Hundreds gather in Selma to recognize one-year tornado anniversary

More than 300 Selma residents packed Arts Revive on Saturday to mark the one-year anniversary of the devastating Jan. 12, 2023, tornado that changed Selma forever.

The event had two purposes. It was originally set to unveil a mosaic made of pottery pieces from damaged items in Selma. But Arts Revive leaders were approached by the National Weather Service wanting to host a storm preparedness information fair to help residents get ready for any future storms that could hit. So they combined the events.

“This is an event that is a year beyond something that happened in 45 seconds that changed so many lives,” said Ruth Talton, president of Arts Revive. “Lives were turned upside down quickly, and we never thought things could get better. But they are getting better.”

Weather experts came from across the state and the country for the fair to help residents get prepared. National Weather Service gave out weather radios while FEMA shared information on reimbursement. Meteorologists James Spann from ABC 33/40 in Birmingham and Shane Butler from WAKA Action 8 in Montgomery came to give weather tips.

Arts Revive unveiled a new mosaic made by artist Jo Taylor out of their Create Space studio that was pieced together from items such as china and pottery that were broken in the storm.

The pieces formed the bridge and a butterfly, the city’s symbol, to give beauty and completion to make residents feel less broken.

“The tornado was the first time I’ve seen the community this bonded over something,” said Taylor, a Selma native. “Every section of town was affected in some way, and it crossed borders from rich to poor, Black and white, and we were helping whoever needed it.”

The artwork took “broken pieces of lives and recreated into something beautiful with icons of Selma – the bridge and a butterfly.”

Dignitaries from city, county and state government also attended to share in the one-year recognition and one overall theme carried through: messages of thanksgiving.

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“Today is a day of action and remembrance, but we should think about today being a day of thanksgiving,” said Billy Young, Selma City Council president. “Think back over all that transpired on Jan. 12 and everybody is still here because of God above. … We came together when we need to move us forward. Selma’s best days are not behind us, but our best days are in front of us.” 

Congresswoman Terri Sewell attended the event and revisited efforts made to get the state and FEMA to declare Selma as a disaster and agree to reimburse costs at 100 percent. 

Sewell said the area got $22 million from FEMA and SBA and officials from both agencies were on the ground for months after the storm hit.

She also credited government leaders for working together to make rebuilding a success.

“This is not a sprint, it’s a marathon,” Sewell said. “It’s going to take us a while to rebuild. The tornado did such extensive damage in a matter of minutes it will take years to rebuild.”

FEMA Federal Coordinating Officer Kevin Wallace agreed with Sewell, saying he saw strong leadership among the city of Selma and Dallas County and groups of neighbors and ministers that demonstrated Selma was going to be OK. 

Selma Mayor James Perkins Jr. noted how residents were traumatized by the storm last year, which could be seen in the anxiety from the community this week when severe weather was predicted for the actual one-year anniversary on Friday. But the community is grateful there was no loss of life on Jan. 12, 2023, and that the second storm system fizzled out.

State Sen. Robert Stewart, who survived a tree landing on his house in the tornado, said it’s time for Selma to decide its future.

“We have a blank canvas right now. We as a community get to decide our trajectory,” Stewart said. “As Dr. King says, ‘Where do we go from here?’ Chaos or community? Let’s choose community.”