Name: The A.G. Gaston Motel in Birmingham: A Civil Rights Landmark
Brand: Marie A. Sutton
SKU: 9781626195950
Price: 21.99 USD
Availability: InStock

The A.G. Gaston Motel in Birmingham: A Civil Rights Landmark

9781626195950

$21.99

Traveling throughout the South during the 1950s was hazardous for African Americans. There were precious few hotels and restaurants that opened their doors to minorities, and fewer still had accommodations above the bare minimum, to say nothing of the racism and violence that followed. But in Birmingham, black entrepreneur and eventual millionaire A.G. Gaston created a first-class motel and lounge for African Americans that became a symbol of pride of his community. It served as the headquarters for Birmingham's civil rights movement and became a revolving door for famous entertainers, activists, politicians and other pillars of the national black community. Author Marie Sutton chronicles the fascinating story of the motel and how it became a refuge during a time when African Americans could find none.

The A.G. Gaston Motel in Birmingham: A Civil Rights Landmark

History of Weiss Lake, A

9781596295605

$21.99

The History of Weiss Lake was filled with debate. Read how the past of this area was reshaped and the area matured.

Until the late 1950s, the major body of water for residents of northeast Alabama was the Coosa River, which wove prominently through the rural landscape of the region. When Alabama Power Company decided to dam the river in order to build a thirty-thousand-acre reservoir, locals were divided about whether to welcome the hydroelectricity and potential prosperity or resist losing their land and proud agrarian heritage. Three years and millions of cubic yards of earth later, Weiss Lake emerged to alter Cherokee County history permanently. Post editor and county native Scott Wright presents a captivating collection of personal recollections and historical vignettes to illustrate the magnitude of the lake's influence in shaping the future of the area--and damming its past.

Alabama Musicians

9781609491574

$21.99

In the late 1960s and early 1970s, legendary artists like Aretha Franklin, the Rolling Stones, Willie Nelson and Bob Dylan traveled to North Alabama to record with the Muscle Shoals Rhythm section, also known as the Swampers. But Alabama hasn't just attracted musical stars with its talent--it also has a history of creating stars of its own. Join author and musician C.S. Fuqua as he showcases the breadth of Alabama's musical talent through the profiles and stories of its historic performers and innovators. From the "father of the blues," W.C. Handy, to Hank Williams, the originator of modern country music, to folk music hero Odetta and everyone in between, this is an unprecedented compendium of Alabama's groundbreaking music makers.

The Adventures of Riverboat John

9781596298521

$21.99

For years, "Riverboat John" Ferguson has captivated audiences the world over as a guitar pickin', song singin', storytellin' original. Now, for the first time ever, you can take home Riverboat's strolling song and story act in this collection of boyhood hijinks, long lost traditions and unmistakable southern charm. Born on the blue-collar banks of the Tennessee River in Huntsville, Alabama, Ferguson's homespun memories are sure to resonate with anyone who remembers life in the 1950s. Read about the time he took a wrong turn and drove his first pickup truck into the Elk River, his first--disastrous--attempt at eating barbeque chicken with silverware, the day television came to town, the time he "left home on a train" and so many more. So settle in, kick up your feet and enjoy this one-of-a-kind glimpse into Huntsville in the 1950s from the man heralded by The New York Times as "a true American minstrel." Just don't say nothin' bad about Gene Autry!

Walker County High School Athletics

9780738544342

$24.99

This volume documents the achievements of great and
average athletes who made Walker a name that commands
respect across the state of Alabama. Read about the greats of the olden days--men such as Bruce Jones, Wick Hudson, Al Blanton, Jelly McDanal, and Billy Richardson--as well as feats of modern-day heroes Ronnie Coleman, Glen Clem, Linnie Patrick, Tommy Cole, Peggy Keebler, and Mary Catherine McColluch, along with hundreds of others. Included are men's and women's sports as well as everything from cheerleading to parades and pep rallies.

Alabama Football Tales

9781609497224

$19.99

The Crimson Tide's winning history is packed with fascinating stories of players and coaches who made the program the envy of every school in the nation. Now, author and sports historian Lewis Bowling presents a collection of tales that span the entirety of Alabama's history of hard-won glory. Blending humor, drama and historical accuracy, Bowling shares stories every Bama fan will love. Discover the Alabama team that pioneered innovations in forward passing, learn about Bear Bryant's stint as an assistant coach, relive the year that World War II forced Alabama to put its football season on hold and read the story of the soldier who credited his experience on the football field for his survival in battle. These stories, and many more, make Alabama Football Tales required reading for every fan.

