Product Description
This huge illustrated volume was published in 1905.

Excerpt from the Preface:

PREFACE

This work was begun some five years ago as a study of Recon-
struction in Alabama. As the field opened it seemed to me that
an account of ante-bellum conditions, social, economic, and political, and of the effect of the Civil War upon ante-bellum institutions would be indispensable to any just and comprehensive treatment of the later period. Consequently I have endeavored to describe briefly the society and the institutions that went down during Civil War and Reconstruction. Internal conditions in Alabama during the war period are discussed at length ; they are important, because they influenced seriously the course of Reconstruction. Through out the work I have sought to emphasize the social and economic problems in the general situation, and accordingly in addition to a sketch of the politics I have dwelt at some length upon the educational, religious, and industrial aspects of the period. One point in particular has been stressed throughout the whole work, viz. the fact of the segregation of the races within the state — the blacks mainly in the central counties, and the whites in the northern and the southern counties. This division of the state into "white" counties and "black'' counties has almost from the beginning exercised the strongest influence upon the history of its people. The problems of white and black in the Black Belt are not always the problems of the whites and blacks of the white counties. It is hoped that the maps inserted in the text will assist in making clear this point. Perhaps it may be thought that undue space is devoted to the history of the negro during War and Re-
construction, but after all the negro, whether passive or active,
was the central figure of the period.

Believing that the political problems of War and Reconstruction
are of less permanent importance than the forces which have
shaped and are shaping the social and industrial life of the people, I have confined the discussion of politics to certain chapters chronologically arranged, while for the remainder of the book the topical method of presentation has been adopted. In describing the political events of Reconstruction I have in most cases endeavored to show the relation between national affairs and local conditions within the state. To such an extent has this been done that in some parts it may perhaps be called a general history with especial reference to local conditions in Alabama. Never before and never since Reconstruction have there been closer practical relations between the United States and the state, between Washington and Montgomery.

As to the authorities examined in the preparation of the work it
maybe stated that practically all material now available — whether in print or in manuscript — has been used. In working with newspapers an effort was made to check up in two or more newspapers each fact used. Most of the references to newspapers — practically all of those to the less reputable papers— are to signed articles. I have had to reject much material as unreliable, and it is not possible that I have been able to sift out all the errors. Whatever remain will prove to be, as I hope and believe, of only minor consequence. ... Read more

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Carry It On is an in-depth study of how the local struggle for equality in Alabama fared in the wake of new federal laws--the Civil Rights Act, the Economic Opportunity Act, and the Voting Rights Act. Susan Youngblood Ashmore provides a sharper definition to changes set in motion by the fall of legal segregation. She focuses her detailed story on the Alabama Black Belt and on the local projects funded by the Office of Economic Opportunity (OEO), the federal agency that supported programs in a variety of cities and towns in Alabama. Black Belt activists who used OEO funds understood that the structural underpinnings of poverty were key components of white supremacy, says Ashmore. They were motivated not only to end poverty but also to force local governments to comply with new federal legislation aimed at achieving racial equality on a number of fronts.

Product Description
The Alabama Crimson Tide have played more than 1,100 games since 1892, earning 12 national championships in the process. Most of the passes, tackles, kicks, and touchdowns have passed into history with little fanfare, but a select few are destined to be remembered for the ages: these are plays that won games, turned around a season, or put the exclamation point on a career. Game Changers: The Greatest Plays in Alabama Football History digs deep into the annals of Alabama football lore and extracts these very best moments, bringing them back to life with a rich clarity that will delight every fan who thinks of Bryant-Denny Stadium as his or her home away from home.

Author Kirk McNair has painstakingly researched the team s history and assembled the plays that clinched victories, won championships, or earned bragging rights in the annual Iron Bowl. Readers will relish player and coach profiles, quotes from participants, and game statistics, as well as a generous selection of memorable, full-color photographs.

Guaranteed to provide hours of entertainment, Game Changers: The Greatest Plays in Alabama Football History brings the team s biggest stars to life. Relive the incredible performances of players such as Joe Namath, Ken Stabler, Cornelius Bennett, and Shaun Alexander; Jay Barker, Steve Sloan, and Jeff Rutledge leading the team to national championships; and, of course, the plays that cemented Paul Bear Bryant s place as one of the greatest coaches in college football history. The memorable exploits of these incredible men and many others including Palmer, Prothro, Lassic, and Newsome will remind Alabama fans why they bleed crimson and white.

Guaranteed to provide hours of entertainment, Game Changers: The Greatest Plays in Alabama Football History brings to life the most memorable moments in the long and storied annals of the Crimson Tide. This full-color volume describes the action, profiles the participants, and reveals the rich story behind each memorable moment, making this the most comprehensive and unique book ever written about the Alabama Crimson Tide.

