- published: 28 Apr 2011
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Alabama
Alabama (
i/ˌæləˈbæmə/) is a state located in the southeastern region of the United States. It is bordered by Tennessee to the north, Georgia to the east, Florida and the Gulf of Mexico to the south, and Mississippi to the west. Alabama is the 30th-most extensive and the 23rd-most populous of the 50 United States. Alabama ranks second in the area of its inland waterways.
From the American Civil War until World War II, Alabama, like many Southern states, suffered economic hardship, in part because of continued dependence on agriculture. Despite the growth of major industries and urban centers, white rural interests dominated the state legislature until the 1960s, while urban interests and African Americans were under-represented. Following World War II, Alabama experienced growth as the economy of the state transitioned from agriculture to diversified interests in heavy manufacturing, mineral extraction, education, and technology. In addition, the establishment or expansion of multiple military installations, primarily those of the U.S. Army and U.S. Air Force, added to state jobs.
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Alabama Senate
Coordinates: 32°22′36″N 86°17′56″W / 32.37667°N 86.29889°W / 32.37667; -86.29889
The Alabama State Senate is the upper house of the Alabama Legislature, the state legislature of the US state of Alabama. The body is composed of 35 members representing an equal amount of districts across the state, with each district containing at least 127,140 citizens. Similar to the lower House, the Senate serves both without term limits and with a four-year term
The Alabama State Senate meet at the State House in Montgomery.
Like other upper houses of state and territorial legislatures and the United States Senate, the Senate can confirm or reject gubernatorial appointments to the state cabinet, commissions and boards.
The Lieutenant Governor of Alabama serves as the President of the Senate, but only casts a vote if required to break a tie. In his or her absence, the President Pro Tempore presides over the Senate. The President Pro Tempore is elected by the full Senate by nominations taken from the floor, followed by a recorded vote. The President Pro Tempore is the chief leadership position in the Senate. The other Senate Majority and Minority leaders are elected by their respective party caucuses.
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Alabama Territory
The Territory of Alabama (sometimes Alabama Territory[n]) was an organized incorporated territory of the United States that existed from August 15, 1817, until December 14, 1819, when it was admitted to the Union as the State of Alabama.
Although the Alabama Territory was designated by an Act of Congress on 3 March 1817, it did not become effective until 5 months later on 15 August 1817. The delay was due to a provision in the Congressional Act which stated that the Act would take effect only if and when Mississippi formed a State Constitution. That event took place on 15 August 1817, with Mississippi Territory becoming the State of Mississippi on December 10, 1817.
Located in the central area of the Alabama Territory, St. Stephens, on the Tombigbee River, was the only territorial capital. William Wyatt Bibb was the only territorial governor.
On December 14, 1819, two years and four months after the Alabama Territory was created, Alabama was admitted to the union as the 22nd U.S. state, with William Wyatt Bibb also becoming the first state governor (1819–1820).
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Alabaster, Alabama
Alabaster is a city and southern suburb of Birmingham in Shelby County, Alabama, United States. At the 2000 census the population was 22,619. According to the 2005 U.S. Census estimates, the city had a population of 27,517. At the 2010 census the population was 30,352. Alabaster is still a growing population. Alabaster was ranked number 85 on Money Magazine's 100 Best Places To Live in 2009.[1]
Alabaster is located at 33°13′52″N 86°49′26″W / 33.23111°N 86.82389°W / 33.23111; -86.82389 (33.231162, −86.823829).
According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 20.6 square miles (53 km2), of which, 20.5 square miles (53 km2) of it is land and 0.1 square miles (0.26 km2) of it (0.24%) is water.
Shelby County, the geographic center of the state of Alabama, was created February 7, 1818 by an act of the Alabama Territorial General Assembly. Alabama gained statehood on December 14, 1819. The county was named for Isaac Shelby, a hero of the Battle of Kings Mountain during the American Revolutionary War.
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Alaska
Alaska (i/əˈlæskə/) is the largest state in the United States by area. It is situated in the northwest extremity of the North American continent, with Canada to the east, the Arctic Ocean to the north, and the Pacific Ocean to the west and south, with Russia further west across the Bering Strait. Alaska is the 4th least populous and the least densely populated of the 50 United States. Approximately half of Alaska's 722,718 residents live within the Anchorage metropolitan area.
Alaska was purchased from Russia on March 30, 1867, for $7.2 million ($120 million in today's[when?] dollars) at approximately two cents per acre ($4.74/km²). The land went through several administrative changes before becoming an organized (or incorporated) territory on May 11, 1912, and the 49th state of the U.S. on January 3, 1959.
The name "Alaska" (Аляска) was already introduced in the Russian colonial period, when it was used only for the peninsula and is derived from the Aleut alaxsxaq, meaning "the mainland" or, more literally, "the object towards which the action of the sea is directed". It is also known as Alyeska, the "great land", an Aleut word derived from the same root.
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Anniston, Alabama
Anniston is a city in Calhoun County in the state of Alabama. As of the 2000 census, the population of the city is 24,276. According to the 2005 U.S. Census estimates, the city had a population of 23,741. The city is the county seat of Calhoun County and one of two urban centers/principal cities of and included in the Anniston-Oxford Metropolitan Statistical Area.
Named The Model City by Atlanta newspaperman Henry W. Grady for its careful planning in the late 19th century, the city is situated on the slope of Blue Mountain.
Though the surrounding area was settled long before, the mineral resources in the area of Anniston weren't exploited until the Civil War. During that time, the Confederate States of America established and operated an iron furnace near present day downtown Anniston, until the furnace was destroyed by Union troops in 1865. Later, clay pipe for sewer systems became the focus of Anniston's industrial output. Clay pipe, also called soil pipe, was popular until the advent of plastic pipe in the 1960s.
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Arkansas
Arkansas (i/ˈɑrkənsɔː/ AR-kən-saw) is a state located in the Southern region of the United States. Its name is an Algonquian name of the Quapaw Indians. Arkansas shares borders with six states (N: Missouri; E: Tennessee, Mississippi; S: Louisiana; SW: Texas; W: Oklahoma), and its eastern border is largely defined by the Mississippi River. Its diverse geography ranges from the mountainous regions of the Ozarks and the Ouachita Mountains, which make up the U.S. Interior Highlands, to the eastern lowlands along the Mississippi River. Arkansas is the 29th most extensive and the 32nd most populous of the 50 United States. The capital and most populous city is Little Rock, located in the central portion of the state.
The name “Arkansas” derives from the same root as the name for the state of Kansas. The Kansa tribe of Native Americans are closely associated with the Sioux tribes of the Great Plains. The word “Arkansas” itself is a French pronunciation (“Arcansas”) of a Quapaw (a related “Kaw” tribe) word, akakaze, meaning “land of downriver people” or the Sioux word akakaze meaning “people of the south wind”. The pronunciation of Arkansas was made official by an act of the state legislature in 1881, after a dispute between two U.S. Senators from Arkansas. One wanted to pronounce the name /ɑrˈkænzəs/ ar-KAN-zəs and the other wanted /ˈɑrkənsɔː/ AR-kən-saw.
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Auburn University
Coordinates: 32°36′12″N 85°29′10″W / 32.603374°N 85.486078°W / 32.603374; -85.486078
Auburn University (AU or Auburn) is a public university located in Auburn, Alabama, United States. With more than 25,000 students and 1,200 faculty members, it is one of the largest universities in the state. Auburn was chartered on February 7, 1856, as the East Alabama Male College, a private liberal arts school affiliated with the Methodist Episcopal Church, South. In 1872, the college became the state's first public land-grant university under the Morrill Act and was renamed the Agricultural and Mechanical College of Alabama. In 1892, the college became the first four-year coeducational school in the state. The curriculum at the university originally focused on arts and agriculture. This trend changed under the guidance of Dr. William Leroy Broun, who taught classics and sciences and believed both disciplines were important in the overall growth of the university and the individual. The college was renamed the Alabama Polytechnic Institute (API) in 1899, largely because of Dr. Broun’s influence. The college continued expanding, and in 1960 its name was officially changed to Auburn University to acknowledge the varied academic programs and larger curriculum of a major university. It had been popularly known as "Auburn" for many years. Auburn is among the few American universities designated as a land-grant, sea-grant, and space-grant research center.
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Auburn, Alabama
Auburn is a city in Lee County, Alabama, United States. It is the largest city in eastern Alabama with a 2010 population of 53,380. It is a principal city of the Auburn-Opelika Metropolitan Area. The Auburn-Opelika, AL MSA with a population of 135,833, along with the Columbus, GA-AL MSA and Tuskegee, Alabama, comprises the greater Columbus-Auburn-Opelika, GA-AL CSA, a region home to approximately 500,000 residents.
Auburn is a college town and is the home of Auburn University. Auburn has been marked in recent years by rapid growth, and is currently the fastest growing metropolitan area in Alabama and the nineteenth-fastest growing metro area in the United States since 1990.[needs citation] U.S. News has ranked Auburn among its top ten list of best places to live in United States for the year 2009. The city's unofficial nickname is “The Loveliest Village On The Plains,” taken from a line in the poem “The Deserted Village” by Oliver Goldsmith: “Sweet Auburn! loveliest village of the plain...”
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Bay Minette, Alabama
Bay Minette is a city in Baldwin County, Alabama. As of the 2000 census, the population of the city was 7,820. According to the 2007 U.S. Census estimates, the city had an population of about 7,726 people. The city is the county seat of Baldwin County. It is part of the Daphne–Fairhope–Foley Micropolitan Statistical Area.
In the first days of Baldwin County, the Town of McIntosh Bluff, Alabama (now in Mobile County, Alabama, west of Baldwin County) on the Tombigbee River was the County Seat. After being transferred to the Town of Blakeley in 1810, the county seat was later moved to the City of Daphne in 1868. In 1900, by an Act of the Legislature of Alabama, the county seat was authorized for relocation to the City of Bay Minette; however, the City of Daphne resisted relocation. The citizens of Bay Minette moved the county records from Daphne in the middle of the night on October 11–12, 1901 and delivered them to the City of Bay Minette - where Baldwin County's County Seat remains to this day. A mural for the new post office built in 1937 was commissioned by the WPA and painted by Hilton Leech of Bridgeport, CT to commemorate this event.
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Bibb County, Alabama
Bibb County is a county in the U.S. state of Alabama. Its name is in honor of William W. Bibb, the first Governor of Alabama. As of 2010 the population was 22,915. The county seat is Centreville. It is a "prohibition" or dry county.
Cahawba County was established on February 7, 1818, named for the Cahawba River, (now more commonly "Cahaba River"), ultimately from the Choctaw for "water above." On December 4, 1820, it was renamed Bibb County.
According to the 2000 census, the county has a total area of 626.16 square miles (1,621.7 km2), of which 623.03 square miles (1,613.6 km2) (or 99.50%) is land and 3.14 square miles (8.1 km2) (or 0.50%) is water.
As of the census of 2000, there were 20,826 people, 7,421 households, and 5,580 families residing in the county. The population density was 33 people per square mile (13/km2). There were 8,345 housing units at an average density of 13 per square mile (5/km2). The racial makeup of the county was 76.66% White, 22.20% Black or African American, 0.24% Native American, 0.08% Asian, 0.01% Pacific Islander, 0.29% from other races, and 0.51% from two or more races. 1.01% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race.
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Birmingham District
The Birmingham District is a geological area in the vicinity of Birmingham, Alabama where the raw materials for making steel, limestone, iron ore, and coal are found together in abundance. The district includes Red Mountain, Jones Valley, and the Warrior and Cahaba coal fields in Central Alabama.
The industrial development of these resources began, in limited fashion, before the American Civil War (attracting the attention of Wilson's Raiders in the course of that conflict).
Beginning in 1871 with the founding of the City of Birmingham and the construction of the first blast furnaces, the development of the district enjoyed explosive growth, slowed only by a deficit of skilled labor and investment capital. This boom earned for Birmingham the nickname "The Magic City" and also spurred the growth of several independent industrial cities and dozens of company towns.
As the steel-making industry has diminished in its economic importance to the district, many of the sites have been abandoned or dismantled. Preservationists are attempting to document and preserve the physical evidence of Birmingham's industrial history. In the spring of 1993 a large-scale survey was undertaken for the Birmingham Historical Society and the Historic American Buildings Survey/Historic American Engineering Record. The results of that survey were published in the book Birmingham Bound.
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Birmingham, Alabama
Birmingham (
/ˈbɜrmɪŋhæm/ BUR-ming-ham) is the largest city in Alabama. The city is the county seat of Jefferson County. According to the 2010 United States Census, Birmingham had a population of 212,237. The Birmingham-Hoover Metropolitan Area had a population of about 1,128,047 according to the 2010 Census, which is approximately one-quarter of Alabama's population.
Birmingham was founded in 1871, just after the American Civil War, through the merger of three pre-existing farm towns, notably, former Elyton. It grew from there, annexing many more of its smaller neighbors, into an industrial and railroad transportation center with a focus on mining, the iron and steel industry, and railroading. Birmingham was named for Birmingham, one of the major industrial cities of the United Kingdom. Most of the original settlers who founded Birmingham were of English ancestry. The city was planned as a place where cheap, non-unionized, and African-American labor from rural Alabama could be employed in the city's steel mills and blast furnaces, giving it a competitive advantage over industrial cities in the Midwest and Northeast.
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Bridgeport, Alabama
Bridgeport is a small city in Jackson County, Alabama, United States. At the time of 2000 census the population was 2,728. Bridgeport is included in the Huntsville-Decatur Combined Statistical Area.
The town was originally settled under the name Jonesville in the early 19th century. The Jonesville post office was established in 1852. In 1854, the name was changed to Bridgeport for a new railroad bridge over the Tennessee River and the previously established river port. Because of its location on both a rail line and the Tennessee River, Bridgeport was a strategic site during the American Civil War. It was the site of a major skirmish on April 29 and August 26, 1862 and numerous other small actions took place in the area. In the latter part of the war, Bridgeport was the site of a major shipyard building gunboats and transports for the Union Army. The USS Chattanooga was built here and became a vital part of the famous "Cracker Line," which broke the Confederate's siege of Chattanooga in November 1863.(See the official records) Bridgeport was incorporated as a city in 1891.
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California
California (pronouncedi/kælɨˈfɔrnjə/) is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third most extensive (after Alaska and Texas). It is home to the nation's second- and sixth-largest census statistical areas (Los Angeles Metropolitan Area and San Francisco Bay Area), and eight of the nation's fifty most populated cities (Los Angeles, San Diego, San Jose, San Francisco, Fresno, Sacramento, Long Beach and Oakland). The capital city is Sacramento.
California's diverse geography ranges from the Pacific Coast in the west, to the Sierra Nevada mountains in the east – from the Redwood–Douglas-fir forests of the northwest, to the Mojave Desert areas in the southeast. The center of the state is dominated by Central Valley, a major agricultural area. California contains both the highest and lowest points in the contiguous United States (Mount Whitney and Death Valley), and has the third-longest coastline of all states (after Alaska and Florida). Earthquakes are a common occurrence due to the state's location along the Pacific Ring of Fire: about 37,000 are recorded annually.
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Centerville, Alabama
Centerville is an unincorporated community in Conecuh County, Alabama, in the United States. It is near the communities of Battleground, Westpoint, and Longview.
Coordinates: 31°24′N 86°53′W / 31.40°N 86.88°W / 31.40; -86.88
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Central Alabama
Central Alabama is the region in the state of Alabama that stretches approximately 170 miles (270 km) from the western border with Mississippi to eastern border with Georgia and 136 miles (219 km) from the northern border of Cullman County to the Alabama River in southern Autauga County. With a population 1,870,970 as of 2008. The Birmingham television market also is generally confined to this similar sized area.
The main foothills of the Appalachians such as ridges as Red Mountain, Sand Mountain, Beaver Creek Mountain, Shades Mountain, and Coldwater Mountain are co-located in this region primarily around Greater Birmingham, Gadsden, and Anniston. The easternmost portions of Central Alabama around Anniston is the most ridged and elevated of the region. Coldwater Mountain and Mount Cheaha makes up the highest of the mountain ridges that are located in the eastern portion of the region. The Coosa River divides the easternmost portion of the region from the central portion with the Birmingham area. The westernmost portion of Central Alabama is relatively a flat region with very fertile black soil, i.e. "The Black Belt". The Black Warrior River and its tributaries contribute to the very fertile land of the area, and also serve as a demarcation line between the western and the central portions of the region. The central portion of Central Alabama is mainly the region that varies from rugged to the east to flat to the west. There are numerous valleys that are scattered throughout this region between the mountain ridges including Jones Valley and Shades Valley. Jones and Shades Valley are the largest and the most densely populated of the valleys that are scattered around Central Alabama. Though the central portion is more rugged compared to the westernmost portion of Central Alabama, it is actually the most flood-prone. Urban sprawl has exacerbated the risk of flooding in this area of alternating ridges and valleys.
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Clay County, Alabama
Clay County is a county of the US state of Alabama. Its name is in honor of Henry Clay, famous American statesman, member of the United States Senate from Kentucky and United States Secretary of State in the 19th century. As of 2010 the population was 13,932. Its county seat is Ashland and it is a prohibition or dry county.
Clay County was established on December 7, 1866 from land taken from Randolph and Talladega County. Named after the famous statesman Henry Clay, the county seat itself was named after his estate in Lexington, Kentucky called "Ashland". Clay County was formed for geographic reasons. The citizens of the area had a difficult time reaching the county seat of Wedowee in Randolph County because of the Tallapoosa River to the east. Talladega was difficult to reach because of the intervening mountains. Even today, Clay County is one of only three counties in Alabama to have no U.S. Highways in its boundaries.
During the Desert Shield/Storm conflict, Clay County had more soldiers serving per capita than any other county in the United States.
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Colorado
Colorado (i/kɒləˈrædoʊ/ or /kɒləˈrɒdoʊ/) is the US state that encompasses most of the Southern Rocky Mountains as well as the northeastern portion of the Colorado Plateau and the western edge of the Great Plains. Colorado is part of the Western United States, the Southwestern United States, and the Mountain States. Colorado is the 8th most extensive and the 22nd most populous of the 50 United States. The United States Census Bureau estimates that the population of Colorado was 5,116,796 on July 1, 2011, an increase of +1.74% since the 2010 United States Census.
The state was named for the Colorado River, which early Spanish explorers named the Río Colorado for the red colored (Spanish: colorado) silt the river carried from the mountains. On August 1, 1876, U.S. President Ulysses S. Grant signed a proclamation admitting Colorado as the 38th state. Colorado is nicknamed the "Centennial State" because it was admitted to the Union in 1876, the centennial year of the United States Declaration of Independence.
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Columbiana, Alabama
Columbiana is a city in Shelby County, Alabama, United States. At the 2010 census the population was 4,197. The city is the county seat of Shelby County.
Columbiana, originally called Columbia, was selected as the county seat of Shelby County in 1826 over rivals Calera and Montevallo. After the selection as the county seat, Columbiana celebrated by drilling holes in a large pine tree and packing it with gunpowder. The tree was blown up and the sound could be heard for miles. Later in 1826, the courthouse was moved to an old school building in Columbiana.
An act of the Alabama Legislature officially changed the name of Shelby County’s county seat to Columbiana on January 13, 1832. Columbiana was incorporated on December 5, 1837 with corporate limits one-quarter of a mile in each direction from the public square.
In 1854, the decision was made to build a larger courthouse at the south end of “Silk Stocking Road”, now Main Street. From 1854 to 1908 several additions and changes were made to the courthouse. (Photo - above/right)
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Connecticut
Connecticut (i/kəˈnɛtɨkət/) is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States. It is bordered by Rhode Island to the east, Massachusetts to the north, and the state of New York to the west and the south (with which it shares a water boundary in Long Island Sound).
Connecticut is named for the Connecticut River, the major U.S. river that approximately bisects the state. Its capital city is Hartford. Much of southern and western Connecticut (along with the majority of the state's population) is part of the New York metropolitan area; three of Connecticut's eight counties are statistically included in the New York City combined statistical area, the same area is widely referred to as the Tri-State area. Connecticut's center of population is in Cheshire, New Haven County, which is also located within the Tri-State area.
Connecticut is the 3rd least extensive, the 29th most populous, and 4th most densely populated of the 50 United States. Called the Constitution State, Nutmeg State, and "The Land of Steady Habits", Connecticut was influential in the development of the federal government of the United States.
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Dale County, Alabama
Dale County is a county of the U.S. state of Alabama. The vast majority of Fort Rucker U.S. Army Aviation Center for Excellence is located in Dale County. Its name is in honor of General Samuel Dale. As of the 2010 census the population was 50,251. Its county seat and largest city is Ozark.
Dale County is part of the Enterprise–Ozark Micropolitan Statistical Area.
The area now known as Dale County was originally inhabited by members of the Creek Indian nation, who occupied all of southeastern Alabama during this period. The county, together with the surrounding area, was ceded to the United States in the 1814 Treaty of Fort Jackson, ending the Creek Indian Wars. A blockhouse had been constructed during the conflict on the northwestern side of the Choctawhatchee River, and the first non-Indian residents of Dale County would be veterans who began to settle in the area around 1820.
Dale County was established on December 22, 1824. It originally included the whole of what is now Coffee County and Geneva County, together with the "panhandle" portion of Houston County. The original county seat was located at Dale's Court House (now the town of Daleville), but when Coffee County split from Dale in 1841, the seat was moved to Newton. Here it remained until 1870 when, following a courthouse fire in 1869 and the formation of Geneva County (which took the southern third of Dale County), the county seat was moved to the town of Ozark, where it remains. In 1903 a small portion of the southeast part of Dale county was joined to the newly-formed Houston County.
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Daphne, Alabama
Daphne is a city in Baldwin County, Alabama, United States, on the eastern shoreline of Mobile Bay. The city is located along I-10, 11 miles east of Mobile and 150 miles southwest of the state capital of Montgomery. The 2010 United States Census lists the population of the city as 21,570 making Daphne the most populous city in Baldwin County. It is a principal city of the Daphne-Fairhope-Foley micropolitan area, which includes all of Baldwin County.
The inhabited history of what is now called Daphne dates at least to the Paleo-Indian period and Native American tribes around 9000 BC. Modern day Daphne is a thriving suburb of nearby Mobile.
Daphne is located at 30°37'52.640" North, 87°53'11.184" West (30.631289, -87.886440). It is one of three cities that are collectively known as the Eastern Shore by locals. They are Spanish Fort to the north, Daphne in the center and Fairhope to the south.
The topography of Daphne is generally consistent from a gently sloping sea level on the west to low rolling hills further east. Generally, the entire city lies no more than 150 feet above sea level.
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Decatur, Alabama
Decatur is a city in Limestone and Morgan Counties in the U.S. state of Alabama. The city, affectionately known as "The River City", is located in Northern Alabama on the banks of Wheeler Lake, along the Tennessee River. It is the largest city and county seat of Morgan County. The population in 2010 census was 55,683.
Decatur is also the core city of the two-county large Decatur Metropolitan Area which had 150,125 in 2006. Combined with the Huntsville Metropolitan Area, the two create the Huntsville-Decatur Combined Statistical Area, of which, Decatur is the second largest city.
Like many southern cities in the early 19th century, Decatur's early success was based upon its location along a river. Railroad routes and boating traffic pushed the city to the front of North Alabama's economic atmosphere. The city rapidly grew into a large economic center within the Tennessee Valley and was a hub for travelers and cargo between Nashville/Chattanooga and Mobile/New Orleans. Throughout the 20th century, the city experienced steady growth, but was eclipsed as the regional economic center by a fast growing Huntsville during the space race. The city now finds its economy heavily based on manufacturing industries, cargo transit, and hi-tech industries such as General Electric, and the United Launch Alliance.
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Delaware
Delaware (i/ˈdɛləwɛər/ DEL-ə-wair) is a U.S. state located on the Atlantic Coast in the Mid-Atlantic region of the United States. It is bordered to the south and west by Maryland, to the northeast by New Jersey, and to the north by Pennsylvania. The state takes its name from Thomas West, 3rd Baron De La Warr, an English nobleman and Virginia's first colonial governor, after whom what is now called Cape Henlopen was originally named.
Delaware is located in the northeastern portion of the Delmarva Peninsula and is the second least extensive, the sixth least populous, but the sixth most densely populated of the 50 United States. Delaware is divided into three counties. From north to south, these three counties are New Castle, Kent, and Sussex. While the southern two counties have historically been predominantly agricultural, New Castle County has been more industrialized.
The history of the state's economic and industrial development is closely tied to the impact of the Du Pont family, founders and scions of E. I. du Pont de Nemours and Company, one of the world’s largest chemical companies.
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DeSoto State Park
DeSoto State Park is located in northeast Alabama, near Fort Payne. Named after Hernando de Soto, it was developed in the 1930s by the Civilian Conservation Corps after the Great Depression. The park's natural scenery includes more than 3,000 acres (12 km2) of forest, rivers, waterfalls, and beautiful mountain terrain. Its services include a lodge, cabins, a restaurant, modern chalets and campsites, a picnic area, a swimming pool, tennis courts, a nature center and miles of hiking trails.
DeSoto borders the Little River, the longest flowing mountaintop river in the United States. Nearby are Little River Canyon National Preserve, historic Mentone, and Desoto Falls, a 104-foot (32 m) waterfall below historic A.A. Miller Dam.
Coordinates: 34°20′10″N 85°40′7″W / 34.33611°N 85.66861°W / 34.33611; -85.66861
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Dothan, Alabama
Dothan ( /ˈdoʊθən/) is a city located in the southeastern corner of the US state of Alabama, situated approximately 20 miles (32 km) west of the Georgia state line and 18 miles (29 km) north of Florida. It is the seat of Houston County, with portions extending into nearby Dale County and Henry County. Its name derives from Genesis 37:17: "let us go to Dothan." According to the 2010 census the city's population was 65,496, making it the largest town in this part of the state.
Dothan is the principal city of the Dothan Metropolitan Statistical Area which encompasses all of Geneva, Henry, and Houston counties; the small portion that lies in Dale County is part of the Enterprise–Ozark Micropolitan Statistical Area. The combined population for the entire Dothan metropolitan area in 2000 was 137,916. The city serves as the main transportation and commercial hub for a significant part of southeastern Alabama, southwest Georgia, and nearby portions of the Florida Panhandle. Since approximately one-fourth of the U.S. peanut crop is produced nearby, with much of it being processed in the city, Dothan calls itself "The Peanut Capital of the World."
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Florala State Park
Florala State Park is a state park in Alabama. It is located in Florala, Alabama.
Coordinates: 30°59′51″N 86°19′04″W / 30.9975°N 86.31778°W / 30.9975; -86.31778
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Florence, Alabama
Florence is the county seat of Lauderdale County, Alabama, United States, in the northwestern corner of the state.
According to the 2010 Census, the city's population was 39,319.
Florence is the largest and principal city of the Metropolitan Statistical Area known as "The Shoals" (which includes Muscle Shoals, Sheffield, and Tuscumbia metropolitan areas in Colbert and Lauderdale counties). Florence is considered the primary economic hub of northwestern Alabama.
Florence is renowned for its annual tourism events, including W.C. Handy Music Festival in the summer, and the Renaissance Faire in the fall. Landmarks in Florence include the Rosenbaum House, the only Frank Lloyd Wright-designed home located in Alabama.
The type of municipal government is mayor-council.
Florence is located at 34°49′13″N 87°39′46″W / 34.820287°N 87.662860°W / 34.820287; -87.662860.
According to the U.S. Census Bureau, Florence has a total area of 25.0 square miles (65 km2), of which 24.9 square miles (64 km2) is land, and 0.1 square miles (0.26 km2) (0.40%) is water. Florence is located on Wilson Lake and Pickwick Lake, bodies of water on the Tennessee River dammed by Wheeler and Wilson Dams. Wheeler Lake was created by the Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA), one of several alphabet agencies of President Franklin Delano Roosevelt's New Deal. Wilson Dam, authorized by President Woodrow Wilson in 1918, was the first dam constructed on the Tennessee River.
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Florida
Florida (i/ˈflɒrɪdə/) is a state in the southeastern United States, bordered to the west by the Gulf of Mexico, to the north by Alabama and Georgia and to the east by the Atlantic Ocean. Florida is the 22nd most extensive, the 4th most populous, and the 8th most densely populated of the 50 United States. The state capital is Tallahassee, its largest city is Jacksonville, and the South Florida metropolitan area is the largest metropolitan area in the southeastern U.S.
Much of Florida is situated on a peninsula between the Gulf of Mexico, the Atlantic Ocean, and the Straits of Florida. Its geography is marked by a coastline, by the omnipresence of water and the threat of hurricanes. Florida has the longest coastline in the contiguous United States, encompassing approximately 1,350 miles (2,170 km), and is the only state to border both the Gulf of Mexico and the Atlantic Ocean. Much of the state is at or near sea level and its terrain is characterized by sedimentary soils. The climate varies from subtropical in the north to tropical in the south. Its symbolic animals like the American alligator, Florida panther and the manatee, can be found in the Everglades, one of the most famous national parks in the world.
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Fort Payne, Alabama
Fort Payne is a city in DeKalb County, Alabama, United States. At the 2000 census the population was 12,938. The city is the county seat of DeKalb County. It bills itself as the "Official Sock Capital of the World."
In the 19th century this was the site of Willstown, an important village of the Cherokees who relocated to Tahlequah, Oklahoma during the Cherokee Trail of Tears. For a time beginning in 1989, Fort Payne held the world record for "Largest Cake Ever Baked", for a cake of 128,238 pounds (58,168 kg) baked to commemorate the city's centennial.
A magnitude 4.9 earthquake occurred here in 2003.
The site of Fort Payne was originally the important village of Willstown, Cherokee Nation. For a time it was the home of Sequoyah, who invented the Cherokee syllabary, enabling reading and writing in the language. The settlement was commonly called Willstown, after its headman, a red-headed mixed-race man named Will. According to Major John Norton, a more accurate transliteration would have been Titsohili. The son of a Cherokee adoptee of the Mohawk, Norton grew up among Native Americans and traveled extensively throughout the region in the early 19th century. He stayed at Willstown several times,
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Gadsden, Alabama
The city of Gadsden is the county seat of Etowah County in the U.S. state of Alabama, and it is located about 65 miles northeast of Birmingham, Alabama. It is the primary city of the Gadsden Metropolitan Statistical Area, which has a population of 103,459. Gadsden is closely associated with the neighboring town of Attalla, Alabama. As of the U.S. Census Bureau estimate in 2006, the population of the city was about 37,300. Gadsden and Rome, Georgia are the largest cities in the triangular area defined by the Interstate highways between Atlanta, Birmingham and Chattanooga.
Gadsden was at one time in the 19th century Alabama's second most important center of commerce and industry, trailing only the seaport of Mobile. The two cities were important shipping centers: Gadsden for riverboats and Mobile for international trade. Through the 1980s, Gadsden was a center on heavy industry, including the Goodyear Tire and Rubber Company and the Republic Steel Corporation.
