Issue 88, Spring 2008

The image appears to be the cover of a magazine titled “ALABAMA HERITAGE.” The issue number and date, “NUMBER 88, SPRING 2008,” are mentioned at the top. The cover features a portrait of an individual wearing what seems to be a military uniform with decorative buttons. Below the portrait, there is text that reads: “PUBLISHED BY THE UNIVERSITY OF ALABAMA, THE UNIVERSITY OF ALABAMA AT BIRMINGHAM, AND THE ALABAMA DEPARTMENT OF ARCHIVES AND HISTORY.” The background color surrounding the text and image is black.

Issue 88, Spring 2008

On the cover: Gen. Nathan Bedford Forrest led a grueling attack on the Union supply hub of Sulphur Trestle Fort. [Courtesy the Alabama Department of Archives and History]

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Features

The image depicts a cemetery with various gravestones, monuments, and trees. In the foreground, there is a prominent statue of a robed figure standing atop a pedestal within a fenced area. The statue appears to be made of stone and is taller than the surrounding gravestones. The fenced area has an ornate metal railing enclosing it. Beyond this central feature, the cemetery extends with numerous other gravestones of different shapes and sizes, some are simple while others are more elaborate. Trees with bare branches suggest it might be autumn or winter. The sky is overcast, providing a somber atmosphere typical for cemeteries.
The McLester family plot at Greenwood Cemetery. [Robin McDonald]

Teaching Tombstones in Tuscaloosa County

By Ian W. Brown

As professor of an anthropology course taught in the cemeteries of Tuscaloosa County each year, Ian Brown sees cemeteries as outdoor classrooms. Providing a wealth of historical, anthropological, and sociological information, tombstones have long been an invaluable resource to historians, genealogists, art historians, and archaeologists. Not only does each marker tell the story of a life, it also tells the story of the time during which the marker was made. Join him as he traces the tale of Tuscaloosa markers and carvers using a mixture of detective work and determination.

The image depicts an old-fashioned cannon with large wooden wheels. The cannon appears to be of historical significance, possibly from the 17th to 19th century, given its design and construction. It has a long metal barrel mounted on a wooden carriage, which is supported by two large spoked wheels. The wood looks weathered and aged, indicating it might be an antique or used for educational or commemorative display purposes. There are metal fittings and reinforcements visible along the carriage and around the barrel of the cannon.
A Parrott gun. [Library of Congress]

Five Hours At Sulphur Trestle Fort

By Thomas V. Ress

During the dawn hours of September 25, 1864, a meager Union barracks known as Sulphur Trestle Fort began to tremble under attack from Confederate cannons. This small site near Elkhart in Limestone County was constructed to protect federal railroad supply lines. Confederate Gen. Nathan Bedford Forrest led the fierce onslaught, recognizing a prize when he saw one.

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Emory O. Jackson: The Voice of Black Birmingham 

By Mary Stanton

Emory O. Jackson, managing editor of the Birmingham World and the Executive Secretary of Birmingham’s NAACP chapter used these platforms to educate and influence black citizens on a variety of racial issues for over thirty years. Championing the black voter participation, Jackson shunned apathy and encouraged readers to fight for economic and scholastic equality within the framework of law and order. Both a spitfire and a moderate, Jackson was, for decades, the “Voice of Black Birmingham.”

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In a sepia-toned photograph, a man sits at a desk, arms resting on the desk, while looking somberly at the camera. He is in a formal suit and tie.
Emory O. Jackson, managing editor of the “Birmingham World” [Birmingham Public Library]

Creating Community In Alabama

By Alice Meriwether Bowsher, photography by M. Lewis Kennedy Jr. 

Through breathtaking photos, examine how elements of design can enhance a community’s identity, values, and connectedness. Bowsher examines the consequences of modern car-dependent communities and looks at what can be gained by rediscovering the roots of traditional city landscaping: centers and town squares that highlight walkability and unique buildings with regional flavor that serve the individual needs of their towns.

