Alabama History

Alabama endured warfare, slave trading, squatting, and speculating on its path to becoming America’s 22nd state, and Daniel S. Dupre brings its captivating frontier history to life in Alabama's Frontiers and the Rise of the Old South. Dupre’s vivid narrative begins when Hernando de Soto first led hundreds of armed Europeans into the region during the fall of 1540. Although this early invasion was defeated, Spain, France, and England would each vie for control over the area’s natural resources.

Alabama: The History of a Deep South State, Bicentennial Edition is a comprehensive narrative account of the state from its earliest days to the present. This edition, updated to celebrate the state's bicentennial year, offers a detailed survey of the colorful, dramatic, and often controversial turns in Alabama's evolution.

***A novel that can be read as a STAND ALONE. Dive into the heartwarming tale of 'Stepping Forward Into The Past,' where Willie Jr. King and his spirited grandbaby, lil Gert, beckon you to join them on a nostalgic journey to their Alabama roots that's filled with love, laughter, and a heapin' helpin' of Southern charm. After forty years gallivantin' round England, Willie's heartstrings are pullin' him back to Mobile, Alabama, stronger than ever, so he's fixin' ta make the trip across that big ol' pond. He isn't goin' alone, though; his lifelong best mate of over seventy years, Simon Bentley...

"Cryptids of the Deep South: Unveiling Myths, Monsters, and Mysteries of Louisiana, Arkansas, and Alabama" takes you deep into the heart of Southern folklore, where shadowy creatures roam the swamps, mountains, and rivers of Louisiana, Arkansas, and Alabama. From the terrifying Rougarou of Cajun legend to the elusive White River Monster and the enigmatic Honey Island Swamp Monster, this book explores the rich tapestry of myths and mysteries that have fascinated generations. Dive into detailed accounts of cryptid sightings, historical folklore, and cultural traditions that reveal the ...

A masterful, concise history of one of the greatest states in America. From the vibrant shorelines of the Gulf Coast to the rolling foothills of the Appalachian Mountains, Alabama, often known as 'The Yellowhammer State', holds a uniquely colorful place in America's historical tapestry. 'The Yellowhammer State: A History of Alabama' by Daniel Hardy is a compelling journey through this Southern state's rich and intricate past. Hardy brilliantly transports readers to the pivotal moments of Alabama's history, from the early Native American cultures to the era of French and Spanish exploration,...

Stories from and about Alabama. The South. And a different generation. The tales ain't meant to irritate, aggravate or otherwise make hostile. Hopefully you can get some amusement and mayhap a little information about a place and time that don't exactly exist no more and ain't likely to return.

A Pulitzer Prize–winning journalist reveals the little-known story of the Union soldiers from Alabama who played a decisive role in the Civil War, and how they were scrubbed from the history books. “It is my sincere hope that this compelling and submerged history is integrated into our...

In July 1862, Confederate Captain Raphael Semmes took command of a secret new warship. At the helm of the Alabama, he became the most hated and feared man along the Union coast, as well as a Confederate legend. Now, with unparalleled authority, depth, and a vivid sense of the excitement and danger of the time, Stephen Fox describes Captain Semmes's remarkable wartime exploits.

A Tell-All Memoir Exposes a Hidden Life and Hard-learned Lessons Southern. Black. Gay. Fatherless. Air Force Veteran. Ordained Methodist Minister. Master of hiding in plain sight. Cedrick Bridgeforth knows what it means to hold, hide, and wrestle with all of these identities. For years Cedrick had taken great pains to shield his full truth from the world. Then one day, at the height of his career, his entire universe came crashing down. Equal parts preacher, poet, confessor, and consummate storyteller, Alabama Grandson chronicles Cedrick’s hard-fought journey to come to terms with the ...

In this heartfelt tale about enduring hope amid the suffering of the Great Depression, Sean Dietrich--also known as Sean of the South--weaves together a tale featuring a cast of characters ranging from a child preacher, a teenage healer, and two migrant workers who give everything they have for...

The Alabama Communist Party was made up of working people without a Euro-American radical political tradition: devoutly religious and semiliterate Black laborers and sharecroppers, and a handful of Whites, including unemployed industrial workers, housewives, youth, and renegade liberals. In this book, Robin D. G. Kelley reveals how the experiences and identities of these people from Alabama's farms, factories, mines, kitchens, and city streets shaped the Party's tactics and unique political culture.

The #1 New York Times–bestselling story about American Olympic triumph in Nazi Germany, the inspiration for the PBS documentary The Boys of '36, broadcast to coincide with the 2016 Summer Olympics and the 80th anniversary of the boys' gold medal race. For readers of Unbroken, out of the depths...

In the 13th century, Moundville was one of the largest Native American settlements north of Mexico. Spread over 325 acres were 29 earthen mounds arranged around a great plaza, a mile-long stockade, and dozens of dwellings for thousands of people. Moundville, in size and complexity second only to the Cahokia site in Illinois, was a heavily populated town as well as a political and religious center. Moundville was sustained by tribute of food and labor provided by the people who lived in the nearby floodplain as well as other smaller mound centers.

April 27, 2011, marked the climax of a superstorm that saw a record 358 tornadoes rip through 21 states in 3 days, 7 hours, and 18 minutes. It was the deadliest day of the biggest tornado outbreak in recorded history, which saw 348 people killed, entire neighborhoods erased, and $11 billion in damage. But from the terrible destruction emerged everyday heroes, neighbors, and strangers who rescued each other from hell on earth.

Look for The Land of Sweet Forever, a posthumous collection of newly discovered short stories and previously published essays and magazine pieces by Harper Lee, coming October 21, 2025. Voted America's Best-Loved Novel in PBS's The Great American Read Harper Lee's Pulitzer Prize-winning...

United States of True Crime is an anthology series with books devoted to the most disturbing cases in each of the 50 states. This book focuses on 10 of the most chilling crimes in Alabama history. True crime junkies may recognize some of the highly publicized cases, but I’ve made sure to include lesser-known, equally unsettling crimes. If you’re a true crime enthusiast who enjoys hearing about some of the most depraved monsters in our country, you will love United States of True Crime.

On a nameless train somewhere between here and nowhere, a woman and a man sit facing each other. She is a journalist there to interview him. He is the world's greatest seducer. Thus begins The Alabaster Girl, the sensational new novel by Zan Perrion.

"Bloody Sunday" - March 7, 1965 - was a pivotal moment in the civil rights struggle. The national outrage generated by scenes of Alabama state troopers attacking peaceful demonstrators fueled the drive toward the passage of the Voting Rights Acts later that year. But why were hundreds of activists marching from Selma to Montgomery that afternoon?

The enthralling story of the greatest Civil War battle at sea by the award-winning and bestselling historians Phil Keith and Tom Clavin. On June 19, 1864, just off the coast of France, one of the most dramatic naval battles in history took place. On a clear day with windswept skies, the dreaded...

The Rise and Decline of the Redneck Riviera focuses on the stretch of coast from Mobile Bay and Gulf Shores, Alabama, east to Panama City, Florida—an area known as the "Redneck Riviera." Jackson explores the rise of this area as a vacation destination for the lower South's middle- and working-class families following World War II, the building boom of the 1950s and 1960s, and the emergence of the Spring Break "season." While his major focus is on the social, cultural, and economic development, he also documents the impacts of natural disasters and politics of beach access.