Dothan’s historically-black Southside neighborhood was largely destroyed by urban renewal projects in the late '50s and early '60s. But the memories of those who grew up there still persist. Preserving these memories was the goal of a joint project between the Wiregrass Archives and Mit Kirkland of the Wiregrass Black History Channel. Today, on It Came from the Archives, Dr. Olliff tells us about this project and some of the highlights from the interviews in the Wiregrass Archives.

Wiregrass Black History Project:

The nation's first bookmobile began in 1905 and was pulled by a team of horses. And it wasn't long before the idea spread to Alabama.

Read the article: https://today.troy.edu/news/it-came-from-the-archives-bookmobiles-provide-books-to-rural-folks/

Before his death in 2020, Congressman John Lewis was an influential and respected politician and civil rights leader. On this episode of It Came from the Archives, we look back at John Lewis' life and early education in rural Alabama, years marked by discrimination but also extraordinary determination.

In today's day and age, you probably wouldn't ask your doctor for a loan, but in early 20th century Southern communities, doctors often doubled as entrepreneurs and merchants and kept running tabs for their patrons. One such doctor was Dr. Curtis Espy of Midland City, Alabama, whose handwritten business records are preserved in the Wiregrass Archives.

Read the article: https://today.troy.edu/perspectives/it-came-from-the-archives-the-life-and-times-of-dr-espy/

We often say about old buildings, "If these walls could talk, the stories they'd tell." Of course, old Southern churches can't talk, but they do have stories to tell in their gables and stables and sanctuaries. Martha Dickson was listening. She has her own collection in the Wiregrass Archives and has compiled hundreds of photographs and histories of historic wooden churches in the Deep South. Today, on It Came from the Archives, the intersection of faith and architecture: stories told in wood and glass.

https://today.troy.edu/perspectives/faith-through-history-churches/

Dothan native Johnny Mack Brown has a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame and a mural in his hometown. But many outside of the Dothan area might not remember the football and film star. He was a standout on a legendary 1925 University of Alabama football team before they were even called the Crimson Tide. But it's a long jump from Tuscaloosa to Hollywood. Today, we take a closer look at the life of local legend, Johnny Mack Brown.

In Southern folklife the singing convention has a long and illustrious history. Always commercial ventures, they changed in scale as communication, printing, and travel technology expanded their market. In this episode, we explore one such convention that took place at the 1949 Houston County Fair

Read Dr. Olliff's article: https://today.troy.edu/perspectives/it-came-from-the-archives-a-singing-convention-at-the-1949-houston-county-fair/

People in the Wiregrass have known about Bishop Cleaners since it opened in Dothan in 1947. But few know that in November 1945, its founder, Eustace E. Bishop, was one of the fastest men on the open sea.

Read Dr. Olliff's article on Eustace Bishop and the USS Lake Champlain: https://today.troy.edu/perspectives/it-came-from-the-archives-dothan-man-was-among-fastest-on-the-open-sea/

The Dothan neighborhood of Southside looks nothing today like it did in 1958.

Fortunately, a collection of photographs has survived the intervening decades (as well as a close encounter with a bonfire) to give us a glimpse of what the area looked like more than 65 years ago.

These pictures are the only complete record available of this neighborhood before it was reshaped by urban renewal projects and might very well represent the last time any of these buildings were ever photographed.

View the photograph collection here:

Read Dr. Olliff's article:

During World War II, the skies over Great Britain were filled with too many German airplanes, and the weather was too inclement, for pilot-cadets to train safely. So they trained in colonies like India and South Africa, but they also trained in the US from June 1941 to March 1943.

Dr. Olliff's Article: https://today.troy.edu/news/archives-raf-pilot-training/