It was one of the all-time great games I ve ever seen a quarterback play.
Joe Namath, on Andrew Zow s performance against Auburn in 2001
It still amazes me the number of people who will tell me about seeing the run in the mud.
Ken Stabler, on his memorable touchdown run against Auburn in 1967
Derrick Thomas played the game of his life today, and that s saying a lot.
Bill Curry, on Thomas three-sack performance against Penn State in 1988 ... Read more

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All Alabama elections are colorful, but the 1986 gubernatorial contest may trump them all for its sheer strangeness. With the retirement of an aging and ill George Wallace, both the issues and candidates contending for the office were able to set the course of Alabama politics for generations to follow. Whereas the Wallace regimes were particular to Alabama, and the gubernatorial campaign was conducted in a partial vacuum with his absence, Alabama also experienced a wave of partisan realignment. A once solidly Democratic South was undergoing a tectonic political shift as white voters in large numbers abandoned their traditional Democratic political home for the revived Republicans, a party shaped in many respects by the Wallace presidential bids of 1968 and 1972 and the Reagan revolution of the 1980s.

Alabama's own Democratic party contributed to this massive shift with self-destructive campaign behavior that disgusted many of its traditional voters who wound up staying home or voting for a little-known Republican. From the gubernatorial election of 1986 came the shaky balance between the two parties that exists today.

After Wallacerecollects and analyzes how these shifts occurred, citing extensive newspaper coverage from the time as well as personal observations and poll data collected by the authors. This volume is certain to be a valuable work for any political scientist, especially those with an interest in Alabama or southern politics.

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The tranquil waters of the Tennessee River hide a horrible tragedy that took place one steamy July day when co-workers took an excursion aboard the SCItanic. Lawrence County resident Jenny Brooks used the skull of one of her victims to wash her hands, but her forty-year quest for revenge cost more than she bargained for. Granville Garth jumped to his watery grave with a pocketful of secrets did anyone collect the $10,000 reward for the return of the papers he took with him? Historian Jacquelyn Procter Reeves transports readers deep into the shadows of the past to learn about the secret of George Steele's will, the truth behind the night the Stars Fell on Alabama and the story of the Lawrence County boys who died in the Goliad Massacre. Learn these secrets and many more in Hidden History of North Alabama. ... Read more

Product Description
This scarce antiquarian book is included in our special Legacy Reprint Series. In the interest of creating a more extensive selection of rare historical book reprints, we have chosen to reproduce this title even though it may possibly have occasional imperfections such as missing and blurred pages, missing text, poor pictures, markings, dark backgrounds and other reproduction issues beyond our control. Because this work is culturally important, we have made it available as a part of our commitment to protecting, preserving and promoting the world's literature. ... Read more

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By the 1930s, decades of inefficient cotton farming had stripped the topsoil from thousands of acres of Macon County, Alabama. The land's inhabitants, mostly poor black farmers and sharecroppers, were starving in their weather-beaten shacks; the land was simply too worn out for them to make a living. This book describes these conditions and then traces the history of an innovative New Deal program established by the Franklin Roosevelt administration to reclaim the land and the people's lives. The Tuskegee Land Utilization Study converted much of the land into what is now the Tuskegee National Forest. It also established the model settlement of Prairie Farms. In this volume, Pasquill assesses the project seven decades later. The book also includes interviews with descendants of some of the original Prairie Farms participants. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

A welcome contribution to both American history and agricultural history shelves
Planting Hope on Worn-Out Land: History of the Tuskegee Land Utilization Project, Macon County, Alabama 1935-1959 is a thoughtful historical chronicle of a project that helped rehabilitate the barely farmable land that African-Americans were sharecropping upon at the close of the Civil War. This land would eventually become the Tuskegee National Forest. The second part of Planting Hope on Worn-Out Land tells the stories of the four hundred black families who were relocated to the community of Prairie Farms by the Resettlement Administration. Ultimately a story of success - both in bringing life back to the land and to providing work and the opportunity to tend to one's own farm to some African-American families amid devastating economic conditions - Planting Hope on Worn-Out Land is a welcome contribution to both American history and agricultural history shelves. ... Read more

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Customer Reviews (3)

A MUST for anyone interested in Alabama Pottery
The best book out there on Alabama Pottery.A wealth of information for any pottery collector.Lots of great early black and white photos and historical information.Huge listing of early potters and their markings.Superb.

Alabama Folk Pottery
This book was marvelous.The information contained within was well researched and very thorough.I immensely enjoyed every page, every article, every entry well, you get the picture.It was just what I was hoping for and very good.

