Alabama: The History of a Deep South State

by William Warren Rogers, Leah Rawls Atkins, Robert David Ward

Once the home of aboriginal inhabitants, Alabama was claimed and occupied by European nations, later to become a permanent part of the United States. A cotton and slave state for more than half of the 19th century, Alabama declared its independence and joined another nation, the Confederate States of America, for its more than four-year history. The state assumed an uneasy and uncertain place in the 19th century’s last 35 years. Its role in the 20th century has been tumultuous but painfully predictable. This comprehensive history, written in the last decade of that century, presents, explains, and interprets the major events that occurred during Alabama’s history within the larger context of the South and the nation.

Alabama: The History of a Deep South State is the first completely new comprehensive account of the state since A.B. Moore’s 1935 work. Divided into three main sections, the first concluding in 1865, the second in 1920, and the third bringing the story to the present, the book’s organization is both chronological and topical.

General readers will welcome this modern history of Alabama, which examines such traditional subjects as politics, military events, economics, and broad social movements. Of equal value are sections devoted to race, Indians, women, and the environment, as well as detailed coverage of health, education, organized labor, civil rights, and the many cultural elements—from literature to sport—that have enriched Alabama’s history. The roles of individual leaders, from politicians to creative artists, are discussed. There is as well strong emphasis on the common people, those Alabamians who have been rightly described as the “bone and sinew” of the state.

Each section of the book was written by a scholar who has devoted much of his or her professional life to the study of that period of Alabama’s past, and although the three sections reflect individual style and interpretation, the authors have collaborated closely on overall themes and organization. The result is an objective look at the colorful, often controversial, state’s past. The work relies both on primary sources and such important secondary sources as monographs, articles, and unpublished theses and dissertations to provide fresh insights, new approaches, and new interpretations.

Genres: History, American History

768 pages, Paperback

First published July 30, 1994

About the author

William Warren Rogers Sr.

Reviews

[Caroline Mann · Rating 4 out of 5]

A personal review:

I come from a long line of Alabamians, most of whom have called the suburbs of Birmingham their home. Like a lot of us, I grew up equal parts enamored with a love my southern home and frustrated by an inky past that’s got its stains all over our present.

At 18, I left Alabama with a chip on my shoulder that only grew in college. I felt embarrassed by headlines of scandals and regressive policies. Any semblance of an accent I had was lost. After graduation, I moved to New York and brought up my home state only to mock it with others.

The most Alabama thing about me was (what else) pride. The chip of embarrassment, more and more, had to reckon with a well of stubborn pride dug deep in my bones. I started to notice the true disdain others held for my state and these condescending voices had no experience of Alabama themselves.

I know my state has problems, but what do you know? You know your one day in history class? A newspaper article? A comedy routine? My state has problems and it has virtues and doesn’t it deserve to be seen for what it actually is? All the good, all the bad.

This book is thorough and honest through over 200 years of good and bad Alabama existence. It has opinions couched with facts, but that’s any history, isn’t it?

I live in Virginia now, but I’m quarantining with my family in Alabama. I’m so glad I got to read this book here, amongst the pines and pollen that saw me grow up and leave and then return. I finish this book feeling as if I better understand my state, my county, my city and myself.

My favorite part of the book was Flynt’s recommendation for changing our state motto. From “We Dare Defend Our Rights” to “Embarrassing but Never Boring.”

[Will · Rating 2 out of 5]

"Governor Miller discovered what many politicians before and after him learned the hard way: economic reality oftentimes plays havoc with campaign promises. Miller held office during the worst years of the Great Depression, from 1931 through 1934. The collapse of the state's economy made it impossible to pay state employees and forced the governor to advocate a two-cent tax on gas, creation of a state income tax, and a $20 million program to validate the warrants given to state employees (and, it was hoped, to be redeemed later in cash). He won support for his package with the assistance of a Brookings Institution study on the organization of state government. The report's tax section reached conclusions similar to the 1918 Russell Sage Foundation's report: Alabama assessed property at ridiculously low rates. State tax assessments on farmland were lower than any of eight adjacent states with the result that Alabama's landowning farmers paid less than 20 percent of the state's taxes. The governor, unwilling to challenge Black Belt planters and the powerful Farm Bureau, ignored the recommendation (not an uncommon fate for the tax reform proposals in Alabama history) and proposed gas and income taxes instead.

Although the state house of representatives passed Miller's tax package, the Black Belt-dominated senate rejected it as too extravagant. The governor finally got a version of it through the upper house only to run afoul of his erstwhile supporters. [...]

Business interests that had successfully opposed his tax program now watched in surprise while the state government collapsed. Winston County teachers had gone nearly a year without pay except for worthless teacher warrants. Of 116 Alabama public school systems in May 1932, only 16 had paid their teachers in full for the school year. State education officials estimated that half the schools in Alabama would close for the school year at Christmas 1932. In March 1933 the Alabama Education Association met in Birmingham and refused to open schools unless the government adopted a plan to pay teacher salaries. Other state agencies experienced similar crises.

Without funds to operate state government, Miller summoned a special session of the legislature in January 1933. The house passed a tax package consisting of increased corporation taxes and a graduated income tax of 1 percent for incomes of $4,000 or more. The senate, sobered by the impending closing of public schools, passed the package by a vote of 22-13. [...]

Unfortunately, the taxes raised too little money to solve the state's funding problems, and in January 1934 two hundred schools closed while others remained open only because federal funds kept them operating. The refusal of local governments to levy taxes to educate Alabama children provoked the Hearst newspapers to inquire harshly: 'Why should the people of the United States subsidize 67 county governments in the state of Alabama in order to save the public schools of that state from collapse?'"

[J.M. Hushour · Rating 3 out of 5]

Project Read-a-History-of-Every-State-in-Order-of-Statehood #22

[Katy Johnson · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5

[Angela · Rating 4 out of 5]

The best compilation of Alabama history I've seen. Though used as a textbook in college, it isn't a textbook. The writing isn't all scholarly; anyone could sit and read it. I also use this book often as a reference during the school year.

[Mabon Finch · Rating 4 out of 5]

I thought the entire book was fantastic, however the writing style of part 3 was so different than that of parts one and two. One of the disadvantages of a book with multiple authors is that it doesn’t flow as smoothly as a book with a single author.

[Tammy Brown · Rating 4 out of 5]

Wonderful research! I was fortunate enough to hear Dr. Atkins speak right after finishing this book.