

Individuals

Births

Awards

Graduations

Marriages

Retirements

Deaths

Works

Books

Buildings

Demolitions

Context

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