Friday, February 1, 2008

February Theme Day: When People Think of My City...
























When people think of Selma, Alabama, USA, they think of "Civil War to Civil Rights" history. Our town is also known for its abundance of historic homes and structures.

At left, the Confederate Monument reigns over Old Live Oak Cemetery where numerous Confederate veterans, including a few generals, are buried. Confederate Circle is flanked by cannons and includes a bust of Nathan Bedford Forrest, the general who defended Selma in one of the last battles of the War Between the States. Selma played an important role in the war with its large foundry and navy yard, which supplied munitions and shipbuilding for the Confederacy.

At right, this window in the National Voting Rights Museum recognizes some of the voting rights leaders. Outside the window, you can see the Pettus Bridge. One hundred years after the Battle of Selma, the town became pivotal for its role in the Civil Rights/Voting Rights Movement.

There are well over 100 other City Daily Photo Blogs participating in this month's Theme Day. Be sure to check them out!

Portland (OR), USA - Menton, France - Monte Carlo, Monaco - Memphis (Tennessee), USA - Manila, Philippines - San Diego (CA), USA - Anderson (SC), USA - New York City (NY), USA - San Diego (CA), USA - Mexico City, Mexico - San Francisco (CA), USA - Mumbai (Maharashtra), India - Mainz, Germany - Weston (FL), USA - Minneapolis (MN), USA - Turin, Italy - Las Vegas (NV), USA - Hobart (Tasmania), Australia - Bicheno, Australia - Durban, South Africa - Joplin (MO), USA - Nashville (TN), USA - Stockholm, Sweden - Kyoto, Japan - Tokyo, Japan - Brussels, Belgium - Chicago (IL), USA - Montpellier, France - Seattle (WA), USA - Mazatlan, Mexico - Saint Paul (MN), USA - Sharon (CT), USA - Sesimbra, Portugal - Toulouse, France - Tuzla, Bosnia and Herzegovina - Susanville (CA), USA - Maple Ridge (BC), Canada - Saint Louis (MO), USA - Prague, Czech Republic - Helsinki, Finland - Pilisvörösvár, Hungary - Lisbon, Portugal - Mexico (DF), Mexico - Trujillo, Peru - Dunedin (FL), USA - Albuquerque (NM), USAPort Angeles (WA), USA - Cottage Grove (MN), USA - Saint-Petersburg, Russian Federation - Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia - London, UK - Baziège, France - Jefferson City (MO), USA - Greenville (SC), USA - Selma (AL), USA - Mumbai, India - Naples (FL), USA - Norwich (Norfolk), UK - Silver Spring (MD), USA - Setúbal, Portugal - Stayton (OR), USA - Bellefonte (PA), USA - Sofia, Bulgaria - Arradon, France - Montego Bay, Jamaica - Athens, Greece - Austin (TX), USA - Singapore, Singapore - West Sacramento (CA), USA - Jackson (MS), USA - Wassenaar (ZH), Netherlands - Budapest, Hungary - Rotterdam, Netherlands - St Malo, FranceChandler (AZ), USA - Melbourne, Australia - Port Vila, Vanuatu - Cleveland (OH), USA - Nottingham, UK - Kansas City (MO), USA - The Hague, Netherlands - Crystal Lake (IL), USA - Wrocław, Poland - Chateaubriant, France - Cheltenham, UK - Moscow, Russia - Monrovia (CA), USA - Saigon, Vietnam - Toruń, Poland - Grenoble, France - Lisbon, Portugal - New Orleans (LA), USA - Sydney, Australia - Boston (MA), USA - American Fork (UT), USA - Boston (MA), USA - Montréal (QC), Canada - Wichita (KS), USA - Radonvilliers, France - Buenos Aires, Argentina - Christchurch, New Zealand - Rabaul, Papua New Guinea - Wailea (HI), USA - Aliso Viejo (CA), USA - St Francis, South Africa - Port Elizabeth, South Africa - Seattle (WA), USA - Pasadena (CA), USA - Vienna, Austria - Orlando (FL), USA - Torun, Poland - Delta (CO), USA - Santa Fe (NM), USA - Minneapolis (MN), USA - Haninge, Sweden - Paris, France - Stavanger, Norway - Niamey, Niger - Le Guilvinec, France - Bogor, Indonesia - Saarbrücken, Germany - Auckland, New Zealand - Wellington, New Zealand - Budapest, Hungary - Juneau (AK), USA - Bucaramanga (Santander), Colombia - Glasgow, Scotland - Chicago (IL), USA - Jakarta, Indonesia - Adelaide (SA), Australia - Sydney, Australia - Riga, Latvia - Subang Jaya (Selangor), Malaysia - -

24 comments:

Jilly said...

