From the Pantheon in Rome to Lawson State Community College
The anti-slavery story of Uncle Tom’s Cabin, by abolitionist Harriet Beecher Stowe, is one of the most influential books in American History. First published in 1852, prior to the Civil War, it pointed out the appalling realities of American slavery and subsequently, it was once banned in Alabama. So when a very rare 1880 edition…
Trustee Meeting March 7th
First Trustee Meeting of the year is Tuesday, March 7th, at noon for lunch, at 2827 Highland Avenue. Note that according to the by-laws, you must attend at least two of the four Trustee meetings annually. As a reminder, in order to maintain your Trustee status, you must first be a member and current on…
And the Winners Are…
Thank you to all who shared cakes, stories, and recipes at our Annual Meeting last night. While our judges selected winners in five categories, all participants received a BLUE RIBBON for sharing a cake, as well as much appreciation from all those who attended the meeting and were able to taste them! There was a…
Did you miss the Annual Meeting?
Several members of the audience recalled when President Franklin Roosevelt came to Jasper, Alabama to attend the funeral of William Bankhead. The thousands (estimated 40,000) who attended can attest to the importance of the Bankhead family’s political influence in Alabama for several generations, Here’s a synopsis of the Bankhead family from the newsletter. And you…
The Bankhead Highway
Did you think that the Bankhead Highway was local (like I did)? Far from it! Come hear more about it Monday night at the BHS annual meeting and learn about the remarkable Bankhead family of Alabama.
History of the Cake Walk
While most of us know a cake walk to be a joyful celebration where the best bakers have an opportunity to show off their skills, it wasn’t always that way! In fact, the cake walk had its origins in Afro-American history: The cakewalk was a pre-Civil War dance originally performed by slaves on plantation grounds.…
Cake Walk! February 27th after annual meeting
Drop off cakes prior to Birmingham Historical Society annual meeting on February 27th. Taste testing will follow meeting! Be sure to include a card with your name and description. More information here.
Annual Meeting featuring The Bankheads of Alabama
Everyone is welcome at the Annual Meeting of the Birmingham Historical Society on February 27th at 7:00PM at the Birmingham Botanical Gardens. Copies of the book, “Deep South Dynasty” published by University of Alabama Press will be available for sale and signed by Professor of History, Kari Frederickson. A popular annual cake walk follows the…
Cake Walk is BACK!
This popular annual BHS event is finally back. Calling all Cakes! What’s your childhood favorite? Is it the Southern Living all time favorite, Hummingbird Cake? 7 Layer (difficult to assemble) Caramel Cake? Maybe Lady Baltimore, Coca Cola, or even a 7-Up Bundt? We KNOW you have a favorite—so it’s time to enter this year’s Birmingham…
Thank you for your support!
It’s that time of year again! As a non-profit operating entirely with volunteers, we depend upon the support of our donors and the service of our Trustees. We ask that you renew your membership and join us in the important work of documenting Birmingham’s history. Currently celebrating our 81st year, we appreciate the generous gifts…
“Dynamite Hill” unveiled Sunday, December 11th at Tabernacle Baptist Church
The Birmingham Historical Society’s newest book has 13 first-hand accounts of what it was like to grow up on Dynamite Hill, the neighborhood that was repeatedly bombed in the 1950’s and 1960’s. Barbara Shores, the daughter of civil rights activist and attorney Arthur Shores, along with Marjorie White, director of BHS, bring those stories to…
Final 2022 Trustee Meeting Tuesday, December 13th
Don’t forget the final Trustee Meeting next Tuesday, December 13th, at noon for lunch, at our new offices at 2827 Highland Avenue. Note that according to the by-laws, you must attend at least two Trustee meetings annually. As a reminder, in order to maintain your Trustee status, you must first be a member and current…
Autograph Party for Birmingham’s Dynamite Hill – December 11, 2-4PM
You’re invited to attend an autograph party of our newest publication, Birmingham’s Dynamite Hill, with speakers who grew up on the hill in the 1950s and 1960s. The event will be at the Tabernacle Baptist Church at 600 Center Street in the Center Street Historic District of Smithfield on December 11th, 2022, 2-4 PM. Please…
New Book Release! Birmingham’s Dynamite Hill
This is the compelling story of the fight over residential segregation laws as told by the people who lived it. The multiple bombings in the ‘40’s, 50s, and 60’s of the close-knit Birmingham neighborhood, now known as Dynamite Hill, were intended to intimidate residents and discourage their families from building in designated ‘whites only’ zoned areas and attending white schools. But due to the…
Celebrating our New Home on Highland
After vacating 37 years at the Duncan House at Sloss Quarters, we celebrated the move to our new home at the historic Altamont Apartments on Highland Avenue this afternoon. Our well-attended Open House today featured book signings of this year’s publication, Birmingham’s Dynamite Hill, signed by Barbara Shores and Jeff Hunt ((with whom Martin Luther…
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Birmingham Historical Society 