Issue 70, Fall 2003

Title and Visual Elements: The image appears to be a cover of a magazine or brochure titled “ALABAMA HERITAGE.” Dominating the composition is a photograph of a historic building with a prominent dome. The building seems to be constructed from stone or concrete. The dome features windows encircling it, and bare tree branches frame the structure against the sky. The overall color palette is dark and muted, evoking an elegant and historical ambiance. Text on the Cover: At the top, in white capital letters, the title reads “ALABAMA HERITAGE.” There’s no additional visible text elsewhere on the cover.

Issue 70, Fall 2003

On the cover: The familiar dome of Tuscaloosa’s Bryce Hospital may be in danger. [Photograph by Robin McDonald]

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Features

The image depicts a close-up of an individual wearing what appears to be a military uniform. The uniform includes visible insignia and decorations, and the individual is also wearing a cap with a badge. Sunglasses cover their eyes. The person seems to be speaking into a microphone, suggesting that they might be addressing an audience or giving a speech. The photograph is monochromatic, which could indicate that it was taken in the past or has historical significance.
General Douglas MacArthur surveys the beachhead on Leyte Island in 1944, soon after American forces swept ashore from a gigantic liberation armada in the central Philippines, at the historic moment when the General made good on his promise, “I shall return.” [National Archives]

When Men Must Die:
An Alabama POW at Bataan

By John D. Lukacs

When General Douglas MacArthur was ordered out of the Philippines during the early days of World War Two, the remaining American and Filipino troops were forced to surrender to the Japanese. What followed became known as the Bataan Death March. During the sixty-five-mile forced march, Lieutenant Bertram Bank of Alabama witnessed the beatings and executions of his comrades. Bank survived, only to be imprisoned for years in Japanese POW camps in the Philippines. The American and Filipino POWs thought they had been abandoned. But when hope was almost gone, a daring rescue brought these “ghost soldiers” back from the dead.

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The image depicts an old-fashioned gas pump standing against a red brick wall. To the left of the gas pump, there’s a white door. The bricks on the wall show signs of wear and age, with faded or chipped red paint revealing a darker underlayer. The ground is concrete, and there are no visible people or vehicles in the scene. The gas pump itself appears vintage, with a rounded top and a single hose hanging from its side.
Marion, Alabama. [Robin McDonald]
The image depicts a collection of six woven baskets arranged on a wooden floor. Each basket exhibits distinct shapes, sizes, and weaving patterns, showcasing a variety of craftsmanship styles. The warm-toned wooden floor provides a rustic backdrop that contrasts beautifully with the intricate textures of the baskets.
Newburn, Alabama. [Robin McDonald]

Heart of a Small Town

By Robin McDonald

Alabama Heritage readers have been delighted for years with the brilliant photography and design of our magazine’s creative director, Robin McDonald. This holiday season marks the debut of Robin’s much-anticipated new book, Heart of a Small Town (University of Alabama Press, 2003). In the Fall issue, Robin presents a photographic “sneak peek” of the fascinating little towns that dot the Alabama landscape. Some are growing, some declining, but all have a story to tell.

A picture of a young Black girl who smiles. She is wearing a white collared shirt which can only be seen from the shoulders up.
Audrey Hendricks, one of the youngest children arrested during the May 1963 protests. [Hendricks Family]

A Dangerous Business: Children on the Front Lines

By Michael Sznajderman

Audrey Hendricks walked out of Birmingham’s Center Street Elementary School and into history. Although only nine years old, she was going to be a part of a vital element in the Civil Rights organizers’ plan to challenge the racial injustices in America’s most segregated city. The Civil Rights Movement had lost steam and media attention. Organizers Ralph Abernathy and Martin Luther King Jr. needed a way to gain attention and sympathy, so they organized the movement’s first youth march. When the schoolchildren began their march on May 2, 1963, Police Commissioner Eugene “Bull” Connor quickly arrested the demonstrators, filling up the city’s jail and juvenile hall. As the stunned nation and a troubled President Kennedy looked on, the children marched again. With nowhere to hold the protesters, Connor tried to disperse them by ordering Birmingham’s firefighters and police officers to use fire hoses and canine units. Public outrage soon brought an end to segregation in the city.

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Places in Peril 2003

By Keri Coumanis

The Alabama Preservation Alliance and the Alabama Historical Commission have once again listed Alabama’s most significant historic “Places in Peril.” This year, AHC Endangered Properties Coordinator Keri Coumanis focuses on historical sites that are in danger of being lost due to economic pressures. Lack of funding, too much economic growth, and urban redevelopment all threaten to uproot places of historical value. With local interest, however, these historical sites can be preserved for future generations. From the vandalism of rural cemeteries, to the deterioration of Bryce Hospital, to the lack of protection for the Civil War battlefield at Day’s Gap in Cullman County, Coumanis illuminates a critical need.

