Issue 5, Summer 1987

The image features a magazine cover with the title “Alabama HERITAGE” written in capital letters at the top. Above “HERITAGE”, there is cursive writing "Alabama". The main visual element is a portrait painting of a man, with a stoic look. The individual in the painting is dressed in formal attire, suggesting an older time period. The background of the portrait is dark and textured.

Issue 5, Summer 1987

On the cover:  Jack Shackelford of Courtland, Alabama, who lived to tell the story of the Courtland Red Rovers massacred at Goliad, Texas, in 1836. [Courtesy Fred L. Harris]

Purchase This Issue

Features

This image depicts a painting of a man in military attire. The individual’s face looks off to right stoically, with his arms crossed. He has dark colored hair that appears to be wavy in texture. The uniform worn by the man is dark, possibly navy or black, and adorned with gold embellishments. Notable features include gold epaulettes resting on both shoulders and a series of gold buttons running down the front of the uniform. The man’s posture is upright and formal, with arms crossed and hands tucked under opposite arms. A red belt encircles the waist area. The background of the painting suggests an outdoor setting under an overcast sky. Overall, the image conveys a sense of military authority and formality.
Colonel James W. Fannin (1805-1836), commander of the volunteers at Goliad. Fannin was executed March 27, 1836. [Provided by the Dallas Historical Society]

Remember Goliad!

By James E. Harris

Following Mexico’s independence from Spain in 1821, many Americans moved to Mexico’s northernmost state, Texas, lured by economic opportunities and the promise of an unfettered life supposedly guaranteed by Mexico’s new constitution. At first, these Americans were welcome. But with the rise of Gen. Antonio López de Santa Anna in 1835, Texans began to grow dissatisfied. Caught up in this turmoil was Jack Shackelford, a forty-five-year-old physician from Courtland. Inexorably, he was drawn into a conflict that would lead ultimately to a terrible massacre. Over 350 Americans would die–prisoners, killed by their captors. The date: March 27, 1836. The place: Goliad.

The Delmore Brothers

By Lynn Pruett

Although bad luck and hard times seemed to be the chorus that followed performer brothers Alton and Rabon Delmore throughout their joint music career, the Delmore brothers profoundly influenced the country music of their day. Their works became mainstays, but they never struck it rich. This article recounts the story of these brothers, from their early experiences in Elkmont, Alabama, through World War II, to Alton’s death in 1964.They came along thirty years before country music transformed into a money-making phenomenon, but their influence on the genre has secured their place in music history.

This black and white image captures two white men engaged in a musical performance. One is seated, strumming a guitar. The other stands over the seated man. Seated Individual: The person is seated and holds a guitar. Their fingers are poised to strum the guitar strings. The attire appears formal, with a shirt and tie. The background features handwritten text, "Good Luck from the Delmore Bros", "Rabon", "Alton". A logo reading “WIBC” is prominently displayed on the microphone, suggesting a possible radio broadcast or interview. Standing Individual: The second individual stands close by, holding a microphone. The microphone is positioned near their mouth, indicating they might be singing or speaking. Like the seated person, they are also dressed in formal attire (shirt and tie). Overall, the image exudes a vintage or historical feel due to its black-and-white color scheme and the attire of the subjects.
The Delmore Brothers, pictured c. 1945, were inducted into the International Songwriters Hall of Fame on the first ballot in 1971. Alton composed over a thousand songs during his career, and Rabon wrote nearly one hundred. [Courtesy Norma Gail Delmore Weimer]
Reissued Delmore Brothers recordings:
  • Brown’s Ferry Four, “Sixteen Greatest Hits” by Gusto Records. 
  • The Delmore Brothers, “Brown’s Ferry Blues,” 1933-1941 recordings by County Records, no. 402.
  • The Delmore Brothers, Volume I, “Weary Lonesome Blues” by Old Homestead Records.
  • The Delmore Brothers and Wayne Raney, “When They Lay the Hammer Down” in the Roots of Rock and Roll Series by Bear Family Records.
  • One Delmore Brothers song is also included on “Sixty Years of the Grand Ole Opry” by RCA Records.
The photograph is in black and white, evoking a sense of history and nostalgia. In the foreground, there is a man seated in a horse-drawn carriage. The man is wearing formal wear and a top hat. The carriage itself is ornate and traditional, with large wooden wheels. It appears to be a mode of transportation from a bygone era. Behind the carriage stands an elegant building. The architecture features classical elements, including columns and intricate detailing along the roofline. The building exudes a sense of grandeur and sophistication. To the right of the person and the carriage, there is a tree. Its leaves are sparse, suggesting that the photograph was taken during the fall or winter season. Overall, this image captures a moment in time, combining elements of transportation, architecture, and nature.
Sam Friedman poses in front of the Friedman hom, Tuscaloosa, c. 1900.

Stepping into the Past: The Story of the Battle-Friedman Garden

By George R. Stritikus

Situated in the middle of downtown Tuscaloosa, on what is now Greensboro Avenue but was once Market Street, is a handsome Classical Revival structure known today as the Battle-Friedman house. Constructed in the late 1830s when Tuscaloosa was the capital of the state, the house, with its monumental portico and its rose-colored stuccoed facade, was one of the most impressive of the numerous fine homes that then lined the town’s main streets.  Visitors may have difficulty imagining it, but at one time this site featured a rich and varied garden.  Among the contemporary worse-for-wear plant materials, however, one can find evidence that this site did once hold a garden–but what kind of garden? This article recounts the investigations of George R. Stritikus as he attempts to deduce what the Battle-Friedman garden must have been like.

Back to top arrow