Alabama History Podcasts

Transcript: https://tinyurl.com/mwz3srve Ryan L. Cole (author of The Last Adieu) and Dr. Ed Bridges (ret. Director of the Alabama Department of Archives and History) recount the 1824-1825 visit of the Marquis de Lafayette to the United States, how his 3-month plan turned into a year-long stint as “The Nation’s Guest,” and the social and political context surrounding his tour. Bridges focuses on Lafayette’s whirlwind tour through Alabama and how lavishly the young frontier state welcomed him. The climax of Lafayette’s trip was his laying of the cornerstone for the Bunker Hill monument on June 17, 1825. Links to things mentioned in the episode Alabama Historical Association: https://www.alabamahistory.net/ Ryan L. Cole: https://www.instagram.com/ryanlcole11/ The Last Adieu: Lafayette’s Triumphant Return, the Echoes of Revolution, and the Gratitude of the Republic – https://www.harpercollinsfocus.com/harper-horizon/last-adieu/ Overview of Lafayette’s 1824-1825 US Tour (Museum of the American Revolution): https://www.amrevmuseum.org/the-marquis-de-lafayette-s-1824-1825-united-states-tour Georges Washington de Lafayette (Lafayette’s son): https://www.mountvernon.org/library/digitalhistory/digital-encyclopedia/article/georges-washington-de-lafayette Auguste Levasseur (Lafayette’s secretary): https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Auguste_Levasseur Francis Wright (Lafayette’s protégé): https://blogs.loc.gov/manuscripts/2025/03/frances-wright-the-marquis-de-lafayette-and-visions-of-american-equality/ Bunker Hill monument: https://www.nps.gov/bost/learn/historyculture/bhm.htm Land Grant to Lafayette near Tallahassee: https://www.homesweettally.com/post/the-lafayette-land-grant-of-1825 Dr. Ed Bridges: https://www.alabamaheritage.com/authors/authors-b/edwin-c-bridges/ Lafayette’s Visit to Alabama: https://encyclopediaofalabama.org/article/lafayettes-visit-to-alabama/ Treaty of Indian Springs, 1825: https://encyclopediaofalabama.org/article/treaty-of-indian-springs-1825 William McIntosh: https://www.georgiaencyclopedia.org/articles/history-archaeology/william-mcintosh-ca-1778-1825/ Chilly McIntosh: https://www.okhistory.org/publications/enc/entry?entry=MC029 The Federal Road and its taverns: https://encyclopediaofalabama.org/article/taverns-on-the-old-federal-road/ Fort Mitchell, AL: https://encyclopediaofalabama.org/article/fort-mitchell/ Old Alabama Town: https://touroldalabamatown.com/ Alabama Department of Archives and History: https://archives.alabama.gov/ USS Brandywine: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/USS_Brandywine The Alabama History Podcast’s producer is Marty Olliff. Founded in 1947, the Alabama Historical Association is the oldest statewide historical society in Alabama. The AHA provides opportunities for meaningful engagement with the past through publications, meetings, historical markers, and other programs. See the website www.alabamahistory.net.

