ALABAMA HERITAGE
  • Magazine
    • Current Issue
    • Back Issues >
      • Back Issues 141-150 >
        • Issue 149, Summer 2023
        • Issue 148, Spring 2023
        • Issue 147, Winter 2023
        • Issue 146, Fall 2022
        • Issue 145, Summer 2022
        • Issue 144, Spring 2022
        • Issue 143, Winter 2022
        • Issue 142, Fall 2021
        • Issue 141, Summer 2021
      • Back Issues 131-140 >
        • Issue 140, Spring 2021
        • Issue 139, Winter 2021
        • Issue 138, Fall 2020
        • Issue 137, Summer 2020
        • Issue 136, Spring 2020
        • Issue 135, Winter 2020
        • Issue 134, Fall 2019
        • Issue 133, Summer 2019
        • Issue 132 Spring 2019
        • Issue 131, Winter 2019
      • Back Issues 121-130 >
        • Issue 130, Fall 2018
        • Issue 129, Summer 2018
        • Issue 128, Spring 2018
        • Issue 127, Winter 2018
        • Issue 126, Fall 2017
        • Issue 125 Summer 2017
        • Issue 124, Spring 2017
        • Issue 123, Winter 2017
        • Issue 122, Fall 2016
        • Issue 121, Summer 2016
      • Back Issues 111-120 >
        • Issue 120, Spring 2016
        • Issue 119, Winter 2016
        • Issue 118, Fall 2015
        • Issue 117, Summer 2015
        • Issue 116, Spring 2015
        • Issue 115, Winter 2015
        • Issue 114, Fall 2014
        • Issue 113, Summer 2014
        • Issue 112, Spring 2014
        • Issue 111, Winter 2014
      • Back Issues 101-110 >
        • Issue 110, Fall 2013
        • Issue 109, Summer 2013
        • Issue 108, Spring 2013
        • Issue 107, Winter 2013
        • Issue 106, Fall 2012
        • Issue 105, Summer 2012
        • Issue 104, Spring 2012
        • Issue 103, Winter 2012
        • Issue 102, Fall 2011
        • Issue 101, Summer 2011
      • Back Issues 91-100 >
        • Issue 100, Spring 2011
        • Issue 99, Winter 2011
        • Issue 98, Fall 2010
        • Issue 97, Summer 2010
        • Issue 96, Spring 2010
        • Issue 95, Winter 2010
        • Issue 94, Fall 2009
        • Issue 93, Summer 2009
        • Issue 92, Spring 2009
        • Issue 91, Winter 2009
      • Back Issues 81-90 >
        • Issue 90, Fall 2008
        • Issue 89, Summer 2008
        • Issue 88, Spring 2008
        • Issue 87, Winter 2008
        • Issue 86, Fall 2007
        • Issue 85, Summer 2007
        • Issue 84, Spring 2007
        • Issue 83, Winter 2007
        • Issue 82, Fall 2006
        • Issue 81, Summer 2006
      • Back Issues 71-80 >
        • Issue 80, Spring 2006
        • Issue 79, Winter 2006
        • Issue 78, Fall 2005
        • Issue 77, Summer 2005
        • Issue 76, Spring 2005
        • Issue 75, Winter 2005
        • Issue 74, Fall 2004
        • Issue 73, Summer 2004
        • Issue 72, Spring 2004
        • Issue 71, Winter 2004
      • Back Issues 61-70 >
        • Issue 70, Fall 2003
        • Issue 69, Summer 2003
        • Issue 68, Spring 2003
        • Issue 67, Winter 2003
        • Issue 66, Fall 2002
        • Issue 65, Summer 2002
        • Issue 64, Spring 2002
        • Issue 63, Winter 2002
        • Issue 62, Fall 2001
        • Issue 61, Summer 2001
      • Back Issues 51-60 >
        • Issue 60, Spring 2001
        • Issue 59, Winter 2001
        • Issue 58, Fall 2000
        • Issue 57, Summer 2000
        • Issue 56, Spring 2000
        • Issue 55, Winter 2000
        • Issue 54, Fall 1999
        • Issue 53, Summer 1999
        • Issue 52, Spring 1999
        • Issue 51, Winter 1999
      • Back Issues 41-50 >
        • Issue 50, Fall 1998
        • Issue 49, Summer 1998
        • Issue 48, Spring 1998
        • Issue 47, Winter 1998
        • Issue 46, Fall 1997
        • Issue 45, Summer 1997
        • Issue 44, Spring 1997
        • Issue 43, Winter 1997
        • Issue 42, Fall 1996
        • Issue 41, Summer 1996
      • Back Issues 31-40 >
        • Issue 40, Spring 1996
        • Issue 39, Winter 1996
        • Issue 38, Fall 1995
        • Issue 37, Summer 1995
        • Issue 36, Spring 1995
        • Issue 35, Winter 1995
        • Issue 34, Fall 1994
        • Issue 33, Summer 1994
        • Issue 32, Spring 1994
        • Issue 31, Winter 1994
      • Back Issues 21-30 >
        • Issue 30, Fall 1993
        • Issue 29, Summer 1993
        • Issue 28, Spring 1993
        • Issue 27, Winter 1993
        • Issue 26, Fall 1992
        • Issue 25, Summer 1992
        • Issue 24, Spring 1992
        • Issue 23, Winter 1992
        • Issue 22, Fall 1991
        • Issue 21, Summer 1991
      • Back Issues 11-20 >
        • Issue 20, Spring 1991
        • Issue 19, Winter 1991
        • Issue 18, Fall 1990
        • Issue 17, Summer 1990
        • Issue 16, Spring 1990
        • Issue 15, Winter 1990
        • Issue 14, Fall 1989
        • Issue 13, Summer 1989
        • Issue 12, Spring 1989
        • Issue 11, Winter 1989
      • Back Issues 1-10 >
        • Issue 10, Fall 1988
        • Issue 9, Summer 1988
        • Issue 8, Spring 1988
        • Issue 7, Winter 1988
        • Issue 6, Fall 1987
        • Issue 5, Summer 1987
        • Issue 4, Spring 1987
        • Issue 3, Winter 1987
        • Issue 2, Fall 1986
        • Issue 1, Summer 1986
    • Bonus Materials >
      • Alabama Heritage Blog
      • Alabama Territory
      • Becoming Alabama >
        • Creek War Era
        • Civil War Era
        • Civil Rights Movement
      • From the Vault
      • History in Ruins
      • The Nature Journal
      • Places in Peril
      • Recipes
    • Digital Features
    • Links of Interest
  • Online Store
    • Customer Service
  • About Us
    • Awards
    • AH History
    • Meet Our Team
    • News
    • Writer's Guidelines and Submissions
  • Search
  • Donate
Published by The University of Alabama,
The University of Alabama at Birmingham,
and the Alabama Department of Archives and History

