Issue 101, Summer 2011

The image you uploaded is the cover of a magazine titled “Alabama Heritage,” issue number 101 from Summer 2011. It features a serene view of Birmingham’s Japanese Gardens, with a red bridge partially obscured by slender bamboo stalks in the foreground. The text on the cover indicates that the magazine is published by The University of Alabama, The University of Alabama at Birmingham, and the Alabama Department of Archives and History. The price is six dollars.

Issue 101, Summer 2011

On the cover: The Japanese Gardens’ “Moon Bridge” seen through a stand of beautiful black bamboo. [Photo by Randy Connaughten]

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Features

Simple Serenity 

Text by Bob Wendorf, photography by Randy Connaughton

A jewel of the Birmingham Botanical Gardens, the Japanese Gardens have flourished for some forty years, creating a beautiful oasis in the city’s midst. The Japanese Gardens are a richly symbolic and spiritual site, encouraging visitors to embark on a literal and metaphorical journey as they travel through the space. Rather than focusing on flowering plants, the Japanese Gardens highlight the significance of spatial relations between objects and encourage a meditative awareness of our role as inhabitants of natural spaces. Incorporating land and water, flora and fauna, natural and man-made structures, the gardens offer an educational respite from the everyday world. Author Bob Wendorf and photographer Randy Connaughton explore the gardens’ riches, bringing this simple, yet lovely, site new life.

The serene garden scene features a winding gravel pathway leading toward a traditional red Torii gate. The gate stands out vibrantly against lush greenery, surrounded by well-maintained bushes and trees. Overall, the image exudes tranquility and natural beauty.
The large red torii marks the entrance to the Japanese Gardens. [Randy Connaughton]
The image you provided depicts a close-up view of a dark, polished stone surface with engraved text. The inscription commemorates significant events and individuals, including “26 FEB 1965 JIMMIE LEE JACKSON CIVIL RIGHTS DEMONSTRATOR KILLED BY STATE TROOPERS.” This suggests a historical connection to civil rights activism in the United States. The reflection of the bright sky on the stone adds depth to the image.
The killing of Jimmie Lee Jackson is commemorated on the Civil Rights Memorial in Montgomery. [Robin McDonald]

Requiem for Jimmie Lee Jackson 

By Wayne Greenhaw 

The Selma-to-Montgomery March holds a prominent place among civil rights protests, but few people know that the idea was spawned from grief at the funeral of a martyr—Jimmie Lee Jackson. By 1965 Selma was becoming an epicenter for voters’ registration movements, raising tensions in the city and surrounding area. Efforts by blacks to register or to break other racial barriers had violent and humiliating reprisals for white law enforcement personnel. In the spring of 1965, protestors gathered in Marion, Alabama, to encourage the activists to stand firm. Among them was Jackson, who was shot by a trooper. Upon his subsequent death, organizers vowed that it would not be in vain, and they began planning the march on Selma as a fitting tribute to the young man who lost his life for the civil rights cause.

Editor’s Note: This must be our requiem to Wayne Greenhaw, who died May 31, just as we were finalizing this piece for publication. Based on the last of his 22 books, Fighting the Devil in Dixie: How Civil Rights Activists Took on the Ku Klux Klan in Alabama (2011, Lawrence Hill Books), it reflects this great writer’s passion for justice.

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Return to Holy Ground: The Legendary Battle Site Discovered 

By Gregory Waselkov

In 1813 Ikanachaki, or Holy Ground—a site considered sacred by the Redstick Creeks—turned from a site of peace to a site of war. Conflicts between European settlers and Native Americans, particularly the various factions of Creek Indians, had erupted over cultural identity and land rights. Led by General Ferdinand Claiborne, the settlers secured the site. In the aftermath of the battle and the remainder of the Creek Wars, the site’s precise location became obscured. Over generations, various spots were accepted as Holy Ground. But thanks to tireless and painstaking archaeological work, experts have recently located the actual site of Holy Ground. Archaeologist Greg Waselkov details how this historic and significant discovery was made, and he explains the work still being done to preserve and protect this sacred space. 

