Conference Bridges Gap Between Communities And Law Enforcement

Birmingham, Alabama—As the Birmingham Civil Rights Institute (BCRI) continues its 15th Anniversary Celebration, it is also preparing for a year of programming to commemorate the 40th observance of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.’s assassination. As we measure how far we have come as a country since the Movement era, BCRI and the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Birmingham Division, present a conference that focuses on bridging the communication gap between law enforcement officers and the communities they serve. This second collaboration between the two organizations will bring local, state and federal law enforcement agencies together with community leaders, civil rights advocates and grassroots organizers to look at the role of law enforcement during the Movement and beyond. The event will feature a 6:00 p.m. public reception and tour on Sunday, December 2, 2007 at BCRI. A seminar for an invited audience is scheduled for Monday, December 3 at BCRI beginning at 9:00 a.m. The public is also invited to the keynote address on Monday at Sixteenth Street Baptist Church at 1:00 p.m.

The Sunday reception is primarily targeted to law enforcement officers. The evening is designed to “reflect on our City’s civil rights past” and to assist law enforcement personnel in understanding the historical foundation that governed lines of communication between communities and law enforcement officers. Bishop Calvin Woods, Sr., President of the Birmingham Chapter of SCLC, will offer a brief background on civil rights era relationships between Movement organizers and law enforcement officers sworn to “serve and protect.” His comments will be followed by tours of the Institute’s permanent exhibition, food and conversation. To close the evening, the BCRI Youth Performing Ensemble will present a theatrical performance focusing on youth involvement in the Civil Rights Movement.

The theme for Monday’s seminar is “Where Do We Go From Here? Law Enforcement and Civil Rights.” The discussion is designed to build trust and open the lines of communication between law enforcement agencies and the communities they serve. This seminar will provide attendees with an opportunity to better understand law enforcement and the changes that have been made over the past several decades. The discussion will focus on our civil rights past, examine the reopening of cold cases from the civil rights era and review today’s concerns for law enforcement personnel. Congressman Artur Davis, U.S. House of Representatives, will open the conference with an examination on the importance of revisiting cold cases from the civil rights era. His comments will incorporate a review of testimonies from Congressional hearings held this past summer in Washington, D.C. This year’s meeting will take a new twist by examining ways to engage youth and parents in a mutually beneficial dialog with law enforcement. Willie T. Hulon, Executive Assistant Director—National Security Branch (EAD-NSB) of the FBI, is the conference keynote speaker.

The community partners in this initiative include The Alabama Latin American Association, Birmingham Police Department, Civil Rights Activist Committee, Jefferson County Sheriff’s Department, National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) and the Southern Christian Leadership Conference (Birmingham Chapter).

OUR SPEAKERS:

Congressman Artur Davis has earned recognition as a productive and effective legislator who has set a new standard of service for his constituents. As Congressman Davis begins his third term as Alabama’s 7 th District U.S. Representative, he is rapidly developing a national reputation as a thoughtful leader who is poised to influence the national debate. In the 110th Congress, Davis has been appointed to one of the most prestigious committees in the House, the Ways and Means Committee. Davis is only the tenth Alabamian to serve on this important committee in 188 years. Davis also holds a slot on the Judiciary Committee, which covers areas ranging from constitutional law, immigration and the criminal and civil justice systems. From 1994 to 1998, Congressman Davis established a 98 percent conviction rate as an Assistant United States Attorney for the Middle District of Alabama fighting white-collar criminals and the scourge of drugs and violence on our streets and in our neighborhoods. From 1998 until his election to Congress, Congressman Davis worked as a litigator in private practice. In both 2004 and 2006, Davis won overwhelming reelection victories, capturing 91% in the Democratic primary in 2006, and running unopposed in November 2006.

Mr. Willie T. Hulon was appointed by Director Mueller as Executive Assistant Director (EAD) of the FBI’s National Security Branch (NSB) on June 19, 2006. In this position, he oversees the FBI’s counterterrorism, counterintelligence, weapons of mass destruction, intelligence programs, and has spearheaded the integration and enhancement of the FBI’s national security mission. Mr. Hulon is also the lead FBI official responsible for coordination and liaison with the Director of National Intelligence and the rest of the Intelligence Community. He began his career as an FBI Special Agent in September 1983. After graduating from the FBI Academy, he was assigned to the FBI office in Mobile, Alabama, and subsequently served in Chicago, Illinois, and San Antonio, Texas. During those assignments, he conducted drug, gang, domestic terrorism, and violent crime investigations. From November 2002 to June 2004, Mr. Hulon served as Special Agent in Charge of the Detroit Field Office, where he oversaw one of the busiest counterterrorism programs in the nation and was personally involved in the management of several major cases.

Bishop Calvin Woods, Sr. is Pastor of Shiloh Baptist Church Norwood where he has served for 20 years. He is also the President of the New Era Baptist State Convention of Alabama and has served as President of the Birmingham Chapter of SCLC since 2006. Bishop Woods is a longstanding preacher of the Gospel and an active civil rights worker. He worked for many years at A.H. Parker High School (Birmingham, Alabama) where he specialized in handling discipline problems and served as Supervisor for the Parker High Community School. Woods is retired from the Birmingham Board of Education.

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MEDIA: The Sunday reception and Monday keynote address are free and open to the public. A press conference will take place on Monday, December 3, 2007 in the Institute’s Processional Gallery at 11:30 A.M. Media coverage during the press conference is appreciated. Conference keynote speaker Willie T. Hulon and conference organizers will be available for a short time after the press conference for individual interviews.