Beautiful and informative
Evidenced by twenty years of research, Alabama Folk Pottery introduces the reader to the pottery of the state.Joey Brackner's production of a well organized and beautifully presented piece of scholarship helps the reader to see and understand the potters, the craft and its history.Due to his thorough researcch and effective presentation, this book is well worth the price tag. ... Read more

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Customer Reviews (5)

Award Winner!
John Hall won the 2010 Phillip D. Reed Award for Outstanding Writing on the American South for this book, from the Southern Environmental Law Center. Congratulations!

amazing depth and photos
Definitely the most in depth and expertly written natural history of Alabama.Totally fascinating with many surprises.
Photographs are excellent too!It covers far more than just the headwaters and rivers.Very glad I bought it!

Slip a canoe into the water and take this ride
This gorgeous coffee table book takes the reader on a beautiful, informative and exciting journey down the author's composite River of Alabama.Starting our trip on the tiny springs that merge and blend into rivers that flow to the Gulf of Mexico, it is as if we are floating in a canoe, all the while listening to the languid but passionate Southern accent of John Hall, a knowlegeable and friendly guide. Beth Young's photographs give us the perspective of being on the river at just the right season: when wildflowers are blooming on this river, when these falls are crashing with heavy snow melt or rain, when the trees are bare and we see deep into that forests, when the sun is at just the right angle to reflect off this pool of water. Hall and Young boost Alabama, conservation, education, wild space, and serenity with this treasure of a book.This is a book to study, to pick up and flip through, to share, to savour.

Mother's Day Present
My mother loves her book! She read a review of it in the newspaper and asked for it for as her Mother's Day present. She told us that if she wants to take a vacation, she can just look at the pictures in the book. I think she is going to get years of enjoyment from the book.

Fabulous photos of Alabama's rivers
Review by Tim Palmer, photographer and author of Rivers of America and other books

Beth Maynor Young's exquisite documentary of beauty, biology, and geography captures what people need to know about rivers throughout the South. A book like this should be available for each state in America, but only a few have them. Young is fine photographer who has finally created the art that Alabama's rivers deserve. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (3)

Top quality work from one of Alabama's leading photographers
Mr. McDonald's book does an outstanding job of evoking the state of our small towns.With his sharp eye, he is a storyteller with a camera.His images of the vanishing south are poignent and powerful.Highly recommended.

A wonderful view of vanishing Alabama
Robin McDonald is continuing the work begun by William Eggleston:capturing the subtle beauty of small-town Southern life with clear-eyed, straight-on, unsentimental photographs "illustrated" by texts gleaned from Alabama writers.A lovely gift for any thoughtful Southerner.

Great Christmas or anytime gift!
This book combines an artist's eye with a photographer's skill to bring to life charming small towns throughout Alabama.We see them from an entirely new perspective and gain an intriguing glimpse into the Southern way of life. This is a book that will make a great gift for people with many different types of interests, from travel to architecture to antiques and more.The production quality of the book is outstanding. ... Read more

Product Description
This scarce antiquarian book is a selection from Kessinger Publishings Legacy Reprint Series. Due to its age, it may contain imperfections such as marks, notations, marginalia and flawed pages. Because we believe this work is culturally important, we have made it available as part of our commitment to protecting, preserving, and promoting the worlds literature. Kessinger Publishing is the place to find hundreds of thousands of rare and hard-to-find books with something of interest for everyone! ... Read more

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Winner of the 2007 Wesley-Logan Prize of the American Historical Association, this acclaimed volume tells the moving story of the last recorded group of Africans deported to the United States as slaves--more than fifty years after the United States abolished the international slave trade. Sylviane A. Diouf reconstructs the lives of 110 men, women, and children from Benin and Nigeria who were brought ashore in Alabama in 1860 under cover of night, recounting their capture and passage in the slave pen in Ouidah, and describing their experience of slavery alongside American-born enslaved men and women. After emancipation, the group reunited from various plantations, bought land, and founded their own settlement, known as African Town. They ruled it according to customary African laws, spoke their own regional language and, when giving interviews, insisted that writers use their African names so that their families would know that they were still alive.African Town is still home to a community of Clotilda descendants. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (6)

Required Reading
I learned a lot from this book.It should be reuqired reading for all high school students in Alabama.

I just finished the book: I cried when Cudjo died...
I thoroughly enjoyed this book and was amazed that I, a native Alabamian, had never even heard of Africa Town. I count it a blessing that I am now aware of that important part of my state's history.

My favorites parts of the book were when the author attempted to bring the Africans to life. In my estimation, she succeeded in some marvelous ways. I cried when Cudjo Lewis died. She made him alive to me.

A small drawback was the attempt to place today's modern ideas, mores and motives in these folks. However, I understood her desire to have these people be heroes. But they would have been heroes anyway, without all the surmising and offering as fact the results of the author's assumptions.

But it was a beautiful book nonetheless.

