Southern Museum of Flight is the focus of one of the stories being told this month on Alabama Public Television’s “Alabama Stories.” Special to The Terminal.

Throughout the month of March, Alabama Public Television will have shows focusing on the city of Birmingham. “These stories are unique and they will give a different focus on the city,” said Kathie Martin, Assistant VP at Alabama Public Television. The shows will look at topics including Birmingham’s crime rate, the city’s Irish and Celtic heritage, and Alabama’s involvement in the “Bay of Pigs” invasion. Martin says that people need to know the history of not just Birmingham, but the entire state.

“A lot people may not know that Alabama played a big role in the “Bay of Pigs”, or they may need to know [about] the crime rate in Birmingham because they have children that attend schools like UAB or Jefferson State,” said Martin. Two of the pieces will be featured on the network’s series “Alabama Stories.”

Randy Scott, one of the show’s hosts, will explore on what’s being done to fight crime in the city of Birmingham (March 21, 7 p.m.). The Magic City was recently ranked as the sixth most dangerous city in the country according to Congressional Quarterly. The program will feature civic leaders including Mayor Larry Langford and Congressman Artur Davis. The episode will also feature a seminar that Scott attended on March 3 presented by Congressman Davis.

“Alabama Stories” will also be showing how the Alabama National Guard played a part in the invasion of Cuba, also known as the “Bay of Pigs” (March 28, 7 p.m.), an attempt to overthrow former Cuban president Fidel Castro. Series host Rhonda Colvin will be speaking with Joe Shannon, a Birmingham resident who was apart of the invasion and Dr. Jim Griffin, the director of the Southern Museum of Flight.

A visit to Birmingham’s Samford University with “Leslie Baily’s Southern View” will help Alabamians see their Irish and Celtic heritage (March 29, 1 p.m.). The collection at Samford is the most treasured Irish history and genealogical collections in the U.S. They will sample Irish foods and recipes. The show will also tell the story of Father James E. Coyle, a native of Ireland who moved to Birmingham and became pastor of St. Paul’s Cathedral until his assassination in 1921 by a Protestant minister. A performance of “Celtic Woman” will also be featured.