More than a decade after the sharp decline in industry, in 1991 Gadsden was awarded the honor of All-America City by the National Civic League, an award that honored the way Gadsden's citizens, government, businesses, and voluntary organizations work together to address critical local issues.
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Georgia (U.S. state)
Georgia (i/ˈdʒɔrdʒⁱə/) is a state located in the southeastern United States. It was established in 1732, the last of the original Thirteen Colonies. Named after King George II of Great Britain, Georgia was the fourth state to ratify the United States Constitution, on January 2, 1788. It declared its secession from the Union on January 21, 1861, and was one of the original seven Confederate states. It was the last state to be restored to the Union, on July 15, 1870. Georgia is the 24th most extensive and the 9th most populous of the 50 United States. From 2007 to 2008, 14 of Georgia's counties ranked among the nation's 100 fastest-growing, second only to Texas. Georgia is known as the Peach State and the Empire State of the South.Atlanta is the state's capital and its most populous city.
Georgia is bordered on the south by Florida; on the east by the Atlantic Ocean and South Carolina; on the west by Alabama; and on the north by Tennessee and North Carolina. The northern part of the state is in the Blue Ridge Mountains, a mountain range in the Appalachian Mountains system. The central piedmont extends from the foothills to the fall line, where the rivers cascade down in elevation to the continental coastal plain of the southern part of the state. The highest point in Georgia is Brasstown Bald, 4,784 feet (1,458 m); the lowest point is the Atlantic Ocean.
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Guam
Guam (i/ˈɡwɑːm/; Chamorro: Guåhån) is an organized, unincorporated territory of the United States located in the western Pacific Ocean. It is one of five U.S. territories with an established civilian government. Guam is listed as one of sixteen Non-Self-Governing Territories by the Special Committee on Decolonization of the United Nations. The island's capital is Hagåtña (formerly Agaña). Guam is the largest and southernmost of the Mariana Islands.
The Chamorros, Guam's indigenous people, first populated the island approximately 4,000 years ago. The island has a long history of European colonialism. Discovered by Ferdinand Magellan during a Spanish expedition on March 6, 1521, the first colony was established in 1668 by Spain with the arrival of settlers including Padre San Vitores, a Catholic missionary. For more than two centuries Guam was an important stopover for the Spanish Manila Galleons that crossed the Pacific annually. The island was controlled by Spain until 1898, when it was surrendered to the United States during the Spanish-American War and later formally ceded as part of the Treaty of Paris.
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Hale County, Alabama
Hale County is a county of the U.S. state of Alabama. It is named in honor of Confederate officer Stephen Fowler Hale. As of 2010 the population was 15,760. Its county seat is Greensboro and it is part of the Tuscaloosa Metropolitan Statistical Area.
Hale County was established following the end of the American Civil War, on January 30, 1867. Located in the west-central section of the state, it was created from portions of Greene, Marengo, Perry, and Tuscaloosa counties. The vast majority came from Greene County. The first American settlers hailed from Georgia, Tennessee, Kentucky, and the Carolinas.
Hale County is connected to three major twentieth century artists: Walker Evans photographed the area in 1936 while he collaborated with James Agee on the 1941 book Let Us Now Praise Famous Men. Since the 1960s, artist William Christenberry, born in Tuscaloosa, has been photographing various structures in Hale County as part of his multi-media artistic investigations. More recently, Hale County has become the home of the nationally-recognized Auburn University Rural Studio, an architectural outreach program founded by architect and artist Samuel Mockbee and D. K. Ruth. It is also the birthplace of Eugene Sawyer, the second African American mayor of Chicago.
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Haleyville, Alabama
Haleyville is a city in Winston and Marion counties in the U.S. state of Alabama. Most of the city is located in Winston County, with a small portion of the western limits entering Marion County. Haleyville was originally named Davis Cross Roads, having been established at the crossroads of Byler Road and the Illinois Central Railroad. At the 2000 census the population was 4,182. Also, Haleyville is the homecity of Robert Aderholt, Congressman from Alabama's 4th congressional district
On February 16, 1968 the first 9-1-1 emergency telephone system in the nation went into service in Haleyville.
On June 1, 2010 Haleyville citizens voted to become the first city in Winston County since prohibition to allow the sale of alcohol.
Haleyville is located at 34°13′48″N 87°37′8″W / 34.23°N 87.61889°W / 34.23; -87.61889 (34.230131, -87.618978).
According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 7.4 square miles (19 km2), all of it land.
As of the census of 2000, there were 4,182 people, 1,815 households, and 1,148 families residing in the city. The population density was 563.9 people per square mile (217.6/km²). There were 2,061 housing units at an average density of 277.9 per square mile (107.2/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 94.81% White, 1.48% Black or African American, 0.17% Native American, 0.12% Asian, 2.68% from other races, and 0.74% from two or more races. 3.11% of the population were Latino of any race.
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Hawaii
Coordinates: 21°18′41″N 157°47′47″W / 21.31139°N 157.79639°W / 21.31139; -157.79639
Hawaii (i/həˈwaɪ.iː/ or /həˈwaɪʔiː/; Hawaiian: Hawaiʻi Hawaiian pronunciation: [hɐˈvɐiʔi]) is the most recent of the 50 U.S. states (August 21, 1959), and is the only U.S. state made up entirely of islands. It is the northernmost island group in Polynesia, occupying most of an archipelago in the central Pacific Ocean.
Hawaii’s diverse natural scenery, warm tropical climate, abundance of public beaches and oceanic surrounding, and active volcanoes make it a popular destination for tourists, surfers, biologists, and volcanologists alike. Due to its mid-Pacific location, Hawaii has many North American and Asian influences along with its own vibrant native culture. Hawaii has over a million permanent residents along with many visitors and U.S. military personnel. Its capital is Honolulu on the island of Oʻahu.
The state encompasses nearly the entire volcanic Hawaiian Island chain, which comprises hundreds of islands spread over 1,500 miles (2,400 km). At the southeastern end of the archipelago, the eight "main islands" are (from the northwest to southeast) Niʻihau, Kauaʻi, Oʻahu, Molokaʻi, Lānaʻi, Kahoʻolawe, Maui, and the island of Hawaiʻi. The last is by far the largest and is often called "The Big Island" to avoid confusion with the state as a whole. The archipelago is physiographically and ethnologically part of the Polynesian subregion of Oceania.
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Hoover, Alabama
Hoover is a city in Jefferson and Shelby Counties in north central Alabama, in the United States. The largest suburb of Birmingham, the population of the city was 62,742 as of the 2000 census and 81,619 in the 2010 census. Hoover is part of the Birmingham-Hoover, AL MSA (metropolitan statistical area) and is also included in the Birmingham-Hoover-Cullman, AL CSA. Hoover’s neighborhoods and planned communities are located along the foothills of the Appalachian Mountains.
Hoover is home to the Riverchase Galleria, one of the largest shopping centers in the Southeast and one of the largest mixed-use centers in the U.S. with 2.4 million square feet (222,967 m²) of total retail floor area. The Riverchase Galleria complex includes shopping, hotel, and office space. The shopping complex major anchor stores are JCPenney, Belk, Macy's, and Sears. The Birmingham Barons minor league baseball team, which traces its history to 1885, plays its home games at the 10,800 seat Regions Park. Michael Jordan's brief professional baseball career was with the Barons in 1994.
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Huntsville, Alabama
Huntsville is a city located primarily in Madison County in the central part of the far northern region of the U.S. state of Alabama. Huntsville is the county seat of Madison County. The city extends west into neighboring Limestone County. Huntsville's population was 180,105 as of the 2010 Census. The Huntsville Metropolitan Area's population was 417,593. Huntsville is the fourth-largest city in Alabama and the largest city in the four-county Huntsville-Decatur Combined Statistical Area, which in 2008 had a total population of 545,770.
It grew across nearby hills and along the Tennessee River, adding textile mills, then munitions factories, NASA's Marshall Space Flight Center and the United States Army Aviation and Missile Command nearby at the Redstone Arsenal. The National Trust for Historic Preservation named Huntsville to its "America's Dozen Distinctive Destinations for 2010" list.
Revolutionary War veteran John Hunt first settled in the land around the Big Spring in 1805. The area was subsequently purchased by LeRoy Pope, who named the area Twickenham after the home village of his distant kinsman Alexander Pope.
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Idaho
Idaho (i/ˈaɪdəhoʊ/) is a state in the Rocky Mountain area of the United States. Idaho is the 14th most expansive, the 39th most populous, and the 7th least densely populated of the 50 United States. The state's largest city and capital is Boise. Residents are called "Idahoans". Idaho was admitted to the Union on July 3, 1890, as the 43rd state.
Idaho is a mountainous state with an area larger than that of all of New England. It is landlocked, surrounded by the states of Washington, Oregon, Nevada, Utah, Wyoming, Montana and the Canadian province of British Columbia. However, the network of dams and locks on the Columbia River and Snake River make the city of Lewiston the farthest inland seaport on the Pacific coast of the contiguous United States.
Idaho's nickname is the Gem State, because nearly every known type of gemstone has been found there. In addition, Idaho is one of only two places in the world where star garnets can be found (the other is the Himalaya Mountains, in India)[citation needed], and is the only place six-pointed star garnets have been found[citation needed]. Additionally Idaho is sometimes called the Potato State owing to its popular crop. The state motto is Esto Perpetua (Latin for "Let it be forever").
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Illinois
Illinois (i/ˌɪlɨˈnɔɪ/ IL-i-NOY) is the 25th most extensive and the 5th most populous of the 50 United States, and is often noted as a microcosm of the entire country. With Chicago in the northeast, small industrial cities and great agricultural productivity in central and northern Illinois, and natural resources like coal, timber, and petroleum in the south, Illinois has a broad economic base. Illinois is a major transportation hub. The Port of Chicago connects the state to other global ports from the Great Lakes, via the Saint Lawrence Seaway, to the Atlantic Ocean; as well as the Great Lakes to the Mississippi River, via the Illinois River. For decades, O'Hare International Airport has ranked as one of the world's busiest airports. Illinois has long had a reputation as a bellwether both in social and cultural terms and politics.
Although the state's largest population centers today are in northern Illinois, originally the state's population grew from south to north, with settlers arriving from Kentucky in the 1810s. In 1818, Illinois achieved statehood. Chicago was founded in the 1830s on the banks of the Chicago River, one of the few natural harbors on southern Lake Michigan. Railroads and John Deere's invention of the self-scouring steel plow turned Illinois' rich prairie into some of the world's most productive and valuable farmlands, attracting immigrant farmers from Germany and Sweden. By 1900, the growth of industrial jobs in the northern cities and coal mining in the central and southern areas attracted immigrants from Eastern and Southern Europe. Illinois was an important manufacturing center during both world wars. The Great Migration established a large community of African Americans in Chicago that created the city's famous jazz and blues cultures.
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Insular area
An insular area is a United States territory, that is neither a part of one of the 50 U.S. states nor the District of Columbia, the federal district of the U.S. They are called "insular" from the Latin word insula ("island") because they were once administered by the War Department's Bureau of Insular Affairs, now the Office of Insular Affairs at the Department of the Interior. The term insular possession is also sometimes used.
Because those insular areas that are inhabited are unincorporated territories, their native-born inhabitants are not constitutionally entitled to United States citizenship, under the Citizenship Clause.[citation needed] However, Congress has extended citizenship rights to all inhabited territories except American Samoa, and these citizens may vote and run for office in any U.S. jurisdiction in which they are residents. The people of American Samoa are U.S. nationals, but not U.S. citizens; they are free to move around and seek employment within the whole United States without immigration restrictions, but cannot vote or hold office outside of American Samoa.[citation needed]
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Iowa
Iowa (i/ˈaɪ.əwə/) is a state located in the Midwestern United States, an area often referred to as the "American Heartland". It derives its name from the Ioway people, one of the many American Indian tribes that occupied the state at the time of European exploration. Iowa was a part of the French colony of New France. After the Louisiana Purchase, settlers laid the foundation for an agriculture-based economy in the heart of the Corn Belt. Iowa is often known as the "Food Capital of the World".
In the latter half of the 20th century, Iowa's agricultural economy transitioned to a diversified economy of advanced manufacturing, processing, financial services, biotechnology, and green energy production. Iowa is the 26th most extensive and the 30th most populous of the 50 United States. Its capital and largest city is Des Moines. Iowa has been listed as one of the safest states to live in.
Iowa is bordered by the Mississippi River on the east; the Missouri River and the Big Sioux River on the west; the northern boundary is a line along 43 degrees, 30 minutes north latitude. The southern border is the Des Moines River and a not-quite-straight line along approximately 40 degrees 35 minutes north, as decided by the U.S. Supreme Court in Missouri v. Iowa after a standoff between Missouri and Iowa known as the Honey War.
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Jemison, Alabama
Jemison is a town in Chilton County, Alabama, United States. At the 2000 census the population was 2,248. The center of population of Alabama is located outside of Jemison, an area known as Jemison Division. [1].
Jemison is located at 32°57'31.792" North, 86°44'36.841" West (32.958831, -86.743567).
According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the town has a total area of 8.1 square miles (21 km2), of which, 8.1 square miles (21 km2) of it is land and 0.04 square miles (0.10 km2) of it (0.37%) is water.
As of the census of 2000, there were 2,248 people, 840 households, and 636 families residing in the town. The population density was 276.9 people per square mile (106.9/km²). There were 916 housing units at an average density of 112.8 per square mile (43.6/km²). The racial makeup of the town was 77.54% White, 19.48% Black or African American, 0.58% Native American, 0.18% Asian, 1.60% from other races, and 0.62% from two or more races. 2.94% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race.
There were 840 households out of which 35.8% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 59.6% were married couples living together, 11.4% had a female householder with no husband present, and 24.2% were non-families. 21.2% of all households were made up of individuals and 8.2% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.66 and the average family size was 3.10.
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Johnston Atoll
Johnston Atoll is a 1.03 sq mi (2.7 km2) atoll in the North Pacific Ocean about 750 nmi (860 mi; 1,390 km) west of Hawaii. The atoll, which is located on the coral reef platform, comprises four islands. Johnston and Sand islands are both enlarged natural features, while North (Akau) and East (Hikina) are two artificial islands formed by coral dredging. Johnston Atoll is grouped as one of the United States Minor Outlying Islands.
For nearly 70 years, the atoll was under the control of the American military. In that time it was used as an airbase, a naval refuelling depot and a weapons testing area. In the mid 1980s, the atoll became a facility for Chemical weapons disposal. In 2004 the military base was closed; island control was handed over to civilian authorities.
Johnston is an unincorporated territory of the United States administered by the United States Fish and Wildlife Service of the Department of the Interior as part of the Pacific Remote Islands Marine National Monument.
The first European record of the atoll was on September 2, 1796 when the American brig Sally accidentally grounded on a shoal near the islands. The ship's captain, Joseph Pierpont, published his experience in several American newspaper the following year giving an accurate position of Johnston and Sand Island along with part of the reef. However he did not name or lay claim to the area. The islands were not officially named until Captain Charles J. Johnston of the Royal Naval ship HMS Cornwallis sighted them on December 14, 1807.
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Kansas
Kansas (i/ˈkænzəs/) is a U.S. state located in the Midwestern United States. It is named after the Kansas River which flows through it, which in turn was named after the Kansa Native American tribe, which inhabited the area. The tribe's name (natively kką:ze) is often said to mean "people of the wind" or "people of the south wind," although this was probably not the term's original meaning. Residents of Kansas are called "Kansans."
For thousands of years what is now Kansas was home to numerous and diverse Native American tribes. Tribes in the Eastern part of the state generally lived in villages along the river valleys. Tribes in the Western part of the state were semi-nomadic and hunted large herds of bison. Kansas was first settled by European Americans in the 1830s, but the pace of settlement accelerated in the 1850s, in the midst of political wars over the slavery issue. When officially opened to settlement by the U.S. government in 1854, abolitionist Free-Staters from New England and pro-slavery settlers from neighboring Missouri rushed to the territory to determine if Kansas would become a free state or a slave state. Thus, the area was a hotbed of violence and chaos in its early days as these forces collided, and was known as Bleeding Kansas. The abolitionists eventually prevailed and on January 29, 1861, Kansas entered the Union as a free state. After the Civil War, the population of Kansas grew rapidly, when waves of immigrants turned the prairie into farmland. Today, Kansas is one of the most productive agricultural states, producing high yields of wheat, sorghum and sunflowers. Kansas is the 15th most extensive and the 33rd most populous of the 50 United States.
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Kentucky
Kentucky (i/kɨnˈtʌki/), officially the Commonwealth of Kentucky, is a state located in the Upper South of the United States. Kentucky is one of four U.S. states constituted as a commonwealth (the others being Virginia, Pennsylvania, and Massachusetts). Originally a part of Virginia, in 1792 Kentucky became the 15th state to join the Union. Kentucky is the 37th most extensive and the 26th most populous of the 50 United States.
Kentucky is known as the "Bluegrass State", a nickname based on the fact that bluegrass is present in many of the pastures throughout the state, because of the fertile soil. It made possible the breeding of high-quality livestock, especially thoroughbred racing horses. It is a land with diverse environments and abundant resources, including the world's longest cave system, Mammoth Cave National Park; the greatest length of navigable waterways and streams in the contiguous United States; and the two largest man-made lakes east of the Mississippi River. It is also home to the highest per capita number of deer and turkey in the United States, the largest free-ranging elk herd east of Montana, and the nation's most productive coalfield. Kentucky is also known for horse racing, bourbon distilleries, bluegrass music, automobile manufacturing, tobacco and college basketball.
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Lakepoint State Park
Lakepoint State Park is a state park in Eufaula, Alabama.
Coordinates: 31°59′27″N 85°6′54″W / 31.99083°N 85.115°W / 31.99083; -85.115
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Lee County, Alabama
Lee County is a county of the U.S. state of Alabama. It is named in honor of Robert E. Lee, commanding general of the Confederate Army. As of the 2010 census the population was 140,247. It is part of the Auburn, Alabama Metropolitan Area. The county seat is Opelika, and the largest city is Auburn. There are a total of seven incorporated cities and towns in Lee County, four of which lie entirely within the county.
Lee County was established by act of the Alabama state legislature on December 5, 1866, out of parts of Macon, Tallapoosa, Chambers, and Russell Counties. In an election to determine the county seat, Opelika was chosen over Auburn and Salem.
In 1923, the town of Phenix City, located in the southeastern corner of Lee County, merged with the town of Girard, located in the northeastern corner of Russell County. To prevent the new town of Phenix City from straddling the Lee-Russell line, Lee County ceded to Russell County the 10 square miles (25.9 km2) in the southeastern corner surrounding Phenix City in exchange for 20 square miles (51.8 km2) in the northwest corner of Russell County surrounding the unincorporated community of Marvyn. This new territory is what forms the southern "panhandle" of Lee County.
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Louisiana
Louisiana (i/luːˌiːziˈænə/ or i/ˌluːziˈænə/; French: État de Louisiane, [lwizjan] (
listen); Louisiana Creole: Léta de la Lwizyàn) is a state located in the southern region of the United States of America. Louisiana is the 31st most extensive and the 25th most populous of the 50 United States. Its capital is Baton Rouge and largest city is New Orleans. Louisiana is the only state in the U.S. with political subdivisions termed parishes, which are local governments equivalent to counties. The largest parish by population is East Baton Rouge Parish, and the largest by land area is Cameron Parish.
Much of the state was formed from sediment washed down the Mississippi River, leaving enormous deltas and vast areas of coastal marsh and swamp. These contain a rich southern biota; typical examples include birds such as ibis and egrets. There are also many species of tree frogs, and fish such as sturgeon and paddlefish. In more elevated areas, fire is a natural process in the landscape, and has produced extensive areas of longleaf pine forest and wet savannas. These support an exceptionally large number of plant species including many species of orchids and carnivorus plants.
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Lower Alabama
Lower Alabama is a term used to describe various parts of southern Alabama. Its usage does not however reflect a formally defined geographic region. Three areas generally are known to use the Lower Alabama name.
Coordinates: 31°37′31.16″N 86°32′21.5″W / 31.6253222°N 86.539306°W / 31.6253222; -86.539306
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Madison, Alabama
Madison a city located primarily in Madison county in northern part of the U.S. state of Alabama. Madison extends west into neighboring Limestone county. The city is included in the Huntsville Metropolitan Area and is also included in the merged Huntsville-Decatur Combined Statistical Area. As of the 2010 census, the population of the city was 42,938. Madison's mayor is Paul Finley.
Madison's first resident was John Cartwright, who settled in the area in 1818. The city was originally known as Madison Station, and grew up in the 1850s around a stop of the Memphis & Charleston Railroad. Madison was the site of a battle in the American Civil War on March 16, 1864, when Col. Josiah Patterson's 5th Alabama Cavalry, supported by Col. James H. Stuart's cavalry battalion and a section of horse artillery, drove Col. Adam G. Gorgas's 13th Illinois Infantry Regiment from the city. Patterson's men captured the 13th Illinois Regiment's wagon train, taking 66 prisoners. They also burned Union supplies and tore up the railroad tracks before retreating. Portions of the 5th Ohio Cavalry, the 59th Indiana Infantry and the 5th Iowa Infantry were sent in pursuit from Huntsville and skirmished with Patterson's rear guard that evening at Fletcher's Ferry on the Tennessee River south of Madison.
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Maine
Maine (i/ˈmeɪn/) is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States, bordered by the Atlantic Ocean to the east and south, New Hampshire to the west, and the Canadian provinces of Quebec to the northwest and New Brunswick to the northeast. Maine is both the northernmost and easternmost portion of New England. It is known for its scenery—its jagged, mostly rocky coastline, its low, rolling mountains, its heavily forested interior and picturesque waterways—as well as for its seafood cuisine, especially lobsters and clams.
For thousands of years, indigenous peoples were the only inhabitants of the territory that is now Maine. At the time of European encounter, several Algonquian-speaking peoples inhabited the area. The first European settlement in Maine was by the French in 1604 on Saint Croix Island, by Pierre Dugua, Sieur de Mons. The first English settlement in Maine, the short-lived Popham Colony, was established by the Plymouth Company in 1607. A number of English settlements were established along the coast of Maine in the 1620s, although the rugged climate, deprivations, and conflict with the local peoples caused many to fail over the years. As Maine entered the 18th century, only a half dozen European settlements survived. Patriot and British forces contended for Maine's territory during the American Revolution and the War of 1812. Maine was part of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts until 1820, when it voted to secede from Massachusetts. On March 15, 1820, it was admitted to the Union as the 23rd state under the Missouri Compromise. Maine is the 39th most extensive and the 41st most populous of the 50 United States.
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Maryland
Maryland (i/ˈmɛrɨlənd/) is a U.S. state located in the Mid Atlantic region of the United States, bordering Virginia, West Virginia, and the District of Columbia to its south and west; Pennsylvania to its north; and Delaware to its east. Maryland was the seventh state to ratify the United States Constitution, and three nicknames for it (the Old Line State, the Free State, and the Chesapeake Bay State) are occasionally used. Maryland is the 9th smallest state by area, but the 19th most populous and the 5th most densely populated of the 50 United States. The state's most populated city is Baltimore. Its capital is Annapolis. It was named after Queen Henrietta Maria.
Maryland has an area of 12,406.68 square miles (32,133.2 km2) and is comparable in overall area with the European country of Belgium (11,787 square miles (30,530 km2)). It is the 42nd largest/9th smallest state, and is closest in size to Hawaii (10,930.98 square miles (28,311.1 km2)), the next smallest state. The next largest state, Maryland's neighbor West Virginia, is almost twice the size of Maryland (24,229.76 square miles (62,754.8 km2)).
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Massachusetts
Massachusetts (i/ˌmæsəˈtʃuːsɨts/), officially the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, is a U.S. state in the New England region of the northeastern United States of America. It is bordered by Rhode Island and Connecticut to the south, New York to the west, and Vermont and New Hampshire to the north; at its east lies the Atlantic Ocean. Massachusetts is the 7th least extensive, but the 14th most populous and the 3rd most densely populated of the 50 United States. The state features two separate metropolitan areas – the eastern Boston metropolitan area and the western Springfield metropolitan area. Approximately two thirds of the state's population lives in Greater Boston, most of which is either urban or suburban. Western Massachusetts features one urban area – the Knowledge Corridor along the Connecticut River – and a mix of college towns and rural areas. Massachusetts is the most populous of the six New England states and has the US's sixth highest GDP per capita.
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Memphis, Tennessee
Memphis is a city in the southwestern corner of the U.S. state of Tennessee, and the county seat of Shelby County. The city is located on the 4th Chickasaw Bluff, south of the confluence of the Wolf and Mississippi rivers.
Memphis had a population of 662,897 at the 2010 census, making it the largest city in the state of Tennessee, the third largest in the Southeastern United States, and the 20th largest in the United States. The greater Memphis metropolitan area, including adjacent counties in Mississippi and Arkansas, had a 2010 population of 1,316,100. This makes Memphis the second largest metropolitan area in Tennessee, surpassed only by metropolitan Nashville, which has overtaken Memphis in recent years. Memphis is the youngest of Tennessee's major cities. A resident of Memphis is referred to as a Memphian, and the Memphis region is known, particularly to media outlets, as the "Mid-South".
Because it occupies a substantial bluff rising from the Mississippi River, the site of Memphis is a natural location for settlement. The area was first settled by the Mississippian Culture and then by the Chickasaw Indian tribe. For 10,000 years they occupied the bluffs along the river, building a large mound on the bluff. European exploration came later, beginning in the 16th century with Spanish explorer Hernando de Soto and French explorers led by René-Robert Cavelier, Sieur de La Salle.
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Michigan
Michigan (i/ˈmɪʃɨɡən/) is a state located in the Great Lakes region of the Midwestern United States. The name Michigan is the French form of the Ojibwa word mishigamaa, meaning "large water" or "large lake". Michigan is the 8th most populous of the 50 United States, with the 11th most extensive total area. Its capital is Lansing, and the largest city is Detroit. Michigan was admitted into the Union on January 26, 1837 as the 26th state.
Michigan has the longest freshwater coastline of any political subdivision in the world, being bounded by four of the five Great Lakes, plus Lake Saint Clair. Michigan is one of the leading U.S. states for recreational boating. The state has 64,980 inland lakes and ponds. A person in the state is never more than six miles (9.7 km) from a natural water source or more than 85 miles (137 km) from a Great Lakes shoreline. It is the largest state by total area east of the Mississippi River.
Michigan is the only state to consist of two peninsulas. The Lower Peninsula, to which the name Michigan was originally applied, is often noted to be shaped like a mitten. The Upper Peninsula (often referred to as "the U.P.") is separated from the Lower Peninsula by the Straits of Mackinac, a five-mile (8 km) channel that joins Lake Huron to Lake Michigan. The two peninsulas are connected by the Mackinac Bridge. The Upper Peninsula is economically important due to its status as a tourist destination. There is also a variety of natural resources to be found there, including a sizable amount of iron ore.
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Minnesota
Minnesota (i/mɪnɨˈsoʊtə/) is a U.S. state located in the Midwestern United States. Minnesota was carved out of the eastern half of the Minnesota Territory and admitted to the Union as the thirty-second state on May 11, 1858. Known as the "Land of 10,000 Lakes", the state's name comes from a Dakota word for "sky-tinted water". Those waters, together with forests, parks, and wilderness areas, offer residents and tourists a variety of outdoor recreational opportunities.
Minnesota is the 12th most extensive and the 21st most populous of the U.S. states. Nearly 60% of its residents live in the Minneapolis-Saint Paul metropolitan area (known as the "Twin Cities"), the center of transportation, business, industry and education and home to an internationally known arts community. The remainder of the state consists of western prairies now given over to intensive agriculture; deciduous forests in the southeast, now cleared, farmed and settled; and the less populated North Woods, used for mining, forestry, and recreation.
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Mississippi
Mississippi (i/ˌmɪsɨˈsɪpi/) is a U.S. state located in the Southern United States. Jackson is the state capital and largest city. The name of the state derives from the Mississippi River, which flows along its western boundary, whose name comes from the Ojibwe word misi-ziibi ("Great River"). Mississippi is the 32nd most extensive and the 31st most populous of the 50 United States. The state is heavily forested outside of the Mississippi Delta area, which was cleared for cotton cultivation in the 19th century. Today, its catfish aquaculture farms produce the majority of farm-raised catfish consumed in the United States. The state symbol is the magnolia grandiflora tree.
Mississippi is bordered on the north by Tennessee, on the east by Alabama, on the south by Louisiana and a narrow coast on the Gulf of Mexico and on the west, across the Mississippi River, by Louisiana and Arkansas.
In addition to its namesake, major rivers in Mississippi include the Big Black River, the Pearl River, the Yazoo River, the Pascagoula River, and the Tombigbee River. Major lakes include Ross Barnett Reservoir, Arkabutla Lake, Sardis Lake and Grenada Lake. The largest lake in Mississippi is Grenada Lake.
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Missouri
Missouri (i/mɨˈzʊəri/) (nickname The Show Me State) is a U.S. state located in the Midwestern United States, bordered by Iowa, Illinois, Kentucky, Tennessee, Arkansas, Oklahoma, Kansas and Nebraska. Missouri is the 21st most extensive and the 18th most populous of the 50 United States. Missouri comprises 114 counties and the independent city of St. Louis. The four largest urban areas are St. Louis, Kansas City, Springfield, and Columbia. Missouri's capital is Jefferson City. The land that is now Missouri was acquired from France as part of the Louisiana Purchase and became known as the Missouri Territory. Part of the Territory was admitted into the union as the 24th state on August 10, 1821.
Missouri generally mirrors the demographic, economic and political makeup of America and has long been considered a political bellwether state. With the exceptions of the Presidential elections of 1956 and 2008, Missouri's results have accurately predicted the next President of the United States in every election since 1904. It has both Midwestern and Southern cultural influences, reflecting its history as a border state. It is also a transition between the Eastern and Western United States, as St. Louis is often called the "western-most Eastern city" and Kansas City the "eastern-most Western city". Missouri's geography is highly varied. The northern part of the state lies in dissected till plains while the southern part lies in the Ozark Mountains (a dissected plateau), with the Missouri River dividing the two. The state lies at the intersection of the three greatest rivers of North America, with the confluence of the Mississippi and Missouri Rivers near St. Louis, and the confluence of the Ohio River with the Mississippi north of the Bootheel. The starting points of the Pony Express Trail and Oregon Trail were both in Missouri. The mean center of United States population as of the 2010 Census is at the town of Plato in Texas County, Missouri.
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Mobile Bay
Mobile Bay is an inlet of the Gulf of Mexico, lying within the state of Alabama in the United States. Its mouth is formed by the Fort Morgan Peninsula on the eastern side and Dauphin Island, a barrier island on the western side. The Mobile River and Tensaw River empty into the northern end of the bay, making it an estuary. Several smaller rivers also empty into the bay: Dog River, Deer River, and Fowl River on the western side of the bay, and Fish River on the eastern side. Mobile Bay is the fourth largest estuary in the United States with a discharge of 62,000 cubic feet (1,800 m3) of water per second.
