The Barber of Birmingham

“The worst thing a man can do is live for nothing.” So says James Armstrong, a barber in Birmingham who was one of thousands of unknown and unsung heroes of the civil rights struggle of the '60s. Living by his own creed, Armstrong willingly risked his own life in the often-brutal fight for basic rights—to vote, hold a job, use a public facility or go to school without the oppression of racial segregation or fear of violence. In the decades since, he has kept the faith that enduring what he and his fellow foot soldiers called the “terrible days” would be worth it. Indeed, this short, carefully crafted and compelling film tells his and his compatriots worthwhile story. Armstrong passed away just after this film was shot—but not before witnessing the swearing in of our first African-American president.

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