Druid Hills
| Druid Hills | |
 |
Birmingham neighborhoods |
| District(s) | 4, 5 |
|---|---|
| Community | Northside |
| Population | 2,198 |
| Area | N/A |
| President | Amie Evans |
| Meeting site | St James Missionary Baptist Church, (map) |
| Meeting day | 4th Monday |
| Website | |
| Neighborhood map | Druid Hills |
Druid Hills is a neighborhood in the Northside community located north of I-20/59 and south of 19th Avenue North between 19th Street North and Carraway Boulevard (formerly 26th Street North)
The neighborhood, which is bounded by Central City, Norwood, Evergreen, and Fountain Heights, includes landmarks such as the Birmingham-Jefferson Convention Complex and Uptown entertainment district, Carraway Hospital, and Oak Hill Cemetery. Arthur Shores Park and Barker Park are located within the neighborhood.
Druid Hills grew as a residential section along with neighboring Norwood in the vicinity of Carraway Hospital. In the mid-20th century the city, on the advice of the Birmingham Real Estate Board, rezoned much of the neighborhood for multi-family housing. In 1972 the Druid Hills-Norwood Civic League rallied in opposition to that zoning and, with the help of Birmingham City Council member Arthur Shores, succeeded in preserving single-family zoning in the heart of the neighborhood. The successful petition established an important precedent for community organizers seeking to increase the voting power of African Americans in Birmingham.
Over time, though, many of those single-family homes have been vacated and fallen into disrepair, making blight, along with declining commercial activity, a major issue for later neighborhood leaders.
Grade school students attend Norwood Elementary School, Wilkerson Middle School and Carver High School. The Druid Hills Neighborhood Association meets on the fourth Monday of each month at St James Missionary Baptist Church.
Presidents
- Charlie Pierce, 1970s-1986
- Charlie Williams Jr, -2014
- Amie Evans, 2014-
Demographics
- 2010: 2,198 (80.7% Black)
- 2020: 1,613 (75.7% Black)
References
- Connerly, Charles E. (2005) "The Most Segregated City in America": City Planning and Civil Rights in Birmingham, 1920-1980. University of Virginia Press ISBN 0813923344
- Prickett, Sam (April 13, 2017) "Neighborhood Voices: Druid Hills." Weld for Birmingham