Mobile Bay is 413 square miles (1,070 km2) in area. It is 31 miles (50 km) long by a maximum width of 24 miles (39 km). The deepest areas of the bay are located within the shipping channel, sometimes in excess of 75 feet (23 m) deep, but the average depth of the bay is 10 feet (3 m).
Spanish explorers were sailing into the area of Mobile Bay as early as 1500, with the bay being marked on early maps as the Bahía del Espíritu Santo (Bay of the Holy Spirit). The area was explored in more detail in 1516 by Diego de Miruelo and in 1519 by Alonso Álvarez de Pineda. In 1528, Pánfilo de Narváez travelled through what was likely the Mobile Bay area, encountering Native Americans who fled and burned their towns at the approach of the expedition. This response was a prelude to the journeys of Hernando de Soto, more than eleven years later.
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Mobile, Alabama
Mobile ( /moʊˈbiːl/ moh-BEEL) is the third most populous city in the Southern US state of Alabama and is the county seat of Mobile County. It is located on the Mobile River and the central Gulf Coast of the United States. The population within the city limits was 195,111 during the 2010 census. It is the largest municipality on the Gulf Coast between New Orleans, Louisiana and St. Petersburg, Florida. Mobile is the principal municipality of the Mobile Metropolitan Statistical Area (MSA), a region of 412,992 residents which is composed solely of Mobile County and is the second largest MSA in the state. Mobile is included in the Mobile-Daphne–Fairhope Combined Statistical Area with a total population of 591,599 the second largest combined statistical area in the state behind Birmingham.
Mobile began as the first capital of colonial French Louisiana in 1702. The city gained its name from the Native American Mobilian tribe that the French colonists found in the area of Mobile Bay. During its first 100 years, Mobile was a colony for France, then Britain, and lastly Spain. Mobile first became a part of the United States of America in 1810, with the annexation of West Florida under President James Madison. It then left that union in 1861 when Alabama joined the Confederate States of America, which collapsed in 1865.
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Montana
Montana (i/mɒnˈtænə/) is a state in the Western United States. The western third of Montana contains numerous mountain ranges. Smaller "island ranges" are found in the central third of the state, for a total of 77 named ranges that are part of the Rocky Mountains. This geographical fact is reflected in the state's name, derived from the Spanish word montaña (mountain). Montana has several nicknames, none official, including: "Big Sky Country" and "The Treasure State", and slogans that include "Land of the Shining Mountains" and more recently, "The Last Best Place". Montana is the 4th-most extensive, but the 7th-least populous and the 3rd-least densely populated of the 50 United States. The economy is primarily based on services, with ranching, wheat farming, oil and coal mining in the east, and lumber, tourism, and hard rock mining in the west. Millions of tourists annually visit Glacier National Park, the Little Bighorn Battlefield National Monument, and three of the five entrances to Yellowstone National Park.
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Montgomery, Alabama
Montgomery ( /mɒntˈɡʌməri/) is the capital of the US state of Alabama, and is the county seat of Montgomery County. It is located on the Alabama River southeast of the center of the state, in the Gulf Coastal Plain. As of the 2010 census, Montgomery had a population of 205,764 making it the second-largest city in Alabama, after Birmingham, and the 103rd largest in the United States. Montgomery is the primary city of the Montgomery Metropolitan Statistical Area, which had a 2010 estimated population of 374,536. It is the fourth-largest in the state and 136th among United States metropolitan areas.
The city was incorporated in 1819, as a merger of two towns situated along the Alabama River. It became the state capital in 1846, representing the shift of power to the south-central area with the growth of cotton as a commodity crop of the Black Belt and Mobile's rise as a mercantile port. In February 1861, Montgomery was selected as the first capital of the Confederate States of America, until the seat of government moved to Richmond, Virginia, in May of that year. During the mid-20th century, Montgomery was a major site of events in the African-American Civil Rights Movement, including the Montgomery Bus Boycott and the Selma to Montgomery marches.
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Moundville, Alabama
Moundville is a town in Hale and Tuscaloosa Counties in the U.S. state of Alabama. At the 2000 census the population was 1,809. It is part of the Tuscaloosa Metropolitan Statistical Area. Moundville is known for its quintessential southern landscapes and Indian Mounds.
Moundville is located at 32°59′55″N 87°37′34″W / 32.99861°N 87.62611°W / 32.99861; -87.62611 (32.998521, -87.626006).
According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the town has a total area of 4.0 square miles (10.3 km²), of which 3.9 square miles (10.2 km²) is land and 0.04 square mile (0.1 km²) (1.00%) is water.
As of the census of 2000, there were 1,809 people, 809 total housing units with 688 being occupied households, and 479 families residing in the town. The population density was 458.7 people per square mile (177.3/km²). There were 780 housing units at an average density of 197.8 per square mile (76.4/km²). The racial makeup of the town was 61.30% White, 35.16% Black or African American, 0.66% Native American, 0.94% Asian, 0.83% from other races, and 1.11% from two or more races. 1.55% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race.
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NASA
Coordinates: 38°52′59″N 77°0′59″W / 38.88306°N 77.01639°W / 38.88306; -77.01639
The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) is the agency of the United States government that is responsible for the nation's civilian space program and for aeronautics and aerospace research. Since February 2006, NASA's mission statement has been to "pioneer the future in space exploration, scientific discovery and aeronautics research." On September 14, 2011, NASA announced that it had selected the design of a new Space Launch System that it said would take the agency's astronauts farther into space than ever before and provide the cornerstone for future human space exploration efforts by the U.S.
NASA was established by the National Aeronautics and Space Act on July 29, 1958, replacing its predecessor, the National Advisory Committee for Aeronautics (NACA). The agency became operational on October 1, 1958. U.S. space exploration efforts have since been led by NASA, including the Apollo moon-landing missions, the Skylab space station, and later the Space Shuttle. Currently, NASA is supporting the International Space Station and is overseeing the development of the Orion Multi-Purpose Crew Vehicle and Commercial Crew vehicles. The agency is also responsible for the Launch Services Program (LSP) which provides oversight of launch operations and countdown management for unmanned NASA launches.
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Natchez Trace Trail
Coordinates: 34°40′3.81″N 88°5′17.93″W / 34.667725°N 88.0883139°W / 34.667725; -88.0883139
The Natchez Trace Trail is a designated National Scenic Trail in the United States whose route generally follows sections of the 444-mile (715 km) Natchez Trace Parkway through the states of Tennessee, Alabama, and Mississippi. Unlike other national scenic trails, however, the trail is not envisioned as a long, continuous footpath, as is the case with other national scenic trails including, notably, the Appalachian Trail. Rather, only a limited number of trail segments along the route, currently over 60 miles (97 km) of trail, have been developed for hiking and horseback riding. Unlike many other trails that rely heavily on volunteers for trail construction and maintenance, these segments are managed by the National Park Service. Sections of the trail follow along the Parkway road shoulder and cross county and state roads.
The Parkway and National Scenic Trail commemorate the historic Natchez Trace, an ancient path that began as a Native American trail and has a rich history of use by explorers, "Kaintuck" boatmen, post riders, and military men.
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Nebraska
Nebraska (i/nəˈbræskə/) is a state on the Great Plains of the Midwestern United States. Its state capital is Lincoln and its largest city is Omaha, on the Missouri River.
The state is crossed by many historic trails, but it was the California Gold Rush that first brought large numbers here, and it became a state in 1867. Certain landmarks still compete for the notional distinction 'Where the West Begins'.
There are wide variations between winter and summer temperatures, and violent thunderstorms and tornadoes are common. The state is characterized by treeless prairie, ideal for cattle-grazing, and it is a major producer of beef, as well as pork, maize and soybeans. Nebraska is overwhelmingly rural, as the 8th least-densely populated state of the United States.
Ethnically, the largest group are German-Americans, and the state has the biggest Czech-American population per head. During the Great Migration, many African Americans came to Omaha, and they continue to campaign for improved conditions. More recently, Native American activism has increased, with a drive for self-determination in a climate of co-operation with state officials on regional issues. It is traditionally a Republican-voting state.
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Nevada
Nevada (i/nəˈvædə/ or /nəˈvɒdə/) is a state in the western, mountain west, and southwestern regions of the United States. Nevada is the 7th most extensive, the 35th most populous, and the 9th least densely populated of the 50 United States. Over two-thirds of Nevada's people live in one single county, Clark County, which contains the Las Vegas–Paradise metropolitan area, where the state's three largest incorporated cities are located. Nevada's capital is Carson City.
Nevada is largely desert and semiarid, with much of it located within the Great Basin. Areas south of the Great Basin are located within the Mojave Desert, while Lake Tahoe and the Sierra Nevada mountains lie on the western edge. Approximately 86% of the state's land is owned by the US government under various jurisdictions, both civilian and military.
The name Nevada is derived from the nearby Sierra Nevada mountains, which means "snow-capped mountain range" in Spanish. The land comprising the modern state was inhabited by Native Americans of the Paiute, Shoshone, and Washoe tribes prior to European contact. It was subsequently claimed by Spain as a part of Alta California until the Mexican War of Independence brought it under Mexican control. The United States gained the territory in 1848 following its victory in the Mexican-American War and the area was eventually incorporated as part of Utah Territory in 1850. The discovery of silver at the Comstock Lode in 1859 led to a population boom that was an impetus to the creation of Nevada Territory out of western Utah Territory in 1861. Nevada became the 36th state on October 31, 1864.
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New Hampshire
New Hampshire (i/njuːˈhæmpʃər/) is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States of America. The state was named after the southern English county of Hampshire. It is bordered by Massachusetts to the south, Vermont to the west, Maine and the Atlantic Ocean to the east, and the Canadian province of Quebec to the north. New Hampshire is the 5th least extensive and the 9th least populous of the 50 United States.
It became the first post-colonial sovereign nation in the Americas when it broke off from Great Britain in January 1776, and six months later was one of the original thirteen states that founded the United States of America. In June 1788, it became the ninth state to ratify the United States Constitution, bringing that document into effect. New Hampshire was the first U.S. state to have its own state constitution.
It is known internationally for the New Hampshire primary, the first primary in the U.S. presidential election cycle. Concord is the state capital, while Manchester is the largest city in the state. It has no general sales tax, nor is personal income (other than interest and dividends) taxed at either the state or local level.
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New Jersey
New Jersey (i/nuː ˈdʒɜrzi/) is a state in the Northeastern and Middle Atlantic regions of the United States. It is bordered on the north and east by the U.S. state of New York, on the southeast and south by the Atlantic Ocean, on the west by Pennsylvania, and on the southwest by Delaware. New Jersey is the 4th least extensive, but the 11th most populous and the most densely populated of the 50 United States. New Jersey lies mostly within the sprawling metropolitan areas of New York City and Philadelphia. It is also the third wealthiest by 2009–2010 median household income.
The area was inhabited by Native Americans for more than 2,800 years, with historical tribes such as the Lenape along the coast. In the early 17th century, the Dutch and the Swedes made the first European settlements. The British later seized control of the region, naming it the Province of New Jersey. It was granted as a colony to Sir George Carteret and John Berkeley, 1st Baron Berkeley of Stratton. At this time, it was named after the largest of the British Channel Islands, Jersey, Carteret's birthplace. New Jersey was the site of several decisive battles during the American Revolutionary War.
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New Market, Alabama
New Market is a census-designated place (CDP) in Madison County, Alabama, United States, and is included in the Huntsville-Decatur Combined Statistical Area. As of the 2010 census, the population of the CDP is 1,597. Although it was the first area settled in Madison County, the town has never been incorporated.
On January 30, 1966, New Market broke the record for the coldest temperature ever recorded in Alabama that was -27 Degrees F.
New Market is located at 34°54′23″N 86°25′34″W / 34.90639°N 86.42611°W / 34.90639; -86.42611 (34.906295, -86.426170).
According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the CDP has a total area of 17.5 square miles (45 km2), all of it land.
As of the census of 2000, there were 1,864 people, 692 households, and 534 families residing in the CDP. The population density was 108.4 people per square mile (41.8/km²). There were 787 housing units at an average density of 45.8 per square mile (17.7/km²). The racial makeup of the CDP was 87.18% White, 6.28% Black or African American, 2.25% Native American, 0.16% Asian, 1.34% from other races, and 2.79% from two or more races. 3.54% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race.
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New Mexico
New Mexico (i/nuː ˈmɛksɨkoʊ/) is a state located in the southwest and western regions of the United States. New Mexico is also usually considered one of the Mountain States. New Mexico is the 5th most extensive, the 36th most populous, and the 6th least densely populated of the 50 United States.
Inhabited by Native American populations for many centuries, New Mexico has also been part of the Imperial Spanish viceroyalty of New Spain, part of Mexico, and a U.S. territory. Among U.S. states, New Mexico has the highest percentage of Hispanics, including descendants of Spanish colonists and recent immigrants from Latin America. It also has the second-highest percentage of Native Americans, after Alaska, and the fourth-highest total number of Native Americans after California, Oklahoma, and Arizona. The tribes in the state consist of mostly Navajo and Pueblo peoples. As a result, the demographics and culture of the state are unique for their strong Hispanic and Native American influences. The flag of New Mexico is represented by the red and gold colors, which represent Spain, as well as the Zia symbol, an ancient Native American symbol for the sun.
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New York
New York (/njuː ˈjɔrk/; locally IPA: [nɪu ˈjɔək] or [nuː ˈjɔɹk] (
listen)) is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. New York is the 27th most extensive, the 3rd most populous, and the 7th most densely populated of the 50 United States. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east. The state has a maritime border with Rhode Island east of Long Island, as well as an international border with the Canadian provinces of Ontario to the west and north, and Quebec to the north. The state of New York is often referred to as New York State to distinguish it from New York City.
New York City, with a population of over 8.1 million, is the most populous city in the United States. Alone, it makes up over 40 percent of the population of New York state. It is known for its status as a center for finance and culture and for its status as the largest gateway for immigration to the United States. According to the U.S. Department of Commerce, New York City is also a destination of choice for many foreign visitors. Both the state and city were named for the 17th century Duke of York, James Stuart, future James II and VII of England and Scotland.
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North Carolina
North Carolina (i/ˌnɔrθ kærəˈlaɪnə/) is a state in the Southeastern United States. The state borders South Carolina and Georgia to the south, Tennessee to the west and Virginia to the north. North Carolina is the 28th most extensive and the 10th most populous of the 50 United States.
North Carolina is comprised of 100 counties. Its capital is Raleigh, and its largest city is Charlotte. In the past five decades, North Carolina's economy has undergone a transition from heavy reliance upon tobacco and furniture making to a more diversified economy with engineering, biotechnology, and finance sectors.
North Carolina has a wide range of elevations, from sea level on the coast to 6,684 feet (2,037 m) at Mount Mitchell, the highest point in the Eastern US. The climate of the coastal plains is strongly influenced by the Atlantic Ocean. Most of the state falls in the humid subtropical climate zone. More than 300 miles (500 km) from the coast, the western, mountainous part of the state has a subtropical highland climate.
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North Dakota
North Dakota (i/ˌnɔrθ dəˈkoʊtə/) is a state located in the Midwestern region of the United States, along the Canadian border. The state is bordered by Manitoba and Saskatchewan to the north, Minnesota to the east, South Dakota to the south and Montana to the west. North Dakota is the 19th most extensive, but the 3rd least populous and the 4th least densely populated of the 50 United States. North Dakota was created from the northern portion of the Dakota Territory and admitted to the Union on November 2, 1889, simultaneously with South Dakota.
The state capital is Bismarck and the largest city is Fargo. The primary public universities are located in Grand Forks and Fargo. The U.S. Air Force operates air bases at Minot AFB and Grand Forks AFB.
For more than a decade, the state has had a strong economy, with unemployment lower than the national average, job and population growth, and low housing vacancies. Much of the growth has been based on development of the Bakken oil shale fields in the western part of the state, but it has also had growth in the technology and service sectors. Flooding in June 2011 has caused extensive damage to Minot and threatened Bismarck, the capital city.
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Ohio
Ohio (i/oʊˈhaɪ.oʊ/) is a state in the Midwestern United States. Ohio is the 34th most extensive, the 7th most populous, and the 10th most densely populated of the 50 United States. The state's capital and largest city is Columbus.
The name "Ohio" originated from Iroquois word ohi-yo’, meaning "great river". The state, originally partitioned from the Northwest Territory, was admitted to the Union as the 17th state (and the first under the Northwest Ordinance) on March 1, 1803. Although there are conflicting narratives regarding the origin of the nickname, Ohio is historically known as the "Buckeye State" (relating to the Ohio buckeye tree) and Ohioans are also known as "Buckeyes".
The government of Ohio is composed of the executive branch, led by the Governor; the legislative branch, which comprises the Ohio General Assembly; and the judicial branch, which is led by the Supreme Court. Currently, Ohio occupies 18 seats in the United States House of Representatives. Ohio is known for its status as both a swing state and a bellwether in national elections.
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Oklahoma
Oklahoma (i/ˌoʊkləˈhoʊmə/) (Pawnee: Uukuhuúwa , Cayuga: Gahnawiyoˀgeh ) is a state located in the South Central region of the United States of America. Oklahoma is the 20th most extensive and the 28th most populous of the 50 United States. The state's name is derived from the Choctaw words okla and humma, meaning "red people", and it is known informally by its nickname, The Sooner State. Formed by the combination of Oklahoma Territory and Indian Territory on November 16, 1907, Oklahoma was the 46th state to enter the union. Its residents are known as Oklahomans or, informally "Okies", and its capital and largest city is Oklahoma City.
A major producer of natural gas, oil, and agriculture, Oklahoma relies on an economic base of aviation, energy, telecommunications, and biotechnology. It has one of the fastest growing economies in the nation, ranking among the top states in per capita income growth and gross domestic product growth. Oklahoma City and Tulsa serve as Oklahoma's primary economic anchors, with nearly 60 percent of Oklahomans living in their metropolitan statistical areas.
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Opelika, Alabama
Opelika is a city in and the county seat of Lee County in the east central part of the U.S. state of Alabama. It is a principal city of the Auburn-Opelika Metropolitan Area. According to 2010 Census, the population of Opelika was 26,477. The Auburn-Opelika, AL MSA with a population of 135,833 which, along with the Columbus, GA-AL MSA and the Tuskegee, AL µSA, comprises the greater Columbus-Auburn-Opelika, GA-AL CSA, a region home to approximately 500,000 residents.
The first white settlers in the area now known as Opelika arrived in the late 1830s and established a community called Lebenon. After the removal of the native peoples by force in 1836-37, the area became known as "Opelika", taken from a word in the Muskogee language meaning "large swamp". Settlement was sporadic until the late 1840s, when Opelika quickly became a commercial center with the coming of the railroad.
In 1848, the Montgomery & West Point Railroad Company extended a rail line from Montgomery, Alabama to Opelika, and in 1851 completed a connection to West Point, Georgia, thus connecting Opelika with Atlanta, Georgia. This line was the only direct rail route between New Orleans and the Eastern Seaboard, and rapidly became one of the primary trade lines for shipments of raw cotton from Southern plantations to the North. The Montgomery & West Point was soon joined by a rail connection to Columbus, Georgia in 1855, and a connection to Birmingham, Alabama in 1869. Almost overnight, Opelika became a regional hub for commerce.
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Orange Beach
Orange Beach is a city in Baldwin County, Alabama, United States. At the 2000 census the population was 3,784. It is part of the Daphne–Fairhope–Foley Micropolitan Statistical Area.
Orange Beach is located at 30°17'29.411" North, 87°33'43.146" West (30.291503, -87.561985).
According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 11.4 square miles (30 km2), of which 10.4 square miles (27 km2) is land and 1.0 square mile (2.6 km2) (8.69%) is water.
As of the census of 2000, there were 3,784 people, 1,779 households, and 1,090 families residing in the city. The population density was 363.9 per square mile (140.5 /km2). There were 7,594 housing units at an average density of 730.3 per square mile (282.0 /km2). The racial makeup of the city was 94.82% White, 0.37% Black or African American, 0.69% Native American, 0.21% Asian, 2.03% from other races, and 1.88% from two or more races. 2.77% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race.
There were 1,779 households out of which 20.6% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 50.0% were married couples living together, 7.8% had a female householder with no husband present, and 38.7% were non-families. 30.4% of all households were made up of individuals and 11.2% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.13 and the average family size was 2.61.
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Oregon
Oregon (i/ˈɔrɨɡən/ ORR-ə-gən) is a state in the Pacific Northwest region of the United States. It is located on the Pacific coast, with Washington to the north, California to the south, Nevada on the southeast and Idaho to the east. The Columbia and Snake rivers delineate much of Oregon's northern and eastern boundaries, respectively. The area was inhabited by many indigenous tribes before the arrival of traders, explorers, and settlers who formed an autonomous government in Oregon Country in 1843. The Oregon Territory was created in 1848, and Oregon became the 33rd state on February 14, 1859.
Oregon is the 9th most extensive and the 27th most populous of the 50 United States. Salem is the state's capital and third-most-populous city; Portland is the most populous. Portland is the 29th-largest U.S. city, with a population of 583,776 (2010 US Census) and a metro population of 2,241,841 (2009 estimate), the 23rd-largest U.S. metro area. The valley of the Willamette River in western Oregon is the state's most densely populated area and is home to eight of the ten most populous cities.
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Palmyra Atoll
Palmyra Atoll ( /pælˈmaɪrə/) is an essentially unoccupied equatorial Northern Pacific atoll administered as an unorganized incorporated territory by the United States federal government. The variable temporary population of 4–20 "non-occupants" are essentially staff and scientists employed by various departments of the US government and The Nature Conservancy, as well as a rotating mix of Palmyra Atoll Research Consortium scholars pursuing research.
Palmyra is one of the Northern Line Islands (southeast of Kingman Reef and north of Kiribati Line Islands), located almost due south of the Hawaiian Islands, roughly halfway between Hawaii and American Samoa. The atoll is 4.6 sq mi (12 km2), and it is located in the equatorial Northern Pacific Ocean. Its 9 mi (14 km) of coastline has one anchorage known as West Lagoon.
The atoll consists of an extensive reef, two shallow lagoons, and some 50 sand and reef-rock islets and bars covered with vegetation—mostly coconut trees, Scaevola, and tall Pisonia trees.
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Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania (
i/ˌpɛnsɨlˈveɪnjə/), officially the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, is a US state that is located in the Northeastern and Mid-Atlantic regions of the United States, and the Great Lakes Region. The state borders Delaware to the southeast, Maryland to the south, West Virginia to the southwest, Ohio to the west, Ontario, Canada to the northwest, New York to the north, and New Jersey to the east.
Pennsylvania is the 33rd most extensive, the 6th most populous, and the 9th most densely populated of the 50 United States. The state's four most populous cities are Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, Allentown, and Erie. The state capital is Harrisburg. Pennsylvania has 51 miles (82 km) of shoreline along Lake Erie and 57 miles (92 km) of shoreline along the Delaware Estuary.
Pennsylvania is 170 miles (274 km) north to south and 283 miles (455 km) east to west. Of a total 46,055 square miles (119,282 km2), 44,817 square miles (116,075 km2) are land, 490 square miles (1,269 km2) are inland waters, and 749 square miles (1,940 km2) are waters in Lake Erie. It is the 33rd largest state in the United States. Pennsylvania has 51 miles (82 km) of coastline along Lake Erie and 57 miles (92 km) of shoreline along the Delaware Estuary.
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Phenix City, Alabama
Phenix City is a city and the county seat in Russell County in the U.S. state of Alabama. Portions of Lee County are addressed as Phenix City, 36870 ZIP code, for the sole purpose that Smiths Station does not have full incorporation to annex the area. As of the 2010 census, the population of the city was 32,822.
Phenix City is sometimes called a "Hub City", as it lies immediately west of Columbus, Georgia, which is a much larger city. It is included in the Columbus, Georgia-Alabama Metropolitan Statistical Area, but a section is located in Lee County, and is, therefore, in the Auburn-Opelika Metropolitan Statistical Area in Alabama. The city is the county seat of Russell County.
In 2007, BusinessWeek named Phenix City the nation's #1 Best Affordable Suburb to raise a family.
Currently, the mayor is Sonny Coulter, a local businessman, and previous mayor. The city manager, who holds the task of organizational matters is Wallace Hunter.
Phenix City is located at 32°28′22″N 85°1′12″W / 32.47278°N 85.02°W / 32.47278; -85.02 (32.472822, -85.020121).
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Philadelphia
Philadelphia ( /ˌfɪləˈdɛlfiə/) is the largest city in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and the county seat of Philadelphia County, with which it is coterminous. The city is located in the Northeastern United States along the Delaware and Schuylkill rivers. It is the fifth-most-populous city in the United States, with a population of 1,526,006 as of the 2010 U.S. Census. Philadelphia is also the commercial, cultural, and educational center of the Delaware Valley, home to 6 million people and the country's fifth-largest metropolitan area. The Philadelphia metropolitan division consists of five counties in Pennsylvania and has a population of 4,008,994. Popular nicknames for Philadelphia are Philly and The City of Brotherly Love, the latter of which comes from the literal meaning of the city's name in Greek (Greek: Φιλαδέλφεια ([pʰilaˈdelpʰeːa], Modern Greek: [filaˈðelfia]) "brotherly love", compounded from philos (φίλος) "loving", and adelphos (ἀδελφός) "brother").
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Pike County, Alabama
Pike County is a county of the U.S. state of Alabama. Its name is in honor of General Zebulon Pike, of New Jersey, an explorer who led an expedition to southern Colorado and discovered Pikes Peak in 1806. As of the 2010 census the population was 32,899. Its county seat is Troy.
In 1819 the State of Alabama was admitted to the Union and was soon organized into counties. Pike County was named from general Zebulon Montgomery Pike of New Jersey, being one of the oldest counties, established on December 17, 1821. The Act of Legislature of Alabama of December 18, 1821 provided that until the Commissioners of the County of Pike should select a site for the seat of justice, the temporary seat was established at the house of Andrew Townsend in said county. Pike County comprised a large tract of country, so large that it was called the State of Pike, including a part of what is now Crenshaw, Montgomery, Macon, Bullock, and Barbour Counties, and extended to the Chattahoochie River on the east.
According to the 2000 census, the county has a total area of 672.10 square miles (1,740.7 km2), of which 671.03 square miles (1,738.0 km2) (or 99.84%) is land and 1.06 square miles (2.7 km2) (or 0.16%) is water.
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Port of Mobile
The Port of Mobile, located in Mobile, Alabama, United States, is the only deep-water port in the state, and was the 9th largest by tonnage in the nation in 2008. It is located along the Mobile River where it empties into Mobile Bay. The Port of Mobile has public, deepwater terminals with direct access to 1,500 miles of inland and intracoastal waterways serving the Great Lakes, the Ohio and Tennessee river valleys (via the Tennessee-Tombigbee Waterway), and the Gulf of Mexico. The Alabama State Port Authority owns and operates the public terminals at the Port of Mobile. The public terminals handle containerized, bulk, break bulk, roll-on/roll-off, and heavy lift cargoes. The port is also home to private bulk terminal operators. The container, general cargo and bulk facilities have immediate access to two interstate systems and five Class I railroads. Additionally, the CG Railway operates from the port as a rail ferry service to Coatzacoalcos, Veracruz, in Mexico.
In 2008, the Port of Mobile had a trade volume of 67,635,501 tons. The Port of Mobile is the largest break bulk forest products port in the United States, and the Alabama State Port Authority's McDuffie Terminal is the second largest coal terminal in the United States and largest import coal terminal.
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Prattville, Alabama
Prattville is a city in Autauga and Elmore counties in the U.S. state of Alabama. As of the 2010 Census, the population of the city is 33,960. Nicknamed "The Fountain City" due to the many artesian wells in the area, Prattville is part of the Montgomery metropolitan statistical area and serves as the county seat of Autauga County. The city is northwest of Montgomery.
Prattville was founded in 1839 by industrialist and architect Daniel Pratt. The area was largely inhabited by native Americans and a few settlers when Pratt, a native of Temple, New Hampshire, first observed the Autauga Creek in the 1830s. He purchased approximately 1,000 acres (4.0 km2) from Joseph May at $21.00 an acre, and set out to build his manufacturing facilities and the town along the banks of the Autauga creek. The location was chosen because the creek could supply power to the cotton gin manufacturing equipment. The town became an industrial center and rapidly grew. In 1868, it was named the county seat for Autauga County.
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Puerto Rico
Puerto Rico (/ˌpɔrtə ˈriːkoʊ/ or /ˌpwɛərtə ˈriːkoʊ/), officially the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico (Spanish: Estado Libre Asociado de Puerto Rico, [esˈtaðo ˈlibɾe asoˈsjaðo ðe ˈpweɾto ˈriko]—literally, "Associated Free State of Puerto Rico"), is an unincorporated territory of the United States, located in the northeastern Caribbean, east of the Dominican Republic and west of both the United States Virgin Islands and the British Virgin Islands.
Puerto Rico (Spanish for "rich port") comprises an archipelago that includes the main island of Puerto Rico and a number of smaller islands, the largest of which are Vieques, Culebra, and Mona. The main island of Puerto Rico is the smallest by land area of the Greater Antilles. However, it ranks third in population amongst that group of four islands, which also include Cuba, Hispaniola (Dominican Republic and Haiti), and Jamaica. Due to its location, Puerto Rico enjoys a tropical climate and also experiences the Atlantic hurricane season.
Originally populated for centuries by indigenous aboriginal peoples known as Taínos, the island was claimed by Christopher Columbus for Spain during his second voyage to the Americas on November 19, 1493. Under Spanish rule, the island was colonized and the indigenous population was forced into slavery and nearly wiped out due to, among other things, European infectious diseases. The remaining population was emancipated by King Charles I in 1520. Spain possessed Puerto Rico for over 400 years, despite attempts at capture of the island by the French, Dutch, and British. The Spanish Crown, in an attempt to keep Puerto Rico from gaining its independence, revived the Royal Decree of Graces of 1815. The decree was printed in three languages — Spanish, English and French — and it fostered the immigration of hundreds of non-Spanish European families.
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Redstone Arsenal
Redstone Arsenal (RSA) is a United States Army base and a census-designated place (CDP) adjacent to Huntsville in Madison County, Alabama, United States and is part of the Huntsville-Decatur Combined Statistical Area. The Arsenal is a garrison for a number of tenants including the United States Army Materiel Command, Army's Aviation and Missile Command, the Missile Defense Agency of the Department of Defense, and NASA's Marshall Space Flight Center. Many of these units are moving due to decisions by the Defense Base Realignment and Closure Commission. The Redstone CDP had a population of 1,946 as of the 2010 census.
Originally a chemical weapons manufacturing facility for World War II, the arsenal became the focal point of the Army’s rocket and space projects, including development of the first U.S. ballistic missiles and space launch vehicles in the 1950s.