The scene portrays a natural forest setting. In the foreground, a layer of dry leaves and green foliage carpets the ground, suggesting late summer or early autumn. Thin tree trunks are scattered throughout, their branches forming a leafy canopy overhead. Sunlight filters through the leaves, creating intricate patterns of light and shadow. In the background, a body of water—possibly a stream or small river—is partially obscured by dense trees and underbrush. The untouched, serene landscape appeals to those who appreciate natural beauty and ecosystems.
The Creek settlement of Ikanachaki, or Holy Ground, was situated on this bluff on House Creek. [Robin McDonald]
The image depicts a figure wearing a wide-brimmed hat and a coat with a high collar. The hat features a feather or plume on the side, and there’s an adornment resembling a small bow or pin. The coat has visible buttons, suggesting it’s likely formal or outerwear.
Photo-illustration of Ola Delight Cook. [Robin McDonald]

Southern Delight 

By Ruthmary Williams

Ola Delight Lloyd Smith Cook had a formidable name, but it was no match for her ambition and determination. An early twentieth-century advocate for workers’ rights, Cook devoted her life to serving others and ensuring their well-being. Cook’s training as a telegraph operator at the Alabama Girls’ Industrial School set her on a career path that she would later develop into a lifetime of advocacy and activism. Cook’s work took her across the nation. She worked as a strike organizer for American Federation of Labor and eventually became known as the “First Lady of Oregon Labor.” Throughout it all, this significant woman drew on the lessons she learned in her time in the South. 

Departments

Southern Religion

The Battle Is God’s (And He’s On Our Side): Divine Providence in the Civil War

By George C. Rable 

Most readers are well-versed in the mounting factional tensions contributing to the outbreak of Civil War, but an often-overlooked area of study concerns the role religion played in coping with the war. George Rable discusses the way that both northern and southern citizens used religious beliefs to substantiate their participation in the conflict—and to justify their reasons for fighting in the first place. 

The image portrays an old book with a hardcover. The cover itself exudes an air of antiquity, likely crafted from dark material—perhaps black or deep blue—with intricate gold embossing. Both the front cover and the spine feature elaborate designs, including floral motifs and delicate filigree work. The spine, in particular, stands out with raised bands, indicative of traditional bookbinding. These bands also bear gold-embossed details. Notably, the book’s pages exhibit gilded edges, lending them a golden hue when the book is closed. This attention to detail suggests that the book holds historical significance beyond its functional purpose.
The Alabama State Bible. [Alabama Department of Archives and History]

Becoming Alabama

Quarter by Quarter

By Joseph W. Pearson, Megan L. Bever, and Matthew Downs

Joseph Pearson details Tecumseh’s preparations to journey south into territory occupied by disparate tribes. Along with other Native American leaders, Tecumseh believed that the only way to defeat encroaching European settlers was for natives to put aside tribal differences and unite. He believed that their way of life—and even their very survival—depended on the success of his journey. Megan Bever explores a different set of factions that brewed across the south fifty years later, when Confederates decided to relocate their capital from Montgomery, Alabama, to Richmond, Virginia. And finally, Matthew Downs looks at the summer of 1961, when Freedom Riders traversed the southeast, where more often than not, they were met with aggression and violence. 

Editor’s Note: Alabama Heritage, the Summersell Center for Study of the South, the University of Alabama Department of History, and the Alabama Tourism Department offer this department as a part of the statewide “Becoming Alabama” initiative—a cooperative venture of state organizations to commemorate Alabama’s experiences related to the Creek War, the Civil War, and the civil rights movement. Quarter by quarter we will take you to the corresponding seasons 200, 150, and 50 years ago—sometimes describing the most pivotal events, sometimes describing daily life, but always illuminating a world in flux. We will wait for the ultimate outcomes as our forbears did—over time.

