In times past, the city was infamously branded ‘Bombingham’ – a moniker earned due to intense violence and a gritty resolve to stand up to the racial animosity that spurred it. However, in the aftermath of the third mass shooting in 2024, Birmingham grapples with a novel kind of disappointment and hopelessness. The city’s toll of 122 homicides this year, predominantly involving guns, indicates a tragic new record in the making, surpassing those of yesteryears. A city steeped in a historical narrative of resilience against adversity, it is now becoming a challenging task for many to envisage brighter days. ‘Enough is enough’ says Crystal Smitherman, the representative of a district famous for its nightlife, where a shooting attack suddenly took the lives of four people and left 17 injured amidst a heated city council gathering.
City inhabitant Robert Banks, whose mother was a survivor of the 16th Street Baptist Church bombing during the tumultuous civil rights era in the 1960s, echoes these sentiments. He implies that the ongoing gun violence raises doubts about the preservation of the city that previous generations battled for. The nature of violence has evolved; the majority of the perpetrators and victims alike are now Black, including numerous young men resorting to bullets to settle scores. An upsurge in easy accessibility to gadgets that can convert regular handguns into automatic weapons has resulted in increasingly fatal episodes of shootings on the streets.
Birmingham’s history is marked by decades-long violence, with deep-seated issues permeating the city. A dramatic and unfavorable shift in its fortunes saw a significant exodus of white inhabitants to the suburbs. As majority of the populace in the city moved towards being predominantly Black, Birmingham found itself striving to establish its identity as a hub for healthcare and education, while grappling with a decline in industrial opportunities.
Nearly one fourth of the city’s inhabitants face economic hardships, living on or below the poverty threshold – a figure that exceeds both national and state averages. Despite having a lower population, the present rate of homicides exposes Birmingham to the grim possibility of exceeding a homicide record that has been untouched for over nine decades.
Once upon a time, Birmingham was typically depicted as a tranquil setting ideal for a peaceful retirement. However, of late, the city’s condition has deteriorated alarmingly, echoing the distressing atmosphere of a battleground, with many citizens having to confront the unbearable loss of their loved ones in numerous shootings.
The city’s predicament has kickstarted discussions about whether conditions have worsened beyond expectations. Some citizens however, hold onto hope and resilience, believing that they can recover from the adversities that their communities are currently facing, especially in light of the agonizing events of this year.