Great choice of photos and very interesting commentary. Reading the history of Selma, via your blog, is always fascinating.

Mitch said...

Thanks for the history of Selma and the comment on my Minneapolis blog. It's interesting to think that during the Civil War, Minnesota was mostly unsettled. We sent a few regiments down there to kick you guys around :) but there's really no mention of that war up here. All our monuments are about the explorers and the indians that were here before we drove them out. Now they run the casinos, so it's pretty fair.

Thanks for sharing, have a great theme day!
- Mitch

Chris said...

Yes, I think you're correct in how I used to think of Selma. I'm glad to have discovered your blog and discovered more of your city!

Halcyon said...

Nice photos of some very important historical moments in the South.

Janet said...

Mitch, some of the men from those Minnesota regiments were captured in north Alabama by Gen. Forrest and brought to the prison at Cahaba near Selma. A couple from Minneapolis came here in 1995 and began researching the names of Union soldiers who were interned there. They worked with the Cahaba staff and compiled a list of more than 9,000 Union soldiers, then published that roster as well as a collection of prisoners' memories. They went all over the U.S. to research this.
They were so interested because one of their great-grandfathers was a Union soldier who was imprisoned at Cahaba. The tragedy is that many of these soldiers died on their way back home when the steamship Sultana exploded in the Mississippi River. It was the worst domestic maritime disaster in U.S. history. The grandfather, however, was among the survivors.

isa said...

Very good choice! I like your commentary, too.

marley said...

Very interesting. Civil Wars and there history is really important.

Annie said...

Great photos, very interesting! I am learning so much today, this is definitely my favorite themeday thus far.

I love all the wonderfully nice comments you leave on my blog, you totally make my day all of the time.

Kim said...

RamblingAround, This is such a great post for Theme Day! Seeing those names and the reflection of the bridge was moving, as were your comments to a reader about the Union POWs and the steamship explosion. If it weren't so hot and steamy down there, I'd love to go exploring Selma. But, with Selma Daily. . .I don't really have to ;^)
-Kim
Seattle Daily Photo

Janet said...

Thank you for your comments. Kim, it is only steamy here in July and August and maybe a little in June, and all our buildings are air conditioned! The rest of the year is just right inside or outside.
When we get tired of the humidity, we just head three hours south and hit the sea breeze off the Gulf of Mexico.

Southern Heart said...

This was a great post...you do such a good job of sharing your city with all of us.

kuanyin333 said...

Yes, you nailed it. That's exactly what I think. Happy Theme Day from Maui!

Bergson said...

It is always necessary to make monuments not to forget that war should not any more be made

Susan said...

Wonderful history in your town. Thanks for this post.

Greg said...

I love history so i think i would love wandering around your city :-)

Jim Klenke said...

Great choices for today.

Neva said...

I think of civil rights when I think of your town...but also the civil war......good post.

Carraol said...

Great history and a fine set of pictures of your city. Cheers from Mexico City.

 gmirage said...

"Sweet Home Alabama!" Your photos remind me of that film. Happy theme day!

Joao Augusto Aldeia said...

I loved to read your post about the history of Selma. Great choice!

Joy said...

I love your photos, especially the one on the right. I find it nostalgic.

A very imposing building. I love the angle at which you took it. Fantastic shot!

joy
A Pinay In England
The Goddess In You
Norwich Daily Photo

Kunal Bhatia said...

beautiful photos, specially the right one. and your town seems to be loaded with history...
- Mindless Mumbai

R&R said...

Right on both accounts -- good choice(s).

Raquel Sabino Pereira said...

I like the part «from civil war to civil rights»!!!