Lost Birmingham

9781609499884

$21.99

Some of Birmingham Alabama's history has been lost. This book takes a look at this lost history and brings it back to life.

Birmingham has many notable historic landmarks today, but so many more are all but forgotten. The Bangor Cave Casino was once a world-renowned speakeasy. The Thomas Jefferson Hotel featured a zeppelin mooring station, drawing lots of attention from tourists. Other significant sites from the past, such as Hillman Hospital and the buildings on the ""Heaviest Corner on Earth,"" are unknown even to natives now. Local author Beverly Crider presents an intriguing and educational tour through these and more hidden treasures.

Haunted Alabama Black Belt

9781609499440

$21.99

There is a place in Alabama, a region that stretches across its lower middle from Georgia to Mississippi. It is a place steeped in history--a place where a people were enslaved, a nation was broken and a new dream of freedom was born. It is a place where the past is always near at hand. And sometimes, that past takes a moment to whisper in your ear. They call this place the Black Belt. From the Cato-Thorn House in Barbour County to the Snow Hill Institute in Wilcox County, Alabama's Black Belt has a great number of restless spirits that still haunt it. Join authors David Higdon and Brett Talley as they uncover the ghosts and hauntings of one of Alabama's most historic areas.

Ensley and Tuxedo Junction

9780738586809

$24.99

With dreams of building a vast steel production operation, Memphis planter Enoch Ensley founded a city in the wooded valley at the heart of Jefferson County, Alabama. He named the city Ensley, after himself, and established the Ensley Land Company to acquire and develop 4,000 acres for industrial facilities and a town. As field workers left their farms to work in steel mills and businesses sprang up on the valley floor, Ensley became a diverse place of hopes and desires. A strong community of churches, businesses, civic clubs, and neighborhoods developed around the factories and railroads. Jazz music was the social thread of Ensley's African American community, known as Tuxedo Junction. Musicians such as Erskine Hawkins famously mastered the style. The annexation of Ensley into Birmingham established the "Magic City" as the largest and wealthiest in Alabama and the heart of the Southern steel manufacturing economy.

Lost Capitals of Alabama

9781626194427

$21.99

Alabama's capital has roots all over the state. It first emerged in St. Stephens in 1799, a small fort acquired from the Spanish atop a tall limestone bluff overlooking the Tombigbee River. Next came Huntsville in the Tennessee Valley, where the state constitution emerged. Cahawba was the capital to receive a visit from the Marquis de Lafayette, the last surviving general of the American Revolution. In 1826, Tuscaloosa took the reins for twenty years before the final move to Montgomery. Discover the leaders and events that established the state and the fates of each dynamic governmental center as author Jim Lewis traces the history of Alabama's lost capitals.

Loveman's:

9781609493424

$21.99

In an era when local department stores still thrived, Birmingham shoppers had different stores from which to choose. But when customers sought more than bargain prices, when they demanded unparalleled quality and outright luxury, they chose Loveman's. The first store opened in Birmingham in 1887, and the chain eventually grew to include locations in Huntsville and Montgomery, embracing those from throughout the state who valued an upscale shopping experience. Weathering the Great Depression, a devastating fire that destroyed the original location in 1934 and historic civil rights protests in the early 1960s, Loveman's proved to be an enduring name through many eras of change until finally closing its doors in 1980. Now, Birmingham historian Tim Hollis chronicles the sterling history of this celebrated store's commitment to excellence.

The Ghostly Tales of the Haunted South

9781467198400

$12.99

Ghost stories from the American South have never been so creepy, fun, and full of mystery!

The haunted history of cities across the southeast come to life--even when the main players are dead. Have you heard about the ghosts at the Mayberry Inn in Hot Springs, Arkansas? Their connection to the Inn is so strong--and grisly--they may never check out! Did you know the Springer Opera House in Columbus, Georgia, is haunted by the brother of one of the most infamous men in American history? Do you know the history of the majestic--and haunted--tombs of St. Louis Cemetery No. 1 in New Orleans, Louisiana? Dive into this spooky chapter book for suspenseful tales of bumps in the night, paranormal investigations, and the unexplained; just be sure to keep the light on.

