“Alabama: The History of a Deep South State” [Book Review]

“Alabama: The History of a Deep South State” is a carefully constructed montage of the history of the state of Alabama from its earliest native inhabitants up until the modern period. Of course, the actual state itself did not carry the moniker of Alabama as we know it until 1819, the history of this proud state goes back to the settlers who dared to make this area their new home and bring to the region new systems of farming, development, and social mores.

STAR RATINGS:

ALABAMA HISTORY BOOK STATS:

• Published 1994
• 707 total pages
• 636 pages of text
• 34 chapters
• List of 57 illustrations
• 1 list of maps
• 1 list of graphs
• 1 detailed Appendix section
• 1 massive Notes section
• 1 Bibliographic Essay section
• 1 Index section
• Hardcover available
• Bicentennial Edition available

ALABAMA HISTORY BOOK REVIEW:

“Alabama: The History of a Deep South State” is the result of four authors covering the three major epochs of Alabama history: early history until the Civil War; 1865-1920; the state’s modern history until the 1990s. This book should be treated no less than a treatise on the history of the state of Alabama that diligently unravels the mass labyrinth of historical and economic detail which is so pervasively a part of its past. Not an easy task. However, given the combined elocutionary prowess of these four authors, the state’s marvelous history is brought to bear.

I purchased this particular book from the bookstore at the Old Cahawba Archaeological Park (aka the Old Cahawba Prison) in Orrville, Alabama, just south of Selma. There seems to be a newer, 2018, version of this book on Amazon; however, mine is the 1994 edition which seems to be worth a considerable amount more.

The part of the book I am most interested in is the first third, the early history of Alabama until the Civil War, and is what this review will primarily focus on. I visited the Old Cahawba grounds to pay homage to one of my ancestors from Tennessee that had been housed there while serving in the Tennessee 3rd Regiment Cavalry and who perished in the Steamer Sultana disaster.

The early history of Alabama is remembered as one of many catch-all territories where settlers ended up having been driven west and south from Virginia due to rising prices, labor competition, and increased population pressure. Land was cheap “out west” and many families moved to places like the then-Alabama Territory to be able to settle freely despite the preexistence of Native American tribes, which represented quite an uncompromising threat to incoming settlers.

Interactions between the first settlers of Alabama and the Native tribes varied quite considerably, as they have over the course of North American history. Those that got on well and respected the ways of their tribal neighbors usually fared better than those that didn’t. From the time of the French in Canada to the first English colonists in Virginia we know that not all Europeans were the same in character and temperament, and not all Native Americans were either. It’s illogical to lump people into “us” and “them” – it just makes unrealistic, if not bad, history.

What we do know is that Alabama became settled quite quickly, and very early on observers had striated the north-south run of the territory into sections that equated the natural lay of the land itself. In the north is the Tennessee Valley Hills section, the middle band known as the Black Belt, and the southern strand as the Gulf – each 3 offering subtle variances in climate and soil.

When tobacco faded as the commercial crop, cotton became the commercial king. From this flowed forth the political history of Alabama! The state was formed in 1819, counties were formed, and soon political, social, and economic ties were formed from neighboring states. Masses of opportunists flowed in from Georgia, South Carolina, and Tennessee, among others. Alabama was less like a melting pot and more like a boiling pot!

Andrew Jackson and his politics, from the war of 1812 until his presidency, heavily influenced the early thinkers of Alabama’s elite class, as well as its everyday farmers. This was especially true in north Alabama.

When the War Between The States (aka the Civil War) broke out Alabama was already torn between supporting a disunion and preventing one. With the acts of Nullification being bandied about politically for at least 40 years prior to 1861, historically, residents of the state were already fomenting several disparate viewpoints on the issue of ‘states rights.’ It was a trying time indeed which, was paid testament to by the fact that Alabama’s secession was done without a referendum by the people!

“Alabama: The History of a Deep South State” covers everything you would wish to know about this incredible state. There are stories about the University of Alabama getting burned during the war, the Indian Removal Acts, Reconstruction, and even the origins of the Alabama ~ Auburn football rivalry. It’s all there! If you have genealogy in the state of Alabama, this is a tremendous resource to have as it will indelibly add to your understanding of the context in which your ancestors lived. This is an indispensable family history resource, I know it is for me!

ALABAMA HISTORY BIBLIOGRAPHY:

• Rogers, William Warren, Robert David Ward, Leah Rawls Atkins, and Wayne Flynt. 1994. “Alabama: The History of a Deep South State.” Tuscaloosa: University of Alabama Press.
• ISBN-13: 978-0817355982
• Amazon Link.