Category Archives: UA History

Campus Rewind: Ferguson Student Center

Earlier this week, we looked at the old student union, in the building we now know as Reese Phifer Hall. In 1972, the area to the north of Woods Hall might’ve looked a bit like it does now, with construction … Continue reading

Campus Rewind: Alabama Union Building

Before there was the Ferguson Center, there was the Alabama Union building. Now known as Reese Phifer Hall, housing the College of Communication and Information Sciences, the building served as the student union for forty years, from its construction in … Continue reading

Sorority Rush 2013

Sorority rush is upon us here at UA. Today we revisit images of rushes past. (Alpha Gamma Delta Rush Tea, 1943) (1957) (1958) (Alpha Delta Pi rush, ca. 1965) (ca. 1965 — Do you know which sorority this is? Let … Continue reading

Campus Rewind: Morgan Hall

Morgan Hall has been sitting in its corner of the UA Quad for about 100 years, and various Digital Collections in Acumen document its use over the years. According to the University website, Morgan Hall was named for John Tyler … Continue reading

Marking the 50th Anniversary of Desegregation at The University of Alabama

Fifty years ago tomorrow, James Hood and Vivian Malone made history as the first African-Americans to successfully enroll at the University of Alabama. Though initially blocked from entry by Governor George Wallace — during his infamous “Stand in the Schoolhouse … Continue reading

Turbulent Times: Student Unrest of May 1970

On May 4, 1970, at Kent State University in Ohio, thirteen students were shot during a Vietnam War protest, four of them fatally. This event set off a chain reaction of protests at universities all around the country, including our … Continue reading

Campus Rewind: Rose Administration Building and Tutwiler Hall

The story of Rose Administration Building, named after a former university president, intersects with that of another prominent building on campus: Tutwiler Hall. Before the construction of the familiar highrise at the edge of campus, the old Julia Tutwiler Hall stood … Continue reading

Flashback to Emphasis ’68: Strom Thurmond

Continuing this week’s look back at Emphasis ’68, we deal with an archival reality — sometimes, things don’t survive long enough to be archived, but they often leave interesting traces behind. (Image from the 1969 Corolla yearbook) Senator Strom Thurmond … Continue reading

Flashback to Emphasis ’68: John Kenneth Galbraith

We continue our look at Emphasis ’68 with a speech from John Kenneth Galbraith, who is introduced as an “antenna and synthesizer” of economics and social theory. Galbraith was a prominent economist and author, and he served in important posts … Continue reading

Flashback to Emphasis ’68: Roy Wilkins

Forty five years ago this week, The University of Alabama began its second annual symposium on contemporary issues. Known as Emphasis, it ran from 1967-1971, with varying degrees of success. This week, we revisit some of its more memorable speeches and … Continue reading