Image courtesy of Homewood Public Library
Homewood Public Library will host author, speaker and racial justice educator Melanie S. Morrison on Wednesday, June 10, from 1-2 p.m. in the Round Auditorium as part of its "Tales From the Writing Life" summer series.
Morrison will present "Murder on Shades Mountain," a program exploring the 1931 attack on three young white women on Shades Mountain and the events that followed. According to historical accounts, the sole survivor alleged that a Black man had held the women captive before shooting them and fleeing into the woods.
The incident sparked widespread unrest in Birmingham, including attacks on Black-owned businesses, mass arrests and what organizers describe as the largest manhunt in Jefferson County history. Morrison's presentation will examine both the attack and its broader impact on Birmingham's Black community during the Depression era.
The program also will highlight the efforts of individuals and organizations that worked to free Willie Peterson and advocated for racial justice in Birmingham during the period.
Morrison has spent three decades helping communities engage in conversations about racial justice and social transformation. The presentation is supported by a grant from the Alabama Humanities Alliance.
The event is free and open to the public. Registration is requested for attendance planning purposes at homewoodpubliclibrary.org/event/16065937.
