Birmingham, Alabama

Birmingham, Alabama was one of the fiercest battlegrounds of the American Civil Rights Movement. But in order to understand the struggle, you don’t have to look any further than Rickwood Field, America’s oldest ballpark. In this podcast, host Roy Wood Jr. looks at the intersection between baseball and civil rights as MLB gears up to honor the Negro Leagues like never before.

Before a recent concert in Birmingham, the Grammy-winning jazz pianist took time to learn more about the city’s history and influence on American music.