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Episodes from "Historian's Craft," University of Alabama at Birmingham (Spring 2012): 1 through 10 of 15

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  1. Study Shows Rates of Syphilis Higher for Poor Individuals
    date October 11, 1937map Kanawha, West Virginiatags Health/Death, Minority, poverty, Investigation, Study, Syphilis

    The Charleston Gazette reported that poor individuals have higher instances of acquiring syphilis. The author Westbrook Pegler states the syphilis death rate for unskilled workers is double that of professional people. The writer of the article expresses that the greatest single cause of death is poverty. The article conveys the results of a survey of 700,000 families made up of 3,500,000 individuals....

  2. The Magic of Macy's
    date 1858map NEW YORK, New Yorktags Macy's, Christmas, Thanksgiving, Shopping, Holidays

    Over the years New York City has become known for various different attractions: the Statue of Liberty, the Empire State Building, Broadway, etc. One of New York’s oldest and most famous landmarks is Macy’s. Like one of their vintage advertisements says, “If you haven’t seen Macy’s you haven’t seen New York.” Macy’s department store has become a fixture of American culture. This iconic...

  3. Tuskegee Syphilis Experiment Examined by HEW
    date July 26, 1972map Madison, Illinoistags African-Americans, Health/Death, Medicine, Tuskegee, Syphilis, Study

    On July 26, 1972 The Alton Evening Telegraph, a newspaper in Alton, Illinois, released an article discussing The Department of Health Education and Welfare's investigation of the Tuskegee Syphilis experiment. Although the experiment was conducted in Alabama, the news was a national story. Jean Heller, the author of the article, found this study so disturbing that she decided to report on it. The experiment’s...

  4. Anniversary march in Birmingham asks same questions
    date 1993map Jefferson, Alabamatags African American Sufferage, Birmingham, Alabama, Racism

    Years after civil rights pioneers, like Martin Luther King Jnr., walked the Birmingham streets protesting against segregation and for equal opportunity, influenced black Baptist preachers rewalked the march route in September 1995.  Raising awareness for a campaign to increase the black polling population nationwide; march leader Rev. Dr. Henry Lyons hoped black voters would help progressive liberal...

  5. Macy’s: The Temple of Retail
    date 1859 to 1876map NEW YORK, New Yorktags Macy's, consumerism

    During medieval times villiages were often centered around one building, the cathedral. These places of worship were the hub of not only religion, but community, politics, and commerce as well. Palaces like the Notre Dame cathedral served as the heart and soul of the town and its people. In modern times, the center of commerce and congregation has shifted far away from the church and landed on the...

  6. Financial Problems for Mental Hospitals
    date 1919 to October, 1920map Tuscaloosa, Alabamatags financial, mental health, bryce hospital

    In 1840, female activist Dorothea Dix set out on a misson to create more mental health hospitals for the mentally ill.  During this time in America, there were only 8 hospitals for the mentally ill, but Dorothea fought for the creation of at least 32, so the people who have been injustly imprisioned for mental health reasons may be transferred from jail to the hospital instead. Bryce Hospital, a hospital...

  7. Mr. Guerrilla is Innocence Personified        
    date September 6, 1862map BEAUFORT, South Carolinatags Irregular Warfare, Civil War, Crime/Violence

         On Saturday September 6th 1862 an entertaining article was published in The New South paper in Port Royal regarding the antics of guerrilla warfare. This intriguing article describes the operations of guerrilla fighters during the Civil War. Guerrillas during this period fall into several different categories. Partisan, raiding, and bushwhacking are just several of the main focuses of many...

  8. Ambush in the Darkness of the Sam Gaty
    date April 4, 1863map JACKSON, Missouritags Irregular Warfare, Civil War, Crime/Violence, Slavery

         April 4th 1863 at two in the morning the steamboat Sam Gaty stopped on the Independence River at Sibley and was ambushed by band of bushwhackers, that killed fifteen “contrabands” and two other whites. There was a resentment at the Union for the acceptance of the escaped slaves, whom some had been undertaken as labor to the Union forces. "Contraband" described former escaped slaves...

  9. Carrie Childer's Written Hope
    date September 15, 1863map POLK, Missouritags Crime/Violence, Civil War, Irregular Warfare

         Throughout the Civil War in Missouri many citizens lived in fear of the bands of guerrilla soldiers. Among these citizens was a woman by the name Carrie Childers. On September 15, 1863 Carrie Childers of Bolivar, Missouri wrote to Capt. Rowan E. M. Mack in Cassville, Missouri a letter concerning the Rebel activity occurring in her local area. She informs Capt. Mack that guerrillas are razing...

  10. EPA enacts clean air act, aggravating public
    date November, 1970 to December, 1971map Jefferson, Alabamatags Environmental History, Iron and Steel Industry, Birmingham, Alabama

    “I’ve lived with pollution 50-something years.  I guess I can put up with it” quipped Eugene Campbell on the day the Environmental Protection Agency ordered the shutdown of Birmingham, Alabama’s steel plants. The plants were shut following a court order under the aegis of the 1970 Clean Air Act which set safe levels for particulates in the atmosphere, levels that Birmingham had routinely exceeded....

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