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The image depicts a modern building with an angular design. Its tall, narrow brick facade extends beyond the roofline, adorned with large windows. The building stands in a well-landscaped area, featuring a concrete pathway leading to its entrance. Lamp posts line the path, and the partly cloudy sky suggests an urban or campus setting. The unique architecture and perspective make it visually striking.
UAB campus recreation center. [M. Lewis Kennedy Jr.]

Departments

The image portrays a lively urban street scene. On the left, there’s a row of buildings with storefronts featuring large windows and awnings. People are seated at outdoor tables under umbrellas in front of the stores. The center of the image shows a wide sidewalk with brick paving, lined with trees and lamp posts. Pedestrians walk along the sidewalk, some alone and others in groups. To the right, there’s a street filled with parked cars and a yellow school bus driving by. The partly cloudy sky suggests a pleasant day.
The pedestrian town center in Montgomery. [Christy Anderson]

Southern Architecture and Preservation

The “New Urbanism” In Montgomery

By Christy Anderson 

Ratified in 1996, the Charter of the New Urbanism seeks to restore existing urban areas, preserve historic streetscapes, and encourage new architecture and development that ensures walkable, mixed-used communities that are compatible with existing architecture. Local tradition, climate, and current landscape all play into decisions regarding what to build, what to renovate, and what to protect. New Urbanism preserves interesting regional distinctions, making each city a unique place to walk, spend time, and live.

A newspaper clipping from the Montgomery Advertiser about the killing of Jesse Baldwin.
The Montgomery Advertiser ran an article on the brutal killing of “hermit” Jesse Baldwin on July 9, 1910, the day after the murder occurred. [Courtesy the Montgomery Advertiser]

Alabama Mysteries

A Death In Conecuh County

By Pam Jones

Seventy-two-year-old farmer and Civil War veteran “Captain” Jesse Baldwin was beaten to death just steps from his back porch on the morning of July 8, 1910. The motive was simple robbery; it was known that Baldwin kept a great deal of cash in his home. Though one man was captured and convicted for the death just days later, it was widely believed that several men were responsible. The case went cold, but decades later they got a lead.

Recollections

Adventures of the Southern Worker

By Patricia Mitchell 

In the 1930s the communist paper titled Southern Worker was an underground operation that eluded police and vigilantes who tried desperately to shut it down. Printed and edited in Chattanooga and datelined Birmingham, the paper was run by former Daily Workerbeditors Solomon and Isabelle Auerbach who moved to Birmingham from New York City and started the paper with just two hundred dollars. Sold for two cents a copy, the paper gave a voice to the abuse of labourers and the plight of the unemployed in the South. 

The image depicts two individuals standing side by side. The person on the left wears a coat with a corsage and a visible brooch or pin, suggesting formal attire. The individual on the right dons a suit with a tie, also indicating formality. The background features part of a classical architectural column, enhancing the scene’s formal ambiance.
Solomon Auerbach and his mother. [Jesse Auerbach]
The image appears to be a book cover for “China Marine” by E.B. Sledge. The title is prominently displayed at the top, with a subtitle mentioning that the author is known for “With the Old Breed at Peleliu and Okinawa.” The cover features a circular photograph superimposed over a red background, showing two figures in front of a crowd. The faces of the figures are obscured by blue rectangles, likely for privacy reasons. Additionally, there’s a foreword by Stephen E. Ambrose mentioned at the bottom.
The image appears to be the cover of a book titled “WITH THE OLD BREED: AT PELLELIU AND OKINAWA” by E.B. Sledge. The cover features a black and white photograph of soldiers in combat gear on what seems to be a battlefield. The title is displayed prominently in white letters against a red background, with the author’s name below. Additionally, there’s a note about “A NEW INTRODUCTION BY PAUL FUSSELL.”

Reading the Southern Past

Eugene Sledge On War And Healing

By Stephen Goldfarb

After several years of fighting the Japanese in the South Pacific, Eugene Sledge had a difficult adjustment returning to civilian life in the fall of 1946. These trials are explored in his memoirs. His first volume, With the Old Breed at Peleliu and Okinawa (Presidio Press, 1981) relates the hard-learned lessons of war. His second volume, China Marine (University of Alabama Press, 2002) captures the difficulties of readjusting to daily life after battle.

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