Coleman House, Uniontown. [Courtesy Alabama Historical Commission]

Departments

The image shows a wooden sculpture of a human figure. The figure is standing upright with its hands clasped in front. The sculpture’s texture appears to be finely carved, with detailed lines suggesting the folds of the clothing and the anatomy of the hands and feet.
Cornhusk dolls are an old American craft, perhaps taught to early Appalachian settlers by Native Americans. This one, fashioned by Margaret Carson Revis circa 1920, is on display at the Blue Ridge Parkway’s Folk Art Center in Ashville, North Carolina. [Courtesy Southern Highland Craft Guild]

Art in the South

Appalachian Primitive Dolls

By Alison Burke

The Appalachian primitive doll has been a standard plaything for many children in the mountain communities of Alabama and northwards. These dolls exist in many variations, and have become highly sought-after items of folk art. As examples of the evolution of children’s toys, and as windows into the rich cultures that produced them, these dolls serve an important educational purpose. 

Southern Folkways

Gibeon Sullivan’s Cooling Board

By Breck Stapleton

At first glance, the home created by Gibeon Sullivan seems unremarkable: four bedrooms, a dogtrot, constructed of broad strips of hand-hewn timber. But one feature of the cabin would transform his front porch into an important place in Wagarville: the “cooling-board,” where the community’s dead were displayed before internment. This piece offers a valuable insight into a different time, when death was more visible and funerals were important community events.

The image depicts a wooden porch of a rustic building, its surface damp from recent rain. The porch extends outward, providing a view of a lush green lawn adorned with various plants and shrubs. The perspective is from the corner of the porch, looking out toward the yard.
The most unusual feature of the Sullivan home is the “cooling board” on the front porch, used to display the bodies of departed loved ones while they were prepared for burial. [Aaron Welborn]
The image depicts an old, worn book with a textured cover resting on a wooden surface. The book’s spine shows visible wear, and the corners appear frayed, suggesting significant use or age. A partially torn label on the front cover bears cursive handwriting, which appears to say register.
This tattered, leather-bound hotel register from 1863 contains the signatures of hundreds of important Civil War-era personalities who stayed at the Battle House. [Robin McDonald]

Alabama Treasures

The 1863 Battle House Register

By Aaron Welborn

At one time, the Battle House was Alabama’s only first-class hotel. Virtually every traveler of note passing through the South stayed there, and its tattered, leather-bound register contains the signatures of hundreds of important Civil War-era personalities who stayed at the hotel. This register captures a fascinating cross-section of southern high society at a pivotal historical moment.

Recollections

Birmingham’s Black YWCA

By Ashley Grantham and Gillian Goodrich 

From its beginning in 1912, the YWCA’s Eighth Avenue Branch offered practical training, fellowship, and safety for young black women looking to make their own way in the industrial city of Birmingham. The Eighth Avenue Branch played a strong role in the Birmingham black community, and its history is important to that of the city itself.

The picture portrays a charming two-story residential building, evoking a sense of nostalgia. Its architectural style suggests an earlier historical period, perhaps from the late 19th or early 20th century. Here’s a comprehensive breakdown: Facade and Structure: The house features a symmetrical facade, with a centered entrance flanked by two windows on either side. A covered porch spans the entire width of the front, supported by elegant columns. The porch invites visitors to linger and enjoy the outdoors. Above the porch, there’s a balcony with a similar railing design, providing an elevated view of the surroundings. The roof is hipped (sloping on all sides), and a dormer window projects from the center of the roofline. Two visible chimneys bookend the house—one on each side. Outdoor Elements: In front of the house, a young tree stands, its branches reaching toward the sky. A neatly paved sidewalk leads from the street to the front steps, providing a welcoming path for visitors. Human Presence: On the porch, two figures are seated, but their identities remain hidden. Their presence adds a touch of mystery to the scene. Adjacent Structure: To the right side of the image, we catch a glimpse of another building or extension. Unfortunately, it’s only partially visible, leaving room for speculation.
At the urging of the national YWCA, a segregated branch was established in Birmingham at 500 Eighth Avenue North. [Ashley Grantham and Gillian Goodrich; Photograph by YWCA of Birmingham]
he image depicts two aquatic creatures, likely fish, with elongated bodies. Let’s delve into the details: Coloration and Features: The upper creature exhibits vibrant yellow and green hues, with hints of red near its tail fin. The lower creature displays a more subdued color palette, featuring shades of blue and green. It also has a small red accent on its tail fin. Both creatures exhibit segmented lines along their bodies, resembling scales or segments. Whisker-like appendages near their mouths are visible. Background: The background is dark, which contrasts sharply with the creatures’ vibrant colors, making them stand out. Significance: This detailed view of the creatures’ features and color patterns could be valuable for marine biology studies or anyone interested in aquatic life forms.
Two fairy shrimps swim in typical upside-down fashion. [W. Mike Howell]

The Nature Journal

Fairy Shrimps (and Vernal Pools)

By L.J. Davenport

Fairy shrimps densely populate temporary, mineral rich, vernal pools. These extremophiles–relatives of the famous “sea monkey,” the brine shrimp–exhibit a “pulsed” life cycle, with no contact between generations. L.J. Davenport describes this life-cycle and discusses the ways in which the fairy shrimp has adapted to survive in extreme conditions.

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