Alabama Department of Archives and History facts for kids
Central block of the archives building
|
|
| Formation | 1901 |
|---|---|
| Type | Government organization |
| Purpose | Archive |
| Headquarters | 624 Washington Avenue Montgomery, Alabama |
|
Region served
|
Alabama |
|
Director
|
Steve Murray |
| Website | www.archives.alabama.gov |
The Alabama Department of Archives and History is a special place that keeps important historical records for the U.S. state of Alabama. It was started by Thomas M. Owen and received money from the state government on February 27, 1901. Its main job is to collect and protect old documents, artifacts, and other items that tell the story of Alabama's past.
This agency was the first of its kind in the United States to be funded by the public and work independently. Because it was so successful, other states copied its idea to start their own archives. Today, the Alabama Department of Archives and History finds, saves, and shares records and items that are important to Alabama's history. It also keeps official records created by Alabama's state government offices.
Contents
The Archives Building and Collections
When it first started in 1901, the Department of Archives and History was located in the old Senate cloak room at the Alabama State Capitol. It then moved to a new part of the Capitol building in 1906. The idea for a separate building came from Thomas McAdory Owen, the first director, in 1918. However, it wasn't until the 1930s that his wife, Marie Bankhead Owen, who became the next director, was able to get the money needed from a program called the Works Progress Administration.
The main building, which has three stories, was built between 1938 and 1940. It looks like an old Greek or Roman building. An east wing was added in 1970, and a west wing was finished in 2005. The west wing added a lot of new space, about 60,000 square feet. The original bronze doors at the main entrance were designed by an artist named Nathan Glick. They show eight different scenes from Alabama's history. After many years, these doors were moved inside to a special lobby in the new west wing. The first and second floors of the building have walls made of beautiful white marble from Sylacauga, Alabama.
The first floor has the original entrance lobby. Its ceiling has cool square patterns and gold decorations. On this floor, you can also find the Statuary Hall, a Research Room where people can study history, several auditoriums, a gift shop, and the Ocllo Malone Lobby.
Exploring the Museum of Alabama
The second and third floors of the building are home to the Museum of Alabama. You can see paintings of important people from Alabama's history all over these floors. The second floor has exhibits about the Selma to Montgomery marches, which were important events in the Civil Rights Movement. It also shows the history of Native Americans in Alabama, from ancient times to when they were moved from their lands. There are also exhibits about wars involving Alabamians, from the time when the French were here to the Vietnam War.
The Alabama Sampler Gallery displays many different items related to Alabama. These include old clothes from the 1800s and even a guitar that belonged to the famous musician Hank Williams. For younger visitors, the Hands-On Gallery has fun activities about history. The third floor of the museum features various paintings and sculptures.
Returning Native American Items
In 2022, the museum's leaders agreed to return Native American human remains and items found at burial sites. This was done to follow a federal law that requires these items to be given back to Native American groups.
Leaders of the Archives
The department has had six directors since it began.
- Thomas McAdory Owen was the first director, serving from 1901 until he passed away in 1920.
- His wife, Marie Bankhead Owen, took over and led the department until she retired in 1955.
- Peter A. Brannon was director from 1955 to 1967.
- Milo Howard followed him.
- Edwin Bridges became director in 1982 and served until his retirement in 2012.
- Steve Murray was named the current director in August 2012.
See also
In Spanish: Departamento de Archivos e Historia de Alabama para niños
- Thomas Perkins Abernethy – A well-known historian who studied Alabama.
- Government of Alabama