Redstone Arsenal is located at 34°41′03″N 86°39′15″W / 34.684166°N 86.654031°W / 34.684166; -86.654031. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the Redstone CDP has a total area of 7.9 square miles (20.4 km²), all of it land. Redstone Arsenal contains extensive wetland areas associated with the Tennessee River and several local springs, much of which is maintained by the Wheeler National Wildlife Refuge.
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Rhode Island
Rhode Island (i/ˌroʊd ˈaɪlɨnd/ or /rɵˈdaɪlɨnd/), officially the State of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations, is a state in the New England region of the United States. Rhode Island is the smallest in area, the 8th least populous, but the 2nd most densely populated of the 50 United States. Rhode Island is bordered by Connecticut to the west and Massachusetts to the north and east, and it shares a water boundary with New York's Long Island to the southwest.
Rhode Island was the first of the 13 original colonies to declare independence from British rule, declaring itself independent on May 4, 1776, two months before any other state in the whole U.S. and the convention. The state was also the last to ratify the United States Constitution.
Rhode Island's official nickname is "The Ocean State", a reference to the state's geography, since Rhode Island has several large bays and inlets that amount to about 14% of its total area. Its land area is 1,045 square miles (2706 km2), but its total area is significantly larger.
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South Alabama
South Alabama is a term used to describe various parts of southern Alabama. Its usage does not however reflect a strictly defined geographic region. The most general description of the area would be all Alabama counties south of the Black Belt.
However, the largest population center of Mobile, Alabama, often makes the argument that South Alabama refers only to the extreme southernmost parts of Alabama. This is reflected in the name of the University of South Alabama, located in Mobile.
Following that usage, South Alabama is properly applied only to the two counties which border the Gulf of Mexico and Mobile Bay: Baldwin County and Mobile County. The area is characterized by extensive wetlands, but also by long, sandy beaches which are very conducive to tourism. Many deluxe golf courses have been developed in the area in recent decades.
Because Mobile and Baldwin Counties tend to use South Alabama with exclusivity, other parts of southern Alabama, particularly the Florida-border counties from Escambia County over to Houston County often humorously prefer to be called Lower Alabama if a regional name must be given. Traditionally, the south central and southeastern parts of the state have less in common with the Mobile area than they have in common with Southwest Georgia and the Black Belt region. Alternative names include South Central Alabama, Southeast Alabama, and the Wiregrass.
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South Carolina
South Carolina (i/ˌsaʊθ kærəˈlaɪnə/) is a state in the Southeastern United States. It is bordered to the north by North Carolina; to the south and west by Georgia, located across the Savannah River; and to the east by the Atlantic Ocean. Originally part of the Province of Carolina, the Province of South Carolina was one of the 13 colonies that declared independence from the British Crown during the American Revolution. The colony was originally named by King Charles II of England in honor of his father Charles I (Carolus being Latin for Charles). South Carolina was the 8th state to ratify the US Constitution and become a state which it did on May 23, 1788. South Carolina later became the first state to vote to secede from the Union which it did on December 20, 1860. It was readmitted to the United States on June 25, 1868.
South Carolina is the 40th most extensive and the 24th most populous of the 50 United States. South Carolina comprises 46 counties. The capital and largest city of the state is Columbia.
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South Dakota
South Dakota (i/ˌsaʊθ dəˈkoʊtə/) is a state located in the Midwestern region of the United States. It is named after the Lakota and Dakota Sioux American Indian tribes. South Dakota is the 17th most extensive, but the 5th least populous and the 5th least densely populated of the 50 United States. Once the southern portion of the Dakota Territory, South Dakota became a state on November 2, 1889. Pierre is the state capital and Sioux Falls, with a population of nearly 160,000, is South Dakota's largest city.
South Dakota is bordered by the states of North Dakota, Minnesota, Iowa, Nebraska, Wyoming, and Montana. The state is bisected by the Missouri River, dividing South Dakota into two geographically and socially distinct halves, known to residents as "East River" and "West River". Eastern South Dakota is home to most of the state's population, and fertile soil in this area is used to grow a variety of crops. West of the Missouri, ranching is the predominant agricultural activity, and the economy is more dependent on tourism and defense spending.
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Spring Hill College
Spring Hill College is a private, Roman Catholic Jesuit liberal arts college in the United States. It was founded in 1830 on the Gulf Coast in Mobile, Alabama, by Most Rev. Michael Portier, Bishop of Mobile, Alabama. It was the first Catholic college in the South, fifth oldest Catholic college in the United States, and third oldest of the 28 member Association of Jesuit Colleges and Universities. It is accredited by the Commission on Colleges of the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools. In 2010, U.S. News & World Report reported that Spring Hill College ranked 14th among the top colleges in the South offering both bachelor's and master's level degrees
The Spring Hill academic calendar is divided into two semesters, a fall semester of 15 weeks beginning at the end of August and ending before Christmas, and a spring semester of 15 weeks beginning in early January and ending in early May. There are May and June mini-sessions, and summer school during June and July.
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State of Alabama
Alabama (i/ˌæləˈbæmə/) is a state located in the southeastern region of the United States. It is bordered by Tennessee to the north, Georgia to the east, Florida and the Gulf of Mexico to the south, and Mississippi to the west. Alabama is the 30th-most extensive and the 23rd-most populous of the 50 United States. Alabama ranks second in the area of its inland waterways.
From the American Civil War until World War II, Alabama, like many Southern states, suffered economic hardship, in part because of continued dependence on agriculture. Despite the growth of major industries and urban centers, white rural interests dominated the state legislature until the 1960s, while urban interests and African Americans were under-represented. Following World War II, Alabama experienced growth as the economy of the state transitioned from agriculture to diversified interests in heavy manufacturing, mineral extraction, education, and technology. In addition, the establishment or expansion of multiple military installations, primarily those of the U.S. Army and U.S. Air Force, added to state jobs.
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Talladega, Alabama
Talladega ( /ˌtæləˈdɪɡə/) is a city in Talladega County, Alabama, United States. At the 2010 census the population was 16,735. The city is the county seat of Talladega County. Talladega is approximately 50 miles east of Birmingham, Alabama.
The city is home to the Alabama Institute for the Deaf and Blind and the Talladega Municipal Airport, a public general aviation airport. The Talladega Superspeedway, Talladega College and the International Motorsports Hall of Fame are located nearby.
Talladega is a Muscogee (Creek) Native American word derived from TVLVTEKE. The source of this name is Creek "tålwa," meaning "town," and "åtigi," "border" -- "Border Town" -- a town indicating its location on the boundary between the lands of the Creek tribe and those of the Natchez. While the town's name is /ˌtæləˈdɪɡə/ by local inhabitants, the racetrack's name is /ˌtæləˈdeɪɡə/ by auto racing fans.
Talladega is located at 33°26′5″N 86°6′5″W / 33.43472°N 86.10139°W / 33.43472; -86.10139 (33.434728, -86.101299).
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Tennessee
Tennessee (i/tɛnɨˈsiː/) (Cherokee: ᏔᎾᏏ) is a U.S. state located in the Southeastern United States. Tennessee is the 36th most extensive and the 17th most populous of the 50 United States. Tennessee is bordered by Kentucky and Virginia to the north, North Carolina to the east, Georgia, Alabama, and Mississippi to the south, and Arkansas and Missouri to the west. The Appalachian Mountains dominate the eastern part of the state, and the Mississippi River forms the state's western border. Tennessee's capital and second largest city is Nashville, which has a population of 626,144.Memphis is the state's largest city, with a population of 670,902.
The state of Tennessee is rooted in the Watauga Association, a 1772 frontier pact generally regarded as the first constitutional government west of the Appalachians. What is now Tennessee was initially part of North Carolina, and later part of the Southwest Territory. Tennessee was admitted to the Union as the 16th state on June 1, 1796. Tennessee was the last state to leave the Union and join the Confederacy at the outbreak of the U.S. Civil War in 1861, and the first state to be readmitted to the Union at the end of the war.
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Texas
Texas (i/ˈtɛksəs/) (Alibamu: Teksi ) is the second most populous and the second most extensive of the 50 United States, and the most extensive state of the 48 contiguous United States. The name, based on the Caddo word "Tejas" meaning "friends" or "allies", was applied by the Spanish to the Caddo themselves and to the region of their settlement in East Texas. Located in the South Central United States, Texas shares an international border with the Mexican states of Chihuahua, Coahuila, Nuevo León, and Tamaulipas to the south, and borders the US states of New Mexico to the west, Oklahoma to the north, Arkansas to the northeast, and Louisiana to the east. Texas has an area of 268,820 square miles (696,200 km2), and a growing population of 25.7 million residents.
During the Spanish colonial rule, the area was officially known as the Nuevo Reino de Filipinas: La Provincia de Texas. Antonio Margil de Jesús was known to be the first person to use the name in a letter to the Viceroy of Mexico in July 20, 1716. The name was not popularly used in daily speech but often appeared in legal documents until the end of the 1800s.
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Tombigbee River
The Tombigbee River is a tributary of the Mobile River, approximately 200 mi (325 km) long, in the U.S. states of Mississippi and Alabama. It is one of two major rivers, along with the Alabama River, that unite to form the short Mobile River before it empties into Mobile Bay on the Gulf of Mexico. The Tombigbee watershed encompasses much of the rural coastal plain of western Alabama and northeastern Mississippi, flowing generally southward. The river provides one of the principal routes of commercial navigation in the southern United States, navigable along much of its length through locks and connected in its upper reaches to the Tennessee River via the Tennessee-Tombigbee Waterway.
The name "Tombigbee" comes from Choctaw /itumbi ikbi/, meaning "box maker, coffin maker", from /itumbi/, "box, coffin", and /ikbi/, "maker". The river formed the eastern boundary of the historical Choctaw people lands, from the 17th century when they coalesced as a people, to the forced Indian Removal by the United States in the 1830s.
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Troy University
Troy University is a flagship public university that is located in Troy, Alabama, United States. It was originally founded in 1887 as Troy Normal School. It is the flagship university of the Troy University System. Its main campus enrollment is 7,194 students. The total enrollment of all Troy University campuses is 29,689. Today, Troy University offers bachelor's, master's, and doctoral degrees.
Troy University is a public university with its main campus located in Troy, Alabama. It was founded as a normal school in 1887 with a mission to educate and train new teachers. The school has since evolved into a state university, located in four sites across the Alabama: Troy, Montgomery, Phenix City and Dothan. The university also has sites located throughout the United States and in international locations. Troy is known for both in class and online academic programs and service to traditional, nontraditional and military students. The main campus enrollment as of the fall of 2010 is 9,000 students.[4] The campus itself consists of 36 major buildings on 650 acres (1.9 km²) plus the adjacent Troy University Arboretum. [edit]
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Troy, Alabama
Troy is a city in Pike County, Alabama, United States. As of the 2010 census, the population was 18,003. Troy experienced a growth spurt of over 4,000+ people since 2000. The city is the county seat of Pike County.
Troy is a college town and is home to Troy University.
Troy operates under a Mayor-council government system. The city is served by a mayor, who is elected at-large, and a five-member city council which is composed of five single-member districts. Current mayor, Jimmy C. Lunsford, was elected to his first term in 1985. He has won re-election each year since, and is the longest serving mayor in Troy history.
Troy is located at 31°48′7″N 85°58′2″W / 31.80194°N 85.96722°W / 31.80194; -85.96722 (31.801960, -85.967317). It is in the East Gulf Coastal Plains region of the Alabama. It is located along the Troy Cuesta ridge, which runs across the state from east to west and is the boundary that separates the Chunnenuggee Hills and Southern Red Hills geographical boundaries. Elevations commonly reach 400 feet (120 m) in these hills and can reach up to 500 feet (150 m) in some areas. About 40 miles (64 km) north of Troy near the Montgomery area, the Chunnenuggee Hills region ends and the flat "Black Prairie" region begins, commonly known as the Black Belt region. About 60 miles (97 km) south of Troy in the Dothan area, the Southern Red Hills region ends and the "Dougherty Plains" region begins. Map
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Tuscaloosa, Alabama
Tuscaloosa (/tʌskəˈluːsə/ TUSK-ə-LOO-sə) is a city in and the seat of Tuscaloosa County in west central Alabama (in the southeastern United States). Located on the Black Warrior River, it is the fifth-largest city in Alabama, with a population of 90,468 in 2010. It is the principal city of the Tuscaloosa Metropolitan Statistical Area, which includes Tuscaloosa, Greene, and Hale counties, and whose estimated metro population in 2012 was 221,553. A former capital of Alabama, Tuscaloosa is named after Tuskaloosa, the chieftain of a Muskogean-speaking people, who battled and was defeated by Hernando de Soto in 1540 in the Battle of Mabila.
Tuscaloosa is the regional center of industry, commerce, healthcare, and education for the area of west-central Alabama known as West Alabama. Tuscaloosa is also the home of the University of Alabama, Stillman College and Shelton State Community College. While the city attracted international attention when Mercedes-Benz announced it would build its first automotive assembly plant in North America in Tuscaloosa County, the University of Alabama remains the dominant economic and cultural engine in the city.
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Tuskegee, Alabama
Tuskegee ( /ˈtʌskɪɡiː/) is a city in Macon County, Alabama, United States. At the 2000 census the population was 11,846 and is designated a Micropolitan Statistical Area. Tuskegee has been an important site in various stages of African American history.
It is where, in 1881, Booker T. Washington founded the Tuskegee Normal School for Colored Teachers on a former plantation. It was later named the Tuskegee Institute and then Tuskegee University, with the mission of educating freedmen for self-sufficiency. It was the site of the now-infamous Tuskegee syphilis experiment, a clinical study conducted by the U.S. Public Health Service through the Institute from 1932-1972. The experiment enrolled black poor population with syphilis and observed the physical reactions without giving proper healthcare. When the infected black male went to get health help, they thought they were receiving free health care from the U.S. government but they only received simple pain relief pills. The university is a center of excellence for African-American education. The heart of the university has been designated a National Historic District and is listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1974. One of the most famous teachers at Tuskegee was George Washington Carver, whose name is synonymous with innovative research into Southern farming method and products developed from a variety of crops. Tuskegee and Tuskegee Institute were also home to the famed Tuskegee Airmen, the first squadron of African-American pilots trained in the U.S. Military. The town was the birthplace of Rosa Louise Parks in 1913; she became a civil rights activist in the 1960s. The city is the county seat of Macon County.
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UAB Hospital
The University of Alabama Hospital (more commonly referred to as UAB Hospital), is a Level I trauma center hospital located in Birmingham, Alabama.
It is located in the Medical Center District on the University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB) campus on Birmingham's Southside. UAB Hospital is a 908-bed facility that provides patients with a complete range of primary and specialty care services. It is Alabama's major tertiary care center and a modern medical complex serving approximately 35,000 patients annually. With 18,750 employees, the hospital is the largest employer in Birmingham and the second largest employer in Alabama.
UAB Hospital also serves as the primary teaching hospital for the UAB School of Medicine. Seven UAB Hospital specialty programs are among the nation’s top 50 — five are in the top 25 — of the 16 categories evaluated at America's 5,189 hospitals in 2006 by U.S. News & World Report. With its seven ranked programs, UAB Hospital was one of only 176 hospitals, or about 3 percent of U.S. institutions studied —and the only hospital in Alabama — to rank high enough in even one specialty to make the magazine’s national "Best Hospitals" list. The seven specialties are: rheumatology (6th); heart and heart surgery (14th); gynecology (14th); kidney disease (17th); cancer (23rd); and orthopedics (47th).
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United States
The United States of America (commonly abbreviated to the United States, the U.S., the USA, America, and the States) is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district. The country is situated mostly in central North America, where its forty-eight contiguous states and Washington, D.C., the capital district, lie between the Pacific and Atlantic Oceans, bordered by Canada to the north and Mexico to the south. The state of Alaska is in the northwest of the continent, with Canada to the east and Russia to the west, across the Bering Strait. The state of Hawaii is an archipelago in the mid-Pacific. The country also possesses several territories in the Pacific and Caribbean.
At 3.79 million square miles (9.83 million km2) and with over 312 million people, the United States is the third or fourth largest country by total area, and the third largest by both land area and population. It is one of the world's most ethnically diverse and multicultural nations, the product of large-scale immigration from many countries. The U.S. economy is the world's largest national economy, with an estimated 2011 GDP of $15.1 trillion (22% of nominal global GDP and over 19% of global GDP at purchasing-power parity). Per capita income is the world's sixth-highest.
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Utah
Utah (/ˈjuːtɔː/ ori/ˈjuːtɑː/) (Arapaho: Wo'tééneihí' ) is a state in the Western United States. It became the 45th state admitted to the Union on January 4, 1896. Utah is the 13th-most extensive, the 34th-most populous, and the 10th-least-densely populated of the 50 United States. Approximately 80% of Utah's 2,817,222 people live along the Wasatch Front, centering on Salt Lake City. This leaves vast expanses of the state nearly uninhabited, making the population the sixth most urbanized in the U.S. The name "Utah" is derived from the name of the Ute tribe and means "people of the mountains" in the Ute language. Utah is bordered by Arizona on the south, Colorado on the east, Wyoming on the northeast, Idaho on the north and Nevada on the west. It also touches a corner of New Mexico.
Utah is the most religiously homogeneous state in the Union. It is home to the Salt Lake Temple, and approximately 60% of Utahns are reported to be members of LDS Church which greatly influences Utah culture and daily life.
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Vermont
Vermonti/vɜrˈmɒnt/ is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States. Vermont is the 6th least extensive and the 2nd least populous of the 50 United States. It is the only New England state not bordering the Atlantic Ocean. Lake Champlain forms half of Vermont's western border, which it shares with the state of New York. The Green Mountains are within the state. Vermont is bordered by Massachusetts to the south, New Hampshire to the east, New York to the west, and the Canadian province of Quebec to the north.
Originally inhabited by two major Native American tribes (the Algonquian-speaking Abenaki and the Iroquois), much of the territory that is now Vermont was claimed by France during its early colonial period. France ceded the territory to the Kingdom of Great Britain after being defeated in 1763 in the Seven Years' War (also called the French and Indian War). For many years, the nearby colonies, especially New Hampshire and New York, disputed control of the area (then called the New Hampshire Grants). Settlers who held land titles granted by these colonies were opposed by the Green Mountain Boys militia, which eventually prevailed in creating an independent state, the Vermont Republic. Founded in 1777 during the Revolutionary War, the republic lasted for fourteen years. Vermont is one of seventeen U.S. states (along with Texas, Hawaii, the brief California Republic, and each of the original Thirteen Colonies) to have had a sovereign government in the past. In 1791, Vermont joined the United States as the 14th state, the first outside the original 13 Colonies. It abolished slavery while still independent, and upon joining the Union became the first state to have done so.
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Virginia
Virginia (i/vərˈdʒɪnjə/), officially the Commonwealth of Virginia, is a U.S. state located in the South Atlantic region of the United States. Virginia is nicknamed the "Old Dominion" and sometimes the "Mother of Presidents" after the eight U.S. presidents born there. The geography and climate of the Commonwealth are shaped by the Blue Ridge Mountains and the Chesapeake Bay, which provide habitat for much of its flora and fauna. The capital of the Commonwealth is Richmond; Virginia Beach is the most populous city and Fairfax County the most populous political subdivision. The Commonwealth's population is over eight million.
The area's history begins with several indigenous groups, including the Powhatan. In 1607 the London Company established the Colony of Virginia as the first permanent New World English colony. Slave labor and the land acquired from displaced Native American tribes each played a significant role in the colony's early politics and plantation economy. Virginia was one of the 13 Colonies in the American Revolution and joined the Confederacy in the American Civil War, during which Richmond was made the Confederate capital and Virginia's northwestern counties separated to form the state of West Virginia. Although the Commonwealth was under conservative single-party rule for nearly a century following Reconstruction, both major national parties are competitive in modern Virginia.
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Wall Street
Wall Street refers to the financial district of New York City, named after and centered on the eight-block-long street running from Broadway to South Street on the East River in Lower Manhattan. Over time, the term has become a metonym for the financial markets of the United States as a whole, or signifying New York-based financial interests. It is the home of the New York Stock Exchange, the world's largest stock exchange by market capitalization of its listed companies. Several other major exchanges have or had headquarters in the Wall Street area, including NASDAQ, the New York Mercantile Exchange, the New York Board of Trade, and the former American Stock Exchange. Anchored by Wall Street, New York City is one of the world's principal financial centers.
There are varying accounts about how the Dutch-named "de Waal Straat" got its name. A generally accepted version is that the name of the street name was derived from an earthen wall on the northern boundary of the New Amsterdam settlement, perhaps to protect against English colonial encroachment or incursions by native Americans. A conflicting explanation is that Wall Street was named after Walloons -- possibly a Dutch abbreviation for Walloon being Waal. Among the first settlers that embarked on the ship "Nieu Nederlandt" in 1624 were 30 Walloon families.
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Washington (state)
Washington (i/ˈwɒʃɪŋtən/) is a state in the Pacific Northwest region of the United States located north of Oregon, west of Idaho and south of the Canadian province of British Columbia, on the coast of the Pacific Ocean. Washington was carved out of the western part of Washington Territory which had been ceded by Britain in 1846 by the Oregon Treaty as settlement of the Oregon Boundary Dispute. It was admitted to the Union as the 42nd state in 1889.
Washington is the 18th most extensive and the 13th most populous of the 50 United States. Approximately 60 percent of Washington's residents live in the Seattle metropolitan area, the center of transportation, business, and industry along the Puget Sound region of the Salish Sea, an inlet of the Pacific consisting of numerous islands, deep fjords, and bays carved out by glaciers. The remainder of the state consists of deep rainforests in the west, mountain ranges in the west, center, northeast and far southeast, and a semi-arid eastern basin given over to intensive agriculture. Washington is the second most populous state on the west coast and in the western United States after California.
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Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C., formally the District of Columbia and commonly referred to as Washington, "the District", or simply D.C., is the capital of the United States. On July 16, 1790, the United States Congress approved the creation of a federal district to become the national capital as permitted by the U.S. Constitution. The District is therefore not a part of any U.S. state. It was formed from land along the Potomac River donated by the states of Maryland and Virginia; however, the Virginia portion was returned by Congress in 1846.
A new capital city named after George Washington was founded in 1791 to the east of the preexisting port of Georgetown. Congress consolidated the City of Washington, Georgetown, and the remaining unincorporated area within the District under a single municipal government in 1871. The city shares its name with the U.S. state of Washington, located on the country's Pacific coast.
Washington, D.C., had an estimated population of 617,996 in 2011. The city was the 24th most populous place in the United States as of 2010. Commuters from the surrounding Maryland and Virginia suburbs raise the city's population to over one million during the workweek. The Washington Metropolitan Area, of which the District is a part, has a population of nearly 5.6 million, the seventh-largest metropolitan area in the country.
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West Florida
West Florida was a region on the north shore of the Gulf of Mexico, which underwent several boundary and sovereignty changes during its history. West Florida was first established in 1763 by the British government; as its name suggests it largely consisted of the western portion of the region called Florida by Spain, with East Florida comprising the eastern part. It included most of what is now the Florida Panhandle, plus parts of the modern U.S. states of Louisiana, Mississippi, and Alabama.
Britain formed West and East Florida out of land taken from France and Spain after the French and Indian War. As the newly acquired territory was too large to govern from one administrative center, the British divided it into two new colonies separated by the Apalachicola River. British West Florida's government was based in Pensacola, and the colony included the part of formerly Spanish Florida west of the Apalachicola, plus the parts of French Louisiana taken by the British. It thus comprised all territory between the Mississippi and Apalachicola Rivers, with a northern boundary that shifted several times over the subsequent years.
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West Virginia
West Virginia (i/ˌwɛst vərˈdʒɪnjə/) is a state in the Appalachian region of the Eastern United States. It is bordered by Virginia to the southeast, Kentucky to the southwest, Ohio to the northwest, Pennsylvania to the northeast and Maryland to the east. West Virginia is the 41st most extensive and the 37th most populous of the 50 United States. The capital and largest city is Charleston.
West Virginia became a state following the Wheeling Conventions and broke away from Virginia during the American Civil War. The new state was admitted to the Union on June 20, 1863, and was a key Civil War border state. West Virginia was the only state to form by seceding from a Confederate state, and was one of two states formed during the American Civil War (the other one being Nevada, which separated from Utah Territory).
The Census Bureau and the Association of American Geographers classify West Virginia as part of the South. The northern panhandle extends adjacent to Pennsylvania and Ohio, with the West Virginia cities of Wheeling and Weirton just across the border from the Pittsburgh metropolitan area, while Bluefield is less than 70 miles (110 km) from North Carolina. Huntington in the southwest is close to the states of Ohio and Kentucky, while Martinsburg and Harpers Ferry in the Eastern Panhandle region are considered to be a part of the Washington metropolitan area, in between the states of Maryland and Virginia. The unique position of West Virginia means that it is often included in several geographical regions, including the Mid-Atlantic, the Upland South, and the Southeastern United States. Notably, it is the only state that is entirely within the area served by the Appalachian Regional Commission; the area is commonly defined as "Appalachia".
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Wetumpka
Wetumpka is a city in Elmore County, Alabama, United States. At the 2000 census the population was 5,726. The city is the county seat of Elmore County, one of the fastest growing counties in the state. The city is considered part of the Montgomery Metropolitan Area.
Wetumpka promotes itself as "The City of Natural Beauty". Among the notable landmarks are the Wetumpka crater and the Jasmine Hill Gardens, with a full-sized replica of the Temple of Hera of Olympia, Greece.
The name Wetumpka is a historic Creek place word meaning "tumbling waters", supposedly a description of the sound of the nearby Coosa River as the water falls over the rapids of the Devil's Staircase. It could be heard for miles before the construction of dams.[citation needed] The Creek named Wetumka, Oklahoma after their historic village after being forced west to Indian Territory (present-day Oklahoma), by United States soldiers by the Indian Removal Act of 1830.[citation needed]
For those who have become confused by the meaning of the name, "Wetumpka", you may observe for yourself that the word, "Wetumpka" means "Tumbling Waters" as is clearing stated on the wall right above the steps that are in the center of the stairways inside the old Elmore County Courthouse in downtown Wetumpka. As soon as you enter the front doors, the inscription is vividly displayed directly ahead and covers a large portion of the wall. The same has been mounted on that courthouse wall throughout the decades with a very clear inscription. The old Elmore County House is directly across the street from the old U. S. Post Office. Authors have written books about "Tumbling Waters" (Wetumpka) while others refuse to acknowledge the correct meaning of the name of the City of Wetumpka. Wetumka/Wetumpka was an Indian chief of the Creek Nation.
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Wetumpka crater
The Wetumpka impact crater is the only confirmed impact crater in Alabama, United States. It is located east of downtown Wetumpka in Elmore County. The crater is 7.6 km in diameter and its age is estimated to be about 83 million years old (late Cretaceous), based on fossils found in the youngest disturbed deposits, which belong to the Mooreville Chalk Formation. The crater is well preserved, including the original impact rim and breccia, but exposures are few owing to plant and soil cover, and nearly all are on private land.Thornton L. Neathery discovered the Wetumpka Crater in 1969-70 during regional geological mapping and published the first article on the subject in 1976. However, conclusive evidence of impact origin was lacking until 1998 when David T. King, Jr. and colleagues discovered shocked quartz in a core drilled near the center of the structure. In 2002, Auburn University researchers published evidence and established the site as an internationally recognized impact crater.
Coordinates: 32°31′N 86°10′W / 32.517°N 86.167°W / 32.517; -86.167
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Wetumpka, Alabama
Wetumpka is a city in Elmore County, Alabama, United States. At the 2000 census the population was 5,726. The city is the county seat of Elmore County, one of the fastest growing counties in the state. The city is considered part of the Montgomery Metropolitan Area.
Wetumpka promotes itself as "The City of Natural Beauty". Among the notable landmarks are the Wetumpka crater and the Jasmine Hill Gardens, with a full-sized replica of the Temple of Hera of Olympia, Greece.
The name Wetumpka is a historic Creek place word meaning "tumbling waters", supposedly a description of the sound of the nearby Coosa River as the water falls over the rapids of the Devil's Staircase. It could be heard for miles before the construction of dams.[citation needed] The Creek named Wetumka, Oklahoma after their historic village after being forced west to Indian Territory (present-day Oklahoma), by United States soldiers by the Indian Removal Act of 1830.[citation needed]
For those who have become confused by the meaning of the name, "Wetumpka", you may observe for yourself that the word, "Wetumpka" means "Tumbling Waters" as is clearing stated on the wall right above the steps that are in the center of the stairways inside the old Elmore County Courthouse in downtown Wetumpka. As soon as you enter the front doors, the inscription is vividly displayed directly ahead and covers a large portion of the wall. The same has been mounted on that courthouse wall throughout the decades with a very clear inscription. The old Elmore County House is directly across the street from the old U. S. Post Office. Authors have written books about "Tumbling Waters" (Wetumpka) while others refuse to acknowledge the correct meaning of the name of the City of Wetumpka. Wetumka/Wetumpka was an Indian chief of the Creek Nation.
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Wisconsin
Wisconsin (i/wɨsˈkɒnsɨn/) is a US state located in the north-central United States and is part of the Midwest and Great Lakes regions. It is bordered by Minnesota to the west, Iowa to the southwest, Illinois to the south, Lake Michigan to the east, Michigan to the northeast, and Lake Superior to the north. Wisconsin is the 23rd most extensive and the 20th most populous of the 50 United States. Wisconsin's capital is Madison, and its largest city is Milwaukee. The state is divided into 72 counties.
The word Wisconsin originates from the name given to the Wisconsin River by one of the Algonquian speaking American Indian groups living in the region at the time of European contact. French explorer Jacques Marquette was the first European to reach the Wisconsin River and record its name, arriving in 1673 and calling the river Meskousing in his journal. This spelling was later corrupted to Ouisconsin by other French explorers, and over time this version became the French name for both the Wisconsin River and the surrounding lands. English speakers anglicized the spelling to its modern form when they began to arrive in greater numbers during the early 19th century. The current spelling was made official by the legislature of Wisconsin Territory in 1845.
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Wyoming
Wyoming (i/waɪˈoʊmɪŋ/) is a state in the mountain region of the Western United States. Wyoming is the 10th most extensive, but the least populous and the 2nd least densely populated of the 50 States. The western two thirds of the state is covered mostly with the mountain ranges and rangelands in the foothills of the Eastern Rocky Mountains, while the eastern third of the state is high elevation prairie known as the High Plains. Cheyenne is the capital and the most populous city of Wyoming with a population of nearly 60,000 people within its city proper.
As specified in the designating legislation for the Territory of Wyoming, Wyoming's borders are lines of latitude, 41°N and 45°N, and longitude, 104°3'W and 111°3'W (27° W and 34° W of the Washington Meridian), making the shape of the state a latitude-longitude quadrangle. Wyoming is one of only three states (along with Colorado and Utah) to have borders along only straight latitudinal and longitudinal lines, rather than being defined by natural landmarks. Due to surveying inaccuracies during the 19th century, Wyoming's legal border deviates from the true latitude and longitude lines by up to half of a mile (.8 km) in some spots, especially in the mountainous region along the 45th parallel. Wyoming is bordered on the north by Montana, on the east by South Dakota and Nebraska, on the south by Colorado, on the southwest by Utah, and on the west by Idaho. It is the ninth largest state in the United States in total area, containing 97,818 square miles (253,350 km2) and is made up of 23 counties. From the north border to the south border it is 276 miles (444 km); and from the east to the west border is 365 miles (587 km) at its south end and 342 miles (550 km) at the north end.
