Winter 1997, Number 43

Article Abstracts and Supplements

Geronimo and the Chiricahua Apaches: The Alabama Years
By H. Henrietta Stockel

When Geronimo and his warriors caused too much trouble on the Arizona/Mexico border, the United States Army set out to relocate the Apache tribe. Tricked into believing that he and his warriors would be reunited with their families, Geronimo surrendered to Gen. Nelson A. Miles. During a brief imprisonment in Florida, the Apaches suffered such ill health that the government relocated them to Mt. Vernon, Alabama. Here Geronimo struggled to feed his people, selling his possessions to tourists, rounding up stray children and escorting them to school, and generally keeping the peace. Once labeled “The Terror of the Southwest,” Geronimo rose to the needs of his tribe and did everything he could to secure their health and safety.



Images of Alabama: Country Churches
By Anderson Scott

Photographer Anderson Scott shares his passion for capturing “some of the most beautiful places on earth:” country churches. He also provides some common observations about the churches he has visited in Alabama. Scott’s photography can be found at the National Museum of American Art, the Corcoran Gallery of Art, and the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art.



The Lynching of Willie Baird, Labor and Violence in 1921 Alabama
By Glenn Feldman

On December 2, 1921, Willie Baird turned himself in to the Winston County Sheriff, seeking protection from Company M of the Alabama National Guard. The Alabama National Guard had been called in to the area to “keep the peace” at a United Mine Workers of America strike. Baird had witnessed Private James Morris and Company M shoot and kill his father-in-law, Adrian Northcutt, a union leader and preacher. Baird killed Morris in self-defense, and the violence captured national attention. On January 13, 1921, nine members of Company M stormed the jail and lynched Baird on Manchester Road in Jasper. The ensuing trials against the nine members of Company M caused state and national controversy and had a major effect on Alabama’s coal miners.



Black Belt Elegance: Late Antebellum Alabama Parlors
By Lee W. Rahe

The parlors of antebellum Alabamians served as ornate and beautiful places to read, gather with company, or bond with family. The design of such parlors was strictly dictated by such publications as Godey’s Lady’s Book and Magazine, which gave advice on everything from fashionable carpet fabrics to chair and table designs. These antebellum parlors often reflected high fashion; the wealthiest planters owned costly pianos and tête à têtes, lounges that “allowed two occupants to face each other without physical contact.” These rooms shed light into the daily lifestyles of rich antebellum families.

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