Air Date: June 2, 2025 Transcript: https://tinyurl.com/fk7hby52 Dr. David Chase Stephens (AU ’24), winner of the Alabama Historical Association’s 2025 Sarah Woolfolk Wiggins Award for the best dissertation in Alabama History, discusses his dissertation entitled “To Obstruct and Resist: Paradise v. Allen, Integration Efforts, and the Alabama State Troopers” (Dec. 2024). Stephens examines the strum und drang of integrating the Alabama State Troopers by hiring and promoting Black and women officers. He examines the four major lawsuits at the heart of these efforts as well as resistance to integration that Gov. Guy Hunt dropped in the mid-1980s. Links mentioned in the episode: Alabama Historical Association: https://www.alabamahistory.net/ Sarah Woolfolk Wiggins Dissertation Award: https://www.alabamahistory.net/wiggins-dissertation-award Stephens, “To Obstruct and Resist: Paradise v. Allen, Integration Efforts, and the Alabama State Troopers”: https://etd.auburn.edu/handle/10415/9481 Paradise v. Allen / NAACP v. Allen: https://encyclopediaofalabama.org/article/paradise-v-allen/ Alabama Department of Public Safety: https://encyclopediaofalabama.org/article/alabama-law-enforcement-agency/ US v. Frazer (1970): https://law.justia.com/cases/federal/district-courts/FSupp/317/1079/1415562/ Mieth v. Dothard (1976): https://law.justia.com/cases/federal/district-courts/FSupp/418/1169/1602972/ Dothard v. Rawlinson (1977): https://supreme.justia.com/cases/federal/us/433/321/ Gov. George Wallace: https://encyclopediaofalabama.org/article/george-c-wallace-1963-67-1971-79-1983-87/ Gov. Fob James: https://encyclopediaofalabama.org/article/forrest-fob-james-jr-1979-83-1995-99/ Gov. Guy Hunt: https://encyclopediaofalabama.org/article/guy-hunt-1987-93/ Cowie, Freedom’s Dominion: https://www.hachettebookgroup.com/titles/jefferson-cowie/freedom%E2%80%99s-dominion-winner-of-the-pulitzer-prize/9781541672819/?lens=basic-books Founded in 1947, the Alabama Historical Association is the oldest statewide historical society in Alabama. The AHA provides opportunities for meaningful engagement with the past through publications, meetings, historical markers, and other programs. If you enjoyed this edition of the Alabama History Podcast, don’t forget to subscribe so you never miss an episode!

Bert Harris, former president of the East Alabama Museum and the Genealogical Society of East Alabama, plus Jayson and Laura Hill, discuss Opelika’s history, tour sites, and other amenities the AHA will enjoy for its April 2025 annual meeting. Transcript of episode: https://tinyurl.com/5a26sz5r Links to items mentioned in the episode: Alabama Historical Association: https://www.alabamahistory.net/ ; Opelika, AL: https://www.opelika-al.gov/ ; Museum of East Alabama: https://eastalabama.org/ ; Treaty of Cusseta, 1832: https://encyclopediaofalabama.org/article/treaty-of-cusseta-1832/ ; Creek Removal: https://encyclopediaofalabama.org/article/creek-indian-removal/ ; Montgomery and West Point Railroad: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Montgomery_and_West_Point_Railroad ; Rousseau’s Raid: https://encyclopediaofalabama.org/article/rousseaus-raid/ ; Textile mills: https://encyclopediaofalabama.org/article/textile-industry-in-alabama/ ; Norma Rae: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Norma_Rae ; John Herbert Orr: https://encyclopediaofalabama.org/article/john-herbert-orr/ ; Yoholo Micco: https://encyclopediaofalabama.org/article/opothle-yoholo/ ; Booker T. Washington: https://encyclopediaofalabama.org/article/booker-t-washington/ ; Booker T. Whatley, How to Make $100,000 Farming 25 Acres: https://archive.org/details/bookertwhatleysh0000what ; Spring Villa (the Penn Yonge House): https://www.opelika-al.gov/321/Spring-Villa-History ; Salem-Shotwell Bridge: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Salem-Shotwell_Covered_Bridge ; Darden House (John Wesley Darden): https://encyclopediaofalabama.org/media/darden-house-in-opelika/ ; Heritage House: https://heritagehouse1913.com/about/ ; Brownfield House: https://auburnopelikaalrealestate.com/brownfield-house-in-opelika-al/ ; John Emerald Distilling Company: https://johnemeralddistilling.com/about/ ; Winston Smith T Hardware and Building Supply: https://www.smithtbuildingsupply.com/ ; Opelika Sportsplex: https://www.opelika-al.gov/391/Opelika-Sportsplex-Aquatics-Center ; Beans Mill: https://stephanielane2012.wordpress.com/2012/03/09/beans-mill/

Dr. Hayden McDaniel, Education Curator at the Alabama Department of Archives and History, discusses the Alabama History Institutes, annual professional development workshops for K-12 teachers. Links discussed in the episode: Alabama History Institute: https://archives.alabama.gov/teach-learn/professional-development/alabama-history-institutes.aspx / Alabama Department of Archives and History: https://archives.alabama.gov/ / Alabama Holocaust Education Center: https://ahecinfo.org/ / Temple Beth-el: https://www.templebeth-el.net/ / Rosenwald Schools (EOA): https://encyclopediaofalabama.org/article/rosenwald-schools-in-alabama/ / Booker T. Washington, “How to Build Up a Good School in the South”: https://digital.archives.alabama.gov/digital/collection/voices/id/4569/ / Jesse Owens Museum: http://jesseowensmemorialpark.com/wordpress1/museum-3/ / Alabama History Hub: http://www.archives.state.al.us/AlabamaHistoryHub.aspx / AHI on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ALHistoryEdu/ / AHI on X (Twitter): https://x.com/alhistoryedu / AHI on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/alhistoryedu/ Rather read? Here's a link to the transcript: https://tinyurl.com/554suymd *Just a heads up – the provided transcript is likely to be less than 100% accurate. The Alabama History Podcast's producer is Marty Olliff and its associate producer is Laura Murray. Founded in 1947, the Alabama Historical Association is the oldest statewide historical society in Alabama. The AHA provides opportunities for meaningful engagement with the past through publications, meetings, historical markers, and other programs. See the website www.alabamahistory.net.

