Alabama history

Pull up a chair! The Shoals Storytelling Festival is almost here. Heartfelt history to tall tales to professional lying will be front and center at The Shoals Theatre starting tomorrow! On this Quick-Fire Quips, Director Leslie McCrory shares why Florence is the perfect backdrop for this ancient art form. Plus, the unique power of the one-stage experience and how a shared laugh turns a room full of strangers into a community.

Fannie Etheridge has been quilting for 30 years, but she’ll be the first to tell you that the legacy of Gee’s Bend started long before her. She shared a beautiful insight during our latest Quick-Fire Quips: The women who started the Freedom Quilting Bee didn't have five-year business plans—they had an idea, a community and the drive to build something from nothing. Today, those quilts aren't just blankets, they are world-renowned art.

Meet the man who makes "the snake pit" look like a walk in the park: Trippy McGuire, a veteran handler at the legendary Opp Rattlesnake Rodeo! From childhood jars of "specimens" to the high-stakes snake pit, Trippy shares why he swapped fear for fascination on this episode of Quick-Fire Quips. Plus, Alabama legends, hidden RV gems, and why he doesn't bleed red—he bleeds orange and blue.

65 years, 400 million records sold and FAME Recording Studios & Publishing Co. is still going strong! President Rodney Hall talks about the legacy of hit songs with Quick-Fire Quips host Baillee Majors and answers which is actually better: vinyl, cassettes or CDs. Plus, why Swampers Bar & Grille is the place to be in The Shoals and the three essential albums for an alien invasion. You'll have to listen to find out which specific albums made the cosmic cut!

142 years young! Grab your black cap and necktie— we're talking all about Mobile's legendary Excelsior Band. The country's oldest marching jazz band is led by Hosea London. He chats with Quick-Fire Quips host Baillee Majors about preserving that beautiful, traditional jazz sound! Plus, the big beach debate (Gulf Shores vs Orange Beach), what's an acceptable dish for a potluck in the Port City and how the Yellowhammer State can make some progress.

Forget what you *think* you know about Alabama! Laura Hill, editor of the Encyclopedia of Alabama, shares some real Alabama education. The first 911 call? Made in Alabama. A grocery cart? It's a buggy, period. She talks to Quick-Fire Quips host about the unsung heroes and daredevils from the Yellowhammer State. If you're looking for honest, free Alabama history, look no further than the EOA!

A Montgomery-based nonprofit organization that advocates for civil rights and racial equality is inviting the community to honor those who lost their lives in the fight for justice. The Civil Rights Memorial Center will kick off the Selma Bridge Crossing Jubilee Weekend with its annual wreath laying ceremony on March 7, followed by a rally for voting rights protections.

The City of Montgomery is announcing a digital project to commemorate the upcoming 60th anniversary of the Selma to Montgomery March of 1965. This is being done through a “metaverse” experience, defined as virtual space where users can interact with a computer-generated environment and other users.

Donald Trump’s efforts to undo diversity, equity and inclusion efforts throughout the federal government have had a trickle-down effect far beyond formal DEI programs, including in Alabama. This includes the Army pulling its sexual assault regulations off websites and the Defense Intelligence Agency pausing special observances that included Black History Month, Women’s History Month and Holocaust Days of Remembrance.

Workshops aimed at drawing the connections between Native American cultures, Alabama plants and the products created by people rooted in early traditions are coming to North Alabama. The Alabama Plants Series is a set of six free workshops hosted at Pope’s Tavern Museum.