Black Cherry Tree Project

From lynch mobs to state violence, the pattern is the same: harm, denial, and a rush to justify the loss of life.

We remember Alex Pretti and Renée Good.
And we stand with those demanding truth.

Join us and for a FREE Community Celebration at to celebrate the Jefferson County Memorial Quilt Project!

📅 Saturday, October 18
🕙 10:00 AM – 2:00 PM
📍 Birmingham Civil Rights Institute

What to expect:
- Live performances
- Tabling by local organizations
- Arts activities led by the Birmingham Museum of Art
- A panel discussion
- FREE food (while supplies last)

Plus, you’ll have the chance to experience ‘Bound Together: Threads of Remembrance’, an exhibit currently on view at BCRI. Your free ticket also includes admission to BCRI’s historic galleries.

🎟️ Reserve your FREE ticket by visiting the link in our bio

TONIGHT! Join us for Art at the Intersection: Exploring Art Practices as Tools for Justice at (6–8 PM) with , Michelle Browder, and Germaul Barnes—plus poetry from .

Calling all block makers who participated in the Jefferson County Memorial Quilt Project! We are collecting all blocks so we can begin construction on the quilt top. Deadline is July 11th, unless you come to the “Block Party” on the 12th where you can meet block makers from other sessions and finish your block.

We have six locations you can turn in your blocks, please check with each location for their hours. Block turn in locations are:

Birmingham Public Library Central Branch
2100 Park Pl, Birmingham, AL 35203
*Blocks can be taken to the circulation desk

Avondale Regional Branch Library
509 40th Street South Birmingham, AL 35222
*Blocks can be taken to the circulation desk

Hoover Public Library
200 Municipal Dr, Hoover, AL 35216

Bessemer Public Library
400 19th St N, Bessemer, AL 35020

Bib & Tucker Sew-Op
7001 Crestwood Blvd #806, Birmingham, AL 35210

Create Birmingham
310 18th St N #303, Birmingham, AL 35203

On Sunday 10/6, Black Cherry Tree Project reached a significant milestone as we planted our first commemorative tree in honor of Lewis Houston at Linn Park. 🌳

Lewis Houston, a Black man, was unjustly lynched in 1883 by a mob of 150 white men. His final words, “Jesus, take me home,” remain a powerful reminder of the racial violence that shaped our history. Planting this tree where his life was taken is our way of honoring his memory and beginning a path toward justice and healing.

This event featured a land acknowledgment, ancestral tribute, poetry from April Pipkins (mother of EJ Bradford), and a drumming performance by Sahi On Ko Djony, a community mural where attendees were invited to write Mr. Houston’s name, all leading up to the tree planting and unveiling of its marker. The marker now stands in Linn Park to tell Lewis Houston’s story and spark dialogue on racial reconciliation.

This is just the beginning. Over the next few weeks, we will continue planting 32 more trees across Jefferson County, working with local artists to use art as a tool for conversation, healing, and remembrance of each lynching victim’s story. Thank you to everyone who made this moment possible.

Join us this Sunday for a powerful moment as we plant the first commemorative tree in honor of Lewis Houston, one of 33 documented lynching victims in Jefferson County. This marks a major milestone for the Black Cherry Tree Project, where we use art, community, and nature to honor lives taken by racial violence and foster healing. 🌳

This special event will also feature commemorative works created by the Power of Us cohort, highlighting their collective exploration of racial justice and multiracial democracy during a 4 day summit from 9/27-9/30. We’ll have guest speakers, live music, and more as we come together in Linn Park—right where Mr. Houston was tragically lynched in 1883.

This tree will serve as a living memorial, a reminder of the lives lost and the continued fight for justice. Please join us, share this post, and help us spread the word. Together, we can honor the past and inspire change for the future. ✊🏽