"From Birmingham to Belfast" Program to Explore Shared Histories and Cultural Connections
Led by local Samford scholar Chris Metress, the program aims to shed light on the parallels and exchanges between these cities, each with a rich tapestry of historical significance and cultural heritage. Through engaging discussions, presentations, and multimedia elements, attendees will embark on a journey exploring the shared experiences, struggles, and triumphs that have shaped the identities of Birmingham and Belfast.
Christopher Metress, Ph.D., is a university professor at Samford University. His interests include Southern fiction and history, and his AHA presentations are an extension of his research on the civil rights movement. His 2002 book The Lynching of Emmett Till was featured in The Washington Post, The Atlanta Journal-Constitution, and Nation magazine, and on ABC's World News Tonight. He has lectured widely about the case, including at New York University, Brown University, and the University of Connecticut. In 2023, he was invited to the White House for a special screening of the film Till, where he was honored along with other historians for promoting a deeper understanding of the case and its legacy. In 2019, he received the Eugene Current-Garcia Award for Distinction in Literary Scholarship, given by the Association of College English Teachers of Alabama to a scholar who made a significant lifetime contribution to the humanities in the state.
Attendees can expect to gain insights into various aspects of shared history, including the civil rights movement, labor struggles, cultural exchanges, and more. The program will also highlight the role of archival materials in preserving and documenting these narratives for future generations.
The From Birmingham to Belfast program is free and open to the public. This lecture is happening in the Arrington Auditorium on the fourth floor of the Research Library. You can access the Research Library by crossing the skybridge on the third floor of the main East Building.
For more information about the program and other events hosted by the Department of Archives and Manuscripts, please visit the Birmingham Public Library website or contact Catherine Oseas at 205-226-3630 or Catherine.Oseas@cobpl.org.
About the Birmingham Public Library
The Birmingham Public Library (BPL) enriches lives and fosters the collective well-being of the community through open access to resources, programs, and services that inform, enlighten, and empower. As a leading cultural and educational institution in Alabama, the BPL is dedicated to promoting literacy, lifelong learning, and civic engagement.
By Catherine Oseas | Head Archivist, Archives and Manuscripts Department
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