Sonia Sanchez: Poet, Activist, and Teacher

9/26/2023

 
Photo of Sonia SanchezPicture
Photo of Sonia Sanchez [Wikimedia Commons]
"This is a love that crowns the feet/with hands/that nourishes, conceives, feels the/water sails/mends the children,/folds them inside our history/where they/toast more than the flesh/where they suck the bones of the/alphabet/and spit out closed vowels."

From "This is Not a Small Voice" by Sonia Sanchez
​
An internationally acclaimed poet, Sonia Sanchez is an Alabama-native with a twenty-seven yearlong writing career and has helped innovate the craft to what it is today. Sanchez was born in Birmingham, Alabama, in 1934, and describes herself as a voice from the South as well as from urban, northern areas, such as Harlem, where she moved to as a little girl.

Read More

Alabama on the Big Screen

9/22/2023

 
Picture of Margaret Tallichet
Alabama actress Margaret Tallichet [Photo//Wikimedia Commons]
Alabama has multiple connections to Hollywood and the big screen. Some of the most famous actors to have come from our state are the Oscar-winning Octavia Spencer, Channing Tatum, and Tallulah Bankhead. A lesser-known actress with Alabama ties is Margaret Tallichet, wife of the renowned director William Wyler.
​
Tallichet was born in Dallas, Texas, in 1914. She was descended from Albert Tallichet, who emigrated from Switzerland to the town of Demopolis. Margaret’s parents moved from Demopolis to Texas shortly before she was born, but she continued to visit relatives there for the rest of her life. Her brother David was an aviator and a pioneer of themed restaurants; he settled in California, and it is unknown whether he kept in touch with his Alabama roots.