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Yazoo lands
The Yazoo lands were the sparsely-populated central and western areas of the U.S. state of Georgia, when its western border stretched back to the Mississippi River. It was named for the Yazoo tribe of Native Americans. Several other places and things were named Yazoo, either for or along with the lands.
These lands later became the states of Alabama and Mississippi. The far western panhandle of Spanish territory Florida became the panhandles of the two states, and a small strip claimed by South Carolina (see Treaty of Beaufort), also going west to the river, became their border counties with Tennessee (itself a former part of North Carolina) in the Treaty of 1816.
In the 1790s, the Yazoo lands were the subject of a major political scandal in the state of Georgia, called the Yazoo land scandal. It led to Georgia's cession of the land to the U.S. government in the Compact of 1802.
Coordinates: 32°54′N 88°18′W / 32.9°N 88.3°W / 32.9; -88.3
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African Americans
African Americans (also referred to as Black Americans or Afro-Americans, and formerly as American Negroes) are citizens or residents of the United States that have ancestry from any of the native populations of Sub-Saharan Africa.
African Americans make up the single largest racial minority in the United States. Most African Americans are of West and Central African descent and are descendants of enslaved Africans within the boundaries of the present United States. However, some immigrants from African, Caribbean, Central American or South American nations, or their descendants, may be identified or self-identify with the term.
African-American history starts in the 16th century with African slaves who quickly rose up against the Spanish explorer Lucas Vázquez de Ayllón and progresses to the present day, with Barack Obama as the 44th and current President of the United States. Between those landmarks there have been events and issues, both resolved and ongoing, including slavery, racism, Reconstruction, development of the African-American community, participation in the great military conflicts of the United States, racial segregation, and the Civil Rights Movement.
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Andrew Jackson
Andrew Jackson (March 15, 1767 – June 8, 1845) was the seventh President of the United States (1829–1837). Based in frontier Tennessee, Jackson was a politician and army general who defeated the Creek Indians at the Battle of Horseshoe Bend (1814), and the British at the Battle of New Orleans (1815). A polarizing figure who dominated the Second Party System in the 1820s and 1830s, as president he destroyed the national bank and relocated most Indian tribes from the Southeast to west of the Mississippi River. His enthusiastic followers created the modern Democratic Party. The 1830–1850 period later became known as the era of Jacksonian democracy.
Jackson was nicknamed "Old Hickory" because of his toughness and aggressive personality; he fought in duels, some fatal to his opponents. He was a rich slaveholder, who appealed to the common men of the United States, and fought politically against what he denounced as a closed, undemocratic aristocracy. He expanded the spoils system during his presidency to strengthen his political base.
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Bob Riley
Robert Renfroe "Bob" Riley (born October 3, 1944) is an American politician in the Republican Party. He was the 52nd Governor of Alabama, first elected in 2002, and re-elected in 2006.
Riley was born in Ashland, Alabama, a small town in Clay County where his family ranched and farmed for six generations. Riley attended the University of Alabama,where he was a brother of Phi Kappa Sigma International Fraternity and graduated with a degree in business administration.
Riley was first elected to the U.S. House of Representatives in 1996, defeating his Democratic opponent, State Senator T.D. "Ted" Little (Auburn, Ala.) and Libertarian John Sophocleus. Riley served as a representative of Alabama's 3rd congressional district from 1997 to 2003.
Riley did not run for re-election to the House in November 2002 (as a supporter of term limits, he imposed a three-term limit on himself), instead running for Governor of Alabama and defeating the Democratic incumbent by approximately 3,000 votes - the narrowest margin in the state's history for a gubernatorial race. The result was controversial, as the initial election night count showed a 2,000-plus vote victory for Riley's opponent, Don Siegelman.
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Cherokee
The Cherokee (/ˈtʃɛrəkiː/; Cherokee: ᏣᎳᎩ Tsalagi) are a Native American people historically settled in the Southeastern United States (principally Georgia, the Carolinas and East Tennessee). Linguistically, they are part of the Iroquoian language family. In the 19th century, historians and ethnographers recorded their oral tradition that told of the tribe having migrated south in ancient times from the Great Lakes region, where other Iroquoian-speaking peoples were located. They began to have contact with European traders in the 18th century.
In the 19th century, white settlers in the United States called the Cherokee one of the "Five Civilized Tribes", because they had assimilated numerous cultural and technological practices of European American settlers. The Cherokee were one of the first, if not the first, major non-European ethnic group to become U.S. citizens. Article 8 in the 1817 treaty with the Cherokee stated Cherokees may wish to become citizen of the United States. According to the 2000 U.S. Census, the Cherokee Nation has more than 300,000 members, the largest of the 565 federally recognized Native American tribes in the United States.
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Chickasaw
The Chickasaw are Native American people originally from the region that would become the Southeastern United States (Mississippi, Alabama, Tennessee). They are of the Muskogean language family and are federally recognized as the Chickasaw Nation.
Sometime prior to the first European contact, the Chickasaw migrated from western regions and moved east of the Mississippi River, where they settled mostly in present-day northeast Mississippi. That is where they encountered European explorers and traders, having relationships with French, English and Spanish during the colonial years. The Chickasaw were considered by the United States (US) as one of the Five Civilized Tribes, as they adopted numerous practices of European Americans. Resisting European-American settlers encroaching on their territory, the Chickasaw were forced by the US to sell their country in 1832 and move to Indian Territory (Oklahoma) during the era of Indian Removal in the 1830s.
Most Chickasaw now live in Oklahoma. The Chickasaw Nation in Oklahoma is the 13th largest federally recognized tribe in the United States. They are related to the Choctaw and share a common history with them. The Chickasaw are divided in two groups (moities): the Impsaktea and the Intcutwalipa. They traditionally had a matrilineal system, in which children were considered to be part of the mother's clan, where they gained their status. Some property was controlled by women, and it and hereditary leadership among the tribe passed through the maternal line.
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Chuck Malone
Charles Ray Malone (born July 8, 1965, in Harrisburg, Arkansas) is a former relief pitcher who played briefly for the Philadelphia Phillies during the 1990 season. Listed at 6' 7", 250 lb., Malone batted and threw right-handed. He attended Arkansas State University.
In seven relief appearances, Malone posted a 3.68 ERA with two strikeouts in 7⅓ innings of work. He did not have a decision or saves.
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Ernest C. Hornsby
Ernest C. Hornsby also known as Sonny Hornsby (born October 8, 1936) was Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of Alabama from 1989 to 1995.
He was born on October 8, 1936, and he received his A.B. degree from Auburn University and his J.D. from the University of Alabama School of Law in 1960. From 1960 to 1988, He had a private law practice in Tallassee, Alabama. He served as a State Senator for Tallapoosa County, Alabama and Elmore County, Alabama from 1962 to 1966. He served as President of the Elmore County Bar Association, President of the Alabama Trial Lawyers Association, and as Tallassee, Alabama City Judge from 1972 to 1978. From 1977 to 1978, he was President of the Alabama State Bar. He served as Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of Alabama from 1989 to 1995. He was defeated for re-election in 1994 by Perry O. Hooper, Sr., who became the state of Alabama's first Republican Chief Justice.
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George Wallace
George Corley Wallace (August 25, 1919 – September 13, 1998) was an American politician and the 45th governor of Alabama, having served four nonconsecutive terms: 1963–1967, 1971–1979 and 1983–1987. After four runs for U.S. president (three as a Democrat and one on the American Independent Party ticket), he earned the title, "the most influential loser" in 20th-century U.S. politics, according to biographers Dan T. Carter and Stephan Lesher.
A 1972 assassination attempt left Wallace paralyzed, and he used a wheelchair for the remainder of his life. He is remembered for his Southern populist andsegregationist attitudes during the desegregation period, convictions that he renounced later in life. Wallace said that he did not wish to meet his Maker with unforgiven sin.
The first of four children, Wallace was born in Clio in Barbour County in southeastern Alabama, to George Corley Wallace, Sr., and the former Mozell Smith. He was the third of four generations to bear the name "George Wallace," but as neither parent liked the designation "Junior", he was called "George C." to distinguish him from his father, George, and his grandfather, a physician. Wallace's father had left college to pursue a life of farming when prices were high during World War I; Mozell had to sell their farmland to pay existing mortgages when George, Sr., died in 1937. Like his parents, Wallace was a Methodist.
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German American
German Americans are citizens of the United States of German ancestry and comprise about 50 million people, or 17% of the U.S. population, the country's largest self-reported ancestral group.California, Texas and Pennsylvania have the largest numbers of German origin, although upper Midwestern states, including Ohio, Iowa, Minnesota, Wisconsin, Nebraska, and the Dakotas, have the highest proportion of German Americans at over one-third.
None of the historical German states had overseas colonies, so not until the 1680s did the first significant groups of German immigrants arrive in the British colonies, settling primarily in New York and Pennsylvania. Immigration continued in very large numbers during the 19th century, with some eight million arrivals from Germany. They were pulled by the attractions of land and religious freedom, and pushed out of Europe by shortages of land and religious or political oppression. Many arrived seeking religious or political freedom, others for economic opportunities greater than those in Europe, and others simply for the chance to start fresh in the New World. The arrivals before 1850 were mostly farmers who sought out the most productive land, where their intensive farming techniques would pay off. After 1840, many came to cities, where "Germania"—German-speaking districts—soon emerged.
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Hernando de Soto
Hernando de Soto (c.1496/1497–1542) was a Spanish explorer and conquistador who, while leading the first European expedition deep into the territory of the modern-day United States, was the first European documented to have crossed the Mississippi River.
A vast undertaking, de Soto's North American expedition ranged throughout the southeastern United States searching for gold and a passage to China. De Soto died in 1542 on the banks of the Mississippi River in Arkansas or Louisiana.
Hernando de Soto was born to parents who were hidalgos of modest means in Extremadura, a region of poverty and hardship from which many young people looked for ways to seek their fortune elsewhere. Two towns—Badajoz and Barcarrota—claim to be his birthplace. He spent time as a child at each place, and he stipulated in his will that his body be interred at Jerez de los Caballeros, where other members of his family were interred. The age of the Conquerors came on the heels of the Spanish reconquest of the Iberian peninsula from Islamic forces. Spain and Portugal were filled with young men seeking a chance for military fame after the Moors were defeated. With discovery of new lands to the west (which they thought at the time to be East Asia), the poor young men were attracted to whispers of glory and wealth.
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Indigenous peoples
Indigenous peoples are ethnic groups that are defined as "indigenous" according to one of the various definitions of the term, though there is no universally accepted definition.
In the late twentieth century, the term began to be used primarily to refer to ethnic groups that have historical ties to groups that existed in a territory prior to colonization or formation of a nation state, and which normally preserve a degree of cultural and political separation from the mainstream culture and political system of the nation state within the border of which the indigenous group is located. The political sense of the term defines these groups as particularly vulnerable to exploitation and oppression by nation states. As a result, a special set of political rights in accordance with international law have been set forth by international organizations such as the United Nations, the International Labour Organization and the World Bank. The United Nations have issued a Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples to protect the collective rights of indigenous peoples to their culture, identity, language, employment, health, education and natural resources. Depending on which precise definition of "indigenous people" used, and on the census, estimates of a world total population of Indigenous people range from 220 million Indigenous peoples in 1997 to 350 million in 2004.
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Irish American
Irish Americans are citizens of the United States who can trace their ancestry to Ireland. A total of 36,278,332 Americans—estimated at 11.9% of the total population—reported Irish ancestry in the 2008 American Community Survey conducted by the U.S. Census Bureau. Roughly another 3.5 million (or about another 1.2% of Americans) identified more specifically with Scotch-Irish ancestry. The Irish diaspora population in the United States is roughly 6 times the modern population of Ireland.
The only self-reported ancestral group larger than Irish Americans is German Americans. The Irish are widely dispersed in terms of geography, and demographics. Irish American political leaders have played a major role in local and national politics since before the American Revolutionary War: eight Irish Americans signed the United States Declaration of Independence, and 22 American Presidents, from Andrew Jackson to Barack Obama, have been at least partly of Irish ancestry. (See "American Presidents with Irish ancestry" below.)
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Jeff Sessions
Jefferson Beauregard "Jeff" Sessions III (born December 24, 1946) is the junior United States Senator from Alabama. First elected in 1996, Sessions is a member of the Republican Party. He serves as the ranking minority member on the Senate Budget Committee.
Raised in the town of Hybart in Monroe County, Alabama, Sessions graduated from Huntingdon College in Montgomery and the University of Alabama School of Law. In the 1970s he worked in private practice and rose to the rank of captain in the U.S. Army Reserve. From 1981 to 1993 he served as U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Alabama. President Ronald Reagan nominated him to a judgeship on the United States District Court for the Southern District of Alabama in 1986, but the Senate confirmation failed after it was alleged that he had made racist remarks to a colleague. Sessions was elected to Attorney General of Alabama in 1994. He was elected to the U.S. Senate in 1996 and easily re-elected in 2002 and 2008. He and his colleague Richard Shelby are the state's first two-term Republican Senators since Reconstruction.
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Jo Bonner
Josiah Robins "Jo" Bonner, Jr. (born November 19, 1959), is the U.S. Representative for Alabama's 1st congressional district, having served since 2003. He is a member of the Republican Party.
Bonner was born in Selma, Alabama (but was reared in Camden, Alabama), to Josiah Robins Bonner, Sr., and the former Imogene Virginia Lyons. He graduated in 1982 with a degree in journalism from the University of Alabama in Tuscaloosa.
Two years later he started working as campaign press secretary for U.S. Congressman Sonny Callahan, a Republican representing Alabama's 1st congressional district. In 1989, Bonner was promoted to Callahan's chief of staff and moved to Mobile.
Bonner has served as a member of the board of directors for the Mobile Area Chamber of Commerce, Rotary Club, Leadership Mobile, and the Mobile Chapter of the University of Alabama Alumni Association. In 2000, the College of Communications at the University of Alabama honored him as their Outstanding Alumnus in Public Relations. He was a member of Leadership Mobile, Class of 2000, where his classmates elected him co-president.
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John R. Swanton
John Reed Swanton (February 19, 1873 – May 2, 1958) was an American anthropologist and linguist who worked with Native American peoples throughout the United States. Swanton achieved recognition in the fields of ethnology and ethnohistory. He is particularly noted for his work with indigenous peoples of the Southeast and Pacific Northwest.
Born in Gardiner, Maine, Swanton attended local schools and then entered Harvard University. He earned a Masters in 1897 and a doctorate in 1900. His mentor at Harvard was Frederic Ward Putnam. He studied linguistics with Franz Boas at Columbia University in 1898 and 1899.
Following his education, Swanton first did fieldwork in the Northwest. In his early career, he worked mostly with the Tlingit and Haida. He produced two extensive compilations of Haida stories and myths, and transcribed many of them into Haida. These transcriptions have served as the basis for Robert Bringhurst's recent (1999) translation of the poetry of Haida mythtellers Skaay and Gandl. Swanton spent roughly a year with the Haida.
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Kay Ivey
Kay Ellen Ivey (born October 15, 1944) is a Republican politician and formerly served as the 38th Alabama State Treasurer. Ivey is the 30th and current Lieutenant Governor of Alabama, since January 2011.
Ivey was born in Camden, Wilcox County, Alabama in 1944. She graduated from Auburn University. She has worked as a high school teacher, a bank officer and as Assistant Director of the Alabama Development Office. In 1982, Ivey had run unsuccessfully for State Auditor as a Democrat. She was Director of Government Affairs and Communications for the Alabama Commission on Higher Education from 1985 until 1998.
Ivey took office as State Treasurer in 2003, after defeating Stephen Black, the grandson of former United States Supreme Court Justice Hugo Black, in the 2002 general election, by a margin of 52–48%. In 2006, Ivey was re-elected over Democrat Steve Segrest by a 60–40% margin. She was the first Republican elected State Treasurer since Reconstruction.
As Treasurer, Ivey put the sources of state’s billions of dollars in tax revenue, as well as the state's total expenditures, online for public view. She updated the office's technology, trimmed the payroll and adopted private-sector management techniques. As a result, Treasurer Ivey saved the taxpayer nearly five million dollars in administrative costs during her term.
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Korean War
The Korean War (Korean: 한국전쟁 or 조선전쟁, Hanja: 韓國戰爭 or 朝鮮戰爭; 25 June 1950 – 27 July 1953) was a war between the Republic of Korea (supported primarily by the United States of America, with contributions from allied nations under the aegis of the United Nations) and the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (supported by the People's Republic of China, with military and material aid from the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics). The Korean War was primarily the result of the political division of Korea by an agreement of the victorious Allies at the conclusion of the Pacific War at the end of World War II. The Korean Peninsula was ruled by the Empire of Japan from 1910 until the end of World War II. Following the surrender of the Empire of Japan in September 1945, American administrators divided the peninsula along the 38th parallel, with U.S. military forces occupying the southern half and Soviet military forces occupying the northern half.
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Mesoamerica
Mesoamerica (Spanish: Mesoamérica) is a region and cultural area in the Americas, extending approximately from central Mexico to Belize, Guatemala, El Salvador, Honduras, Nicaragua, and northern Costa Rica, within which a number of pre-Columbian societies flourished before the Spanish colonization of the Americas in the 15th and 16th centuries.
As a cultural area, Mesoamerica is defined by a mosaic of cultural traits developed and shared by its indigenous cultures. Beginning as early as 7000 BC the domestication of maize, beans, squash and chili, as well as the turkey and dog, caused a transition from paleo-Indian hunter-gatherer tribal grouping to the organization of sedentary agricultural villages. In the subsequent formative period, agriculture and cultural traits such as a complex mythological and religious tradition, a vigesimal numeric system, and a complex calendric system, a tradition of ball playing, and a distinct architectural style, were diffused through the area. Also in this period villages began to become socially stratified and develop into chiefdoms with the development of large ceremonial centers, interconnected by a network of trade routes for the exchange of luxury goods such as obsidian, jade, cacao, cinnabar, Spondylus shells, hematite, and ceramics. While Mesoamerican civilization did know of the wheel and basic metallurgy, neither of these technologies became culturally important.
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Mike D. Rogers
Michael Dennis "Mike" Rogers (born July 16, 1958), is the U.S. Representative for Alabama's 3rd congressional district, serving since 2003. He is a member of the Republican Party.
A fifth generation resident of Calhoun County in East Alabama, Rogers graduated from Saks High School and earned both his undergraduate degree in Political Science and Masters of Public Administration at Jacksonville State University in Jacksonville, Alabama.
At 28 years old, Rogers became the youngest person and first Republican to join the Calhoun County Commission. While serving on the Commission and working for the United Way, Rogers enrolled at the Birmingham School of Law along with his wife, Beth, and upon graduating with honors began a general law practice in Anniston. Three years later he started his own firm, which grew to become Anniston's largest.[citation needed]
In 1994 he won a seat in the Alabama House of Representatives, and became Minority leader in his second term there. In 2002, Bob Riley successfully ran for governor, leaving the 3rd district vacant. Democrats had reapportioned the seat and the black population of the district had increased from 25% to 32% as a result. Rogers easily won the Republican nomination. In the general election, he faced Democratic veteran Joe Turnham, Jr., who had served three years as state party chairman and had run against Riley in the congressional election in 1998.
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Perry O. Hooper, Sr.
Perry Oliver Hooper, Sr. (born April 8, 1925, in Birmingham, Alabama), is an American jurist who served as the twenty-seventh Chief Justice of the Alabama Supreme Court from 1995 to 2001. He was the first Republican since Reconstruction to have been elected to his state's highest court.
Hooper attended Birmingham Southern College and the University of Alabama School of Law in Tuscaloosa after service in the United States Marine Corps. After receipt of his Juris Doctor degree at UA, he entered private practice. In 1964, during the Barry Goldwater sweep of Alabama, Hooper was elected probate judge of Montgomery County, the first Republican to have been elected to that position since the 19th century. He continued as the probate judge until 1974, when was elected Circuit Judge of Alabama's 15th Judicial Circuit. In 1983, he returned to private practice.
In 1968, Hooper was the Republican nominee for the United States Senate for the open seat vacated by retiring Democrat Lister Hill. He received 201,277 votes (24 percent) to 638,774 (76 percent) for the Democratic nominee, former Lieutenant Governor James B. Allen, a conservative whose views were similar to those of Hooper. Still Hooper polled 54,304 more votes in his statewide race than did his party's presidential nominee, Richard M. Nixon. Hooper narrowly held his home county of Montgomery and fared best among upper-income whites, having received two thirds of the vote in higher socio-economic precincts in both Montgomery and Birmingham. Lower-income whites, conversely, supported Allen by a wide margin. In eleven of the state's sixty-seven counties, Hooper failed to reach double digits. Years later, Hooper recalled that many voters "didn't know" that he was in the race: "They only knew that George Wallace was carrying the banner [for President]... People didn't dislike Nixon, they just like Wallace, who sounded... Republican," Hooper said.
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Pre-Columbian era
The pre-Columbian era incorporates all period subdivisions in the history and prehistory of the Americas before the appearance of significant European influences on the American continents, spanning the time of the original settlement in the Upper Paleolithic period to European colonization during the Early Modern period.
While the phrase "pre-Columbian era" literally refers only to the time preceding Christopher Columbus's voyages of 1492, in practice the phrase usually is used to denote the entire history of American indigenous cultures until those cultures were conquered or significantly influenced by Europeans, even if this happened decades or centuries after Columbus's first landing. For this reason the alternative terms of Pre-Colonial Americas or Prehistoric Americas are also in use. In areas of Hispanic America the term usually used is Pre-Hispanic.
Many pre-Columbian civilizations established hallmarks which included permanent settlements, cities, agriculture, civic and monumental architecture, major earthworks, and complex societal hierarchies. Some of these civilizations had long faded by the time of the first permanent European arrivals (c. late 15th–early 16th centuries), and are known only through archaeological investigations. Others were contemporary with the colonial period, and were described in historical accounts of the time. A few, such as the Maya, had their own written records. Because most Christian Europeans of the time viewed such texts as heretical, they destroyed many texts in pyres. Only a few hidden documents have survived, giving modern historians glimpses of ancient culture and knowledge.
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Richard Shelby
Richard Craig Shelby (born May 6, 1934) is the senior United States Senator from Alabama. First elected to the Senate in 1986, he is the ranking member of the United States Senate Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs and was its chairman from 2003 to 2007.
Born in Birmingham, Alabama, Shelby received his law degree from the University of Alabama in Tuscaloosa, where he went on to serve as city prosecutor (1963–1971). During this period he worked as a U.S. Magistrate for the Northern District of Alabama (1966–1970) and Special Assistant Attorney General of Alabama (1969–1971). He won a seat in the Alabama Senate in 1970. In 1978 he was elected to the United States House of Representatives from the 7th District, where he was among a group of conservative Democrats known as the boll weevils. Shelby won a tight race in 1986 for the U.S. Senate. Originally elected as a Democrat, Shelby switched to the Republican Party in 1994 when Republicans gained the majority in Congress midway through President Bill Clinton's first term. He was re-elected by a large margin in 1998 and has faced no significant electoral opposition since.
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Robert Aderholt
Robert Brown Aderholt (born July 22, 1965) is the U.S. Representative for Alabama's 4th congressional district, serving since 1997. He is a member of the Republican Party.
The district includes most of the far northern suburbs of Birmingham, as well as the southern suburbs of Huntsville and Decatur.
Aderholt was born in Haleyville, where he still lives, to Mary Frances Brown and Bobby Ray Aderholt. Aderholt's father, a part-time minister for a small group of Congregational churches in northwest Alabama, was a circuit judge for more than 30 years, and his wife's father was a state commissioner and senator. He attended the University of North Alabama and then Birmingham-Southern College where he graduated. During college, Aderholt was a member of Kappa Alpha Order. Aderholt received his J.D. from the Samford University Cumberland School of Law and practiced law after graduation. In 1992, Aderholt was appointed Haleyville municipal judge, and in 1995 become the top aide to Governor Fob James. With that experience, he won the Republican primary in the race to succeed 15-term Democratic incumbent Tom Bevill, who retired from Congress in 1996. Aderholt also endorsed a candidate for circuit judgeship in Blount County, Steven King. Though the move was controversial, King won the judgeship. Aderholt was subsequently criticized by many for endorsing someone that was not from his own district.
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Robert J. Bentley
Robert Julian Bentley (born February 3, 1943) is an American politician, medical doctor, and the 53rd and current Governor of Alabama. He assumed the governorship on January 17, 2011, having defeated Democrat Ron Sparks, the outgoing Alabama Commissioner of Agriculture, in the 2010 Alabama gubernatorial election. Bentley received just over 58% of the statewide vote and won by a margin of over 230,000 votes.
Bentley is a native of Columbiana, Alabama, in Shelby County. His parents, Mattie Boyd (née Vick) and David Harford Bentley, did not complete school past junior high. Bentley grew up in Columbiana, where he was a member of Shelby County High School's 1961 state championship debate team, and he became student body president in his senior year of high school.
After graduating from Shelby County High School at the top of his class, Bentley enrolled at the University of Alabama in Tuscaloosa. While at Alabama, Bentley majored in Chemistry and Biology and graduated with his Bachelor of Science degree in three years.
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Sam Jones (mayor)
Samuel Leon Jones is serving his first term as mayor of his hometown, Mobile, Alabama. He is Mobile's first African American mayor. He ran on a platform of safety, efficient government, historic preservation and bringing employers to the city.
Jones is a graduate of Central High School and attended Florida Junior College and Jacksonville University in Jacksonville, Florida. He spent nine years in the United States Navy, where he served aboard the aircraft carrier USS Forrestal. While he was in the military, his commanding officer was John McCain. He next served as the executive director of Mobile Community Action, Inc. from 1980 until 1987. He was elected to four terms as a Mobile County Commissioner before being elected Mayor of Mobile in September 2005.
Media related to Sam Jones (mayor) at Wikimedia Commons
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Spencer Bachus
Spencer Thomas Bachus III (born December 28, 1947) is the U.S. Representative for Alabama's 6th congressional district, serving since 1993. He is a member of the Republican Party and the senior member of the Alabama U.S. House delegation. The district includes most of the wealthier portions of Birmingham and Tuscaloosa, along with most of their suburbs. In 2012, his record of stock and option trades (including during the 2008 financial crisis) drew scrutiny and accusations of insider trading, charges that he was subsequently cleared of by the Office of Congressional Ethics.
Bachus was born in Birmingham to Edith Wells and Spencer Thomas Bachus, Jr. He currently lives in Vestavia Hills, a Birmingham suburb. He graduated from Auburn University in 1969 where he became a member of the Phi Kappa Tau fraternity. He served in the Alabama National Guard from 1969 to 1971, during the Vietnam War, while attending law school; he earned a Juris Doctor degree from the University of Alabama Law School in 1972. Prior to his political career, he owned a sawmill and practiced law until 1992.
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Tommy Battle
Tommy Battle is the mayor of Huntsville, Alabama. His term began November 3, 2008.
Battle served one term on the Huntsville City Council from 1984-1988. He made an unsuccessful run for mayor in 1988. Battle moved to Huntsville in 1980 to operate Britling's Buffet, which he sold in 1989. Battle owns or is managing partner in several firms in the retail and real estate sectors. He is married to Eula Battle and has one adult son, Drew. Battle is a graduate of the University of Alabama, from which he holds a B.S. degree in business.
Battle announced his candidacy against incumbent Mayor Loretta Spencer on March 26, 2008. In his campaign, he sharply attacked Spencer on several issues. Among these were cost overruns and delays on a city jail constructed in Spencer's term; the city's controversial involvement in the relocation of a downtown rescue mission into a residential neighborhood; and what Battle claimed was inequitable treatment of some city neighborhoods, particularly minority areas. Prior to the first round of voting, Spencer was endorsed by The Huntsville Times. The Committee of 100, a prominent group of business leaders, issued a joint endorsement of Battle and Spencer.
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Vietnam War
The Vietnam War was a Cold War-era military conflict that occurred in Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia from 1 November 1955 to the fall of Saigon on 30 April 1975. This war followed the First Indochina War and was fought between North Vietnam, supported by its communist allies, and the government of South Vietnam, supported by the United States and other anti-communist countries. The Viet Cong (also known as the National Liberation Front, or NLF), a lightly armed South Vietnamese communist-controlled common front, largely fought a guerrilla war against anti-communist forces in the region. The Vietnam People's Army (North Vietnamese Army) engaged in a more conventional war, at times committing large units into battle. U.S. and South Vietnamese forces relied on air superiority and overwhelming firepower to conduct search and destroy operations, involving ground forces, artillery, and airstrikes.
The U.S. government viewed involvement in the war as a way to prevent a communist takeover of South Vietnam as part of their wider strategy of containment. The North Vietnamese government and Viet Cong viewed the conflict as a colonial war, fought initially against France, backed by the U.S., and later against South Vietnam, which it regarded as a U.S. puppet state. American military advisors arrived in what was then French Indochina beginning in 1950. U.S. involvement escalated in the early 1960s, with troop levels tripling in 1961 and tripling again in 1962. U.S. combat units were deployed beginning in 1965. Operations spanned international borders, with Laos and Cambodia heavily bombed. American involvement in the war peaked in 1968, at the time of the Tet Offensive. After this, U.S. ground forces were gradually withdrawn as part of a policy known as Vietnamization. Despite the Paris Peace Accords, signed by all parties in January 1973, fighting continued.
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White American
White Americans are people of the United States who are considered or consider themselves White. The United States Census Bureau defines White people as those "having origins in any of the original peoples of Europe, the Middle East, or North Africa. It includes people who reported “White” or wrote in entries such as Irish, German, Italian, Lebanese, Near Easterner, Arab, or Polish." Like all official U.S. racial categories, "White" has a "Not Hispanic or Latino" and a "Hispanic or Latino" component, the latter consisting mostly of White Mexican Americans and white Cuban Americans. The term "Caucasian" is often used interchangeably with "White", despite the fact they are not synonymous.
German Americans (16.5%), Irish Americans (11.9%), English Americans (9.0%), Italian Americans (5.8%), French Americans (4%), Polish Americans (3%), Scottish Americans (1.9%), Dutch Americans (1.6%), Norwegian Americans (1.5%), and Swedish Americans (1.4%) constitute the ten largest White American ancestries. Whites constitute the majority, with a total of 223,553,265 or 72.4% of the population in the 2010 United States Census.
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Yazoo tribe
The Yazoo were a tribe of the Native American Tunica people historically located on the lower course of Yazoo River, Mississippi. It was closely connected to other Tunica peoples, especially the Tunica, Koroa, and possibly the Tioux.