Haunted Baldwin County, Alabama

9781626198746

$21.99

Baldwin County is no stranger to the supernatural. As the largest county in the state of Alabama, Baldwin has hidden stories to be uncovered. Residents can still hear the horse of a soldier buried in the Confederate Rest Cemetery. Lonesome melodies from a piano haunt the Grand Hotel Ballroom. Many residents have stolen a glimpse of Catman at Gulf State Park and a mysterious lady descending the stairs of a historic tidewater home. Author Harriet Outlaw tells the stories behind the spirits that represent the most colorful characters of Baldwin County history.

Legends, Lore and True Tales of the Chattahoochee

9781626190221

$21.99

The Chattahoochee Trace in southeast Alabama and west Georgia is steeped in Native, African and early American tradition--stories often deeply rooted in folklore. Unusual beasts such as the Kolowa, the Wampus Cat and even Bigfoot roam the area. Crossroads magic, hoodoo and Huggin' Molly make their homes in the storied region. The Native American trickster rabbit, the Nunnehi Cherokee watchers, the tales of the Indian mounds and the saga of Brookside Drive are forever etched in Chattahoochee lore. From the Creek wars to Indian removal and Sherman's March to the Sea, the legends of the Hooch" have left an indelible mark on Georgia and Alabama. Join author Michelle Smith as she reveals many of the strange creatures and myths that sing "the Song of the Chattahoochee."

Legends, Lore and True Tales of the Chattahoochee

Katie Comma

9781455624614

$16.99

When Katie Comma is blown out of her book, she must search for her home. She deals with rejections from the sentences in which she tries to hide. Through this engaging character, young readers learn the proper uses for commas.

The Maid

9781455625079

$18.99

The story of Joan of Arc is detailed here in rhyme for young adults. From humble beginnings in Domrémy to her end at the pyre, her tale is told in its entirety.

Welcome to Bombingham

9781455624928

$14.95

Earl B. Peterson is angry after the Ku Klux Klan bombs his house, killing his mother. When his plummeting grades put him in danger of losing his college scholarship, a teacher asks ace student Shirley Dupree to tutor him in algebra. But there is constant tension between the classmates, as she is active in the nonviolence movement and he's only interested in revenge. In this novel for young people set against the backdrop of the Birmingham Children's March in the 1960s, the characters help where adults had failed in transforming public opinion and energizing the civil-rights movement.

Noah and the Eight Trucks of Hanukkah

9781455622030

$16.99

Noah is a young boy who loves Hanukkah, but his favorite thing in the whole world is trucks. Why aren't they part of the Hanukkah celebration? In this story, Noah devises a way to have a Festival of Trucks along with the Festival of Lights, each honoring the brave Maccabees.

Swashbarklers of the Sea

9781455624140

$16.99

"Come hither, ye seadogs, and listen to me. I speak of a pirate who taunts this great sea. His name is Barkbeard. He's fearsome and bold. He's taken me treasure of emeralds and gold." But as the captain and his crew load up the cannons and hoist up the sails, thar be a few twists of tails in this puppy pirate tale for young readers.

Railroading around Dothan and the Wiregrass Region

9780738517193

$24.99

The Wiregrass Region of southeast Alabama, southwest Georgia, and north Florida--named for the perennial grass that covered the long-leaf pine forest floor--is a product of the railroads that arose with the New South. All kinds of railroads served all kinds of purposes in the Wiregrass. Shortlines and even temporary tracks moved timber and pine resin from forest to mill a century ago--they move raw materials and manufactured goods between ports and factories today. Longer lines created business links between Wiregrass towns and the cities of Alabama, Georgia, Florida, and the world. Some of these roads lasted only a few years; others merged into complex systems connecting the Wiregrass Region with the rest of the world in a way early settlers could not even imagine.

Railroading around Dothan and the Wiregrass Region

Muscle Shoals

9780738552651

$24.99

Long known as "the Shoals," Muscle Shoals saw its formal birth as an incorporated city in 1923. It really sprang to life in 1933, when the Tennessee Valley Authority took shape on the Tennessee River and became the nation's largest public power company. The construction crew for the Wilson Dam and power plant was one of the region's first racially integrated workforces. Some truly influential figures of the 20th century came to Muscle Shoals to witness firsthand what was unfolding
in this tiny corner of the world. Thomas Edison and Henry Ford found themselves drawn to Wilson Dam and the nitrate plants in the early 1920s, as did the French existentialist Jean-Paul Sartre. At one time,
Muscle Shoals was regarded as the hit recording capital of the world. FAME studio musicians referred to as the Muscle Shoals Rhythm Section gained notoriety as a result of the studio's success and are part of the legacy of the Muscle Shoals sound.