Read More

Alabama’s Natural Bridge

9/1/2023

 
Picture of Eroded Rock
Natural Bridge was formed from the interplay of water erosion and weathering resistance. Some types of rock weather faster than others, resulting in the formation of this bridge-like structure. [All Trails]
In the heart of Winston County, Alabama, off State Route 13, standing at 60 feet high and 148 feet long is the longest natural bridge east of the Rocky Mountains in North America. Just west of Bankhead National Forest, this natural archway is easily missed by many who travel through North Alabama, including myself. I have driven past the road sign titled “Natural Bridge” countless times on my way north. I always thought it looked interesting but never made the time to stop, get out, and delay my trip. But last year, after finishing midterms, I decided to make a day trip specifically for this bridge I had disregarded for years. And I am glad I did. After being greeted by friendly faces at the welcome desk of the park’s gift shop and paying entry fee of $3.50, I made the mile long hike through the Natural Bridge valley. Along the out and back trail, you will find variety of rock formations, 27 variations of fern, waterfalls, large Canadian hemlock trees dating back to the Ice Age, and of course, the Natural Bridge.

Read More

Who was Halle Tanner Dillon?

8/15/2023

 
An 1891 class photo of nursing students. The subject, Halle Tanner Dillon,  can be found in the fourth row.
Halle Tanner Dillon became the first woman ever certified to practice medicine -- a fete for any woman. She was also the first African American woman to do so. [Encyclopedia of Alabama]
In 1891, Halle Tanner Dillon became the first woman certified to practice medicine in Alabama. This accomplishment was even more remarkable because she was also African American.
​
Halle Tanner was born in Pittsburgh in 1864 to a prominent Black family. Her father, Benjamin Tucker Tanner, was a Methodist Episcopal (AME) minister and eventual bishop. Her brother Henry Ossawa was a well-regarded painter of dramatic Biblical scenes. He eventually moved to Paris and his paintings are displayed in some of the most prestigious museums in America. 

Read More

The History of Vine and Olive Colony

8/7/2023

 
PictureJeanne Elisabeth Helene Lajonie, known as Ninon, was born in Demopo-lis July 31, 1820, and she died in Gensac, Gironde, France, in 1911. Hers was probably one of the first births to the French emigres of the Vine and Olive Colony.
[Nicole Sauvage]
The story of the Vine and Olive Colony has intrigued Alabamians ever since it was first revealed in Albert Pickett’s 1851 history of our state. Pickett is generally considered the first historian of Alabama and he wrote extensively about the arrival of French expatriates to modern-day Marengo County. Various myths about the French settlers and their community have been passed down over the years, particularly the idea that the colony was populated by tragic French aristocrats, but the truth is more interesting than fiction.

It is mistakenly believed that the Vine and Olive Colony was populated by wealthy aristocrats who wanted to craft a paradise out of the southern wilderness. The only notable person involved with the colony was General Count Charles Lefebvre-Desnouettes. The aristocrat climbed up the ranks of the French Revolutionary army and received his title from Napoleon in 1808. Several other Napoleonic officers also arrived in Alabama but only for brief periods; Lefebvre-Desnouettes eventually left the state in 1821 to return to France, drowning off of the coast of Ireland. By 1830 the colony was depleted of its Napoleonic settlers, but this did nothing to stop romantic stories about the Vine and Olive Colony from remaining a part of the cultural history of our state.


Read More

Dr. King and his ties to Greensboro's Safe House

7/31/2023

 
A multi-colored tablecloth. Hundreds of footprints are displayed in a variety of colors.
One of the many pieces of artworks that can be found in the Safe House. This tablecloth represents the 42,000 feet of marchers who demonstrated for civil rights.
[Photo | Camryn Haag]
When you enter the Safe House Black History Museum for the first time, history seems very near, to still be breathing, due to the intimacy of the space, the historical artifacts, and the personal remembrances and testimonies of the tour guides. The shotgun-style house was turned into a museum in 2002 and ever since it has been educating visitors from across the United States and abroad.

Read More

Alabama Heritage Explores Moundville, Reconnects with History

7/12/2023

 
A cream colored building sits behind a lake on a bright blue day.
A snapshot of the Moundville Museum and two of the 29 mounds. (Photo | UA Museums)
Moundville Archaeological Park is unquestionably one of the most fascinating historical sites in our state. Wherever you walk within the 325 acres that make up the park you are traversing history. Moundville opened for visitors in May of 1939 and draws on average 40,000 visitors every year, all of whom undoubtedly leave with an enriched understanding of Native American culture.

