Music of the Mines, Mills, and Railroads of the Birmingham District

On Thursday, May 3rd from noon - 1:00 p.m., Karen Utz, Curator and
Historian of Sloss Furnaces National Historic Landmark, will present a
program on labor-related music brought into Birmingham's industrial
district by migrants.  Music of the Mines presents histories and personal
recollections from the musicians and their families, and includes an audio
account of the unique music.  Please join us for an educational and
entertaining program. Free admission.

Genealogy News

Due to a lack of funding the Jefferson County Library Cooperative had to drop HeritageQuest from the Alabama Virtual Library.  The good news is that patrons can now access HeritageQuest through the library's website as a result of a donation from the Friends of the Bessemer Public Library.  Under the Reference heading, click onto HeritageQuest and follow the directions.

The 1940 Census records were released by the U.S. National Archives on April 2, 2012 and brought online through a partnership with Archives.com.  The website 1940census.archives.gov  allows you full access to the 1940 Census images in addition to 1940 Census maps and descriptions.

You cannot look up people by name, however, because the census has not yet been indexed by name.  Therefore, only searches by location and enumeration district are currently possible.

The 1940 U.S. Census Community Project is a volunteer initiative currently underway to make a name-index
available for free.

Getting the Most from Social Security

On Monday, April 30th at 6:00 p.m., Rick Bruni, Financial Advisor with
Merrill Lynch, will discuss how people's decisions regarding Social
Security benefits will impact their overall financial plan for retirement.
Comprehensive materials will be provided. Mr. Bruni will be available to
answer questions.  Free admission.

Callling All Gardeners

On Thursday, April 12th from noon until 1:00 p.m., Sallie Lee, gardening expert with the Jefferson County Extension Office, will present "Basic Gardening Techniques."  Come hear tips for growing your best flowers and vegetables, and bring your questions.

Free admission.

Birds of East Africa

Please join us on Tuesday, March 13th from noon - 1:00 p.m. as we travel to East Africa, one of the richest and most diverse bird areas in the world with nearly 1400 species.  Dick Mills, our tour guide, will show slides of numerous unique and colorful African birds in a variety of natural  habitats.  Nature lovers and birdwatchers alike will enjoy this presentation.  Free admission.

Mother's Day 1961: The Freedom Rides in Alabama

Please join us on Tuesday, February 14th from 12 noon - 1:00 p.m. for a presentation by Laura Anderson, Archivist at the Birmingham Civil Rights Institute.  The program will take a look at the making of history on
Mother's Day 1961, as two groups of passengers, known as the "Freedom Riders", boarded buses for
separate trips to Birmingham.  The program will include a slide show of photographs from a collection housed in the Archives of the Birmingham Civil Rights Institute.  Free admission.  Program sponsored by the Alabama Humanities Foundation.

Sloss Furnaces Program

Sloss Furnaces, which produced iron for nearly 90 years beginning in April, 1882, contributed to the development of the city of Birmingham.  Please join us on Thursday, January 12th from 12 noon - 12:45 p.m. for a PowerPoint program presented by Heather Guy, Education Coordinator for Sloss Furnaces.  The program will  focus on the history and preservation of the site.