Skip to Main Content
Serving The University of Alabama since 1894.

The Crimson White

Serving The University of Alabama since 1894.

The Crimson White

Serving The University of Alabama since 1894.

The Crimson White

All content by Brandon Smith
Thankful for culture: How Black, Indigenous and European food traditions define Southern identity

Thankful for culture: How Black, Indigenous and European food traditions define Southern identity

Brandon Smith, Contributing Writer November 20, 2024

On Dec. 26, 1941, then-President Franklin Roosevelt signed a resolution to make Thanksgiving a federally recognized holiday. Ever since, Americans have made pilgrimages across the nation to gather with...

Chalking done by YAF to promote an event.

Controversial messages written in chalk raises questions about allowable speech on campus

Brandon Smith and Anna Hill November 17, 2024

The UA Young Americans for Freedom Chapter promoted an anti-abortion lecture led by a speaker from The Daily Wire planned for Tuesday by chalking campus sidewalks. Student reactions varied from pouring...

Addison Rae, a famous Tik Toker, has entered the music scene with popular singles like “Aquamarine” and “Diet Pepsi."

Addison Rae: Another social media star turns to music

Brandon Smith, Contributing Writer November 3, 2024

Addison Rae, who rose to fame on TikTok over the past five years, is making a second attempt to break into the music industry.  Following the releases of “Aquamarine” and “Diet Pepsi,” as well...

Brewer is a first-year MBA student and showcased her work at the Kentuck Festival of the Arts.

Artists celebrate tradition and heritage at Kentuck Art Festival

Brandon Smith, Contributing Writer October 22, 2024

The 53rd annual Kentuck Festival of the Arts took place over the weekend at Snow Hinton Park, away from its usual location in Downtown Northport, showcasing over 270 artists. The location was changed...

UA Counseling Center, Tide Against Suicide and American Foundation for Suicide Prevention hosted their annual Out of the Darkness Walk on Sunday.

Out of the Darkness Walk concludes National Suicide Prevention Week on campus

Brandon Smith, Contributing Writer October 15, 2024

UA Counseling Center, Tide Against Suicide and American Foundation for Suicide Prevention hosted their annual Out of the Darkness Walk on Sunday to bring National Suicide Prevention Week to a close.  “Out...

Located at 1901 Jack Warner Parkway next to the Tuscaloosa Public Library, the Queen City Pool and Pool House is the proposed new location for Kentuck.

Kentuck Art Center and City of Tuscaloosa plan to repurpose Queen City Pool and Pool House

Brandon Smith, Assistant Culture Editor May 17, 2024

Mayor Walt Maddox unveiled a proposal to renovate the Queen City Pool House during his Capital Projects recommendation presentation on April 30. The project would repurpose the historic building on Jack...

‘Totally Far-Out Tuesday’: a fundraising event for UA theater and dance

‘Totally Far-Out Tuesday’: a fundraising event for UA theater and dance

Brandon Smith, Race and Identity Reporter April 14, 2024

“Totally Far-Out Tuesday” will be on display at the Allen Bales Theatre on Saturday at 1 p.m. and Sunday at 5 p.m. Written and directed by Trint Brown, a sophomore Bachelor of Fine Arts student with...

UA mock trial team turns tables and heads as it prepares for nationals

UA mock trial team turns tables and heads as it prepares for nationals

Brandon Smith, Race and Identity Reporter April 7, 2024

Editor's note: This story was updated to correct a misquote regarding the relationship between UA Mock Trial Association's relationships with Emory University and Georgia Tech.  The UA Mock Trial Association...

Artist Sharon Butler introduces UA to growing art trend

Artist Sharon Butler introduces UA to growing art trend

Brandon Smith, Race and Identity Reporter March 31, 2024

The Sarah Moody Gallery of Art is currently the home to “March,” an exhibit featuring the art of Sharon Butler, New York City-based artist and creator of the Two Coats of Paint blog. Students and local...

A student at UA BISON Indigenous culture exhibition in Fall 2023.

BISON hosts musician Ron Warren to teach students about Native American flute-playing

Brandon Smith, Race and Identity Reporter March 24, 2024

The Bama Indigenous Student Organization Network invited Ron Warren on Thursday to demonstrate how to play the flute and to expand students’ understanding of Native American culture.   Warren, an...

Eternal Sunshine: singer Ariana Grande turns her face toward the sun

Eternal Sunshine: singer Ariana Grande turns her face toward the sun

Brandon Smith, Race and Identity Reporter March 17, 2024

On Friday, March 8, Ariana Grande released “Eternal Sunshine,” her seventh studio album. The album is a smooth and soothing mix of melodies and pop beats that tells the story of Ariana Grande’s experience...

New Avanti Orientation leaders pose for a group photo.

Black students are the welcoming faces of UA

Brandon Smith, Race and Identity Reporter February 28, 2024

The Avanti orientation team is the University’s premier group of students that welcomes incoming students to campus. They are some of the first faces that students and their parents see when they attend...

Oedipus, the first play directed by a Black student director in UA Theatre history premiered last Monday.

Theater department’s first Black student director reinvents the story of Oedipus

Brandon Smith, Race and Identity Reporter February 11, 2024

“Oedipus,” or “The Riddle Solver,” premiered at the Allen Bales Theatre on Feb. 6 and showed until this Sunday, Feb. 11. Directed by the first Black student director in the UA theater department’s...

