Issue 36, Spring 1995

The image appears to be the cover of a magazine or journal titled “Alabama Heritage.” The design exudes a vintage aesthetic, suggesting historical or cultural significance. The central focus is a portrait of an individual, their face partially obscured by a beige rectangle. The background has a textured appearance, evoking an aged or weathered feel. Specific Elements: Title Text: At the top, in elegant cursive font, we see the title: “Alabama Heritage.” Subtitle Text: Portrait: The grayscale portrait features an individual dressed in formal attire. The person is male, with curly or wavy medium-colored hair. The person wears a bow tie, suggesting a refined or scholarly context. Background: The background texture contributes to the vintage vibe. Light and dark shades create an aged appearance, reminiscent of historical photographs.

Issue 36, Spring 1995

On the cover: German-born Morris Bernstein (1823-1898) immigrated to the U.S. in the 1840s and settled in Huntsville. [Courtesy Margaret Ann Goldsmith Hanaw and Huntsville-Madison County Public Library]

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Features

The image portrays a group of five individuals standing in front of an old wooden building. The attire suggests a time period from the late 19th or early 20th century. Specific Elements or Objects: Individuals: All five individuals appear to be male. They wear suits with vests and dress pants. Four have their jackets buttoned up, while one has his jacket unbuttoned. One individual holds an object, possibly a gun, pointing it downwards. Building: The wooden building behind them features a wooden facade. A sign on the building reads “ALL”, but the rest of the text is obscured. Another partially visible sign remains unclear due to the image’s angle and quality. Ground: The group stands on a wooden floor or deck, marked with lines.
Among the successful Jewish merchants in late nineteenth-century Montgomery was Abe Weil, who established an auction house at 22 Commerce Street in 1891, offering a variety of merchandise, including dry goods, notions, furnishings, clothing, and stationary. Weil had formerly been a member of the firm of Loeb and Weil, general merchants and carriage dealers. [Courtesy Landmarks Foundation, Montgomery]

Jewish Life in Alabama: The Formative Stages

By Henry Marks and Marsha Kass Marks

Beginning in the 18th century, Alabama and other Southern states attracted a significant number of Jewish immigrants, many from the Germanic states, who came in search of the social, economic and political freedom that had long been denied them in their homeland. Many migrated to small towns along the rivers, where they became a vital and highly respected part of their communities. This article, by historians Henry Marks and Marsha Kass Marks, chronicles the lives of pioneering Jewish families in the state and the hardships and challenges these immigrants faced.

The Moseses of Montgomery: The Saga of a Jewish Family in the South

By Kenneth Libo

This article tells the saga of a remarkable Jewish family who established the most successful real estate and insurance business in the state and built the tallest building (six stories) in 19th-century Alabama. “The Moses Family,” writes Libo, curator of American Jewish History at New York’s Museum of Jewish Heritage, “became part of a new generation of lawyers, farmers and merchants who replaced the old landed aristocracy in positions of power.” One brother, Mordecai Moses, was elected the first Democratic mayor of Montgomery after the Civil War, and another brother, Alfred, almost single-handedly founded the city of Sheffield.

