Alabama History Films
by Max Shores

All titles are for sale unless otherwise noted.
See bottom of page for how to order.

Across Alabama's Black Belt on Highway 80
Called the Black Belt because of its rich, dark soil, the area of south Alabama traversed by Highway 80 on its route across the southern U.S. was the staging ground for some of Alabama's most significant moments in history. It was here that DeSoto met Tuscaloosa, cotton plantations flourished, the Confederacy was born, and civil rights were won. Follow Highway 80 through Demopolis, Selma, Montgomery, and Tuskegee on a journey through Alabama history.

Boomtown
Chronicles the explosive growth of Childersburg, Ala., when a World War II ammunition plant was located there. Includes extensive film footage from the 1940s and interviews with people who worked at the plant.

Bridges to the Past
Covered bridges served vital needs in the days of horse drawn transportation. Today they provide picturesque recreational attractions which give visitors insight into how people lived in the past. "Bridges to the Past" will document Alabama's eleven remaining historic covered bridges which are open to the public. All were built from 1850 through the 1930's. A few are still in use for motor traffic today, but most are limited to foot traffic. Online press release available.

From Territory to State
The constitutional convention held in a Huntsville cabinetmaker's shop paved the way for Alabama to become a state in 1819. The reconstructed shop is one of several buildings which make up Alabama Constitution Village, a living history museum where 1819 life is demonstrated by interpreters dressed in period attire. This study guide includes a glossary, discussion questions, and a concise summary of Alabama's move to statehood. Online study guide available.

In Search of DeSoto's Trail
Traces the march of the Spanish explorer through Alabama and the Gulf states and highlights the work of Alabama archaeologists in documenting the history of his explorations.

On The Azalea Trail
Mobile, Alabama is widely known as "The Azalea City," but the evergreen azaleas for which it is famous are not native to the area. These oriental plants with brilliant spring blooms were imported during the 1920s to create a tourist attraction known as the Azalea Trail. From the 1930s through the 1950s, tourists flocked to Mobile to see azaleas in bloom. Although the Azalea Trail's attraction to tourists has declined in the ensuing years, its legacy still can be seen at Bellingrath Gardens, in the rise of Mobile's horticulture industry, and at Mobile's annual Festival of Flowers.

Sweet Home Alabama
The nineteenth-century homes featured in this program stand as monuments to a forgotten way of life that shaped the way we live today. Ranging from simple dogtrot cabins to elegant mansions, twenty rural and small-town homes are featured in short essays on topics such as architectural styles, the people who built them, or the people who care for them now. Based on the book, "Silent in the Land" by Chip Cooper, Harry Knopke, and Robert Gamble.

Up From the Ashes: The Rebirth of Phenix City
Phenix City had a reputation as being "the wickedest city in America" until the National Guard crushed a crime syndicate there in 1954. This program looks at the resurrection of Phenix City and shows how a group of boys fulfilled the vision of their ancestors and restored respect to their hometown by winning the national Little League Baseball championship in 1999. An online press release is available.

White Gold
Visit the historic salt works that supplied this valuable mineral to the Confederacy during the Civil War and tour modern industries that use Southwest Alabama salt to make products ranging from chlorine bleach to rocket fuel.


Images above are used courtesy of the University of Alabama Center for Public Television and Radio. Copyright 2005-2010, All Rights Reserved.

DVDs may be purchased for $21.00 each
using Visa, MasterCard, or Discover by calling:
1-800-463-8825
(Monday - Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., Central Time)

Mail orders send check or money order to:
University of Alabama Center for Public Television & Radio
P. O. Box 870150
Tuscaloosa, AL 35487-0150

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