Issue 6, Fall 1987

The image is the cover of a magazine titled “Alabama Heritage”. It corresponds to Issue Number 6 from the Fall of 1987. The magazine cover features a captivating scene with several distinct elements: Title and Price: At the top of the image, the elegant cursive script spells out “Alabama Heritage”, while directly below it, in capital letters, is "PUBLISHED BY THE UNIVERSITY OF ALABAMA." Sunset View: The background showcases a stunning sunset. Through three tall, arched windows or openings, we see the sky transitioning from a deep blue at the top to warm oranges and yellows as it approaches the horizon. The sun is setting behind a layer of clouds, creating a serene and picturesque scene. Text Overlay: In the lower right corner, there’s an additional piece of text that reads: Alabama HERITAGE Fall 1986 Number 4 .00 This reinforces the magazine’s title, issue number, and price. Overall Aesthetic: The cover exudes a sense of nostalgia, capturing the essence of Alabama’s heritage through its visual storytelling.

Issue 6, Fall 1987

On the cover:  A sunset viewed from the cupola of Mobile’s City Hall. [Chip Cooper]

Purchase This Issue

Features

The photograph showcases an elegant building with a focus on its roof and an ornate tower structure. The tower, painted in a pristine white, exudes a sense of grandeur and sophistication. Here are the key features: Ornate Tower: The central highlight of the image is the tower. It stands tall and proud, commanding attention. Its design incorporates classical architectural elements: Corinthian Columns: These support the tower and add a touch of classical beauty. Their fluted shafts and intricately carved capitals evoke a sense of timelessness. Arched Openings: Each side of the tower features arched openings. These provide glimpses into the tower’s interior while enhancing its aesthetic appeal. Regal Pediment: At the top of the tower, a triangular pediment crowns the structure, emphasizing its importance. Roof Details: Below the tower, the roof of the building is visible. It boasts: Intricate Moldings: The roofline is adorned with detailed moldings, showcasing craftsmanship and attention to detail. Decorative Corbels: These ornamental supports add visual interest and elegance to the roof. The background sky is partly cloudy but bright, casting soft shadows that accentuate the architectural details. Overall, this image captures a moment in architectural history, celebrating the beauty of classical design and craftsmanship.
Subtle exterior color differentiation, such as the stark white of the body of the building and the warm white or putty color of the eaves and eave brackets, were frequently employed during the mid-19th century. [Photo courtesy Chip Cooper]

Mobile’s City Hall

By Nicholas H. Holmes, Jr.

The history of Mobile’s City Hall is a difficult one. Built at great expense in a city that was struggling financially, the building–itself a thing of beauty–became the target of disgust at civic corruption. Renovated three times over the course of its history, the  building was damaged in 1979 by Hurricane Frederic. This is the story of Mobile’s City Hall–from its troubled beginnings through multiple renovations until its final restoration in 1982.

Purchase This Feature
This is a black and white historical photograph featuring four men seated in an open car. The individuals are dressed in formal attire typical of the early 20th century, including suits and hats. Notably, the person on the far right is wearing a light-colored hat and suit, while the others are in darker attire. The background appears somewhat blurred but seems to depict a natural outdoor setting with trees.
Senator Lister Hill (right), a staunch New Dealer, with (backseat, left to right) President Franklin D. Roosevelt and Alabama Governor Frank Dixon at the Tuskegee Institute, 1940. [Photo courtesy W.S. Hoole Special Collections, University of Alabama]

Excerpts from Lister Hill: Statesman from the South

By Virginia Van der Veer Hamilton

Lister Hill served in the Congress of the United States for forty-five years, longer than any other Alabamian and longer than all but seven members in the entire history of Congress. In so doing, he earned the respect of his colleagues as well as the seniority that enabled him to play a leading role in creating more than eighty pieces of major legislation. Throughout his lengthy career, however, Hill met with determined opposition in his home state. Virginia Van der Veer Hamilton’s biography of Hill addresses these and other dilemmas faced by a Deep South progressive during an era of far-reaching social and political change. This article is made up of excerpts from Lister Hill: Statesman from the South that illuminate aspects of Hill’s youth and early political career.

