🏈Alabama History Unit 9 – Modern Alabama: Politics & Society

Key Events and Timeline

• 1901 Alabama Constitution adopted establishing white supremacy and limiting voting rights
• 1954 Brown v. Board of Education decision led to desegregation of public schools
• 1955-1956 Montgomery Bus Boycott sparked by Rosa Parks' arrest for refusing to give up her seat
• 1963 Governor George Wallace's "Stand in the Schoolhouse Door" at the University of Alabama
  • Attempted to block integration of the university
  • President John F. Kennedy federalized the Alabama National Guard to enforce desegregation
• 1965 Selma to Montgomery March for voting rights
  • Marchers were attacked by state troopers on "Bloody Sunday"
  • Led to the passage of the Voting Rights Act of 1965
• 1970s-1980s economic diversification with the growth of industries like automotive manufacturing (Mercedes-Benz, Honda)
• 1982 Election of George Wallace to his fourth and final term as governor
• 1993 Election of Jim Folsom Jr. as governor, the last Democrat to hold the office

Political Landscape

• Dominated by the Democratic Party until the 1960s due to its support of segregation and white supremacy
• Shift towards the Republican Party began in the 1960s as Democrats embraced civil rights
• 1964 Republican presidential candidate Barry Goldwater won Alabama, the first Republican to do so since Reconstruction
• 1986 Election of Guy Hunt as the first Republican governor since Reconstruction
• 1990s-2000s Republicans gained control of both houses of the state legislature
• 2010 Election of Robert Bentley as governor, consolidating Republican control of state government
• 2017 U.S. Senate special election won by Democrat Doug Jones in an upset victory over Republican Roy Moore
  • Moore faced allegations of sexual misconduct with teenage girls
  • Jones became the first Democrat elected to the U.S. Senate from Alabama since 1992

Social Structure and Demographics

• Historically divided along racial lines with a white majority and significant African American minority
• 1900 Population: 1,828,697 (45% African American)
• 1950 Population: 3,061,743 (32% African American)
• 2000 Population: 4,447,100 (26% African American)
• 2020 Population: 5,024,279 (26% African American)
• Rural-urban divide with a majority of the population living in rural areas until the mid-20th century
• Urbanization increased in the latter half of the 20th century with the growth of cities like Birmingham, Montgomery, and Mobile
• Influx of Latino immigrants in the 1990s and 2000s, particularly in rural areas
  • Latinos made up 4.6% of the population in 2020

Economic Developments

• Shift from an agricultural economy based on cotton to a more diversified economy in the 20th century
• Growth of industries like steel production (Birmingham), shipbuilding (Mobile), and aerospace (Huntsville)
• 1960s-1970s Decline of traditional industries due to foreign competition and automation
• 1980s-1990s Economic diversification with the growth of automotive manufacturing (Mercedes-Benz, Honda) and high-tech industries
• 1993 Mercedes-Benz opened its first U.S. manufacturing plant in Tuscaloosa County
• 2000s Expansion of the aerospace industry with the growth of NASA's Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville
• 2010s Continued growth of the automotive industry with expansions by Hyundai, Toyota, and Mazda
• Persistent poverty and income inequality, particularly in rural areas and among African Americans
  • 16.7% poverty rate in 2019 compared to 12.3% nationally

Civil Rights Movement in Alabama

• Center of the Civil Rights Movement in the 1950s and 1960s
• 1955-1956 Montgomery Bus Boycott led by Martin Luther King Jr. and Rosa Parks
  • Sparked by Parks' arrest for refusing to give up her seat to a white passenger
  • Led to the desegregation of Montgomery's bus system
• 1963 Birmingham Campaign organized by the Southern Christian Leadership Conference (SCLC)
  • Demonstrations and boycotts aimed at desegregating public accommodations
  • Met with violent resistance from police commissioner Bull Connor
• 1965 Selma to Montgomery March for voting rights
  • Organized by the SCLC and the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee (SNCC)
  • Marchers were attacked by state troopers on "Bloody Sunday"
  • Led to the passage of the Voting Rights Act of 1965
• Key figures: Martin Luther King Jr., Rosa Parks, Fred Shuttlesworth, John Lewis

Cultural Shifts and Traditions

• Strong influence of religion, particularly evangelical Protestantism
  • Baptists make up the largest denomination followed by Methodists
• Importance of family and community ties
• Rich musical heritage with roots in blues, country, and gospel
  • Notable musicians: Hank Williams, Nat King Cole, W.C. Handy
• Foodways influenced by African, Native American, and European traditions
  • Barbecue, fried chicken, and soul food are staples
• Literature and storytelling traditions
  • Notable writers: Harper Lee (To Kill a Mockingbird), Truman Capote, Zora Neale Hurston
• Sports culture centered around college football
  • Intense rivalries between the University of Alabama and Auburn University
• Shift towards greater diversity and inclusion in the late 20th and early 21st centuries
  • Increasing recognition of African American contributions to the state's culture and history

Notable Figures and Their Impact

• George Wallace (Governor 1963-1967, 1971-1979, 1983-1987)
  • Staunch segregationist who famously declared "segregation now, segregation tomorrow, segregation forever"
  • Later renounced his segregationist views and apologized for his role in perpetuating racism
• Rosa Parks (Civil Rights Activist)
  • Sparked the Montgomery Bus Boycott by refusing to give up her seat to a white passenger
  • Became a symbol of the Civil Rights Movement and the fight against segregation
• Martin Luther King Jr. (Civil Rights Leader)
  • Led the Montgomery Bus Boycott and the Birmingham Campaign
  • Delivered his famous "I Have a Dream" speech at the March on Washington in 1963
• Harper Lee (Author)
  • Wrote the Pulitzer Prize-winning novel To Kill a Mockingbird, which dealt with themes of racial injustice
  • The novel has become a classic of American literature and is widely read in schools
• Hank Williams (Country Music Singer)
  • Pioneered the honky-tonk style of country music
  • Inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame and the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame

Ongoing Challenges and Future Outlook

• Persistent poverty and income inequality, particularly in rural areas and among African Americans
  • 16.7% poverty rate in 2019 compared to 12.3% nationally
  • Median household income of $50,536 compared to$68,703 nationally
• Underfunded education system with low rankings on national measures
  • Ranked 45th in the nation for K-12 education by U.S. News & World Report in 2021
• Health disparities and limited access to healthcare in rural areas
  • Higher rates of obesity, diabetes, and heart disease compared to national averages
• Environmental challenges related to climate change and natural disasters
  • Increasing frequency and severity of hurricanes and tropical storms
  • Rising sea levels threatening coastal communities
• Efforts to diversify the economy and attract new industries
  • Expansion of the aerospace and technology sectors in Huntsville
  • Growth of the automotive industry with new manufacturing plants
• Initiatives to address poverty and improve education and healthcare access
  • Expansion of Medicaid under the Affordable Care Act
  • Investments in early childhood education and workforce development programs
• Ongoing debates over issues like gun rights, abortion, and LGBTQ+ equality
  • State has some of the most restrictive abortion laws in the country
  • Controversy over the removal of Confederate monuments and symbols