Birmingham Public Library Blog

  🥂 🎉 🥂2026 Magic City Classic Prep Guide: Plan Now, Party Later  🥂 🎉   Written by Roy L. Williams, Public Relations Director - Birmingham Public Library BIRMINGHAM, Ala. — The 2026 Magic City Classic is less than a month away. Seasoned fans know the time to start planning is now. Whether you’re a longtime attendee or a first-timer, early prep can make the difference between scrambling and celebrating. The Birmingham Public Library has your back as we gear up for the biggest HBCU football rivalry in the nation! From booking hotels and picking outfits to planning family reunions and finding the best food and pub spots, we’ve got your Classic Week checklist ready to roll. 🎟️ And don’t forget: It all starts with our official Magic City Classic Week kickoff party, Classic Cocktails, happening Tuesday, October 27, 2026, at the Central Library downtown. ✅ 10 Ways to Prep for Magic City Classic Week 1. Add Classic Cocktails to Your Calendar Kick off your Classic Week in s...

  BPL Hosting Programs on Discovering Former Enslaved African Americans and Family History in Recipes  Written by Roy L. Williams, PR Specialist, Birmingham Public Library 2026 Family History Month continues at the Birmingham Public Library’s Southern History Department.   What if the next clue to your family history is hidden in an old newspaper advertisement, a letter… or even a family cookbook? During Family History Month, the Birmingham Public Library invites you to explore three programs that show how people have searched for lost relatives, preserved family stories and used everyday records to uncover connections across generations. For African Americans researching ancestors who were enslaved, the search for family can be especially challenging. Enslaved people were often separated from parents, children, siblings and spouses, and records that identify those family relationships can be difficult to find. Two programs on Saturday, October 10, explore the...

Written by Roy L. Williams, Public Relations Specialist – Birmingham Public Library Classic Cocktails Kicks Off Magic City Classic Week Celebration of Alumni, Culture & Community BIRMINGHAM, Ala. – Want to start your Magic City Classic week in style and support our libraries at the same time? Look no further than the 2026 Classic Cocktails at the Birmingham Public Library. 📅 When: Tuesday, October 27, 2026, 5:30 – 9:00 p.m. 📍 Where: Central Library, 2100 Park Place, Birmingham, AL 35203 🎟️   Click here for Link to Buy Tickets on Eventbrite   This one-of-a-kind event transforms the downtown BPL into the ultimate celebration space, one of the few times you can get loud in a library. It’s also a safer, more welcoming alternative to crowded nightclubs, making it the perfect place to reconnect with friends, classmates, and fellow alumni. Most importantly, Classic Cocktails is a Party with a Purpose. Proceeds fuel vital library programs that benefit Birmingham residents of ...

                 By Roy L. Williams, Public Relations Specialist -Birmingham Public Library Magic City Classic Trivia Facts as BPL Prepares to Host Classic Cocktails on October 27  BIRMINGHAM, Ala. –  As the Birmingham Public Library (BPL) prepares to host our 5th Annual Classic Cocktails fundraiser event to kick off 2026 Magic City Classic Week,  we decided to test your knowledge about this annual showdown between the state's biggest HBCU institutions, the Alabama A&M Bulldogs and the Alabama State University Hornets. Classic Cocktails will take place on Tuesday, October 27, 2026, from 5:30 to 9:00 p.m. at the Central Library (2100 Park Place, Birmingham, AL 35203). BPL's kickoff party to the Magic City Classic is sponsored by the Friends Foundation of the Birmingham Public Library .   More than just a party, Classic Cocktails sets the tone for an unforgettable week of tradition, rivalry, and Black excell...