Issue 10, Fall 1988

This image features the cover of “Alabama Heritage” magazine. The background showcases a vintage painting of an individual dressed in elegant, historical attire. The person wears pearls and is seated in a relaxed posture. At the top of the image, the title “Alabama Heritage” is prominently displayed in black cursive writing against a white background. The overall aesthetic exudes an air of sophistication and historical richness. At the bottom text reads: "Fall 1988, Number 10, .00."

Issue 10, Fall 1988

On the cover: Augustus John’s 1930 portrait of Tallulah Bankhead was exhibited at the Royal Academy, London, where it created a sensation. “The picture’s fragile delicacy killed everything else in the whole show,” wrote an American sculptor. Tallulah regarded the portrait as one of her most valued possessions. [Courtesy The National Gallery, Smithsonian Institution, gift of the Honorable and Mrs. John Hay Whitney]

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Features

This black and white photograph captures a sense of vintage elegance. The subject, a young girl, stands against a textured backdrop. She has a short bob hairdo, which appears to be light-to-medium in color. It looks like she also has highlights in her hair. Attire: The girl wears a light-colored dress with short sleeves and a knee-length skirt. The dress exudes a classic, timeless charm. Intricate designs adorn the upper part of the dress, possibly lace or delicate embroidery. These details evoke a sense of refinement. The girl’s socks and shoes are visible: striped socks paired with dark, shiny shoes featuring a small heel. This combination hints at an older fashion era. Backdrop: The textured backdrop provides a sense of depth and context. It could be a painted canvas or a wall typically used in early 20th-century portrait photography studios. The dark background contrasts with the girl’s attire, emphasizing her silhouette. Overall, this image transports us to a bygone era, where elegance, mystery, and artistic expression intersect.
At eight years of age, Tallulah Bankhead, nicknamed “Dutch,” was an ugly duckling, overweight, and often over-bearing. [Courtesy Alabama Archives]

Remembering Tallulah

By Maridith Walker

Almost everyone who knew Tallulah Bankhead has a story–most often featuring Tallulah in one or another irreverent act: Tallulah turning cartwheels to liven up a dull party; Tallulah of the quick and biting wit; Tallulah, whose idea of exercise was to walk with a car and driver following her so that she could be driven up hills; Tallulah, rarely without a cigarette and a glass of bourbon in hand, drawling the word that became her trademark–“Dah-ling!”  For many who have only heard stories of the legend, Tallulah Bankhead is an unforgettable personality. As this article demonstrates, she was also an endlessly fascinating person.

Alabama at Gettysburg

By Philip D. Beidler

Gettysburg remains the ultimate engagement of the Civil War, an event that signaled the final turn of fortune against the Confederacy. Among those who had come farthest were men in gray serving the colors of their native Alabama: some sixteen regiments of infantry, as well as Van de Graaff’s Fifth Battalion, Hardaway’s Battery, and the Jeff Davis Artillery. These soldiers would pay a heavy price in the cause of the Confederacy. This article recounts their story.

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This monochromatic, highly detailed photo portrays a historical battlefield scene. Amidst the chaos, numerous soldiers engage in combat, their weapons raised. An American flag waves prominently, symbolizing the nation’s presence. A cannon in the foreground represents the era’s warfare technology. The terrain is rugged, with smoke and explosions filling the air. The intensity of war is palpable in this dramatic depiction.
Pickett’s Charge, July 3, 1863, as viewed from the Union position. (Courtesy Harper’s Pictorial History of the Civil War)

Charles Mohr, Botanist

By L.J. Davenport

During the last quarter of the nineteenth century, Charles Mohr, one of Alabama’s first botanists, enjoyed a well-deserved reputation as the foremost expert on Alabama plants. The accuracy of his observations, his painstaking attention to detail, and his generosity with his knowledge were widely known and highly praised by the scientific community. Mohr’s life was not without hardships: poor health often confined him to bed, and his location far from Northern cities meant he did not have access to needed reference books and specimens. In spite of his adversities, any of which might have deterred a less determined man, Mohr became one of the most respected botanists in the South. This is his story.

In this black and white portrait, an elderly man appears to pose for the camera. He is looking off to the right. Adorned in dark formal wear and tie, the man looks to keep a tidy appearance. The man is wearing round metal glasses. He has a full light-colored beard and mustache. He has light-colored hair, that looks to curl around the his ears or nape of his neck. He looks to be balding at the top of his head. The background looks to be a wall or fabric, light in color.
Charles Mohr (1824-1901) [Courtesy Erik Overbey / Mobile Public Library Collection, University of South Alabama]
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