Nothing is definitely known concerning their language, believed to be related to Tunica, a language isolate. In 1699 Father Antone Davion, of the Quebec Seminary of Foreign Missions, established a mission among the Tunica. He also reached out to allied tribes, such as the Taensa. The Yazoo, however, like the Chickasaw were under the influence of the English traders from Carolina. In 1702 they aided the Koroa in killing Father Nicholas Foucault and three French companions. The seminary temporarily withdrew Father Davion from the area.
In 1718 the French established a fort near the village of St. Pierre to command the river. In 1722 the young Jesuit Father Jean Rouel was given the Yazoo mission, near the French post. He remained there until the outbreak of the Natchez War in 1729.
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Tuscaloosa Alabama Tornado April 27, 2011
- Order: Reorder
- Duration: 8:15
- Updated: 18 Nov 2012
Live TV coverage by James Spann and Jason Simpson of ABC 33/40 of a violent EF-4 tornado in Tuscaloosa, Alabama on April 27, 2011. The tornado caused extensive damage beginning in the Southwest part of Tuscaloosa and tracked Northeast into a heavily populated section of Tuscaloosa missing The University of Alabama campus by only a few hundred yards. This tornado ranks as among the deadliest in Alabama history with over 65 confirmed fatalities in its 80 mile track from Southwest of Tuscaloosa to just Northeast of downtown Birmingham. This tornado injured over 1000 people in its path. Recovery and rebuilding will surely take years. Sustained winds ranged from 165 - 200 miles per hour.
http://wn.com/Tuscaloosa_Alabama_Tornado_April_27,_2011
4/27/11 - Tuscaloosa Tornado
- Order: Reorder
- Duration: 7:46
- Updated: 24 Nov 2012
This video is from the EF4 tornado that went through Tuscaloosa, AL on 4/27/11. It was taken from the University Mall parking lot. Probably the closest video to the storm your going to see. www.tuscaloosanews.com www.youtube.com blog.al.com
http://wn.com/4_27_11_Tuscaloosa_Tornado
Rose Towers Implosion - Tuscaloosa, AL - 7/4/2012
- Order: Reorder
- Duration: 1:57
- Updated: 06 Jul 2012
http://wn.com/Rose_Towers_Implosion_Tuscaloosa,_AL_7_4_2012
One Year Later - Tuscaloosa, Alabama Tornado Response - Samaritan's Purse
- Order: Reorder
- Duration: 4:33
- Updated: 02 Nov 2012
Samaritan's Purse has been working in Tuscaloosa, Alabama since the April 2011 tornadoes. To learn more about our rebuild projects visit ar.gy
http://wn.com/One_Year_Later_Tuscaloosa,_Alabama_Tornado_Response_Samaritan's_Purse
Charlie Sheen Visits Tuscaloosa, AL
- Order: Reorder
- Duration: 2:33
- Updated: 15 Nov 2012
After hearing about the damage done to Tuscaloosa by the recent tornados, Charlie Sheen showed his support by traveling to the city to offer as much help as possible.
http://wn.com/Charlie_Sheen_Visits_Tuscaloosa,_AL
Tuscaloosa, Alabama Terrorized by Tornadoes, Hundreds Dead
- Order: Reorder
- Duration: 2:15
- Updated: 15 Nov 2012
Terrifying video reveals deadly size and destruction of massive tornado. For more unbelievable tornado video, go here: abcn.ws For the FULL 'GMA' Episode, click here: abcnews.go.com
http://wn.com/Tuscaloosa,_Alabama_Terrorized_by_Tornadoes,_Hundreds_Dead
April 27 2011 Tuscaloosa Alabama Tornado Damage Aerial View
- Order: Reorder
- Duration: 8:48
- Updated: 06 Nov 2012
If you would like to help those affected by Wednesday's storms, the American Red Cross and the Campaign for Liberty are accepting donations in a couple of ways. secure.campaignforliberty.com Make out your check to "American Red Cross - Neighbors in Need", and mail it to: American Red Cross - Neighbors in Need 300 Chase Park South Hoover Alabama 35244 If you prefer to make a donation on-line, please visit www.alredcross.org Tuscaloosa tornado damage, shot by Bill Castle of ABC 33 in Birmingham. This is part 1 of 4 uploaded so far by abc3340 www.youtube.com I have posted links below to more footage, and their page has even more. Part 2 here: www.youtube.com Part 3: www.youtube.com Part 4: www.youtube.com Birmingham AL Aerials: www.youtube.com Pratt City Aerials: www.youtube.com I would like to thank James Spann for his tireless coverage last night during these events. I'm sure the other networks did a great job too, but everyone around here knows to turn to James Spann when the SHTF. Tornadoes whipped up by wind, not climate change: www.france24.com FAIR USE STATEMENT This youtube page may contain copyrighted material the use of which has not always been specifically authorized by the copyright owner. I am making such material available in an effort to advance understanding of environmental, political, human rights, economic, democracy, scientific, and social justice issues, etc. I believe this constitutes a 'fair use' of any such copyrighted material as provided for in ...
http://wn.com/April_27_2011_Tuscaloosa_Alabama_Tornado_Damage_Aerial_View
Crimson Student Living | Tuscaloosa AL Apartments | Campus Advantage
- Order: Reorder
- Duration: 1:19
- Updated: 01 Jun 2012
www.LiveCrimson.com Tuscaloosa Luxury Apartments for Rent | Crimson Student Living Campus Advantage, Inc. Crimson Student Living 1100 17th St Tuscaloosa, AL 35401 (888) 457-1105 Discover the best in Tuscaloosa, at Crimson Student Living, a great student apartment community, under new management and just minutes from the University of Alabama. We've merged the hottest amenities with the coolest location -- just in reach of campus, shopping and nightlife. Live well in spacious, fully furnished one-, two-, three-, or four-bedroom apartment homes. We lease by the bed, so you can rent the entire apartment with friends, or use our roommate-matching program. Inside, you'll find amazing features like open kitchens, upgraded flooring options, large walk-in closets, and individual baths in each bedroom, even a 42" flat screen TV in the living area and washers and dryers in every home. Study hard at Jitters, our Internet café and gourmet coffee bar, or in our study rooms or computer lab. Look your best in the 24-hour fitness center with spin bikes and free tanning. Relax around the ultimate lounge pool and sundeck, get in a game of sand volleyball or basketball, grill out at the barbecue pits, or, spend some time with furry friends at the onsite pet park. Crimson's free shuttle service, Tide Ride, will take you right to the University of Alabama campus in style. Check us out at http or on at www.facebook.com Search for more Apartments For Rent Nationwide www.campusadv.com Google Map ...
http://wn.com/Crimson_Student_Living_|_Tuscaloosa_AL_Apartments_|_Campus_Advantage
Guy With Gun Shoots Up a Bar in Tuscaloosa Alabama Leaves 17 Hurt
- Order: Reorder
- Duration: 1:00
- Updated: 07 Sep 2012
Police say multiple people were wounded when a gunman opened fire at a bar in Tuscaloosa, home to the University of Alabama. A hospital spokesman said 17 people were being treated early Tuesday but was not sure if all of them were injured by gunfire. Two of them were admitted for critical care. City police Sgt. Brent Blankley tells The Associated Press that "multiple people were shot" at the Copper Top bar around 12:30 am Tuesday. Blankley said no arrests had been made. But surveillance video released by police showed a man described as a suspect. He is seen from the back as he walks down a sidewalk with what appears to be a gun in one hand. Police declined to release more details until a news conference.
http://wn.com/Guy_With_Gun_Shoots_Up_a_Bar_in_Tuscaloosa_Alabama_Leaves_17_Hurt
Tuscaloosa, Alabama, tornado - One year later
- Order: Reorder
- Duration: 20:48
- Updated: 05 Sep 2012
A drive through Tuscaloosa a year after the April 27, 2011, tornado. Recorded on April 22, 2012.
http://wn.com/Tuscaloosa,_Alabama,_tornado_One_year_later
Kelly Clarkson "We Are Young" Tuscaloosa AL Sept. 14 2012K
- Order: Reorder
- Duration: 4:35
- Updated: 20 Nov 2012
BE ADVISED: These are videos taken with a amateur camera with ambient audio. KELLY CLARKSON, LIVE AND IN PERSON, SOUNDS 10 TIMES BETTER THAN SHE SOUNDS ON THIS VIDEO, AND SHE SOUNDS INCREDIBLE ON THIS VIDEO. :) Stronger Tour 2nd Leg Tuscaloosa Amphitheater Alabama
http://wn.com/Kelly_Clarkson_We_Are_Young_Tuscaloosa_AL_Sept_14_2012K
Tuscaloosa, Alabama
- Order: Reorder
- Duration: 6:50
- Updated: 18 Nov 2012
Interstate 20 Westbound near Tuscaloosa, Alabama Taken from the BigRigTravels.com Video Vault
http://wn.com/Tuscaloosa,_Alabama
Yu Gi Oh Vlog 7- Tuscaloosa, AL Regionals Was A Fail!
- Order: Reorder
- Duration: 20:12
- Updated: 21 Nov 2012
Sorry about the lame video. The so called "Judge" that wasn't even a real judge (all he did was pick up trash) said I can't have a camera during the tournament.The konami rule book says nothing about have a camera on you. I could film before the tournament, during breaks, and after the tournament.
http://wn.com/Yu_Gi_Oh_Vlog_7_Tuscaloosa,_AL_Regionals_Was_A_Fail!
Midtown Village Tuscaloosa, Alabama
- Order: Reorder
- Duration: 1:09
- Updated: 25 Sep 2012
Welcome to Midtown Village in Tuscaloosa, Alabama. Midtown Village is home to several retailers and restaurants like Alumni Hall, Charming Charlie, Chico's, Christopher & Banks, CJ Banks, Coldwater Creek, Eyemart, GameStop, Gigi's Cupcakes, Iguana Grill, IO Metro, JoS. A. Bank, Justice for Girls, Kabel Hearing, Kinnucan's, Kirkland's, Kobe Steakhouse, Lane Bryant, LOFT, LongHorn Steakhouse, Midtown Nails, MovieStop, New York & Company, Panera Bread, Portrait Innovations, Shades, The Athlete's Foot, The Mattress Firm, TL Signature Salon, Tuscaloosa Nails & Spa, Wings U, Starbucks and SportClips.
http://wn.com/Midtown_Village_Tuscaloosa,_Alabama
Raw Video: Massive Tornado in Tuscaloosa, Ala.
- Order: Reorder
- Duration: 0:35
- Updated: 16 Nov 2012
Storm chasers captured the massive tornado that leveled Tuscaloosa, Alabama. Storms across the South have killed at least 178 people. (April 28)
http://wn.com/Raw_Video_Massive_Tornado_in_Tuscaloosa,_Ala
Luke Bryan - Someone Like You/Do I - Tuscaloosa, AL 4.13.2012
- Order: Reorder
- Duration: 6:57
- Updated: 19 Nov 2012
Luke Bryan Someone Like You/Do I Tuscaloosa Amphitheater Tuscaloosa, AL Friday, April 13, 2012
http://wn.com/Luke_Bryan_Someone_Like_You_Do_I_Tuscaloosa,_AL_4132012
Tuscaloosa, Alabama - World's Largest Simultaneous Flash Mob - Visalus 720p.mov
- Order: Reorder
- Duration: 7:58
- Updated: 03 May 2012
Tuscaloosa, Alabama - April 28, 2012 - ViSalus Sciences - World's Largest Simultaneous Flash Mob - www.GetFit90.com
http://wn.com/Tuscaloosa,_Alabama_World's_Largest_Simultaneous_Flash_Mob_Visalus_720pmov
Krispy Kreme - Grand Re Opening - Tuscaloosa AL, FilmDog Media
- Order: Reorder
- Duration: 1:29
- Updated: 09 Nov 2012
People stayed out all night waiting to be the first to get fresh glazed doughnuts at the Tuscaloosa, AL Krispy Kreme on McFarland Blvd. The new store was re built after the devastating April 27th Tornado which affected some 700 businesses. Look for the whole story on MSN.com Business on Main Web TV show soon!
http://wn.com/Krispy_Kreme_Grand_Re_Opening_Tuscaloosa_AL,_FilmDog_Media
Tornado in Tuscaloosa, Alabama
- Order: Reorder
- Duration: 3:07
- Updated: 08 Sep 2012
Tuscaloosa, AL
http://wn.com/Tornado_in_Tuscaloosa,_Alabama
Anointed Brown Sisters Tuscaloosa, AL
- Order: Reorder
- Duration: 5:46
- Updated: 13 Nov 2012
Crystal leading Prayer will Win @ the Sistaz of Faith 9th yr. anniversary Sunday, April 15, 2012
http://wn.com/Anointed_Brown_Sisters_Tuscaloosa,_AL
MRS.MADRAM11 VS TAHOES NEW SYSTEM! - ROAD TRIP DEMOS TUSCALOOSA,AL
- Order: Reorder
- Duration: 2:48
- Updated: 18 Nov 2012
for a chance to win a free DOWN4SOUND tshirt like there facebook page and post JP SENT ME ON THERE WALL! AND YOU will be entered! GOOD LUCK! Follow us on Facebook at www.facebook.com So as we progress further towards home I stop by and surprise some good friends of mine cole and lori shirley with madram11 productions and spent some time with them. Lori wanted her FREE demo lol well actually she traded me a ride in there rock crawling buggy for a demo in my tahoe! So now that she got her end of the deal its my turn to get my ride in there awesome buggy! Be sure to go check out there videos here and subscribe www.youtube.com I appreciate you watching and your support! Be sure to thumbs up and Favorite the video =D Share with your friends! Steady bringing you the best demos! Long time viewers finally getting to hear it first and and all of them approve! So if your ever at a show I am, come see what you think! www.down4sound.com www.twitter.com A ton of more videos to come so stay tuned! MY ORIGINAL FACEBOOK FRIENDS IS MAXED OUT! PLEASE LIKE MY FAN PAGE- www.facebook.com Be sure to thumbs up and Favorite the video =D Share with your friends! Steady bringing you the best demos! Long time viewers finally getting to hear it first and and all of them approve! So if your ever at a show I am, come see what you think! www.down4sound.com www.twitter.com Headliner And Seats Done By Precision Window Tint Seats and Stuff In KNoxville, Tn www.facebook.com Alternators/Custom Bracket ...
http://wn.com/MRSMADRAM11_VS_TAHOES_NEW_SYSTEM!_ROAD_TRIP_DEMOS_TUSCALOOSA,AL
Portrait of the Storm: Tuscaloosa, AL (Spring 2011)
- Order: Reorder
- Duration: 5:05
- Updated: 27 Apr 2012
Created by Xavier Burgin forCMF3D in 2011 as part of the CMF Distinguished Filmmaker's Network using Panasonic technology. Note: you need to choose a 3D option to view the movie properly on your computer. Campus MovieFest is the world's largest student film festival. CMF3D is the world's first 3D film festival and is powered by Panasonic. Visit www.cmf3d.com for more info and to make your own 3D movie.
http://wn.com/Portrait_of_the_Storm_Tuscaloosa,_AL_Spring_2011
Tuscaloosa, AL Natural Disaster: Mile Wide Tornadoes Slam Homes
- Order: Reorder
- Duration: 4:23
- Updated: 23 Nov 2012
Tornadoes wipe out homes and lives in Alabama, Mississippi, Georgia, and Tennessee. Watch full coverage: abcnews.go.com
http://wn.com/Tuscaloosa,_AL_Natural_Disaster_Mile_Wide_Tornadoes_Slam_Homes
photo: AP
23 Nov 2012
Article by WN.com Correspondent Dallas Darling. I was fortunate to have been raised near an American Indian archaeological spot located on the Great Plains. In elementary school, a fellow classmate would periodically bring and show grinding stones, arrow- and spearheads, stone farming implements, and pictures of what the excavated site may have...(size: 7.1Kb)
photo: AP / Egyptian Presidency
23 Nov 2012
Opposition groups in Egypt have called for mass protests on Friday against President Mohammed Mursi's decree that gives him sweeping powers. They have described his move as a "coup against legitimacy" and accused the president of appointing himself Egypt's "new pharaoh". The decree states that the president's decisions cannot be revoked by any...(size: 4.6Kb)
photo: AP / Emilio Morenatti
22 Nov 2012
A new battle is underway in Pakistan with its powerful military front-and-centre, but the fight is not against armed insurgents or ideological extremists - this opponent is a muscle-flexing Supreme Court. For the first time in decades, the military's iron grip over the South Asian country has been challenged, and it remains to be seen if it will...(size: 23.7Kb)
photo: WN / Ahmed Deeb
23 Nov 2012
Israel and Hamas are seeking to solidify an Egyptian and US-brokered cease-fire halting eight days of aerial assaults that ravaged the Gaza Strip and made Tel Aviv a missile target. Announcing the truce in Cairo last night alongside Egypt's foreign minister, Secretary of State Hillary Clinton promised U.S. assistance in seeking to "improve...(size: 5.4Kb)
photo: AP / Mohammed Asad
24 Nov 2012
Cairo. President Mohamed Morsi insisted on Friday that Egypt is on the path to “freedom and democracy” after granting himself sweeping powers, which sparked clashes between his supporters and foes and raised concerns abroad. “Political stability, social stability and economic stability are what I want and that is what I am working for,” he told a...(size: 4.8Kb)
Sporting News
25 Nov 2012
Alabama absolutely hammered Auburn, 49-0, in the Iron Bowl. Georgia dumped Georgia Tech (quite literally if you saw Alec Ogletree body slam Tech running back Robert Godhigh) in a 42-10 blowout. Neither saw any resistance in their annual rivalry game, setting up an easy path to the SEC Championship bout in Atlanta next week. MORE: Box score | Play...(size: 3.4Kb)
CNN
25 Nov 2012
TUSCALOOSA, Ala. (AP) -- No. 2 Alabama really owns the state now. AJ McCarron passed for four touchdowns and Eddie Lacy rushed for 131 yards and two scores to lead the Crimson Tide to a 49-0 beatdown of rival Auburn on Saturday in the most lopsided Iron Bowl in 64 years. The Crimson Tide...(size: 1.9Kb)
Newsday
25 Nov 2012
Galleries TUSCALOOSA, Ala. -- No. 2 Alabama really owns the state now. AJ McCarron passed for four touchdowns and Eddie Lacy rushed for 131 yards and two scores to lead to a 49-0 beatdown of rival Auburn on Saturday in the most lopsided Iron Bowl in 64 years....(size: 7.6Kb)
Chicago Tribune
25 Nov 2012
TUSCALOOSA, Ala. -- When fans think back to the 2012 version of the rivalry game known as the Iron Bowl, the image of an anvil should come to mind. As in the University of Alabama grabbing one and dropping it squarely on Auburn. With junior quarterback AJ McCarron throwing four touchdown passes and junior running back Eddie Lacy tallying 131...(size: 3.9Kb)
Star Tribune
25 Nov 2012
TUSCALOOSA, Ala. - Auburn coach Gene Chizik wasn't interested in publicly making his own case to keep the job — especially after what happened on the field. The Tigers didn't make much of a statement in falling 49-0 to No. 2 Alabama on Saturday in the most lopsided Iron Bowl in 64 years. "I don't have to make the case," Chizik said after the...(size: 3.7Kb)
Yahoo Daily News
25 Nov 2012
TUSCALOOSA, Ala. (AP)—No. 2 Alabama really owns the state now. AJ McCarron passed for four touchdowns and Eddie Lacy rushed for 131 yards and two...(size: 1.0Kb)
The Charlotte Observer
25 Nov 2012
A.J. McCarron finished 15-of-21 for 217 yards and four touchdowns, as No. 2 Alabama racked up 42 first-half points en route to a 49-0 demolition of rival Auburn...(size: 1.1Kb)
The Salt Lake Tribune
25 Nov 2012
Tuscaloosa, Ala. • No. 2 Alabama really owns the state now. AJ McCarron passed for four touchdowns and Eddie Lacy rushed for 131 yards and two scores to lead the Crimson Tide to a 49-0 beatdown of rival Auburn on Saturday in the most lopsided Iron Bowl in 64 years. Join the Discussion...(size: 2.3Kb)
TSN Canada
25 Nov 2012
TUSCALOOSA, Ala. -- No. 2 Alabama really owns the state now. AJ McCarron passed for four touchdowns and Eddie Lacy rushed...(size: 0.8Kb)
Sun Sentinel
25 Nov 2012
Tuscaloosa, AL — A.J. McCarron finished 15-of-21 for 217 yards and four touchdowns, as No. 2 Alabama racked up 42 first-half points en route to a 49-0 demolition of rival Auburn in the 77th Iron Bowl from Bryant- Denny Stadium. Amari Cooper totaled 110 yards and a pair of scores on five...(size: 1.9Kb)
The Guardian
25 Nov 2012
Seattle Post
25 Nov 2012
FAIRHOPE, Ala. (AP) — The shootout that left one Alabama deputy sheriff dead and another in critical condition on Saturday began when they checked on a man at his mobile home and he opened fire on them, authorities said. Baldwin County Sheriff Huey Mack told AL.com (http://bit.ly/QBWPNG) that gunfire erupted Friday after Michael...(size: 2.2Kb)
STL Today
25 Nov 2012
Georgia, Alabama set for title game The Georgia Bulldogs collected a trophy at midfield for another win over their state rival, then got some encouragement from the governor in their quest for a bigger reward: No. 1. Aaron Murray threw two touchdown passes, Todd Gurley and Keith Marshall each ran for a pair of TDs, and third-ranked Georgia stayed...(size: 4.1Kb)
| City of Tuscaloosa, Alabama[1] | |
|---|---|
| — City — | |
|
|
|
| Nickname(s): Current nicknames are T-Town and The Druid City. Historic nicknames are Athens of Alabama and City of Oaks.[2] | |
 |
|
 Tuscaloosa
|
|
| Coordinates: 33°12′24″N 87°32′5″W / 33.20667°N 87.53472°W / 33.20667; -87.53472 | |
| Country | United States |
| State | Alabama |
| County | Tuscaloosa |
| Incorporated | December 13, 1819 |
| Government | |
| • Type | Mayor-Council |
| • Mayor | Walt Maddox |
| • Council President | Harrison Taylor |
| Area | |
| • City | 70.3 sq mi (182 km2) |
| • Land | 60.2 sq mi (156 km2) |
| • Water | 10.1 sq mi (26 km2) |
| Elevation | 222 ft (68 m) |
| Population (2010)[3][4] | |
| • City | 90,468 |
| • Density | 1,502.8/sq mi (580.2/km2) |
| • Metro | 221,553 |
| Time zone | CST (UTC-6) |
| • Summer (DST) | CDT (UTC-5) |
| ZIP codes | 35401-35407, 35485-35487 |
| Area code(s) | 205 |
| FIPS code | 01-77256 |
| GNIS feature ID | 0153742 |
| Website | www.tuscaloosa.com |
Tuscaloosa (/tʌskəˈluːsə/ TUSK-ə-LOO-sə) is a city in and the seat of Tuscaloosa County in west central Alabama (in the southeastern United States).[5] Located on the Black Warrior River, it is the fifth-largest city in Alabama, with a population of 90,468 in 2010. It is the principal city of the Tuscaloosa Metropolitan Statistical Area, which includes Tuscaloosa, Greene, and Hale counties, and whose estimated metro population in 2012 was 221,553. A former capital of Alabama, Tuscaloosa is named after Tuskaloosa, the chieftain of a Muskogean-speaking people, who battled and was defeated by Hernando de Soto in 1540 in the Battle of Mabila.[6]
Tuscaloosa is the regional center of industry, commerce, healthcare, and education for the area of west-central Alabama known as West Alabama. Tuscaloosa is also the home of the University of Alabama, Stillman College and Shelton State Community College. While the city attracted international attention when Mercedes-Benz announced it would build its first automotive assembly plant in North America in Tuscaloosa County, the University of Alabama remains the dominant economic and cultural engine in the city.
The city has received many quality-of-life accolades. It was named one of the "50 Best Places to Launch a Small Business" in 2009 by Fortune Small Business,[7] and one of the "100 Best Communities for Young People" by America’s Promise Alliance.[8][9] It was named "The Most Liveable City in America" in 2011 by the U.S. Conference of Mayors.[10]
Tuscaloosa has been traditionally known as the "Druid City" because of the numerous water oaks planted in its downtown streets since the 1840s.[2] City leaders adopted the moniker "The City of Champions" after the Alabama Crimson Tide football team won the BCS National Championship game in 2010 and again in 2012. In 2008, the City of Tuscaloosa hosted the USA Olympic Triathlon trails for the Beijing Games.[11]
Contents |
History[link]
Native American[link]
Nearly 12,000 years ago, Native Americans or Paleo-Indians arrived in what today is referred to as the Deep South.[12] Paleo-Indians in the South were hunter-gatherers who pursued the megafauna that became extinct following the end of the Pleistocene age. After thousands of years, the Paleo-Indians developed a rich and complex agricultural society. Archaeologists called these people the Mississippians of the Mississippian culture; they were Mound Builders. Their large earthworks, built for political and religious rituals and expressing their cosmology, still stand throughout the valleys of the Ohio and Mississippi rivers, as well as their tributaries in the Southeast.
See also: Moundville Archaeological Site
Descendant Native American tribes include the Creek. Also among the historical tribes living in the area of present-day Alabama at the time of European contact were the Iroquoian-speaking Cherokee, and the Muskogean-speaking Alabama (Alibamu), Chickasaw, Choctaw, Koasati, and Mobile.[13]
In 1829, Andrew Jackson was elected president of the United States. He had gained popularity when he defeated the Creek at the Battle of Horseshoe Bend in 1814, following victories in the War of 1812. He long proposed Indian removal to the Indian Territory west of the Mississippi, to make land available for European-American settlement.[14] Jackson abandoned the policy of his predecessors of treating different Indian groups as separate nations.[14] Instead, he aggressively pursued plans to move all Indian tribes living east of the Mississippi River.[14] Following the Indian Removal Act, in 1832 the Creek National Council signed the Treaty of Cusseta, ceding their remaining lands east of the Mississippi to the U.S., and accepting relocation to the Indian Territory. Most Muscogee-speaking peoples were removed to Indian Territory during the Trail of Tears in 1834, although some remained behind. Some Muscogee in Alabama live near Poarch Creek Reservation in Atmore (northeast of Mobile).
Statehood[link]
The pace of white settlement in the Southeast increased greatly after the War of 1812. A small assortment of log cabins soon arose near the large Creek village at the fall line of the river, which the new settlers named in honor of the legendary Chief Tuskaloosa of a Muskogean-speaking tribe. In 1817, Alabama became a territory, and on December 13, 1819, the territorial legislature incorporated the town of Tuscaloosa, one day before Congress admitted Alabama to the Union as a state.
From 1826 to 1846, Tuscaloosa was the capital of Alabama. During this period, in 1831, the University of Alabama was established. The town's population and economy grew rapidly until the departure of the capital to Montgomery caused a rapid decline in population. Establishment of the Bryce State Hospital for the Insane in Tuscaloosa in the 1850s helped restore the city's fortunes.
Civil War[link]
During the Civil War following Alabama's secession from the Union, several thousand men from Tuscaloosa fought in the Confederate armies. During the last weeks of the War, a brigade of Union troops raiding the city burned the campus of the university. The larger town was also damaged in the battle and shared fully in the South's economic sufferings which followed the defeat.
In the 1890s the construction of a system of locks and dams on the Black Warrior River by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers opened up an inexpensive link to the Gulf seaport of Mobile, stimulating especially the mining and metallurgical industries of the region. By the advent of the 20th century, the growth of the University of Alabama and the mental health-care facilities in the city, along with a strong national economy fueled a steady growth in Tuscaloosa which continued unabated for 100 years.
Civil rights era[link]
On June 11, 1963, George Wallace, the governor of Alabama, stood in front of the Foster Auditorium entrance at The University of Alabama in what became known as the Stand in the Schoolhouse Door in an attempt to stop desegregation of that institution by the enrollment of two African-American students, Vivian Malone and James Hood; when confronted by US Deputy Attorney General Nicholas Katzenbach and federal marshals sent in by Attorney General Robert F. Kennedy, Wallace stepped aside. President John F. Kennedy had called for the integration of the University of Alabama as well.[15][16]
Although Hood dropped out of school after two months, he subsequently returned and, in 1997, received his Ph.D. in philosophy. Malone persisted in her studies and became the first African American to graduate from the university. In 2000, the university granted her a doctorate of humane letters. Autherine Lucy's expulsion was rescinded in 1980, and she successfully re-enrolled and graduated with a master's degree in 1992. Later in his life, Wallace apologized for his opposition at that time to racial integration.
In 2010, the university formally honored Lucy, Hood and Malone by rechristening the plaza in front of Foster Auditorium as Malone-Hood Plaza and erecting a clock tower – Autherine Lucy Clock Tower – in the plaza.
Manufacturing plants of large firms such as Michelin and JVC located in town during the latter half of the 20th century. However, it was the announcement of the addition of the Mercedes facility in 1993 that best personified the new era of economic prosperity for Tuscaloosa.
2011 Tornado[link]
Main article: 2011 Tuscaloosa-Birmingham tornado
File:Tuscaloosatornadodamage2.jpg
Aftermath of the violent EF4 tornado that hit Tuscaloosa on April 27, 2011
File:Tuscaloosatornadodamage15thstreet1.jpg
Tornado devastation in Tuscaloosa, Alabama along 15th Street, near the intersection of McFarland Boulevard.
On April 27, 2011, Tuscaloosa was hit by a 1.5 mi (2.4 km) wide EF4 tornado that resulted in 64 deaths, over 1500 injuries, and massive devastation.[17][18][19] Its top winds were estimated by the US National Weather Service at 190 mph (310 km/h).[17][20][21] Officials at DCH Regional Medical alone reported treating more than 1000 injured people in the tornado aftermath.[22] Officials reported dozens of unaccompanied minors being admitted for treatment at the hospital, raising questions about the possible loss of their parents. Several were taken to pediatric trauma wards, indicating serious injuries.[22] Referring to the extent and severity of the damage, Mayor Walter Maddox stated that "we have neighborhoods that have been basically removed from the map."[23] The same tornado later went on to cause major damage in the Birmingham area.[19]
File:Tuscaloosatornadodamageneighborhood.jpg
The remains of the Forest Lake neighborhood, one of many leveled by the tornado.
The tornado was part of the larger April 25–28, 2011 tornado outbreak which affected large parts of the eastern United States.
In the immediate aftermath of the tornado, thousands of rescue workers dug through the wreckage looking for survivors and recovering bodies. More than 450 were originally listed as missing in the post-disaster chaos, leading to fears that the death toll could skyrocket to the hundreds and skepticism about the relatively slow fatality figures with respect to the number of casualties. Rumors abounded about refrigerated trucks being brought to store unidentified remains and countless bodies at the bottom of area bodies of water. However, the fatality figure did not increase (in fact, it decreased) and most missing persons were later found to have survived.[24] During this period, The Tuscaloosa News posted an online people finder to aid loved ones and friends in finding one another and to determine who was still missing.[25]
Two days after the storm, US president Barack Obama and Alabama governor Robert Bentley, and their spouses, Michelle Obama and Diane Bentley, respectively, accompanied Mayor Maddox on a tour of the damage and the recovery efforts, along with FEMA Administrator Craig Fugate and several Congressional dignitaries. Remarking about the scale and severity of the damage, Obama stated, "I've never seen devastation like this, it's heartbreaking" after touring the damaged areas.[26] Obama pledged the full resources of the federal government toward aiding the recovery efforts [27] Bentley—himself a Tuscaloosa native—pledged additional national guard troops.