Mr. Barry McNealy of Birmingham talks about receiving the Alabama Historical Association’s Virginia Van Der Veer Hamilton Award for 2024, given to a person who has significantly advanced Alabama history with the general public. Mr. McNealy is a classroom teacher, historical expert with the Birmingham Civil Rights Museum, youth leader, and tour guide. Links mentioned in the podcast: Alabama Historical Association: https://www.alabamahistory.net/ Virginia Van der Veer Hamilton Award: https://www.alabamahistory.net/virginia-v-hamilton-award Birmingham Civil Rights Institute: https://www.bcri.org/ Miles College: https://www.miles.edu/ Rev. Abraham Woods, Jr.: https://www.bhamwiki.com/w/Abraham_Woods_Jr Rev. Fred Shuttlesworth: https://encyclopediaofalabama.org/article/fred-lee-shuttlesworth/ Ms. Rosa Parks: https://encyclopediaofalabama.org/article/rosa-parks/ Parker High School, Birmingham: https://bhamwiki.com/w/Parker_High_School Smithfield Community: https://bhamwiki.com/w/Smithfield_community Dynamite Hill: https://bhamwiki.com/w/Dynamite_Hill Sixteenth Street Baptist Church: https://encyclopediaofalabama.org/article/sixteenth-street-baptist-church/ “Four Little Girls” bombing: https://bhamwiki.com/w/1963_church_bombing BCRI Legacy Youth Leadership Program: https://www.bcri.org/youth-and-families/ United States Holocaust Memorial Museum: https://www.ushmm.org/ Alabama Christian Movement for Human Rights: https://encyclopediaofalabama.org/article/alabama-christian-movement-for-human-rights-acmhr/ Boutwell Auditorium: https://bhamwiki.com/w/Boutwell_Auditorium Nat King Cole assault and attempted kidnapping: https://bhamwiki.com/w/1956_Nat_King_Cole_assault Father Coyle murder: https://bhamwiki.com/w/James_Coyle Edmund Pettus Bridge: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Edmund_Pettus_Bridge “Bloody Sunday” (Selma, AL, 1965): https://encyclopediaofalabama.org/article/bloody-sunday/ Juneteenth Freedom Celebration (BCRI): https://www.bcri.org/event/juneteenth2024/ “Letter From Birmingham Jail”: https://encyclopediaofalabama.org/article/letter-from-birmingham-jail/ Miss Odessa Woolfolk: https://www.bhamwiki.com/w/Odessa_Woolfolk PEACE Birmingham: https://www.acealabama.org/peacebirmingham.html Rather read? Here's a link to the transcript: https://tinyurl.com/3dhb5vat *Just a heads up – the provided transcript is likely to be less than 100% accurate. The Alabama History Podcast's producer is Marty Olliff and its associate producer is Laura Murray. Founded in 1947, the Alabama Historical Association is the oldest statewide historical society in Alabama. The AHA provides opportunities for meaningful engagement with the past through publications, meetings, historical markers, and other programs. See the website www.alabamahistory.net.

