June 5

June 5 in the history of the Birmingham District:

• 2023: Ensley Highlands Methodist Church on Ensley Five Points West Avenue was damaged by fire.
• 2018: 2018 primary elections were held statewide.
• 2012: The Benjamin Russell Hospital for Children was dedicated.
• 2010: The 8th annual Alabaster CityFest was held.
• 2007: Jefferson County Commissioner Larry Langford declared his intention to campaign for Mayor of Birmingham.
• 1997: A dropped steel coil caused damage on I-65 near Greensprings Avenue.
• 1993: Birmingham native Mary McLeod was elected Episcopal Bishop of Vermont.
• 1992: The Kirklin Clinic was dedicated.
• 1973: Led Zeppelin performed at Tuscaloosa's Memorial Coliseum.
• 1961: The area north of the Weiss Dam on the Coosa River was impounded, creating Weiss Lake.
• 1956: Reverend Fred Shuttlesworth founded the Alabama Christian Movement for Human Rights.
• 1949: Educator Wayne Teague married Josephine Jones.
• 1948: Kiddieland at Fair Park held its grand opening.
• 1936: The pageant "From Mud-Covered Oxcart to Gilded Airplane" by Olive Zeigler was presented at Legion Field.
• 1922: Roberts Field was dedicated in honor of Lt Arthur Roberts.
• 1918: Mine worker Henry Higginbotham registered for the draft.
• 1915: The Jefferson Powder Company was acquired by the Aetna Explosives Company of New York.
• 1906: Celestine Mittermeier succeeded Robert Reitmeier as pastor of SS. Cyril & Methodius Catholic Church in Brookside.
• 1895: A. H. Parker married Bessie D. Pettiford at Tuskegee Institute's chapel.
• 1888: Ensley Furnace No. 3 was blown in.
• 1820: The Jefferson County Orphans' Court met for the first time at the newly-built Jefferson County Courthouse in Carrollville.

Rufus Rhodes, born June 5, 1856

Births

• 1971: Naked Art owner Véronique Vanblaere was born in Belgium.
• 1946: Trussville state representative Arthur Payne was born in Birmingham.
• 1945: Mayor Bernard Kincaid was born in Pratt City.
• 1944: Bluesman and One Man Band Adolphus Bell was born.
• 1941: Crystallographer and BioCryst co-founder Charles Bugg was born in Durham, North Carolina.
• 1921: Mae Rosenberger was born in Mandeville, Louisiana.
• 1868: Governor William Brandon was born in Talladega.
• 1856: Rufus Rhodes, founder of The Birmingham News, was born in Pascagoula, Mississippi.

Deaths

• 2020: United Ability CEO Gary Edwards died.
• 2017: Attorney, political consultant and author Vic Gold died.
• 2013: Former Birmingham police chief Jim Parsons died.
• 2012: Former WVTM anchor and news director Wendell Harris died.
• 1991: Artist Felix Gaines died.
• 1987: Artist and activist Eleanor Bridges died.

Sports

• 1983: Steve Spurrier's Tampa Bay Bandits 45 - Birmingham Stallions 17 at Tampa Stadium.
• 1982: Alabama Magic 33 - Florida Suns 0 at Florida