Tuscaloosa Mayor Walt Maddox announced that he was requesting 500 additional National Guard Troops as well as calling for more volunteer aid workers and cadaver teams for the recovery of bodies in order to prevent the spread of disease.[24]
The New York Yankees organization contributed $500,000 to the American Red Cross and Salvation Army to aid in recovery efforts, and the Atlanta Braves organization donated $100,000.[28] Actor Charlie Sheen visited the city to pay his respects on May 2 and donated supplies for relief efforts, along with several other actors, musicians and athletes.[29]
Due to the disaster, on August 6, 2011, the University of Alabama held a delayed graduation ceremony for the class of 2011 and awarded 6 students who died in the tornado posthumous degrees.[30] The cable channel ESPN has also filmed a tribute in memory of the devastation.[31]
Geography and climate[link]
According to the U.S. Census Bureau, Tuscaloosa has a total area of 70.3 square miles (182 km2), of which 60.2 square miles (156 km2) is land and 10.1 square miles (26 km2) is water. Most water within the city limits is in Lake Tuscaloosa, which is entirely in the city limits, and the Black Warrior River.
Tuscaloosa is located at 33°12′24″N 87°32′5″W / 33.20667°N 87.53472°W / 33.20667; -87.53472 (33.206540, -87.534607)[32], approximately 60 miles (97 km) southwest of Birmingham. It lies on the fall line of the Black Warrior River approximately 311 kilometres (193 mi) upriver from the river's confluence with the Tombigbee River at Demopolis. Because of its location on the boundary between the Appalachian Highland and the Gulf Coastal Plain, the geography of the area around Tuscaloosa is diverse, varying from heavily forested hills to the northeast to a low-lying, marshy plain to the southwest.
Cityscape[link]
The six major areas of Tuscaloosa are:
- West Tuscaloosa
- Central Tuscaloosa
- Downtown Tuscaloosa
- The University of Alabama
- Alberta City
- Cottondale
Climate[link]
The area experiences a typical Southern subtropical climate with four distinct seasons. The Gulf of Mexico heavily influences the climate by supplying the region with warm, moist air. During the fall, winter, and spring seasons, the interaction of this warm, moist air with cooler, drier air from the North along fronts create precipitation. These fronts usually move from west to east as they track along the jet stream. Notable exceptions occur during hurricane season where storms may move from due south to due north or even from east to west during land-falling hurricanes. The interaction between low- and high-pressure air masses is most pronounced during the severe weather seasons in the spring and fall. During the summer, the jet streams flows well to the north of the southeastern U.S., and most precipitation is consequently convectional, that is, caused by the warm surface heating the air above. Severe thunderstorms can bring damaging winds, large hail and occasionally tornadoes. A destructive F4 tornado struck Tuscaloosa County in December 2000, killing eleven people. Tuscaloosa City was struck by an F2 Tornado in January 1997 which resulted in the death of one person. In April 2011, two tornadoes in a span of twelve days hit the city, the more devastating on April 27 which was at least an EF4, where over 50 fatalities occurred . According to Mayor Walter Maddox, considerable infrastructure damage was done to the city which will hamper recovery efforts.[33]
| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average high °F (°C) |
58 (15) |
61 (16) |
67 (20) |
77 (26) |
84 (28) |
91 (33) |
93 (34) |
93 (34) |
87 (30) |
78 (25) |
66 (19) |
58 (15) |
76 (24.4) |
| Average low °F (°C) |
35 (2) |
38 (4) |
43 (6) |
51 (10) |
59 (15) |
67 (20) |
70 (21) |
69 (21) |
63 (17) |
51 (11) |
39 (4) |
35 (2) |
52 (11.1) |
| Average rainfall: inches/mm | 5 / 127 |
5.5 140 |
6.1 155 |
4.3 110 |
4.4 113 |
3.4 168 |
4.0 102 |
3.0 76 |
3.3 84 |
2.7 69 |
3.9 99 |
4.7 119 |
50.3 / 1278 |
Source: weatherbase.com
Winter lasts from mid-December to late-February; temperatures range from the mid-20s to the mid-50s. On average, the low temperature falls at freezing or below about 50 days a year. While rain is abundant (an average 5.09 in. per month from Dec.-Feb.), measurable snowfall is rare; the average annual snowfall is about 0.6 inches. Spring usually lasts from late-February to mid-May; temperatures range from the mid-50s to the low-80s and monthly rainfall amounts average about 5.05 in. (128 mm) per month. Summers last from mid-May to mid-September; temperatures range from the upper-60s to the mid-90s, with temperatures above 100°F (37.8°C) not uncommon, and average rainfall dip slightly to 3.97 in. (101 mm) per month. Autumn, which spans from mid-September to early-December, tends to be similar to Spring terms of temperature and precipitation.[34]
The highest temperature to have been recorded at the Tuscaloosa Regional Airport was 107.0°F (41.7°C) on July 29, 1952 & August 10, 2007, while the lowest recorded temperature was -1.0°F (-18.3°C) on January 21, 1985.[35]
Population[link]
| Historical populations | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Census | Pop. | %± | |
| 1860 | 3,989 |
|
|
| 1870 | 1,689 | −57.7% | |
| 1880 | 2,418 | 43.2% | |
| 1890 | 4,215 | 74.3% | |
| 1900 | 5,094 | 20.9% | |
| 1910 | 8,407 | 65.0% | |
| 1920 | 11,996 | 42.7% | |
| 1930 | 20,659 | 72.2% | |
| 1940 | 27,493 | 33.1% | |
| 1950 | 46,396 | 68.8% | |
| 1960 | 63,370 | 36.6% | |
| 1970 | 65,773 | 3.8% | |
| 1980 | 75,211 | 14.3% | |
| 1990 | 77,759 | 3.4% | |
| 2000 | 77,906 | 0.2% | |
| 2010 | 90,468 | 16.1% | |
As of the census[36] of 2000 there were 77,906 people, 31,381 households, and 16,945 families residing in the city. The population density was 1,385.2 people per square mile (534.8/km²). There were 34,857 housing units at an average density of 619.8 per square mile (239.3/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 54.09% White, 42.73% Black or African American, 0.16% Native American, 1.49% Asian, 0.02% Pacific Islander, 0.63% from other races, and 0.87% from two or more races. 1.40% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race.
There were 31,381 households out of which 23.9% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 35.0% were married couples living together, 15.7% had a female householder with no husband present, and 46.0% were non-families. 35.2% of all households were made up of individuals and 9.3% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.22 and the average family size was 2.93.
In the city the population was spread out with 19.8% under the age of 18, 24.5% from 18 to 24, 25.4% from 25 to 44, 18.5% from 45 to 64, and 11.8% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 28 years. For every 100 females there were 90.8 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 87.9 males.
The median income for a household in the city was $27,731, and the median income for a family was $41,753. Males had a median income of $31,614 versus $24,507 for females. The per capita income for the city was $19,129. About 14.2% of families and 23.6% of the population were below the poverty line, including 25.3% of those under age 18 and 13.4% of those age 65 or over.
Religion[link]
The city of Tuscaloosa is home to many places of worship in which people from the surrounding area of West Alabama may come to worship. Holy Spirit Roman Catholic Church has over 1,000 families attending. It is one of the largest churches in the city. First Presbyterian Church is the place of worship for many American and German residents in Tuscaloosa. Calvary Baptist Church, Emmanuel Baptist Church, and First African Baptist Church are three of the many Baptist churches in Tuscaloosa. Holy Cross Lutheran Church is a church reflecting on the Evangelical Lutheran community of Tuscaloosa. The University Church of Christ has both a campus ministry and a prison ministry.[37] St. Gregory the Theologian Orthodox Church is the only Orthodox church in West Alabama. Its congregation is made up of Russians, Greeks, Romanians, Arabs, Eastern Europeans, and converts to Eastern Christianity. Some of the oldest churches in Tuscaloosa are St. John's Roman Catholic Church (founded ca. 1845) and Christ Episcopal Church (ca. 1828). Tuscaloosa is also home to many non-Christians as well. The Jewish community of Tuscaloosa worships at Temple Emanu-El and the Hillel B'nai B'rith Center, both located on the University of Alabama campus in Tuscaloosa. The Hindu Mandir Temple and Cultural Center is also found in Tuscaloosa.
Government[link]
Tuscaloosa has a strong-mayor variant mayor-council form of government, led by a mayor and a seven-member city council. The mayor and council members are elected concurrently for four-year terms. The mayor is elected by the city at-large while council members are elected to single-member districts. Neither the mayor nor the members of the city council is term-limited. All elected offices are nonpartisan. Elections take place on the fourth Tuesday of August in years following presidential election years, with run-off elections taking place six weeks later if necessary. Terms begin immediately after election. The most recent municipal elections were held in 2009.
| District | Representative | Serving Since |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Bobby E. Howard | 2005 |
| 2 | Harrison Taylor | 1993 |
| 3 | Cynthia Lee Almond | 2005 |
| 4 | Lee Garrison | 1997 |
| 5 | Kip Tyner | 1997 |
| 6 | Bob Lundell | 2005 |
| 7 | William Tinker, III | 2005 |
The mayor is the chief executive and administrative officer of the city. His main duty is to oversee the day-to-day operation of city departments pursuant to executing policy enacted by the city council or, in the absence of any council policy, his own discretion. His other duties include preparing an operating budget each year for approval by the city council and acting as ambassador of the city. The mayor also presides over city council meetings but votes only in case of ties. The current Mayor of Tuscaloosa is Walter Maddox, who was elected to office in September 2005. Prior to Maddox, Alvin A. DuPont had served as mayor for 24 years.
The city council act as the legislative body of the city. It is powered by state law to consider policy and enact law and to make appoints to city boards. The council also considers the budget proposed by the mayor for approval. The majority of work in the council is done by committee. These committees usually consisting three council members, one of whom will be chairman, and relevant non-voting city employees.
Tuscaloosa, as the largest county seat in western Alabama, serves a hub of state and federal government agencies. In addition to the customary offices associated with the county courthouse, namely two District Court Judges, six Circuit Court Judges, the District Attorney and the Public Defender, several Alabama state government agencies have regional offices in Tuscaloosa, such as the Alabama Department of Transportation and the Alabama State Troopers (the state police).
Tuscaloosa is in the federal jurisdiction of the United States District Court for the Northern District of Alabama. There is a courthouse in Tuscaloosa simply called the Federal Courthouse. Several federal agencies operate bureaus out of the courthouse.
Federally, Tuscaloosa is split between the 6th and 7th Congressional Districts, which are represented by Spencer Bachus (R) and Terri Sewell (D), respectively. In addition, Alabama's senior senator, Richard Shelby (R), is a resident of Tuscaloosa. Starting in 2013, the part of Tuscaloosa in the 6th Congressional District will shift to the 4th Congressional District, which is currently represented by Robert Aderholt (R).
On the state level, the city is split among the 5th, 21st, and 24th Senate districts and 62nd, 63rd, and 70th House districts in the Alabama State Legislature.
In December 2009, construction on the new federal courthouse of Tuscaloosa began. The $67 million building was the centerpiece of a major downtown urban renewal project. According to information released by the General Services Administration, the building will be 129,000 square feet (12,000 m2) with parking. It will house the U.S. District Court, U.S. Bankruptcy Court and Social Security Administration office.
The Northern District of Alabama has only one facility suitable for holding a major criminal trial in Huntsville. However, Huntsville's lacks the facilities for safely moving criminal suspects in and out of the building safely. Tuscaloosa's new federal courthouse will anchor the federal structure for the whole Northern District of Alabama.[38]
Economy[link]
Despite its image as a college town, Tuscaloosa boasts a diversified economy based on all sectors of manufacturing and service. Twenty-five percent of the labor force in the Tuscaloosa Metropolitan Statistical Area is employed by the federal, state, and local government agencies. 16.7% is employed in manufacturing; 16.4% in retail trade and transportation; 11.6% in finance, information, and private enterprise; 10.3% in mining and construction; and 9.2% in hospitality. Education and healthcare account for only 7.2% of the area workforce with the remainder employed in other services.[39]
Tuscaloosa was ranked in the November 2009 issue of Fortune Small Business as one of the "50 Best Places to Launch a Small Business" (ranked #11 among metro areas with populations of 250,000 or less).[40]
The city's industrial and manufacturing base includes BFGoodrich Tire Manufacturing, GAF Materials Corporation, Hunt Refining Company, JVC America, Nucor Steel and Phifer Wire among numerous other operations.
Another significant contributor to the manufacturing segment of the city's economy is the Mercedes-Benz U.S. International assembly plant located on a site in Tuscaloosa County located near Vance approximately 20 miles (32 km) east of downtown. The plant began assembling the Mercedes-Benz M-Class in 1997 and the R-Class Grand Sport Tourer in 2005 and just recently began production with the GL-Class. Plants that supply components to Mercedes-Benz also make their home in Tuscaloosa and add to the economic strength of the city.
The Westervelt Company, a land resources and wildlife management company has its headquarters in Tuscaloosa. The company was formerly the Gulf State Paper Corporation, with headquarters in Tuscaloosa from 1927 until 2005 when it sold its pulp and paperboard operations to the Rock-Tenn Company of Norcross, Georgia. Gulf States then restructured to form Westervelt.
Health-care and education serve as the cornerstone of Tuscaloosa's service sector, which includes the University of Alabama, DCH Regional Medical Center, Bryce Hospital, the William D. Partlow Developmental Center, and the Tuscaloosa VA Medical Center.
Retail[link]
Tuscaloosa is home to two regional malls, University Mall and McFarland Mall; a lifestyle center, Midtown Village, which is anchored by Barnes and Noble and Best Buy; and numerous other shopping outlets, including Hillcrest Center, McFarland Plaza, Merchants Walk, South Plaza Shopping Center, Taylorville Corners, Downtown Business District, University Town Center, WaterMark Place Outlet Center, Skyland Plaza Shopping Center, Ridge Village Shopping Center, Parkview Plaza Shopping Center, Parkview Shopping Center, Alberta Plaza Shopping Center, Alberta Shopping Center, Alberta Park Shopping Center, Meadowbrook Shopping Center, The Shops at Lake Tuscaloosa, and many, many more.[41][42] Wood Square Shopping Center, formerly located on McFarland Avenue and 13th Street, was completely leveled by the April 2011 tornado.
University Mall and Midtown Village, which are located along McFarland Boulevard, anchor the core retail area of the city. Other retail properties in this area include McFarland Plaza (formerly known as Bama Mall), an open-air mall anchored by Stein Mart and Toys R Us, and many other free standing stores and restaurants, most notably SuperTarget and Home Depot, which are located on the former east campus of Shelton State Community College.
Other large retail areas in the city are located around the intersection of Skyland Boulevard and Alabama Highway 69/Interstate 359 (Lowe's, Academy Sports and Outdoors, K-Mart, Cobb Theatres) and around the intersection of McFarland Boulevard and Skyland Boulevard (McFarland Mall, Wal-Mart Supercenter, Sam's Club).
As in many cities across the US, the downtown area used to be the main retail area of Tuscaloosa until the opening of McFarland and University malls about three miles from downtown. While efforts to restore the entertainment and cultural offerings downtown in recent years have paid off, a revival of the retail offerings has been less successful.
Education[link]
Education is a vital component of the city as Tuscaloosa is home to several colleges and schools.
Higher education[link]
University of Alabama[link]
The University of Alabama is the dominant institution of higher learning and is the largest university in the state of Alabama in terms of enrollment. Enrolling approximately 31,747 students on an 1,800 acres (7.3 km2) campus, UA has been a part of Tuscaloosa's identity since it opened its doors in 1831.
Stillman College[link]
Stillman College, which opened in 1875, is a historically black liberal arts college enrolling approximately 1,200 students on a 105 acres (0.42 km2) campus.
Shelton State[link]
Additionally, Shelton State Community College, one of the largest in Alabama, is located in the city. The school enrolls around 7,000 students from all backgrounds and income levels. The majority of Shelton State students are "traditional" students. They are usually either first-time college students earning associate degrees for transfer to four-year institutions after graduation, or UA and Stillman students enrolled in entry-level classes that they cannot or do not want to take at their home institutions.
Primary and secondary education[link]
The Tuscaloosa City School System serves the city. It is overseen by the Tuscaloosa City Board of Education, which is composed of eight members elected by district and a chairman elected by a citywide vote. The Board appoints a Superintendent to manage the day-to-day operations of the system. Operating with a $100 million budget, the system enrolls approximately 10,300 students. The system consists of 24 schools: 13 elementary schools (12 zoned and 1 magnet), 6 middle schools (5 zoned and 1 magnet), 3 high schools (Paul W. Bryant High School, Central High School and Northridge High School), and 2 specialty schools (the Tuscaloosa Center for Technology, a vocational school, and Oak Hill School for special needs students). In 2002, the system spent $6,313 per pupil, the 19th highest amount of the 120 school systems in the state.[43]
Tuscaloosa is also served by several private schools, both secular and religious, including Tuscaloosa Academy, American Christian Academy, Holy Spirit Catholic School, North River Christian Academy, the Capitol School, and Tuscaloosa Christian School (in neighboring Cottondale).
Since 1923, the state-run William D. Partlow Developmental Center has served the mentally retarded, offering these citizens a public education as well as seeing to their other needs.
Culture and Recreation[link]
Tuscaloosa is home to a variety of cultural sites and events reflective of its historical and modern role in Alabama and the Southeast in general. Many of these cultural events are sponsored by the University of Alabama. Numerous performing arts groups and facilities, historical sites, and museums dedicated to subjects as varying as American art and collegiate football dot the city. There are events that reflect upon the ethnic cultures of Tuscaloosa. The Tuscaloosa County Industrial Development Association sponsors the annual Weindorf German Festival celebrating German culture and the annual Sakura Japanese Festival. The Irish culture is celebrated through the city's St. Patrick's Day Parade and the Celtic Kentuck' Festival. Holy Spirit Catholic Church holds a religious procession/parade and mass in honor of Our Lady of Guadalupe which is symbolic to the large Hispanic population and the catholic population of the area.
Libraries and Museums[link]
The Tuscaloosa Public Library is a joint city-county agency with nearly 200,000 items on catalog. A total of 46,857 registered patrons use the library on a regular basis — roughly 28% of the population of the county. There are currently two branches in the city, the Main branch on Jack Warner Parkway and the Weaver-Bolden branch in western Tuscaloosa, and a third branch in suburban Taylorville (Brown branch).
Additionally, the University of Alabama, Stillman College and Shelton State Community College have campus libraries that are open for non-circulation use by the public.
Museums in Tuscaloosa are located all over town, but are primarily concentrated in the downtown area or on the campus of UA. Museums that are downtown include CHOM: the Children’s Hands-On Museum of Tuscaloosa and the Murphy African-American Museum. The Alabama Museum of Natural History and the Paul W. Bryant Museum are located on the UA campus. The Westervelt Warner Museum of American Art is located on the grounds of NorthRiver Yacht Club in northern Tuscaloosa. Additional museums and galleries are found across the river in Northport. The Jones Archaeological Museum is located 15 miles (24 km) south of Tuscaloosa at the Moundville Archaeological Park in Moundville.
Performing Arts[link]
Tuscaloosa is home to a great number of performing arts organizations. Though some are affiliated with UA or Shelton State, several are independent organizations. These various organization cooperate and coordinate their operations through the Arts and Humanities Council of Tuscaloosa County.[44] The Arts Council also operates the Bama Theatre (see below).
The Tuscaloosa Symphony Orchestra, which celebrated its twenty-fifth season in 2006-2007, is based at the Moody Music Building and is conducted by American Adam Flatt.
Tuscaloosa is also home to the Alabama Choir School.[45]
Facilities[link]
File:Bama Theatre Tuscaloosa Alabama 2009.jpg
The Bama Theatre
The Frank Moody Music Building on the UA campus holds a 1000-seat Concert Hall and a 140-seat Recital Hall. The Concert Hall features a three-story-tall, 5,000-pipe Holtkamp organ and frequently hosts concerts and other musical events, including the hit band, Kansas.[46] The Recital Hall features a Schlicker organ that was crafted in Buffalo, New York. Also on the UA campus, Rowand-Johnson Hall, holds the Marian Gallaway Theatre, a 305-seat proscenium theater and the Allen Bales Theatre, a 170-seat thrust theatre. Finally, Morgan Hall features a 600-seat auditorium.
The Sandra Hall-Ray Fine Arts Centre on the Shelton State campus holds the Bean-Brown Theatre, a 450-seat proscenium theater, and the 100-seat Alabama Power Foundation Recital Hall.
The Bama Theatre is a 1094-seat proscenium theater located in downtown Tuscaloosa and is operated by The Arts and Humanities Council.[47] The Bama Theatre was built between 1937 and 1938 under the New Deal-era Public Works Administration as a movie palace. At the time of its construction in 1938, it was the only air-conditioned building in Tuscaloosa. The theatre was renovated as a performing arts center in 1976 and housed the Tuscaloosa Symphony Orchestra and Theatre Tuscaloosa troupe until those groups moved into their own facilities.
Today, the Bama Theatre is the residence of the Tuscaloosa Children's Theatre Company and the Tuscaloosa Community Dancers.[48] Additionally, its hosts the Arts Council's Cinema Nouveau movie series, which screens foreign and independent films. The Bama Theatre hosts a Jewish Film Festival in the spring, as well as several traveling film festivals. Additionally, the Bama Theatre has recently been serving as a concert venue, hosting recent performances by Joan Baez, Aimee Mann, the Drive-By Truckers, Umphrey's Mcgee, Ryan Adams, Chuck Leavell and many other performing artists.
Coleman Coliseum is a 15,383-seat multi-purpose arena that basically serves as the city of Tuscaloosa's municipal civic center. Because the City of Tuscaloosa does not have a municipal civic center, the demand for events grew rapidly and the Coliseum doubled its capacity in the 1970s due to this. In the 1990s marquee concerts and events that the arena had seen in the previous two decades grew scarce as the facility became more outdated and became mostly devoted to Crimson Tide athletic events. In the hope that the University could pull more excitement for events at the facility, the Coliseum underwent a significant renovation in 2005, which cost over $24 million.
The coliseum has hosted a diversity of events including commencement exercises, a visit by President Ronald Reagan, alumni gatherings, student convocations, concerts, operas, ballets, appearances by political figures, WCW Saturday Night, etc. Travis Tritt filmed his "Bible Belt" country music video there. Stars who have performed on its stages include The Rolling Stones, Elvis Presley, Elton John, Grateful Dead, Tom Petty, Led Zeppelin, Ray Charles, Jimi Hendrix, Bob Dylan, Alan Jackson, Reba McEntire, Jay Leno, Hank Williams, Jr., Daughtry, and many, many more.
In December 2010, construction on the Tuscaloosa Amphitheater officially wrapped up with the dedication ceremony taking place days after. The 7,470 capacity Tuscaloosa Amphitheater is only blocks away from the lively downtown district and sits at the end of the fabulous Riverwalk on the banks of the Black Warrior River.
Since its dedication ceremony in March 2011, performers such as Kenny Chesney, Widespread Panic, Steely Dan, Jeff Dunham, 3 Doors Down and Miranda Lambert have graced the stage. It has also held events such as the Blues and Brews Music Festival and a Pro Boxing Match. Actor and stand up comedian Charlie Sheen stated he intended on doing a stand up show at the amphitheater in the near future.[49]
Nightlife[link]
Tuscaloosa (or T-Town) is widely considered to be the unofficial party capital of the state of Alabama by many - especially during football season. Nightlife in Tuscaloosa is primarily split between The Strip and downtown. The strip is literally a strip of bars on University Blvd. near the campus of the University of Alabama. One of the oldest bars on the strip (before its recent renovation) is the Houndstooth Sports Bar (named the Number 1 Sports Bar in America by Playboy Magazine). Tuscaloosa's rock 'n' roll dive bar Egan's, sits across the street and other bars such as The Bear Trap, The Jupiter (which touts the biggest indoor music venue) and Red Shed and more surround them. Galette's, which has no sign, is the fraternity and sorority bar. During the school year, and especially football season, the Strip pulsates with students, alumni, locals and visitors being walking distance from Bryant-Denny stadium where the Crimson Tide plays its football games.
Roughly a mile from the strip is Tuscaloosa's downtown district. It's more spread out than the strip and offers a variety of types of bars and restaurants. Younger people tend to frequent the Temerson Square area, off University (4th Street and 23rd Avenue) in downtown Tuscaloosa. You will find professors, students and professionals mingling together at The Downtown Pub and The Alcove International Tavern (the only smoke free bar in Tuscaloosa). Little Willie's is a small blues and jazz bar, while its bigger sister bar next door, Wilhagen's, has a big screen TV and an assortment of bar games to play. Innisfree is perhaps the most crowded bar on any given night, packed with ex-fraternity and sorority alumni as well as an assortment of current students and young professionals.
The city of Tuscaloosa's nightlife is a key reason why The University of Alabama consistently finds itself ranked in the Top 25 Party Schools, year in and year out. Bars are open well into the morning, even drawing in Mississippi State students from nearby Starkville.[50]
Restaurants[link]
Eateries in Tuscaloosa range from the upscale Kozy's Fine Dining and Cypress Inn to a shabby steak house, Nick's in the Sticks. Downtown offers Italian cuisine at Venice Italian Fusion or Depalma's; biscuits and grits are served at the Waysider, a landmark filled with Crimson Tide paraphernalia, or across the river at Northport's City Cafe or Northport Diner. Ribs are available at various locations, most famously Dreamland There are numerous other less-famous BBQ locations—including Archibald's, Woodrow's, Mike and Eds, and Moe's Original BBQ. Around the University campus, there are a number of restaurants with varying specialties frequented by students and locals alike, including Hooligans, Rammer Jammer's, Swen, Ruan Thai, Surin of Thailand(The Midnight Sushi) and the proverbial favorite during warmer months, Summer Snow. There are also very many cultural restaurants in the city as well.
Events[link]
Prior to each football game is a massive gathering at the UA Quad, where people gather starting on Friday for tailgating and the University of Alabama holds pep rallies on the Gorgas library steps. The Quad has hosted ESPN's Gameday several times and also is a place to meet Alabama football legends on game day and perform the "Elephant Stomp" (a pre-game parade) to Bryant-Denny Stadium with the Alabama mascot "Big Al" and the Million Dollar Band.
On the first Thursday of each month, the Tuscaloosa art galleries open their doors for "Art and Soul" — highlighting local artists. There is a shuttle service that runs between this event and Northport's "Art Night."
The City of Tuscaloosa holds parades annually for holidays such as New Year's Day, Martin Luther King Jr. Day, St. Patrick's Day, Memorial Day, Independence Day, Labor Day, Veterans Day, and Christmas Day. Holy Spirit Roman Catholic Church also hosts an annual religious procession/parade for Our Lady of Guadalupe on the Virgin of Guadalupe feast day in December, which reflects on both the catholic and Hispanic community.
Other annual city festivals worth noting are:
- Weindorf Festival - The Weindorf Festival is a cultural German festival in which native Tuscaloosans and German immigrants celebrate Tuscaloosa's bond with Germany through the near-by Mercedes-Benz Automobile Plant and Tuscaloosa's sister City of Schorndorf. The celebration includes German alcoholic beverages, singing, dancing, and other Germanic arts.
- Sakura Festival - The Sakura festival celebrates the symbolic moment when a cherry blossom petal detaches itself to float earthward, which reminds one of the paradoxically fleeting, yet enduring, nature of life. Every March Tuscaloosa celebrates its ties with Japan and its Sister City of Narashino City. This festival features a Haiku Contest.
- Kentuck Festival of Arts - This annual event takes place during the third week in October near the banks of the Black Warrior River in Historic Downtown Northport. This nationally recognized event brings in visitors and artists from all over the United States. As several hundred talented artists bring their creations, several thousand visitors come to pay tribute to their skills. Those crowds come not only for the art, but also for the artistry of the days of old. Several artisans provide live demonstrations of blacksmithing, furniture making, quilting, and potting. There are music acts performing on stages and many varied foods available.
- Moundville Native American Festival - This annual festival takes place at the Moundville Archaeological Park. Native American performing artists, craftspeople, and musicians entertain and educate visitors about the rich culture and heritage that makes Southeastern Indians unique. Visitors can look forward to learning about the society and culture that existed there 800 years ago.
- Dickens Downtown - An annual Victorian holiday celebration known as Dickens Downtown takes place on the first Tuesday night in December in Downtown Northport. Dickens is a community supported gathering to celebrate the true spirit of Christmas involving Theatre Tuscaloosa performing scenes from "A Christmas Carol", local choirs, the 5th Alabama Regimental Band, a real English Town Crier, father Christmas, and business and neighborhood open houses. As the area comes alive with characters and props straight from 'A Christmas Carol', local shops offer hot cocoa and cookies.[51]
Parks and Recreation[link]
The Tuscaloosa County Parks and Recreation Authority (a county agency that receives a large amount of its funding from the city) operates several parks and activity centers within the city. Additional public recreational sites are owned and maintained by the University of Alabama and federal agencies such as Corp of Engineers.
The University of Alabama Arboretum is located on 60 acres (243,000 m2) of land at the intersection of Veterans Memorial Parkway and Pelham Loop Road, adjacent to the VA Hospital. The arboretum's primary emphasis is on Alabama's native flora and fauna. It includes 2.5 miles (4.0 km) of walking trails through native piney woods and oak-hickory climax forest, a wildflower garden containing more than 250 species, ornamental plants, an experimental garden, a bog garden, an open-air pavilion, and a children's garden. Two greenhouses contain collections of orchids, cacti, and tropical plants.
Sports[link]
Tuscaloosa is known for its collegiate athletics — particularly the University of Alabama Crimson Tide football team. The University of Alabama also currently fields championship–caliber teams in baseball, golf, women's gymnastics, and softball. These teams play in athletics facilities on the university campus, including Bryant-Denny Stadium (capacity of 102,000+), Coleman Coliseum (formerly Memorial Coliseum), Sewell-Thomas Stadium, Rhoads Stadium, Foster Auditorium and the Ol' Colony Golf Complex.
Stillman College fields teams in football, men's and women's basketball, baseball and softball, among other sports. In the past decade, Stillman has gone through a renaissance of renovations, including a new football stadium, Stillman Stadium.
Previous professional teams calling Tuscaloosa home included the World Basketball Association's Druid City Dragons in 2006, and Tuscaloosa Warriors football team in 1963, with both folding after one season.
