Quick-Fire Quips is a speedy questionnaire where we get to know people who stand out in the State of Alabama! In this episode, Alabama Public Radio host Baillee Majors talks with Tuscaloosa native and director of the historical publication Alabama Heritage, Rebecca Todd Minder. The magazine is an underwriter for APR.
Baillee: Hi, Rebecca!
Rebecca: Hi, Baillee! Thanks so much for having me. This is quite an honor.
Baillee: Absolutely. So happy to have you in the APR studios! Before we get started with the questionnaire, tell me about Alabama Heritage.
Rebecca: Well, we started in 1986, so we are about to celebrate our 40th anniversary. We're the State's only history publication, and we're actually co-published by The University of Alabama as well as UAB (University of Alabama at Birmingham) and the State Archives (Alabama Department of Archives & History).
You can pick us up at any Barnes & Noble and Books-A-Million bookstore, and we're also online at AlabamaHeritage.com. We just recently started doing podcasting... a new podcast called Coffee & History: A conversation with Alabama Heritage, and you can find that wherever you find podcasts, as well as on our website.
Baillee: All right! Well, now the introductions are done, let's go ahead and get you warmed up for the questionnaire. To do that, I want you to say Quick-Fire Quips three times fast!
Rebecca: I'm ready! Quick-Fire Quips, Quick-Fire Quips, Quick-Fire Quips.
Baillee: Very nice!
Rebecca: That's harder than it seems. I did practice a little bit!
(Rebecca and Baillee laugh)
Baillee: I love that! Okay. Question number one, what is the first word that comes to mind when you hear Alabama?
Rebecca: Oh, "water." The State of Alabama has so many wonderful resources. We have the ocean, and then we have lots of lakes and rivers and streams. I feel like everywhere you are in the state of Alabama, you're real close to some form of water.
Baillee: Ok, next question. What is a bad stereotype or something that people get wrong about Alabama?
Rebecca: Oh, this is an easy one! I think people feel like we are fake nice. Everybody makes fun of us when we say phrases like "bless your heart" and when people hear that, they think that it means you're not really sincere.
I feel like people assume Alabamians are insincere or fake nice, and we're not. I mean, I think we're very genuine, kind people, and I think we're no different than anybody else!
Baillee: Right! I would agree with that one. Ok, what is a must see attraction or experience in Tuscaloosa for either locals or visitors?
Rebecca: Since this is my hometown, I definitely want to talk about the Tuscaloosa Civil Rights Trail. This is something that we just opened in 2019 when we were celebrating our Bicentennial for the State and the city.
It's a great opportunity for people to learn more about the Civil Rights Movement and how Tuscaloosa participated in the movement. A lot of people know about Birmingham and Selma and Montgomery, but rarely do people think about Tuscaloosa when it comes to civil rights.
So, the Civil Rights Trail is a great opportunity for people from all over — we've had people from Japan even come visit — but then also people here in our own community to find out what happened in their own backyard.
Baillee: Next question, what is something that you wish more people knew when it comes to Alabama history?
Rebecca: Oh my gosh, we have so many innovators in this State. If you read our magazine, then you can find out more about that, but especially in the medical field. UAB has been a very big, bright light, but even Tuskegee, we've had some great innovators in this State.
I feel like that's one of the things that people don't realize, is new things that have been invented that came from the state of Alabama.
Baillee: Agreed, yeah. I mean, Wikipedia was invented by an Alabamia, the Nerf gun, windshield wipers.
Rebecca: Right. It was a Black woman who created windshield wipers. Absolutely brilliant.
Baillee: Alabamians! Next question, do you think most people understand where to get accurate educational resources on a digital scale?
Rebecca: I don't think they do, but I think this is a great opportunity for me to promote one of our sister organizations, and that's the Encyclopedia of Alabama... it's like Wikipedia, only it's also vetted. It's basically an online dictionary encyclopedia, but it's a great resource, and I know a lot of school teachers use it, and students use it as well.
Baillee: Next question, we're in the thick of summer, and of course, summer in Alabama means tomatoes. How do you feel about tomato sandwich season?
Rebecca: Tomato sandwiches are the bomb, but it's got to be white bread!
Baillee: Obviously.
Rebecca: Okay, obviously. It has to have mayo on both sides.
Baillee: What kind of mayo?
Rebecca: Girl, it's only Duke's Mayo!
Baillee: Duke's is the best! If it's not Duke's, then what are you doing?
Rebecca: Yeah! So, it's white bread with Duke's mayo, and then the bread's toasted slightly, just slightly, only to hold it all together.
Baillee: Right, ok.
Rebecca: And then you have the sliced tomato with salt and pepper... and a little bit of garlic.
Baillee: Ohhhhhh!
Rebecca: Yeah, the garlic. That's when people are like, "Oh, this is so good!" I just put just enough to give it a little bit of flavor. And they don't know what it is, but now they know!
Baillee: Yes, now they know (laughs). Okay, well, next question, what is something on your bucket list?
Rebecca: I definitely have certain places where I want to visit, to go travel. I have several locations that I want to go, but I think one of the biggest things that I would like to do... is jump out of an airplane!
I have a friend who did it once, and she's always tried to get me to do it. And I'm scared of heights, but if I have somebody pushing me I'll do it — I mean, literally pushing me out of the plane— (laughs) that's one thing I would like to do!
Baillee: All right. Next question, Who was your childhood hero?
Rebecca: Oh, that's definitely my mom. She passed away in 2017, but you know, she was a single mom forever, and she just was a great professional, and she worked hard. She went back to college when I was getting my degree, she went back to college to get her degree. So, we graduated around the same time.
She's just always been my inspiration, and she was always my cheerleader, too. I think, you know, anytime you can have a good relationship with a parental unit like that, then it's a good thing to have that support group. And she's always been my inspiration.
I've always wanted to be like her, but she was always a little nicer than I am. So, I think I'm more like her twin sister when it comes to my personality. But my mom was definitely my hero growing up, and she still is today!
Baillee: She still is today. That's lovely. Ok, here is the last question. What does Alabama need?
Rebecca: Oh, I think there's a lot of communities need more funding toward education. We also need more funding toward affordable housing. Those are two of my big mantras.
I feel like, you know, we need to work really hard on getting our students back to the level where they're understanding, they're doing critical analysis... especially with the invention of AI. I want people to be able To understand that not everything that they see is real.
I feel like if we could put more money toward education and definitely more money toward affordable housing, then we would definitely be a better community and a better State.
Baillee: Well, that's it for today's Quick-Fire Quips, a speedy questionnaire where we get to know people who stand out in the State of Alabama. That was Rebecca Todd Minder, Tuscaloosa native and director of the historical publication Alabama Heritage, which is an underwriter for Alabama Public Radio. I'm your host, Baillee Majors!
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