Episode 76 – Dr. Idrissa Snider discusses Alabama History Day. Air date: August 6, 2024 Dr. Idrissa Snider, Alabama Humanities Alliance Program Coordinator, talks about the Alabama History Day and National History Day competitions, their relationship to history education, and how students, teachers, and potential judges can involve themselves with the program. Links mentioned in the podcast: Alabama Historical Association: https://www.alabamahistory.net/ Alabama Humanities Alliance: https://alabamahumanities.org/ Alabama History Day Program: https://alabamahumanities.org/program/alabama-history-day/ National History Day: https://nhd.org/en/ North Alabama AHD Ambassador Rebecca Heaton: https://alabamahumanities.org/alabama-history-day-for-teachers/ (scroll to middle of page) South Alabama AHD Ambassador Cheryl Birch: https://alabamahumanities.org/alabama-history-day-for-teachers/ (scroll to middle of page) Central Alabama AHD Ambassador Idrissa Snider: https://alabamahumanities.org/about/team/ (scroll to bottom of page) Troy University Montgomery Campus: https://www.troy.edu/about-us/montgomery-campus/index.html Rosa Parks Museum: https://troy.edu/student-life-resources/arts-culture/rosa-parks-museum/index.html Davis Theater: https://www.troy.edu/student-life-resources/arts-culture/davis-theatre/index.html Alabama Humanities Alliance Janice Riley Memorial Scholarship: https://alabamahumanities.org/program/jenice-riley-memorial-scholarship/ Rather read? Here's a link to the transcript: https://tinyurl.com/3buyerde *Just a heads up – the provided transcript is likely to be less than 100% accurate. The Alabama History Podcast's producer is Marty Olliff and its associate producer is Laura Murray. Founded in 1947, the Alabama Historical Association is the oldest statewide historical society in Alabama. The AHA provides opportunities for meaningful engagement with the past through publications, meetings, historical markers, and other programs. See the website www.alabamahistory.net.

Episode 74 – Tom Reidy on AHA 2024 Museum Award for The Scottsboro Boys Museum Air Date: May 20, 2024 Dr. Tom Reidy, executive director of The Scottsboro Boys Museum which received the Alabama Historical Association’s Museum Award for 2024, discusses the history of the infamous Scottsboro Boys case and the history and programs of the museum itself. Links to things mentioned or implied in the episode: Alabama Historical Association https://www.alabamahistory.net/ Alabama Historical Association Historical Museum Award https://www.alabamahistory.net/historical-museum-award The Scottsboro Boys Museum (1) https://www.thescottsboroboysmuseum.com/ ; (2) https://www.alabamaheritage.com/alabama-heritage-blog/the-historical-legacy-of-the-scottsboro-boys-museum ; (3) https://encyclopediaofalabama.org/article/scottsboro-boys-museum-and-cultural-center/ Sheila Washington https://www.npr.org/2021/02/04/964172261/remembering-sheila-washington-who-told-the-story-of-the-scottsboro-boys The Scottsboro Boys (case) https://encyclopediaofalabama.org/article/scottsboro-trials/ Alabama Chapter of the Communist Party USA https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alabama_Chapter_of_the_Communist_Party_USA Southern Worker newspaper https://www.marxists.org/history/usa/pubs/southernworker/ Jackson County Sentinel newspaper https://www.newspapers.com/paper/jackson-county-sentinel/29019/ The Huntsville Times newspaper https://encyclopediaofalabama.org/article/the-huntsville-times/ International Labor Defense https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/International_Labor_Defense Judge James Horton https://encyclopediaofalabama.org/article/james-horton-jr/ Judge Horton and the Scottsboro Boys (1976 docudrama) https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0074723/ Heavens Fall (2006 drama) https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0425094/ Samuel Leibowitz https://www.famous-trials.com/scottsboroboys/1559-leibowitz Harlem Renaissance https://nmaahc.si.edu/explore/stories/new-african-american-identity-harlem-renaissance Langston Hughes https://poets.org/poet/langston-hughes Lead Belly https://www.songhall.org/profile/Huddie_Ledbetter To Kill a Mockingbird https://encyclopediaofalabama.org/article/to-kill-a-mockingbird/ Nelle Harper Lee https://encyclopediaofalabama.org/article/harper-lee/ NAACP https://naacp.org/ Rosa Parks (and Scottsboro Boys) https://rosaparksbiography.org/bio/scottsboro-boys/ The Scottsboro Boys Act of 2023 https://www.al.com/breaking/2013/04/post_1132.html Rather read? Here's a link to the transcript: https://tinyurl.com/29thykt5 *Just a heads up – the provided transcript is likely to be less than 100% accurate. The Alabama History Podcast's producer is Marty Olliff and its associate producer is Laura Murray. Founded in 1947, the Alabama Historical Association is the oldest statewide historical society in Alabama. The AHA provides opportunities for meaningful engagement with the past through publications, meetings, historical markers, and other programs. See the website www.alabamahistory.net.

