In the pages of Secret Birmingham, author Cherith Glover Fluker invites readers on an exploration of a city rich in untold stories, vibrant culture, and a legacy that merits both recognition and appreciation. For Fluker, the inspiration to spotlight Birmingham emerged from a personal journey marked by loss and a quest for purpose. As a dedicated traveler and writer, she sought to uncover the hidden gems of this diverse city—a place that has profoundly shaped her life and experiences.

In this Q&A, we delve into what motivated Fluker to write Secret Birmingham, the discoveries she made while researching the city, and her hopes for what readers will take away from the book. Join us as we unpack the layers of Birmingham and explore the connective threads that weave together its narrative—one that honors its past while celebrating its present and future.

What inspired you to write Secret Birmingham, and what made you feel like this was a story the city needed?

I started a self-care and travel blog in 2020 to cope with losing my parents and becoming an empty nester. Writing and travel gave me purpose when I felt lost. During a travel media trip, a fellow writer asked me questions about Birmingham that I couldn’t answer, and that stuck with me. I connected with a publisher to pitch a destination guide about my hometown, Talladega. He returned with the recommendation that I target Birmingham, a larger city. I hesitantly accepted because I wasn’t sure I knew enough about the city. But my village encouraged me to trust the research process, and I’m so glad I did.

This city has a story worth celebrating, and I wanted the people who live here to feel that pride. I wanted visitors to want to come experience the magic for themselves. 

Birmingham isn’t my hometown, but it’s woven into my whole life. My parents both worked here. I taught in Jefferson County, served on the Greater Birmingham Auburn Club board, and I’m a member of the Birmingham Alumnae Chapter of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc. Birmingham helped shape who I am. This book was my way of honoring that.

When you started uncovering Birmingham’s hidden stories, what surprised you most along the way?

I was shocked by how much history is layered into this city. Birmingham’s civil rights and iron legacy are widely known. But people don’t always give Birmingham enough credit for its beautiful green spaces and its phenomenal food scene. 

How did you decide which places and stories made it into the book—and were there any you had to leave out that you still think about?

Narrowing the book to 84 spots was honestly one of the hardest parts of this project. So many places deserved a mention, and leaving things out was painful. I made it my mission to spotlight what gets overlooked. But, some things were non-negotiable. You simply cannot write a book about Birmingham and leave out Vulcan or the Birmingham Civil Rights Institute. That wouldn’t be very Birmingham of me at all.

I still think about the places I had to leave out of the book. I try to honor those places by writing blogs about them, hosting book events there, and mentioning them on my Secret Birmingham Facebook page. 

Birmingham is known for its powerful civil rights history. How did you approach balancing that well-known narrative with its lesser-known stories?

One thing I knew better than to do was overlook the civil rights history. It’s such a large and complex part of Birmingham’s story. As much as people think they know, there’s likely just as much they don’t. I learned things while researching this book that caught me completely off guard.

Joe Minter’s African Village in America is a perfect example. I first encountered it not in Birmingham, but at the Smithsonian in Washington, D.C. I wandered up to an exhibit, read the placard, and discovered the artist was from Birmingham and that what I was looking at was connected to a much larger work located right here in the city. I had never heard of it. That moment stayed with me.

I also learned from writing the book that the Birmingham Civil Rights Trail has more than 100 historical markers throughout the city. 

That said, I didn’t shy away from the well known civil rights narrative. But I was equally intentional about pulling forward the stories that exist in its shadow. Birmingham’s story lives in the artists, the neighborhoods, and the landmarks that don’t always make the tours. My job was to make sure readers walked away knowing there’s always another layer worth discovering.

Of all the places featured in Secret Birmingham, is there one that changed the way you personally see the city?

Birmingham has a way of humbling you just when you think you’ve figured it out. Learning about the Porsche Sport Driving School shifted something for me. People travel from around the world to have this experience, and it’s right here in our backyard. Getting to spend time at the school, watch students in class, and take a hot lap myself made it real in a way that research alone never could.

Birmingham has world-class experiences hiding in plain sight, and sometimes it takes writing a book to finally see it clearly.

What does your research and writing process look like when you’re digging into a city’s history and uncovering its lesser-known layers?

For this work to feel real to me, I needed to live the research. I started in the Homewood Library and got a great start, but books could only take me so far. Eventually, I put on my trench coat, grabbed my magnifying glass, and hit the streets in full investigator mode. I was driving around, getting out and walking, really looking at the city with fresh eyes.

Some of my best discoveries came from simply talking to strangers. I’d learn something in one place and let it lead me somewhere else. One conversation would open a door, and behind that door was another story I never would have found sitting at a desk.

What do you hope readers—both locals and visitors—take away after reading Secret Birmingham and seeing the city through your lens?

I want people to walk away from Secret Birmingham knowing that this city is a destination. Not a place you pass through on the way somewhere else, but a place worth showing up for intentionally.

What makes Birmingham special isn’t just one thing. It’s the skyline and the green spaces. The museums and the historic theatres. The neighborhoods that have their own personalities. The artists who are doing remarkable work. And more than anything, it’s the people. Birmingham’s greatest treasure has always been the people who call it home.

Whether you’re a local or a visitor, I hope this book makes you slow down and take a closer look at the city. Birmingham has always been worth celebrating, and I want more people to know it.

Where all can people find and purchase Secret Birmingham?

This question makes me happy because the local support has been overwhelming. You can find Secret Birmingham at some of Birmingham’s most beloved spots: Little Professor, Thank You Books, Bookmarked, Leaf & Petal, the Birmingham Museum of Art, Dread River, Alabama Goods, Board in Birmingham, Southern Museum of Flight, and Sloss Furnaces. Auburn Oil Booksellers in Auburn and Weeping Willow Books in Pell City have also been incredibly supportive of this work.

If you want a signed copy, you can order directly through my website. And for those who prefer the big retailers, it’s available at Barnes & Noble, Books-A-Million, Walmart, Target, Amazon, and through the Reedy Press website.

Seeing this book on shelves across the city never gets old. Birmingham showed up for me, and I don’t take that lightly.

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