I reserve my biggest criticism for editing and fact checking due to the following mistakes in the book:
The author places Marengo in Jefferson County.
She claims that one of the slave owners went to Mass at the Congregational Church. (They do not have Mass.)
She refers to the pastor of the Baptist Church that the African's built as "their priest" and "the priest." He was not.
A map caption misspells the word Baptist several times.
A photo caption refers to thetwin great-granddaughters of Mr. Lewis as "Mary and Mary" when their names were Mary and Martha.

I suppose my biggest disappointment was in the importance the author placed on the various pagan religions represented by the shipmates and the downplaying of how much of an influence their new-found Christianitywas in every aspect of their lives.

All that being said, I enjoyed the book immensely, and I plan on reading it again tonight.

A book that is long over due
For 300 years the Atlantic Slave Trade brought 12 million people from Africa to the New World. But in spite of the huge numbers of people who made the trip there have been only a handful of first-person accounts left by those who made that horrible trip. Most of the slaves lived and died without having a chance to tell their story. It was not until the advent of the Civil Rights Movement that much needed attention was finally given to one of the saddest chapters in American history.
That makes Dreams of Africa in Alabama, The Slave Ship Clotilda and the Story of the Last Africans Brought to America such a welcome addition to the field of African-American and Southern history. In Dreams, Dr. Sylviane Diouf, who is the curator at the Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture in New York, tells the story of the last Africans brought to the United States on the ship Clotilda.The slave trade was outlawed in 1807, but that did not stop slave traders from bringing slaves into the United States. In 1860, the year before the outbreak of the Civil War, Timothy Meaher, a wealthy Mobile businessman from Maine, bet a group of friends that he could bring a shipful of Africans right into Mobile Bay "under the officers noses." He won the bet.
The 110 people that Meaher brought from the kingdom of Dahomey on the west coast of Africa were named Oluale, Pollee Allen, Zuma, Ossa Keeby, and Cudjo Lewis, who would be the last of the shipmates to die in 1935. Slaves for only five years before they won their freedom at the end of the war, they failed in their quest to get back home and instead carved out a life for themselves in their own town outside of Mobile, Africa Town.
Forgotten for years, their story is brought to life by Svlviane Diouf, who thanks to her outstanding research and writing skills brings to life the dreadful trip during the Middle Passage,and then the dehumanzing, backbreaking life of a slave in Alabama during the Civil War. Even years later, the shipmates would break down when they tried to talk about the trip on the Clotilda. Looked down upon by whites and other blacks as "savage Africans," a bias that would haunt them and their families into the 20th century, they lived through slavery, war,and Jim Crow and created the only town of its kind in the United States, a town founded and lived in by people who had been brought to this country as slaves from Africa.
For 50 years, memebers of the shipmates' families and others have worked to preserve the history of Africatown and the story of the men and women who founded it. There is still much that is needed to be done to save that legacy before it is too late. Hopefully Dr. Diouf book will help to raise awareness about this important and little known chapter from American history.

Absolutely Loved Dreams
I am a history buff.I loved this book.I highly recommend it,if history turns you on.

Ashe' Ashe'

A reference book, a novel, a history book - highly educative, encompassingly tender
I cannot recommend this book any more feverishly. It is incredibly well researched and written. The author lays down the historical facts in a clear manner and then leaves the characters to entice you into their lives and speak to you. The stories are never sensationalized, if anything, it is this lack of dramatizationthat enables the stories to unfold naturally.

The book clearly shows how within a relatively short space of time certain aspects of a culture may vanish, but other aspects which form the core of a community's make-up are improvised regardless of the circumstances and continued down the line (the communal spirit of the Africans, reverence to authority, conflict resolution etc). Cudjo's life was the one delved into in the greatest detail and it evolved to be as remarkable as it was melancholic.

After the last of the African deportees dies, I can only imagine the loneliness that would have haunted him - being alone in America, a land that he had lived in for three quarters of his life, but one that was still alien to him, one where no other local born Africans were in his immediate vicinity would surely have quelled his tenacious will and defiant spirit. For him to have lived the rest of his years, not being able to converse in his native tongue or to express his innermost feelings in a manner capable of being immediately understood by his neighbors would surely have been unbearably painful. There is an African proverb that states that "you know who a person really is by the language they cry in". When all he had ever known was gone and he lamented for them in his native tongue, I wonder, did the people around him understand the depth of his despair? After all his personal losses and tragedies in America, he finally relents of his desire to go back to Africa and surmises that he was indeed alone on earth - his family in America was no more and he figured that his family in Africa would also be no more - an unbearable set of circumstances to accept. The author should be commended for unearthing and bringing to life such a great story, but even more importantly, for doing so in as lucid a manner as is possible. My only question is how on earth do we let a story as remarkable as this just dawdle with no attempt to publicise it more. It would be great if we could have a children's book on the story.
A trip to AficaTown in Alabama is in the offing for my family. ... Read more