Birmingham Mayor Randall Woodfin has accused leaders of the Birmingham Civil Rights Institute of “poor stewardship” and demanded details of the decision to announce an award and then withdraw it from controversial activist Angela Davis.
The board voted on Jan. 4 to rescind the Fred Shuttlesworth Human Rights Award that had been previously announced was going to Davis. It canceled the Feb. 16 gala where she would have received the award.
“The crisis of leadership at the Birmingham Civil Rights Institute represents a clash of values, wherein the institution responsible for stewarding powerful, poignant and respectful dialogue, has demonstrated that they do not value dialogue with residents of Birmingham and the public at large,” Woodfin wrote in a statement released on the city web site on Jan. 11. Woodfin serves as an ex-officio member of the board.
“Because of their poor stewardship, some in the local and national media are misconstruing the crisis of leadership at the Birmingham Civil Rights Institute as a clash of cultures, ethnic groups, or races. Let me be clear – it is not.”
Woodfin also clarified his previous remarks on the issue to note he was not criticizing the Jewish community, despite letters sent by Jewish organizations in the city opposing the award for Davis.
“It was not my intent to suggest that the entire Jewish community was opposed to Dr. Angela Davis receiving the Fred L. Shuttlesworth Human Rights Award,” Woodfin said.
“Birmingham’s Jewish community is not monolithic in thought,” Woodfin said. “I consider myself an ally of Birmingham’s Jewish community. In fact, African American and Jewish leaders in Birmingham have worked together to build bridges during some of Birmingham’s darkest times. I expect us to continue to do so. With that said, members of the community, Jewish and otherwise, were indeed vocal in their opposition of Dr. Davis receiving the Shuttlesworth Award.”
More discussion and public dialogue should have taken place, Woodfin suggested.
“Dialogue should have allowed for the full measure of discussion about the merits of the recognition by the Birmingham Civil Rights Institute, including supporters and dissenters of some of Dr. Davis’ positions,” he wrote. “In fact, the community has heard little from the BCRI. This is unacceptable.”
Woodfin mentioned the resignation of three BCRI board members this week.
“While the resignation of some members from the Board of Directors from the Birmingham Civil Rights Institute signals a first step, there are still unanswered questions surrounding their situation,” he wrote. “We know very little about what transpired on that board that has brought us to this point.”
Woodfin said that on Monday, Jan. 7, he submitted a list of items and actions from the board and staff at BCRI, including:
- Minutes: A release to the public of all minutes of the BCRI board of directors from September 2018 – Saturday, January 5.
- Honoree: A release, to my office, of the official, written communication shared, or yet to be shared, with Dr. Davis regarding the initial invitation to Birmingham as well as communications rescinding the invitation.
- Apology: Issue an apology statement to the community-at-large for the poor handling of the process.
- Criteria: A release of the award selection criteria to help the community understand the full range of your selection rationale.
- Facilitation: Invite representatives from stakeholder organizations to meet directly with the board of directors this week.
Woodfin said he had received copies of BCRI board minutes from September-December 2018 BCRI Governance 2018).
Woodfin noted that the City of Birmingham provides the primary funding for the institute.
“The City of Birmingham is the largest donor to the BCRI, and as such we have a fiduciary responsibility to ensure that the use of public resources reflect the values of the City of Birmingham,” he wrote.
He noted that the Birmingham Committee for Truth and Reconciliation plans to host Davis on Feb. 16 in an event that’s an alternative to the one canceled by the BCRI.
“I welcome Dr. Davis back home and hope that her return to the City is one that helps further community conversations,” he wrote. “Soon, I will announce a series of conversations that will facilitate constructive dialogue around civil and human rights starting January 21 during the Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Day of Observance. We do have a unique legacy that changed the events of the world more than a half-century ago. In the spirit of those that fought and died so that we can stand on these sacred grounds, I will ensure that every step is taken to preserve and protect our civil and human rights legacy of courageous dialogue.”
The leadership of the BCRI, as listed on its web site before the resignations this week, was as follows:
BCRI Board of Directors
Mike Oatridge (vice president, Honda of Alabama), Chair
Walter Body (director of multi-cultural marketing, Coca-Cola United), First Vice Chair
Janice Kelsey (Greater Shiloh Baptist Church staff, retired school principal), Secretary
Thomas L. Wilder, Jr., (pastor, Bethel Baptist Church of Collegeville) Treasurer
Doug Jones (now U.S. Senator), Immediate Past Chair
Jeffrey Bayer (president, Bayer Properties)
Isaac Cooper (CEO), iMC Financial Consulting)
Bing Edwards (attorney)
Michele Elrod (head of marketing, Regions Bank)
Rosilyn Houston (senior vice president, BBVA)
Danny Markstein (managing director, Markstein communications)
J. John Oros, Jr., (president of Greater Birmingham Convention and Visitors' Bureau)
Jonathan Porter (vice president, Alabama Power)
Cameron Vowell (independent non-profit manager)
Odessa Woolfolk (Chair Emerita)
Andrea L. Taylor, President & CEO
Mayor Randall Woodfin, Ex Officio
Rev. Fred L. Shuttlesworth (civil rights leader), 1922-2011