Greene County and Mesopotamia Cemetery

9780738552774

$24.99

The lovingly restored homes of many Eutaw citizens now laid to rest at Mesopotamia Cemetery depict the grace of the antebellum South. First known as Oak Hill Cemetery, Mesopotamia Cemetery was established around 1822 on present-day Mesopotamia Street. Eutaw, the seat of Greene County, boasts 50 structures listed on the National Register of Historic Places, with many more eligible for nomination. Greene was the most populous county in Alabama in 1850 and was widely regarded for its thriving and elegant communities. Greene County and Mesopotamia Cemetery ties the beautifully carved marble tombstones in the Mesopotamia Cemetery to the extraordinary people who have shaped Greene County's history.

Hueytown

9780738586908

$24.99

The City of Hueytown was incorporated on May 6, 1960. Since then, city officials, past and present, have provided excellent laws and codes that offer a well-designed city for its citizens. Native Americans were the first to settle along Valley Creek, while the following prominent names helped develop and establish the area: the Huey, Waldrop, Salter, Knight, Dabbs, Parsons, Vines, Crooks, and Robertson families. The Woodward Iron Company was the first major employer, and the Tennessee Coal and Iron Company, later called United Steel Company, also provided jobs and security for many citizens. A group of famous NASCAR race car drivers from Hueytown, "The Alabama Gang," helped create an interest in racing. In addition, Hueytown has had many devoted educators who staffed the area's schools and encouraged students to strive for the best.

Fire on the Mountain:

9781596297593

$21.99

In 1985, a high school football team in Sand Rock, Alabama, made history. Through the excitement of an undefeated season and a championship-winning game, the lives of players, coaches and everyone in the community were changed. Join author Scott Wright, a lifelong resident of Cherokee County, as he recounts the story with the flair of a sports journalist and the warmth of a local fan.

Mountain Brook

9781467112871

$24.99

Nestled in the over-the-mountain suburbia of Birmingham, Mountain Brook was originally hunting grounds for Creek, Choctaw, Cherokee, and Chickasaw Indians. First settled in the 1820s in the area called Shades Valley, it was not until 1926 that Robert Jemison Jr. began developing Mountain Brook Estates into its present form. Jemison had enormous vision honoring its natural beauty, and he hired regional planner and landscape architect Warren H. Manning of Boston to design a secluded residential community of handsome homes and amenities. Mountain Brook was incorporated in 1942 and experienced a resurgence of growth and expansion after World War II. The neighborhoods were designed to be anchored by villages as community centers for residents within walking distance. Still in touch with the vision and principles on which Robert Jemison founded Mountain Brook, its citizens enjoy the avant-garde villages full of restaurants, specialty gift shops, groceries, and parks, as well as its scenic natural landscape.

Birmingham Foot Soldiers

9781626192201

$21.99

Reverends Martin Luther King Jr., Andrew Young and Fred Shuttlesworth are iconic names associated with the Birmingham campaign of the civil rights movement. Credit also is due to many local residents who risked their lives for the cause. Myrna Carter Jackson holds no shame in the police record she garnered in protest of the harsh treatment of African Americans in the city. Carolyn Walker Williams, who knew the injustice blacks faced in East Birmingham even as a child, was arrested in protest for the first time while still in school. Gerald Wren grew up in the Smithfield neighborhood, part of which was nicknamed Dynamite Hill" as a result of the bombings of blacks' houses, churches and schools. Join author Nick Patterson as he interviews some of Birmingham's foot soldiers and recounts the struggle and adversity overcome."

Birmingham Landmarks

9781596297388

$21.99

Though the landscape has certainly changed, many of Birmingham's early landmarks--testaments to the steelworkers who built the city after the Civil War, as well as those who have since prospered here--remain. In Birmingham Landmarks, Alabama native Victoria Myers explores the Magic City's most prominent industrial and cultural features. Step back in time to discover Rickwood Field, one of America's oldest baseball parks, and the Carver Theater, the only venue that allowed African Americans to view first-run movies before the civil rights movement. Find out why Birmingham is known as the Pittsburgh of the South at Sloss Furnaces and learn the secrets of Vulcan, who was commissioned for the 1904 World's Fair and has become one of the state's most recognizable monuments.