Issue 3, Winter 1987

The cover of the “Alabama Heritage” magazine is prominently displayed. The magazine title is written in elegant cursive font at the top. Below the title, several historical artifacts are laid out on top of a Confederate flag. The central focus of the image is a vintage revolver. The revolver appears dark and polished, with noticeable wear indicating its age. Six bullets are neatly aligned next to the revolver. To the left of the gun, there’s a metal belt buckle with the letters “CSA” embossed on it. CSA stands for Confederate States of America. The buckle adds to the historical context. Positioned above the belt buckle, there’s another metallic frame containing an embossed image of a man’s profile view. The man’s identity is not specified, but it adds to the overall theme of history and heritage. The background prominently features the Confederate flag. The flag has a red field with a blue cross adorned with white stars. It serves as a powerful symbol of the American Civil War era. At the bottom right corner of the image, there’s text in a smaller font: “Winter 1987, Issue 4, .00”. This cover art evokes a sense of historical significance and reflects Alabama’s heritage, particularly related to the Civil War period. The combination of artifacts, the revolver, and the Confederate flag creates a visually compelling composition.

Issue 3, Winter 1987

On the cover:  Ambrotype image of William J. Rozelle, Company A, Nineteenth Alabama Infantry, C.S.A., holding his Mississippi rifle, c. 1861; Rigdon, Ansley revolver, a Confederate copy of Samuel Colt’s popular .36 caliber Navy-model pistol; bullets and percussion caps; Confederate belt buckle. [Photo by Chip Cooper; ambrotype courtesy Hodo Strickland]

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Features

The image displays a collection of seven vintage firearms arranged on a pinkish background. At the top, there are five long-barreled rifles with intricate designs and metal accents. These rifles exhibit different types of wood grains, colors, and varied metal embellishments. Their triggers and hammers are also distinctive. Below the rifles, there are two hand-held guns with distinct shapes and metallic finishes. These guns showcase the evolution of firearms and feature various handle designs. The overall composition highlights the historical significance of these well-preserved antique weapons.
Civil War small arms. [Photo courtesy Chip Cooper]

Arms for Dixie

By Douglas E. Jones

At the beginning of the Civil War, the North produced 97 percent of all firearms and railroad equipment in America, while the South had not a single battery of field artillery and only one factory capable of fabricating a military weapon of any kind. During the course of the four-year war, however, the South managed to create from scratch an amazingly effective ordnance system producing everything form uniforms to powder to cannon. The heart of that ordnance system lay in the state of Alabama. Together, the Selma operation and the state’s own small manufacturing firms succeeded in creating, however briefly, Alabama’s first industrial revolution.

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P.H. Polk

By Maryanne G. Culpepper

For over fifty years, beginning in the 1930s, Prentice Herman Polk’s skillful hand and artistic sensibility documented the rural South through photography. These were wrenching years of transition for both the region and its people. By the time Polk was born at the end of the nineteenth century, the first generation of free black men and women had grown to adulthood and had found themselves rootless in a new economic, social, and political order. As the twentieth century dawned, the outlook for African Americans was bleak, but a new sense of racial pride was taking shape. Freed from the restrictions of slavery, black men and women, for the first time, were able to pursue careers in the arts, searching for new ways to express the black experience in America. One of those black artists was the photography P.H. Polk.

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The image depicts a black and white vintage group photo of eight individuals. It appears to be a family portrait. The composition features a formal portrait with early 20th-century attire. One adult male is sitting in a wooden chair. He is wearing formal clothes. His suit and tie are dark colored and he is wearing light-colored pants. He has his arms and legs crossed. Around him are the rest of the individuals. On his left side are three children standing, two boys and one girl. Both boys are wearing formal ware. The girl is wearing a knee-length dress and overcoat that appear to be light-colored. She is wearing a pearl necklace, knee-high white socks and black flats. To the right of the sitting man are four individuals, two girls, one boy and an adult woman. The adult woman is standing directly behind the man, suggesting that she is his wife. She is wearing what appears to be a floral sheer shift dress and a hat. She also is wearing round glasses and a long necklace. The two girls are both wearing light-colored dresses and overcoats. One of the girls appears to be a child while the other appears to be a teenager. Both are wearing hates, knee high socks and black flats. The boy is wearing a dark-looking suit and tie. The backdrop is a painted scene evoking a sense of stoicism. All individuals are looking at the camera and have stern looks on their faces. No one is smiling.
Mr. and Mrs. Thomas Monroe Campbell and family, 1932.
[Photo courtesy P.H. Polk estate.]
A grayscale image depicts a person wearing a suit. It appears to be writer William March. His face is stoic, and he is looking directly at the camera with a straight-lined smile. The individual holds eyeglasses in their right hand. The background is nondescript and lacks additional context.
Writer William March [Courtesy W.S. Hoole Special Collections Library, University of Alabama]

Alabama’s William March

By Roy S. Simmonds

Roy S. Simmonds recounts the life of Alabama’s forgotten genius, William March. March’s evocation of Alabama small-town life at the turn of the century is vivid and unrelenting in its veracity. Whatever the verdict of posterity may be, there is no denying that March’s legacy to the world will remain a rich and revealing chapter in the literary history of Alabama.

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