Tag Archives: statue

An honor long overdue

That would be the best way to describe the ceremony scheduled to take place at noon today in Birmingham’s Kelly Ingram Park. Today a plaque will be installed honoring the ministers that inspired the Ministers Kneeling statue.

Preachers praying.jpg

Photo: Preachers praying. acnatta/Flickr.

Participants in the rededication ceremony will include representatives from Mayor Larry Langford’s office; Mrs. Fred Shuttlesworth; Ms. Odessa Woolfolk; Bonita Conley, famed operatic and gospel singer; plus members of the families of the ministers whose actions in 1963 inspired the statue – Rev. N. H. Smith Jr. of New Baptist Church, Rev. A.D. King of First Baptist Church of Ensley and Rev. John T. Porter of Sixth Avenue Baptist Church. Today’s Birmingham News provides the background story about why today’s ceremony is taking place.

UPDATE: Blaze is lighting up UAB’s campus

Blaze

Bob Farley/f8Photo

The 3-ton, smoke-breathing statue of UAB’s mascot, Blaze, was unveiled Tuesday afternoon in front of the Bartow Arena. The 9 foot tall by 16 foot long, 7,000 pound smoke spewing statue created by artist T.J. Neil of Homosassa, FL. It cost approximately $30,000 was commissioned by the UAB National Alumni Society. UAB president Carol Garrison said the statue will breath smoke on special occasions, the first of which will be this weekend’s commencement (it starts at 2 p.m. on Saturday).

UPDATE: 5.1.2008; Click on the image above to view a few other images from the unveiling.