Getting the Plastics back together: ‘Mean Girls’ is revived for theater release

Getting the Plastics back together: ‘Mean Girls’ is revived for theater release

Brandon Smith, Race and Identity Reporter January 24, 2024

Revived for the big screen, “Mean Girls” (2024) returned to theaters, not as an adaptation of the original movie, but based on the Broadway musical. It premiered nationwide on Friday, Jan. 12, and...

People participate in the MLK March of Jan. 15 in Tuscaloosa, Ala.

March on Tuscaloosa: School of Social Work celebrates the legacy of Dr. King

Brandon Smith, Race and Identity Reporter January 21, 2024

On Monday, Jan. 15, students from the UA School of Social Work participated in the annual MLK Jr. Unity March. Organized by the Southern Christian Leadership Conference, people marched on the streets of...

‘The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds & Snakes’: A song good enough for the ear to listen

‘The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds & Snakes’: A song good enough for the ear to listen

Brandon Smith, Race and Identity Reporter December 3, 2023

Following the success of the original trilogy, Lionsgate released “The Hunger Games: Ballad of Songbirds & Snakes” to theaters. It premiered Friday, Nov. 17, and has generated over $200 million...

Attendees at SWACA’s Religious Awareness Day event

SWACA creates safe space for students to share religious beliefs

Brandon Smith, Race and Identity Reporter November 26, 2023

The Social Work Association for Cultural Awareness hosted its Religious Awareness Day event in the Intercultural Diversity Center on Thursday, Nov. 9.   SWACA invited several religious groups on campus...

Alabama Museum of Natural History and Gorgas House Museum co-host ‘Haunting at the Museum’

Alabama Museum of Natural History and Gorgas House Museum co-host ‘Haunting at the Museum’

Ava Morthland and Brandon Smith November 5, 2023

The Alabama Museum of Natural History and the Gorgas House Museum co-hosted “Haunting at the Museum” events between Oct. 23 and 31.  On Oct. 25, the Alabama Museum of Natural History held a “family...

‘Silly, scary, spooky’: Robert Fuson describes ‘The Rocky Horror Show’

‘Silly, scary, spooky’: Robert Fuson describes ‘The Rocky Horror Show’

Brandon Smith, Race and Identity Reporter November 5, 2023

The University of Alabama Department of Theatre and Dance’s production of “The Rocky Horror Show” premiered on Halloween night at the Marian Gallaway Theatre. The last performance was shown Sunday,...

The survival of Native American history through storytelling and art

The survival of Native American history through storytelling and art

Alejandro Jimenez and Brandon Smith November 1, 2023

November is Native American Heritage Month and highlights the persistence of Native American cultures and traditions despite years of oppression and the constant threat of erasure.   This month is...

The Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc. Greek house.

The Divine Nine and the creation of a more inclusive campus

Zara Morgan and Brandon Smith October 11, 2023

The National Pan-Hellenic Council, also known as the “Divine Nine,” is a group of nine historically Black sororities and fraternities, eight of which are represented at the University.  The Divine...

War on display at the Dinah Washington Cultural Arts Center

War on display at the Dinah Washington Cultural Arts Center

Brandon Smith, Contributing Writer September 17, 2023

From Aug. 4 to Sept. 15, the University of Alabama Gallery presented “Broken Bridges,” a showcase of documentary photography by Stephen Humphreys at the Dinah Washington Cultural Arts Center. Twenty...

Student and Faculty attend Multicultural Coffee Hour in the Student Center on Friday, Sept. 1.

Upcoming UA events for students to kick off fall semester

Brandon Smith and Anna Hill September 6, 2023

Each semester, students and faculty organize events such as Multicultural Coffee Hour or Mind Matters. These meetings help every person who attends the University create new connections, explore the UA...

Juneteenth: Celebrating 157 years of freedom

Juneteenth: Celebrating 157 years of freedom

Brandon Smith, Contributing Writer June 14, 2023

June 19, Juneteenth, is a celebratory day that signifies the anniversary of Black freedom from slavery under the Emancipation Proclamation passed in 1863.   This Juneteenth will be the 157th anniversary...

Review: “Frontières Sans Frontières” appears on the stage of the Allen Bales Theatre

Review: “Frontières Sans Frontières” appears on the stage of the Allen Bales Theatre

Brandon Smith, Contributing Writer March 29, 2023

Appearing at the Allen Bales Theatre, The University of Alabama Theatre and Dance Department will be producing “Frontières Sans Frontières” through Sunday, April 2.    In the span of two hours,...

Roscoe Hall’s homecoming exhibit at the Dinah Washington Cultural Arts Center

Roscoe Hall’s homecoming exhibit at the Dinah Washington Cultural Arts Center

Brandon Smith, Contributing Writer February 5, 2023

\The University of Alabama Gallery is currently presenting “Roscoe Hall: Two Houses,” featuring Black artist and Tuscaloosa native, Roscoe Hall, at Dinah Washington Cultural Arts Center until Feb....

Review: “Small Mouth Sounds” returns to the stage with UA Theatre and Dance

Review: “Small Mouth Sounds” returns to the stage with UA Theatre and Dance

Brandon Smith, Contributing Writer November 13, 2022

Running from Monday, Nov. 7, to Sunday, Nov. 13, The University of Alabama Department of Theatre and Dance produced “Small Mouth Sounds” at the Allen Bales Theatre. Within the runtime of an hour and...

Moundville Native American Festival: remembering the past, hope for the future

Moundville Native American Festival: remembering the past, hope for the future

Brandon Smith, Contributing Writer October 30, 2022

On Saturday, Oct. 15, the Moundville Archaeological Park hosted its 34th annual Native American Festival. Every year the museum and park host the event for different Native American tribal groups to demonstrate...