Additional Information

  • “The Moseses and the Lehmans: From Montgomery to New York“, by Kenneth Libo
  • “The Jewish Community in Demopolis”, by Anna Jacobs Singer
  • “Images of Southern Jewish Life: A Jewish Road Trip through Alabama”, by Marcie Cohen
General Overview: The image is a monochromatic photograph featuring an individual whose face is obscured, wearing formal attire and holding something in their hand. Specific Elements or Objects: Formal Attire: The person is dressed in a dark, formal suit with a double-breasted jacket adorned with buttons and a bow tie. Hand: The individual’s hand is visible at the bottom of the image, holding an unidentifiable object.
Alfred Huger Moses (1840-1918), a native of Charleston, came to Montgomery in 1860 to make his fortune. Perhaps the first American-born Jewish professional in that city. Moses would build the state’s first skyscraper and found the city of Sheffield. [(Courtesy Charles Raysich, Montgomery Area United Way]
General Overview: The image exudes an air of antiquity, captured in black and white. Its grainy texture and faded appearance suggest it hails from a bygone era. The central focus is a distinguished-looking man standing beside an ornate chair, set against what appears to be an indoor backdrop. Specific Elements: The Man: Our protagonist stands confidently, clad in attire that transports us to a different time. His long coat and overall demeanor evoke historical sensibilities. In his right hand, he holds a sword, its hilt resting against his shoulder. The sword’s presence hints at a story waiting to unfold. A belt cinches his waist, adding to the ensemble. The Chair: Positioned to the right of the man (from our perspective), an intricately designed chair commands attention. Its backrest boasts delicate patterns. Background: Unfortunately, the background remains elusive due to the photograph’s age. Yet, its faded grandeur suggests an opulent setting.
Confederate Captain Henry Wirz (1823-1865), in charge of the notorious prison camp at Andersonville, Georgia, has been described as everything from martyred hero to demonic villain. [Courtesy Andersonville National Historic Site]

Redecorating the Beast: The Life and Death of Captain Henry Wirz, CSA

By Christopher Mohney

Dubbed “The Butcher of Andersonville,” Wirz oversaw the infamous Georgia prison camp throughout its 14-month existence. During his command, nearly 13,000 Union prisoners died from malnutrition, disease and exposure or were murdered – more deaths than at any single Civil War battle. From the beginning, Swiss-born Henry Wirz was a staunch supporter of “the Southern cause” and enlisted in the Confederate army early in the war. Author Christopher Mohney, whose great-great-great-grandfather was a Union army private who died at Andersonville, outlines the military career of Wirz, highlighting his fateful March 1864 assignment to the newly constructed prison camp. Wirz, notes Mohney, one of the Civil War’s “last victims,” vehemently proclaimed his innocence until his execution for war crimes in 1865.

Departments

The image depicts a girl standing in a forest. The girl is visible from the waist up. She wears a white t-shirt adorned with text and comic-style illustrations. Behind them stands an old, moss-covered stump or decayed tree. The lush greenery and trees in the background create a natural, wooded environment. Sunlight filters through the foliage, casting light and shadows around the area. The text on the t-shirt reads: “Top of the morning.”
Laura Davenport stands in a chestnut stump, Etowah County. Once abundant, the American chestnut is now nearly extinct. [Photography by L.J. Davenport]

The Nature Journal

Chestnut Blight

By L. J. Davenport

Native to southeast Asia, the fungus Endothia parasitica was apparently imported into New York harbor on nursery stock. While the fungus causes only minor damage to its original host, the Asiatic chestnut, American chestnuts showed no such resistance. L.J. Davenport discusses the disastrous effects of this blight on American forests.

Art in the South

William Bullock Inge 

By Robert O. Mellown

The story of William Bullock Inge (1815-1873), whose portrait hangs in the University of Alabama’s special collections library, reveals much about life in antebellum Alabama. 

The image depicts a golden emblem or logo set against a black background. Here are the details: The central element of the emblem resembles the letter “E”. Inside this “E,” there’s an intricately designed ship, suggesting a nautical theme. Above the ship, there’s a Latin inscription: “Sapientiae” (which translates to “wisdom”). Below the ship, another Latin inscription reads: “Praestat Omnibus” (meaning “it benefits all”). The emblem’s golden color contrasts sharply with the dark background, making it stand out prominently.
Members of the early University of Alabama debating societies proudly wore pins signaling their allegiance. Pictured is the Erosophic Society pin. (Courtesy William Stanley Hoole Special Collections Library, University of Alabama)

Report from the Historical Commission

Need Help Revitalizing Downtown? Try The Alabama Main Street Program

By Alta C. Hodgson 

The Alabama Main Street Program, administered by the Alabama Historical Commission, is designed to help small cities–those with populations of fifty thousand or less–revitalize their downtowns within the context of historical preservation.  Several cities have already participated in the program. Alta Hodgson discusses the benefits of this program.

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