August 21

August 21 in the history of the Birmingham District:

• 2023: Luxe Ultra Lounge was heavily damaged by an early-morning fire.
• 2009: Kelley's Neighborhood Sports Grill opened in Lakeview.
• 2009: CapitalSouth Bank failed.
• 2007: Curtis Raymond Carlisle was convicted of the 1992 murder of Letitia Franks.
• 2005: Baseball player Seth Bobbitt was promoted to the Braves' AA-affiliate in Mississippi.
• 1983: Wanda Jones was abducted from the Baby Doe's Matchless Mine parking lot.
• 1926: The feature film "Men of Steel," filmed in Ensley, enjoyed a record-breaking Birmingham premiere at the Lyric Theatre.
• 1926: The 13th annual Ex-Slaves of Alabama reunion was held at 32nd Street and 10th Avenue North.
• 1884: Management of the newly-built Florence Hotel was taken over by J. T. Nixon.

Ron Casey, born August 21, 1951

Births

• 1968: Chef, food stylist and drummer Tonya West was born.
• 1951: Pulitzer Prize-winning Birmingham News editorial writer Ron Casey was born in Midfield.
• 1939: Fabric artist Toni Tully was born in Little Rock, Arkansas.
• 1921: Sailor and Pearl Harbor victim Julius Ellsberry was born in Birmingham.
• 1917: Southern Negro Youth Congress CEO and Freedomways editor Esther Cooper Jackson was born in Arlington, Virginia.
• 1915: Aviator and newspaper publisher Albert Persons was born in Guilford, Connecticut.
• 1855: Hotelier, developer and newspaper publisher Emil Lesser was born in Riga, Russian Empire.
• 1839: Merchant and weather reporter Ben Jacobs was born.

Deaths

• 2024: Rap artist Kayla "KayWay" Warren was shot to death.
• 1908: Legislator Chambers McAdory died in Birmingham.
• 1893: Disciples of Christ minister Robert Van Hook died in Birmingham.

Sports

• 1943: The Birmingham Black Barons' Alvin Gipson struck out 20 Philadelphia Stars batters, setting a Negro American League single-game record.