Read More

Celebrate World Chocolate Day Around the State

7/7/2023

 
A box of chocolates on a black background.
World Chocolate Day is July 7 each year. (Stock photo)
Today is World Chocolate Day, and there are many places to discover the delicious treat in Alabama. Alabamians are known for our love of food and chocolate is no exception. The desert is always an enjoyable splurge even in the fierce summer heat. If you traverse our state, you will not have to look far to find welcoming chocolate shops, one of which was founded as long ago as 1917.

Read More

The First 9-1-1 Call Took Place in Alabama

6/28/2023

 
Picture
In this photograph from the Feb. 9, 1968 issue of the “Daily Northwest Alabamian,” B.W. Gallagher (left), president of the Alabama Telephone Co., displays the bright red telephone that was installed at the Haleyville, Alabama, police station to receive the first 9-1-1 call. In the middle is Haleyville mayor James Whitt, and on the right is Robert Normal, commercial manager of ATC. (Courtesy City of Haleyville)
The city of Haleyville in northwestern Alabama holds the distinction of being the home of the very first 9-1-1 call in our country’s history. Hopefully, very few of our readers have had to make that call, but the history of how it all came about is interesting to learn. 

Read More

Alabama's Coastal Creatures

5/17/2023

 
picture of American eel in water
American eel [photo | Encyclopedia of Alabama]
Alabama is widely known for its natural beauty, rich cultural history, love of food and, of course, our state’s love of football. What many might not know about Alabama is its wide array of biodiversity, particularly along the Gulf Coast. From eels to sharks, numerous beautiful and fearsome creatures are teeming in our coastal waters.
 
You can find the American eel swimming in Alabama’s waters. They are instantly recognizable for the long fin that runs nearly the entire length of their bodies and for their very sharp teeth. This gleaming, snakelike creature migrates all the way from Alabama to the Sargasso Sea in the Atlantic Ocean where it spawns and then dies. American eels are especially prevalent in the Mobile Delta and have been collected from every river in the Mobile basin and in several coastal drainages in southeastern Alabama. Unfortunately, the eel population in our state is declining due to migration routes being blocked by high-lift locks and dams.

Read More
<<Previous
    Subscribe To AH!
    Alabama Heritage BLOG
    At Alabama Heritage, we owe many of our successes and smooth operations to our fabulous student interns. We hope that with this blog--written mostly by our interns as well as history students from UAB and a few from our own editors--our readers will have an opportunity to get to know the students who bring so much to the table with their enthusiasm, hard work, and expertise!

    If you're interested in our internship program, check out the details here.
    Read More Blogs Here

    Archives

    September 2023
    August 2023
    July 2023
    June 2023
    May 2023
    April 2023
    March 2023
    January 2023
    December 2022
    November 2022
    October 2022
    September 2022
    July 2022
    June 2022
    May 2022
    April 2022
    February 2022
    December 2021
    November 2021
    October 2021
    September 2021
    August 2020
    February 2020
    January 2020
    October 2019
    September 2019
    February 2019
    January 2019
    November 2018
    July 2018
    June 2018
    May 2018
    April 2018
    March 2018
    December 2017
    October 2017
    September 2017
    July 2017
    May 2017
    April 2017
    March 2017
    February 2017
    December 2016
    November 2016
    October 2016
    September 2016
    August 2016
    July 2016
    April 2016
    February 2016
    November 2015
    October 2015
    September 2015
    August 2015
    July 2015
    June 2015
    May 2015
    April 2015
    March 2015
    February 2015
    December 2014
    October 2014
    September 2014
    August 2014
    July 2014
    June 2014
    March 2014
    January 2014
    December 2013
    November 2013

    Categories

    All
    AH Field Trip
    Architecture
    Civil Rights
    Civil War
    Farming
    Horticulture
    Military
    Mill Town
    Museums
    Music
    Mystery
    Native Americans
    Preservation
    Scandals
    Sports
    The Depression
    WWI
    WWII

    RSS Feed

Alabama Heritage
Box 870342
Tuscaloosa, AL 35487
Local (205) 348-7467
Toll-Free (877) 925-2323
Alabama.Heritage@ua.edu
Home
About
Shop
​Books​
Recipes
​Videos
FAQ
UA Privacy Policy
​UA Disclaimer