Additional Information

Sources for Hamilton’s biography of Hill include the Lister Hill Papers, a 1,875,000-piece collection housed at the William Stanley Hoole Special Collections Library, University of Alabama, and the immense clipping file on Senator Hill located in the Alabama Department of Archives and History in Montgomery.

This black and white photograph features two individuals standing in front of a textured, dark backdrop. The person in the foreground is a Black woman wearing a light-colored, patterned dress that has a ribbon around her waist. She stands with her one hand at her waist, while the other is down. Her hair is coiffed and appears to be dark colored. Her eyes are closed and her mouth is open, as if she was singing. Behind her, another individual is seated at a drum set, partially visible in the background. The man sits behind a drum set.
Willie Mae Thornton, also known as “Big Mama” was the first artist to record “Hound Dog” in 1952. Elvis Presley and Janis Jopin also made the song a household name. [Photo Alabama Heritage Archives]

Big Mama Thornton

By Ben Windham

Elvis Presley’s rendition of “Hound Dog” may have been a hit for the rock legend, but its origins are far more interesting than the sanitized lyrics would suggest. “Hound Dog” belonged originally to a rhythm and blues singer from Montgomery, Alabama, who, at the time of Elvis’ recording, was making her living on what black entertainers called “The Chitlin’ Circuit.” Tipping the scales in her prime at more than 350 pounds, she was also endowed with a big voice and imperious manners, all of which led to the creation of her stage name–Big Mama Thornton. This is her story.

Big Mama Thornton’s first recording, “Bad Luck Got My Man,” issued in 1949 by The Harlem Stars on the E&W label, is a hard-to-find collector’s item. The same is true for almost all of her subsequent single recordings, including the original “Hound Dog,” issued as a 78 rpm recording on the Peacock label, and 45 rpm recordings issued in the 1950s and ’60s on the West Coast labels of Bay Tone, Sotoplay, Carolyn, Speed, Galaxy, Movin, and Kent. Of her long-playing albums, the most easily available (and one of the best) is an import from England, “Quit Snoopin’ Round My Door” (Ace 170). Also available from specialty stores is the excellent 1965 recording, “In Europe” (Arhoolie 1028). Other available long-playing recordings by Thornton include “Ball and Chain” (Arhoolie 1039), “Chicago Blues” (Arhoolie 1032), and two recordings documenting her “comeback years” before her health failed–“Jail,” recorded live in a prison concert (Vanguard 79351) and “Sassy Mama” (Vanguard 79354). The only available recording of Thornton on compact disc is “Live at Newport” (Intermedia 5022).

The scene unfolds in a forested area where the ground is submerged under a shallow layer of water. This water acts as a reflective surface, mirroring the stark beauty of the surroundings. Bare trees dominate the landscape, their leafless branches reaching skyward. These trees stand tall, their intricate network of branches creating an almost haunting yet beautiful spectacle. The absence of leaves adds to the overall sense of solitude and quietude. The overcast sky peeks through the gaps in the branches, casting a muted light over the scene. The color palette is dominated by earthy tones: the browns of the tree trunks and branches, and the grays from the sky. Despite the lack of visible wildlife or human activity, there’s an undeniable sense of majesty in this forest. The reflection in the water adds depth, creating a mirror effect that amplifies the visual interest. Overall, the image captures a serene yet somber moment—a snapshot of nature’s raw beauty in its quietude and vulnerability.
Bare trees at sunset, Madison County [Chip Cooper]

Images of Alabama

By Chip Cooper

With this issue, Alabama Heritage begins a new series which will run as an occasional feature. “Images of Alabama” will present a portrait of Alabama through photographs and paintings, both old and new. This, the first in the series, features photographs of Alabama’s natural heritage by Alabama Heritage’s chief photographer, Chip Cooper.

In February 1987 Cooper was one of two photographers featured in a PBS documentary, “Captured: Chip Cooper, Spider Martin, Photographers,” produced for Alabama Public Television and aired statewide. Cooper’s work has been featured in The University of Alabama: A Pictorial History by Suzanne Rau Wolfe (University of Alabama Press, 1983), and in Mine, Mill, and Microchip: A Chronicle of Alabama Enterprise by Wayne Flynt (Windsor, 1987). Hunting: The Southern Tradition, a volume of Cooper’s photographs, with text by May Lamar and Rich Donnell (Taylor Publishing Company, 1987), appeared this fall.

Back to top arrow