Alabama history

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.

A Birmingham-based nonprofit that preserves LGBTQ history in the Deep South is offering an educational lecture during LGBT History Month. Invisible Histories invites the public to take part in "Extra! Extra!" Queer All About It: Southern LGBTQ Newpapers and Magazines. The event is set for 6:00 p.m. on Oct. 17.

Children and tweens from North Alabama are gaining knowledge on Native American culture and history at the Florence Indian Mound Museum. The institution is hosting the Young Learners Series with lessons and hands-on learning exercises. The focus of the next class, to be held on Sept. 28, will be on Native American Music of the Southwest.

Bush Hills neighborhood in Birmingham is being added to the National Register of Historic Places for its architectural styles, historical significance and cultural heritage. The distinction completes a nearly 10-year effort by the Bush Hills Neighborhood Association to be added to the list.