The image provided appears to be a painting of an individual wearing a red military-style jacket adorned with gold epaulettes and a large medal featuring a profile image hanging from their neck. The person also wears a black hat with a white feather plume. The background suggests an outdoor setting with cloudy skies.
1868 portrait of Tecumseh by Benson John Lossing. [Lossing, “The Pictoral Field-book of the War of 1812”]
The image portrays a group of individuals congregated outside a substantial brick building. The architecture features a prominent tower and arched windows, suggesting an educational or historical institution. The red brickwork and tall, narrow design characterize the building. In the foreground, a leafless tree stands, indicating a season when foliage is absent. The clear blue sky suggests favorable weather conditions during the photo’s capture.
Junior Rangers listen to a talk by a park ranger on the steps of Tuskegee’s First United Methodist Church. [Tuskegee Youth Safe Haven]

Southern Architecture and Preservation

“One Brick at a Time”: Junior Rangers Learn Hands-On History

By Shirley Baxter

Abraham Mordecai’s role as founder of Montgomery remains clear. However, other details of his life have been veiled by history and corrupted by conflicting accounts. One of Alabama’s few Jewish settlers, Mordecai established an early trading post and a cotton gin in the area that would become Montgomery and earned the trust of the native community, for a time even serving in a diplomatic capacity and negotiating between natives and settlers. Accounts of a falling out between Mordecai and local Creeks offer widely disparate versions of events, leaving historians to puzzle out the true legacy of this settler. 

The sepia-toned image captures a moment outdoors, likely from the late 19th or early 20th century. Three individuals stand near a wooden wagon wheel. Their faces are obscured by black rectangles, possibly for privacy reasons. Here’s what we can observe: Left Person: Wearing a hat, vest, and trousers. Hands in pockets. Middle Person: Also dressed in a vest and trousers. One hand rests on the hip. Right Person: Similar attire with both hands behind the back. The background features trees, suggesting a rural or park setting.
Veterans from both sides at the fiftieth anniversary of Gettysburg. [Library of Congress]

Southern Folkways 

Listening for the Rebel Yell

By Elizabeth Wade

It remains one of the most iconic sounds of the Civil War, but few people even know what it actually sounded like. Elizabeth Wade tracks down accounts of the Rebel Yell, detailing its emergence and employment in the Civil War era and chronicling attempts to preserve it and recognize its cultural significance. 

The image you uploaded depicts the cover of a book titled “FIGHTING THE DEVIL IN DIXIE.” Written by Wayne Greenhaw, the subtitle reads, “How Civil Rights Activists Took on the Ku Klux Klan in Alabama.” The cover features a black and white photograph of a civil rights march. Individuals are seen carrying American flags and walking down what appears to be the steps of a large building, which could be a government or public institution given its grand architecture. This image represents an important historical moment related to civil rights activism in the United States, specifically highlighting the struggle against racial segregation and violence perpetrated by groups like the Ku Klux Klan.
The image depicts a person standing in front of a police car, facing away from the camera. The individual wears a white helmet and carries a sign on their back. The sign features an image of a black panther and the text: “MOVE ON OVER OR WE’LL MOVE ON OVER YOU.” Additionally, there is red text at the top that reads: “Bloody Lowndes Civil Rights and Black Power in Alabama’s Black Belt,” and at the bottom, the name “Hasan Kwame Jeffries” is overlaid on the background.
The image you uploaded depicts the cover of a book titled “FIGHTING THE DEVIL IN DIXIE.” Written by Wayne Greenhaw, the subtitle reads, “How Civil Rights Activists Took on the Ku Klux Klan in Alabama.” The cover features a black and white photograph of a civil rights march. Individuals are seen carrying American flags and walking down what appears to be the steps of a large building, which could be a government or public institution given its grand architecture. This image represents an important historical moment related to civil rights activism in the United States, specifically highlighting the struggle against racial segregation and violence perpetrated by groups like the Ku Klux Klan.

Reading the Southern Past

Civil Rights in Alabama: Urban and Rural

By Stephen Goldfarb

In this quarter’s installment of Reading the Southern Past, Stephen Goldfarb reviews several books connected to the civil rights movement, focusing particularly on the movement’s inflection in areas with variations in population density. Goldfarb considers J. Mills Thornton III’s Dividing Lines: Municipal Politics and the Struggle for Civil Rights in Montgomery, Birmingham, and Selma (University of Alabama Press, 2002), Hasan Kwame Jeffries’s Bloody Lowndes: Civil Rights and Black Power in Alabama’s Black Belt (New York University Press, 2009), and Wayne Greenhaw’s Fighting the Devil in Dixie: How Civil Rights Activists Took on the Ku Klux Klan in Alabama (Lawrence Hill Books, 2011). 

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