Why Angela Davis Doesn’t Fit Into Birmingham’s Civil Rights Narrative

Birmingham, Alabama, is recognized as the “cradle of the civil rights movement” and today one of its daughters born from that cradle, Angela Davis, has been disowned in the city due to conflicts over who gets to tell Birmingham’s civil rights story. On January 5, the Birmingham Civil Rights Institute (BCRI), a 26-year-old museum and research center, announced that it was rescinding its “Fred L. Shuttlesworth Human Rights Award” after announcing scholar-activist Angela Davis as the winner in October. The award was to be handed out on February 16 at its annual gala, which has also been cancelled.

Davis does “not meet all of the criteria on which the award is based,” reads a statement from BCRI’s board. “While we recognize Ms. Davis’ stature as a scholar and prominent figure in civil rights history, we believe the decision is consistent with the ideals of the award’s namesake, Rev. Shuttlesworth.”