Air Date: March 7, 2024 Dr. Christine Sears and Ben Hoksbergen talk about the history of Huntsville, AL, site of the 2024 meeting of the Alabama Historical Association. They also discuss the sites attendees will visit on the pre-conference and conference tours, the banquet speaker Dr. Isabel Morales, and the meeting program offerings. Links to things mentioned in the episode: Alabama Historical Association: www.alabamahistory.net AHA Spring 2024 Newsletter: https://www.alabamahistory.net/_files/ugd/3aaf16_3b018dd19cb14a379df403033346127c.pdf University of Alabama at Huntsville: https://www.uah.edu/ Huntsville (History via EOA): https://encyclopediaofalabama.org/article/huntsville/ Broad River Group (EOA): https://encyclopediaofalabama.org/article/broad-river-group/ Redstone Arsenal (EOA): https://encyclopediaofalabama.org/article/redstone-arsenal/ Marshall Space Flight Center (EOA): https://encyclopediaofalabama.org/article/marshall-space-flight-center/ Operation Paperclip: https://airandspace.si.edu/stories/editorial/project-paperclip-and-american-rocketry-after-world-war-ii Verner von Braun (EOA): https://encyclopediaofalabama.org/article/wernher-von-braun/ Cotton Mills / Textile Industry (EOA): https://encyclopediaofalabama.org/article/textile-industry-in-alabama/ TVA (Tennessee Valley Authority, via EOA): https://encyclopediaofalabama.org/article/tennessee-valley-authority-in-alabama-tva/ Rural electrification (REA): https://www.richmondfed.org/publications/research/econ_focus/2020/q1/economic_history WPA (Works Progress Administration): https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Works_Progress_Administration Sputnik: https://www.nasa.gov/history/sputnik/index.html NASA (National Aeronautics and Space Administration): https://www.nasa.gov/ Huntsville Revisited Museum (Facebook): https://www.facebook.com/hsvrevisitedmuseum/ Weeden House: https://www.weedenhousemuseum.com/ Episcopal Church of the Nativity: https://www.nativity-hsv.org/ Harrison Bros. Hardware: http://harrisonbrothershardware.com/ First National Bank (SAH website): https://sah-archipedia.org/buildings/AL-01-089-0041 Temple B’Nai Sholom: https://www.templebnaisholom.com/ Saint John AME Church (AAMU LibGuide): https://libguides.aamu.edu/c.php?g=509698&p=3590067 State Black Archives, Research Center, and Museum: https://www.aamu.edu/academics/library-learning-resources-center/state-black-archives-museum/ Alabama A&M University: https://www.aamu.edu/ Davidson Center for Space Exploration: https://www.rocketcenter.com/ Dr. R. Isabella Morales: http://www.risabelamorales.com/ Happy Dreams of Freedom: http://www.risabelamorales.com/happy-dreams-of-liberty.html Stoutsburg Sourland African American Museum: https://www.ssaamuseum.org/ Princeton & Slavery Project: https://slavery.princeton.edu/ Rather read? Here's a link to the transcript: https://tinyurl.com/52u25fjy *Just a heads up – the provided transcript is likely to be less than 100% accurate. The Alabama History Podcast's producer is Marty Olliff and its associate producer is Laura Murray. Founded in 1947, the Alabama Historical Association is the oldest statewide historical society in Alabama. The AHA provides opportunities for meaningful engagement with the past through publications, meetings, historical markers, and other programs. See the website www.alabamahistory.net/