In 2008, Tuscaloosa hosted the USA Olympic Triathlon trails for the Beijing Games.[52]
Cultural References[link]
In 2009, scenic shots were filmed all around Tuscaloosa for Todd Phillips' comedy, "Due Date", starring Robert Downey Jr. and Zach Galifianakis. The filmmakers also said that the Tuscaloosa Convention and Visitors Bureau plans to establish a film commission that will work to bring more filmmakers to Tuscaloosa.[53]
Media[link]
The Tuscaloosa News is the major daily newspaper serving the city. The Tuscaloosa News also publishes several websites and Tuscaloosa Magazine. The primary news website is tuscaloosanews.com.[54] Tidesports.com focuses on University of Alabama sports. The Tuscaloosa News' offices are located west of downtown on a bluff overlooking the Black Warrior River.
The Planet Weekly is the largest of the several alternative weekly newspapers published in the area. Additionally, each of the three colleges in the area are served by student-published periodical, the largest being The Crimson White, the independent, student-run newspaper of the University of Alabama and one of several UA-affiliated student publications.
Tuscaloosa is part of the Birmingham-Tuscaloosa-Anniston television market, which is the 40th largest in the nation.[55] All major networks have a presence in the market. WCFT 33 is the ABC affiliate, WIAT 42 is the CBS affiliate, WBRC 6 is the Fox affiliate, WVTM 13 is the NBC affiliate, WBIQ 10 is the PBS affiliate, WTTO 21 is the CW affiliate, and WABM 68 is the MyNetworkTV affiliate. Additionally, WVUA 7, an independent station, is operated by the University of Alabama. The Tuscaloosa City School system is home to a Student television station program: Bryant-Central-Northridge Television (BCN-TV)
Tuscaloosa is the 234th largest radio market in the nation.[56] In January 2007, of the top-ten-rated radio stations, two were urban, three were country, two were contemporary, and one each was gospel, oldies, and talk radio.[57]
Tuscaloosa serves as home base to Alabama Public Radio, the state's largest public radio network. APR's main studios are housed at the University of Alabama, and the flagship signal, WUAL-FM, originates from a transmitter south of town. WUAL serves Tuscaloosa, portions of the Birmingham metro area and several counties of west-central Alabama. The University of Alabama also houses WVUA-FM, a 24/7 college radio station run completely by students.
Movie Theaters[link]
Tuscaloosa is home to one of the four 3-D IMAX theaters in the state of Alabama, located inside of the Cobb Hollywood 16 Theater, which was once the largest movie theaters in the state of Alabama.[58] The Ferguson Center on the University of Alabama campus also contains a movie theater, which is popular among the students.[59] The Bama Theatre in downtown also screens select films.[60]
The Carmike Bama 6 Theater, formerly located at the "Bama Mall" (now known as McFarland Plaza) recently closed its doors as a result of the Regal Hollywood 16's growing popularity.[61]
Infrastructure[link]
Health and Medicine[link]
File:DCHCENTERtuscaloosaAL01.png
DCH Cancer Treatment Center
DCH Regional Medical Center is the main medical facility in Tuscaloosa. Operated by the publicly-controlled DCH Healthcare Authority, the 610-bed hospital opened in 1916 as the Druid City Infirmary.[62] The emergency department at DCH operates a trauma center (though it is not verified as one by the American College of Surgeons, however) that serves all of west central Alabama and is one of the busiest in the state.[63] The DCH Healthcare authority also operates Northport Medical Center in neighboring Northport.
Other major medical centers in Tuscaloosa include the 702-bed Veterans Affairs Medical Center-Tuscaloosa and the 422-bed Bryce Hospital, Mary S. Harper Geriatric Psychiatry Center, and Taylor Hardin Secure Medical Facility.[42]
Transportation[link]
Tuscaloosa is connected to other parts of the country via air, rail, road and sea. The city lies at the intersection of several highways, including three federal highways (US 11, US 43, and US 82), three Alabama state highways (AL 69, AL 215, and AL 216) and two duplexed (conjoined) Interstates (I-20/I-59). Interstate 359 spurs off from I-20/I-59 and heads northward, ending in downtown Tuscaloosa. AL 297 will be the future loop road around Tuscaloosa.
Tuscaloosa also contains one toll road on the Black Warrior Parkway (I-20/I-59), charging $1.25 for automobiles, and one toll bridge (Black Warrior Parkway bridge).
Greyhound Bus Lines provides passenger bus service to Tuscaloosa. Its station is located at 2520 Stillman Blvd in downtown Tuscaloosa. The Tuscaloosa Transit Authority operates the Tuscaloosa Trolley System. The Tuscaloosa Trolley provides local public bus transportation with four fixed routes that operate Monday through Friday from 5:00AM to 6:00PM. The trolley's paint job is an illusion; it is a El Dorado Transmark RE bus, painted to look like a trolley.[64]
The Tuscaloosa Regional Airport, on the north side of the Black Warrior River west of downtown Northport, is equipped with two lighted runways (6499' and 4001') and provides full facilities for the general aviation which the airport mainly serves. The airport also supports private jetcraft and commercial charter flights, but passengers of regularly scheduled commercial aircraft from Tuscaloosa embark at either the convenient and well equipped Birmingham-Shuttlesworth International Airport, located 53 miles (85 km) away on the east side of downtown Birmingham, or the Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport, located 210 miles (340 km) away in Atlanta, Georgia.
Heliports include the Bryant Culberson Heliport and the Tuscaloosa Police Department Heliport.[42]
Amtrak provides passenger rail service to Tuscaloosa though the Crescent line, which connects the area to major cities along the east coast from New York to New Orleans. The Amtrak station is situated at 2105 Greensboro Avenue, one mile (1.6 km) south of downtown. Norfolk Southern Railway and Alabama Southern Railroad provide freight services to the area. KCS previously provided service to the area before leasing its lines to Watco in July 2005.[65]
Port of Tuscaloosa[link]
Port of Tuscaloosa, Alabama is a river port located in the City of Tuscaloosa and administered by the Alabama State Port Authority.
The Black Warrior River is bounded along nearly its entire course by a series of locks and dams. They form a chain of narrow reservoirs, providing aids to navigation and barge handling as well as hydroelectric power and drinking water. The Black Warrior River watershed is a vital river basin entirely contained within Alabama, America's leading state for freshwater biodiversity. Near Tuscaloosa, the river flows out of the rocky Cumberland Plateau and enters the sandy East Gulf Coastal Plain. Barge transportation in and out of the Port of Tuscaloosa and other commercial navigation make the Black Warrior a silent giant in the state of Alabama's economy. Though the Port of Tuscaloosa is a small one, it is one of the larger facilities on the Black Warrior River at waterway mile marker 338.5. There are no railway connections at this port as they primarily concentrate on the shipment of dry bulk commodities, including lignite, coal and coal coke. The federal government and the City of Tuscaloosa share the ownership of the Port of Tuscaloosa; the operation of the port is leased out to Powell Sales and has been run by them since 1997.
At waterway mile marker 343.2 on the opposite side of the river is a steel company with its own tracks at the rear of the plant connecting with the Kansas City Southern Railroad for barge shipments of iron and steel products such as ingots, bars, rods, steel slabs, plates and coils. Tuscaloosa Steel Corporation was one of the first U.S. steel companies to implement the Steckel Mill Technology.
The Port of Tuscaloosa grew out of the system of locks and dams on the Black Warrior River built by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers in the 1890s. Its construction opened up an inexpensive transportation link to the Gulf seaport of Mobile, Alabama that stimulated the mining and metallurgical industries of the region that are still in operation.[66]
The Army Corps of Engineers has maintained a system of locks and dams along the Black Warrior River for over a century to allow navigability all the way up to Birmingham. Barge traffic thus routinely runs through Tuscaloosa to the Alabama State Docks at Mobile, on the coast of the Gulf of Mexico. Via the Tenn-Tom Waterway, the city is connected to the Ohio River valley and beyond.
Points of interest[link]
Some of the more notable points of interest in the city of Tuscaloosa include:
- Dreamland Bar-B-Que
- Alabama Stage and Screen Hall of Fame
- Battle-Friedman House
- Dr. John R. Drish House
- Christ Episcopal Church
- Hugh R. Thomas Bridge
- Paul Bryant Bridge
- Queen City Pool and Pool House
- Woolsey Finnell Bridge
- Bryant-Denny Stadium
- Paul W. Bryant Museum
- Alabama Museum of Natural History
- Bama Theatre
- Tuscaloosa Amphitheater
- Ol' Colony Golf Complex
- Westervelt Warner Museum of American Art
- Denny Chimes
- Gorgas House
- Jemison-Van de Graaff Mansion
- Moundville Archaeological Park
- University of Alabama Arboretum
Sister cities[link]
The Tuscaloosa Sister Cities Commission was formed in 1986. The city currently has sister city relationships with cities in three countries:[67][68]
Narashino, Japan
Schorndorf, Germany
Sunyani–Techiman, Ghana (Two cities partnered as one sister city)
Gallery[link]
-
AmSouth Bank building
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DCH Medical Tower
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First Federal Bank building
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Insure Soft building
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Cadence Bank
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Veterans Memorial Park
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Alston Building
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Temerson Square
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Fountain at Annette Shelby Park
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Tuscaloosatornadodamage1.jpg
The aftermath of the devastating April 27, 2011 tornado
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Kudzu in downtown
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Northwood Lake
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Bryce Hospital
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Mile marker 0 of Interstate 359 in 2003.
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Hugh R. Thomas Bridge
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Old Tuscaloosa Federal Courthouse
Notable residents[link]
 |
This article needs additional citations for verification. Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed. (May 2008) |
(B) denotes that the person was born there.
Arts and entertainment[link]
- Willie D. Burton, born in Tuscaloosa, sound technician in the film industry; Oscar winner fr Dreamgirls and Bird
- Tom Cherones, from Tuscaloosa, University of Alabama alumnus, television producer and director of Seinfeld, NewsRadio, Desperate Housewives, others
- Frank Calloway, folk artist
- Vera Hall, born near Livingston, AL, but worked, occasionally lived in and married a man from Tuscaloosa; folk musician
- Charlie Hayward, bass guitarist of the Charlie Daniels Band
- Chuck Leavell, born in Birmingham but raised in Tuscaloosa; keyboardist for The Rolling Stones[69]
- Robert Gibson, one-half of the professional wrestling team The Rock 'n' Roll Express
- Debra Marshall, professional wrestler and diva with World Wrestling Entertainment
- Johnny Shines, blues musician, born in Frazier, TN, died in Tuscaloosa
- Dinah Washington, born in Tuscaloosa, blues, R&B and jazz singer
- Madeline Mitchell, current Miss Tuscaloosa and Miss Alabama 2011, 2nd runner up at the Miss USA pageant
- Dylan Riley Snyder, born in Tuscaloosa; film, television and theatre actor, star of Broadway's Tarzan, the feature film Life During Wartime and the TV sitcom Kickin' It
- Mary Dees, grew up in Tuscaloosa, film actress during the 30s including "The Last Gangster" and "The Women," and stand-in for Jean Harlowe in "Saratoga." Also appeared in Three Stooges shorts and Marx Brothers comedies. Also Broadway actress. [70]
- Rick Bragg, Pulitzer Prize winning author and former reporter for the New York Times; lives in Tuscaloosa
Politics[link]
- Joe Scarborough, former politician and host of Morning Joe on MSNBC
- Walter Flowers, raised in Tuscaloosa, former United States Congressman, served on the congressional committee that voted to impeach President Richard M. Nixon
- Richard C. Shelby, U.S. Senator, Chairman of the United States Senate Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs and Chairman of the United States Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Commerce, Justice, Science, and Related Agencies
- Margaret Tutwiler, former resident of Tuscaloosa, served in three presidential administrations, former Ambassador to the Kingdom of Morocco, Under Secretary for Public Diplomacy and Public Affairs in the State Department
- Lurleen Wallace, born in Tuscaloosa, former Governor of Alabama
- Coleman Young, born in Tuscaloosa, served as mayor of Detroit from 1974-1993.
- Robert J. Bentley, dermatologist elected Governor of Alabama in 2010.
- Abdurrahim El-Keib, interim prime minister of Libya (2011-present); lives in Tuscaloosa.
Sports[link]
- Javier Arenas, lives in Tuscaloosa, NFL cornerback and return specialist for the Kansas City Chiefs. He's the cousin of Gilbert Arenas.
- Ollie Brown, born in Tuscaloosa, Major League Baseball player[71]
- Sylvester Croom, born in Tuscaloosa, the first African-American head football coach in the Southeastern Conference
- Otis Davis (born 1932), Olympic track and field athlete who won two gold medals in the 400 metre dash and the 4 × 400 metres relay at 1960 Summer Olympics, setting a world record in the former event.(B)[72][73]
- George Foster, born in Tuscaloosa, Major League Baseball player[71]
- Butch Hobson, born in Tuscaloosa, Major League Baseball player and manager[71]
- Frank Lary, Major League Baseball player
- Angel Martino, born in Tuscaloosa, Olympic swimmer
- Lee Maye, born in Tuscaloosa, Major League baseball player[71]
- Andy Phillips, born in Tuscaloosa, former major league baseball player and Alabama baseball assistant coach
- Dicky Pride, PGA Tour golfer
- Tike Redman, born in Tuscaloosa, former major league baseball player for the Pittsburgh Pirates, New York Mets, and Baltimore Orioles.
- Joe Sewell, Major League Baseball player and member of the National Baseball Hall of Fame
- John Stallworth, born in Tuscaloosa, played football for the Pittsburgh Steelers, played in six AFC championships and went to four Super Bowls
- Frank Thomas, University of Alabama head football coach
- D. J. White, born in Tuscaloosa, professional basketball player for the NBA's Charlotte Bobcats
- Deontay Wilder, 2008 Olympic bronze medalist and professional boxer
Other[link]
- Shannon Shorr, professional poker player
- Robert J. Van de Graaff, born in Tuscaloosa, the designer of the Van de Graaff generator
- Jimmy Wales, American Internet entrepreneur and a co-founder and promoter of Wikipedia
- Michael Tuomey, first Alabama state geologist; lived and buried in Tuscaloosa
See also[link]
Notes and references[link]
- ^ Code of Alabama 1975, Title 11, Chapter 40, Section 11-40-1
- ^ a b Hubbs, Guy (Spring 2009). "Tuscaloosa on My Mind", Alabama Historical Association newsletter. Vol. 24, No. 1, pp. 4-5.
- ^ "2010 Census Interactive Population Search". 2010 Census. U.S. Census Bureau, Population Division. April 1, 2011. http://2010.census.gov/2010census/popmap/ipmtext.php. Retrieved October 17, 2011.
- ^ "Annual Estimates of the Population of Metropolitan and Micropolitan Statistical Areas: April 1, 2010 to July 1, 2011" (CSV). 2011 Population Estimates. U.S. Census Bureau, Population Division. April 01, 2012. http://www.census.gov/popest/data/metro/totals/2011/tables/CBSA-EST2011-01.csv. Retrieved April 7, 2012. file in Excel format
- ^ "Find a County". National Association of Counties. http://www.naco.org/Counties/Pages/FindACounty.aspx. Retrieved 2011-06-07.
- ^ "Tuscaloosa", Encyclopedia of Alabama
- ^ "Best Places to Launch a Small Business 2009". CNN. http://money.cnn.com/smallbusiness/best_places_launch/2009/.
- ^ Jennie Kushner. "Tuscaloosa named top 100 city for young people". The Crimson White. http://www.cw.ua.edu/2010/10/03/tuscaloosa-named-top-100-city-for-young-people.
- ^ "100 Best Communities for Young People 2010 Winners". America's Promise Alliance. http://www.americaspromise.org/Our-Work/Community-Action/100-Best-Communities/2010-Winners.aspx. Retrieved April 12, 2011.
- ^ "Tuscaloosa named most livable city in America". The Birmingham News. June 18, 2011. http://blog.al.com/spotnews/2011/06/tuscaloosa_named_most_livable.html. Retrieved June 18, 2011.
- ^ http://continuingstudies.ua.edu/IFES/ifes-tuscaloosa.html
- ^ Prentice, Guy (2003). "Pushmataha, Choctaw Indian Chief". Southeast Chronicles. http://www.nps.gov/history/seac/SoutheastChronicles/NISI/NISI%20Cultural%20Overview.htm. Retrieved 2008-02-11.
- ^ "Alabama Indian Tribes". Indian Tribal Records. AccessGenealogy.com. Updated 2006. http://www.accessgenealogy.com/native/alabama/. Retrieved 2006-09-23.
- ^ a b c Sharyn Kane & Richard Keeton. "Fort Benning – The Land and the People". SEAC. http://www.nps.gov/history/seac/benning-book/ch11.htm. Retrieved 2010-08-07.
- ^ Civil rights pioneer Vivian Jones dies. USA Today. 2005-10-13. http://www.usatoday.com/news/nation/2005-10-13-jonesobit_x.htm. Retrieved 2008-01-07.
- ^ http://www.upi.com/Audio/Year_in_Review/Events-of-1963/University-of-Alabama/12295509434394-4/
- ^ a b "Public Information Statement". http://www.tuscaloosanews.com/article/20110602/news/110609944.
- ^ "Twister Outbreak is Second Deadliest in History", MSNBC, AP News & Reuters (jointly produced article), April, 30, 2011, http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/42834400/ns/weather/
- ^ a b "Tuscaloosa-Birmingham EF-4 Tornado April 27, 2011". http://www.srh.weather.gov/bmx/?n=event_04272011tuscbirm. Retrieved 25 May 2012.
- ^ Anderson, Lars (May 23, 2011). "Terror, Tragedy And Hope In Tuscaloosa: On April 27 the most devastating tornado in Alabama history cut nearly a mile-wide swath through the university town, killing 41. Crimson Tide athletes, haunted by the storm and its aftermath, work to heal a community that has always cheered them on as they try to put their own lives back together". SI.com (Sports Illustrated). http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/vault/article/magazine/MAG1186008/index.htm. Retrieved 2011-06-09.
- ^ http://blog.al.com/spotnews/2011/04/tuscaloosa_tornadoes_death_tol.html
- ^ a b Reuters, http://www.reuters.com/article/2011/04/29/us-usa-weather-children-idUSTRE73S7MU20110429
- ^ http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/42794539/ns/weather/?gt1=43001
- ^ a b Holland, Taylor (April 29, 2011) "Maddox Updates Residents". The Crimson White. Retrieved April 29, 2011
- ^ "Help us locate loved ones". tuscaloosanews.com, 29 April 2011, Retrieved April 29, 2011
- ^ "Top of the Ticket". Los Angeles Times. http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/washington/2011/04/obama-visits-tornado-devastation.html.
- ^ http://www.tuscaloosanews.com/article/20110429/NEWS/110429620?p=all&tc=pgall
- ^ http://www.cbs42.com/content/localnews/story/Yankees-donate-500-000-for-tornado-relief-efforts/YfDvWSiR5UaYhJsssY5nvA.cspx?rss=2272
- ^ Jason Morton (May 3, 2011). "Sheen makes ‘recon’ tour of city". The Tuscaloosa News. http://www.tuscaloosanews.com/article/20110503/NEWS/110509936. Retrieved May 3, 2011.
- ^ MSNBC News / Reuters, 8/6/2011, "Alabama gives posthumous degrees to students killed by tornadoes", http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/44045587/ns/us_news-life/#headline
- ^ "Toomer's For Tuscaloosa", ESPN. May 8, 2011. Accessed June 8, 2011
- ^ "US Gazetteer files: 2010, 2000, and 1990". United States Census Bureau. 2011-02-12. http://www.census.gov/geo/www/gazetteer/gazette.html. Retrieved 2011-04-23.
- ^ Fox News Interview April 28, 2011
- ^ Tuscaloosa Area Climate. University of Alabama - Department of Mathematics. Accessed December 03, 2005.
- ^ Records and Averages - Tuscaloosa. Tuscaloosa Weather Forecasts on Yahoo! Weather. Accessed December 03, 2005.
- ^ "American FactFinder". United States Census Bureau. http://factfinder.census.gov. Retrieved 2008-01-31.
- ^ Royster, Carl H.. Churches of Christ in the United States. Nashville: 21st Century Christian. p. 98. http://universitycofc.org/.
- ^ http://www.tuscaloosanews.com/article/20091206/NEWS/912059938?p=1&tc=pg
- ^ Percentages calculated using data from Table of Employment Statistics. Alabama Department of Industrial Relations. Accessed December 06, 2005.
- ^ "Best Places to Launch a Small Business". Fortunte Small Business. November 2009. http://money.cnn.com/smallbusiness/best_places_launch/2009/.
- ^ http://www.tcvb.org/directory/?show=1&page=browse&category=94
- ^ a b c http://www.city-data.com/city/Tuscaloosa-Alabama.html
- ^ About Us: Students. Tuscaloosa City School System. Accessed November 24, 2005.
- ^ See the Arts and Humanities Council's website at tuscarts.org for full membership list and links to member organization websites.
- ^ http://www.alachoirschool.org/
- ^ "Rock band Kansas will perform 2 Tuscaloosa concerts in September". al.com. http://blog.al.com/entertainment-press-register/2010/08/rock_band_kansas_will_perform.html. Retrieved May 31, 2011.
- ^ Bama Theatre. Arts Council of Tuscaloosa.
- ^ About Us. Tuscaloosa Children's Theatre
- ^ http://www.tuscaloosaamphitheater.com/news.php
- ^ http://www.pubclub.com/collegefootball/index.htm
- ^ http://www.tuscaloosabusiness.com/Tuscaloosa_Pages/Tuscaloosa+Festivals~83.html
- ^ http://continuingstudies.ua.edu/IFES/ifes-tuscaloosa.html
- ^ http://www.tuscaloosanews.com/article/20090919/news/909199994?p=1&tc=pg
- ^ http://www.tuscaloosanews.com
- ^ "Nielsen Media Research Local Universe Estimates (US)" (pdf). Nielson Media Research. http://en-us.nielsen.com/etc/content/nielsen_dotcom/en_us/home/measurement/tv_research.mbt.39577.RelatedLinks.13293.MediaPath.pdf. Retrieved October 2, 2009. [dead link]
- ^ Arbitron Radio Market Rankings: Spring 2007 Arbitron. Accessed July 24, 2007.
- ^ Tuscaloosa, AL, Ratings. RadioandRecords.com Accessed July 24, 2007.
- ^ http://www.myfoxal.com/Global/story.asp?S=13226637
- ^ http://tour.ua.edu/tourstops/ferguson.html
- ^ http://www.bamatheatrecompany.org/
- ^ http://bhamwiki.com/w/Bama_6_(Tuscaloosa)
- ^ The Licensed Bed figures were taken from data from the Hospital Directory of the Alabama Hospital Association. The DCH Health System website lists the numbers of Licensed Beds at DCH Regional Medical Center to be 583.
- ^ Directory of Services: Trama Center. DCH Health System. Accessed November 26, 2005.
- ^ http://www.uatrolley.org/door/
- ^ "Kansas City Southern Railway leases five of its branch lines,". The Journal Record (Oklahoma City). 2005. http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_qn4182/is_20050722/ai_n14807855. [dead link]
- ^ http://www.maritimelawyer-alabama.com/port-of-tuscaloosa.asp
- ^ "Tuscaloosa Sister Cities International". Tuscaloosa Sister Cities Commission. http://www.tuscaloosasistercities.com/. Retrieved August 26, 2011.
- ^ Turney Foshee (August 26, 2011). "Sister Cities delegates gather in Tuscaloosa to mark friendship". Tuscaloosa News. http://www.tuscaloosanews.com/article/20110826/NEWS/110829796/1007?Title=Sister-Cities-delegates-gather-in-Tuscaloosa-to-mark-friendship. Retrieved August 26, 2011.
- ^ http://www.chuckleavell.com/
- ^ http://www.tuscaloosanews.com/article/20111227/NEWS/111229846
- ^ a b c d Reichler, Joseph L., ed. (1979) [1969]. The Baseball Encyclopedia (4th edition ed.). New York: Macmillan Publishing. ISBN 0-02-578970-8.
- ^ Hague, Jim (May 14, 2006). "Truant officer was Olympic hero Emerson High has gold medalist in midst". The Hudson Reporter. http://hudsonreporter.com/view/full_stories_home/2408547/article-Truant-officer-was-Olympic-hero-Emerson-High-has-gold-medallist-in-midst?. Retrieved 2012-03-18.
- ^ Pope, Gennarose (March 18, 2012). "A truant officer…and an Olympian Two-time gold medalist inspires students to achieve". The Hudson Reporter. http://hudsonreporter.com/view/full_stories_home/17921918/article-A-truant-officer…and-an-Olympian-Two-time-gold-medalist-inspires-students-to-achieve-?instance=union%20city_story_left_column. Retrieved 2012-03-18.
External links[link]
Emergency Tornado Aid
- Alabama Red Cross
- National Red Cross
- Tuscaloosa News People Finder Set up by local newspaper to aid in finding loved ones and friends missing in the tornado.
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Coordinates: 33°12′24″N 87°32′05″W / 33.20654°N 87.534607°W / 33.20654; -87.534607
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This article is about the U.S. state of Alabama. For other uses, see Alabama (disambiguation).
| State of Alabama | |||||
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| Nickname(s): Yellowhammer State; Heart of Dixie; Cotton State | |||||
| Motto(s): Audemus jura nostra defendere (Latin) | |||||
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| Official language(s) | English | ||||
| Spoken language(s) | English (96.17%) Spanish (2.12%) |
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| Demonym | Alabamian[1] | ||||
| Capital | Montgomery | ||||
| Largest city | Birmingham 212,237 (2010 census) |
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| Largest metro area | Greater Birmingham Area | ||||
| Area | Ranked 30th in the U.S. | ||||
| - Total | 52,419 sq mi (135,765 km2) |
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| - Width | 190 miles (305 km) | ||||
| - Length | 330 miles (531 km) | ||||
| - % water | 3.20 | ||||
| - Latitude | 30° 11′ N to 35° N | ||||
| - Longitude | 84° 53′ W to 88° 28′ W | ||||
| Population | Ranked 23rd in the U.S. | ||||
| - Total | 4,802,740 (2011 est)[2] | ||||
| - Density | 94.6/sq mi (36.5/km2) Ranked 27th in the U.S. |
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| Elevation | |||||
| - Highest point | Mount Cheaha[3][4][5] 2,413 ft (735.5 m) |
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| - Mean | 500 ft (150 m) | ||||
| - Lowest point | Gulf of Mexico[4] sea level |
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| Before statehood | Alabama Territory | ||||
| Admission to Union | December 14, 1819 (22nd) | ||||
| Governor | Robert J. Bentley (R) | ||||
| Lieutenant Governor | Kay Ivey (R) | ||||
| Legislature | Alabama Legislature | ||||
| - Upper house | Senate | ||||
| - Lower house | House of Representatives | ||||
| U.S. Senators | Richard Shelby (R) Jeff Sessions (R) |
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| U.S. House delegation | 6 Republicans, 1 Democrat (list) | ||||
| Time zones | |||||
| - most of state | Central: UTC -6/-5 | ||||
| - Phenix City, Alabama area | Eastern: UTC −5/−4 | ||||
| Abbreviations | AL Ala. US-AL | ||||
| Website | alabama.gov | ||||
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| The Flag of Alabama. | |
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| Animate insignia | |
| Amphibian | Red Hills salamander |
| Bird(s) | Yellowhammer, Wild Turkey |
| Butterfly | Eastern Tiger Swallowtail |
| Fish | Largemouth bass, Fighting tarpon |
| Flower(s) | Camellia, Oak-leaf Hydrangea |
| Insect | Monarch Butterfly |
| Mammal(s) | American Black Bear, Racking horse |
| Reptile | Alabama red-bellied turtle |
| Tree | Longleaf Pine |
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| Inanimate insignia | |
| Beverage | Conecuh Ridge Whiskey |
| Colors | Red, White |
| Dance | Square Dance |
| Food | Pecan, Blackberry, Peach |
| Fossil | Basilosaurus |
| Gemstone | Star Blue Quartz |
| Mineral | Hematite |
| Rock | Marble |
| Shell | Johnstone's Junonia |
| Slogan(s) | Share The Wonder, Alabama the beautiful, Where America finds its voice, Sweet Home Alabama |
| Soil | Bama |
| Song(s) | Alabama (song) |
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Alabama (i/ˌæləˈbæmə/) is a state located in the southeastern region of the United States. It is bordered by Tennessee to the north, Georgia to the east, Florida and the Gulf of Mexico to the south, and Mississippi to the west. Alabama is the 30th-most extensive and the 23rd-most populous of the 50 United States. Alabama ranks second in the area of its inland waterways.
From the American Civil War until World War II, Alabama, like many Southern states, suffered economic hardship, in part because of continued dependence on agriculture. Despite the growth of major industries and urban centers, white rural interests dominated the state legislature until the 1960s, while urban interests and African Americans were under-represented.[6] Following World War II, Alabama experienced growth as the economy of the state transitioned from agriculture to diversified interests in heavy manufacturing, mineral extraction, education, and technology. In addition, the establishment or expansion of multiple military installations, primarily those of the U.S. Army and U.S. Air Force, added to state jobs.
Alabama is unofficially nicknamed the Yellowhammer State, after the state bird. Alabama is also known as the "Heart of Dixie." The state tree is the Longleaf Pine, the state flower is the Camellia. The capital of Alabama is Montgomery. The largest city by population is Birmingham. The largest city by total land area is Huntsville. The oldest city is Mobile, founded by French colonists.
Contents |
History[link]
Main article: History of Alabama
Etymology[link]
The Alabama people, a Muskogean-speaking tribe whose members lived just below the confluence of the Coosa and Tallapoosa Rivers on the upper reaches of the Alabama River,[7] served as the etymological source of the names of the river and state. In the Alabama language, the word for an Alabama person is Albaamo (or variously Albaama or Albàamo in different dialects; the plural form "Alabama persons" is Albaamaha).[8] The word Alabama is believed to have originated from the Choctaw language[9] and was later adopted by the Alabama tribe as their name.[10] The spelling of the word varies significantly between sources.[10] The first usage appears in three accounts of the Hernando de Soto expedition of 1540 with Garcilasso de la Vega using Alibamo, while the Knight of Elvas and Rodrigo Ranjel wrote Alibamu and Limamu, respectively.[10] As early as 1702, the tribe was known to the French as Alibamon with French maps identifying the river as Rivière des Alibamons.[7] Other spellings of the appellation have included Alibamu, Alabamo, Albama, Alebamon, Alibama, Alibamou, Alabamu, and Allibamou.[10][11][12][13]
Although the origin of Alabama could be discerned, sources disagree on its meaning. An 1842 article in the Jacksonville Republican originated the idea that the meaning was "Here We Rest."[10] This notion was popularized in the 1850s through the writings of Alexander Beaufort Meek.[10] Experts in the Muskogean languages have been unable to find any evidence to support such a translation.[7][10] Scholars believe the word comes from the Choctaw alba (meaning "plants" or "weeds") and amo (meaning "to cut", "to trim", or "to gather").[9][10][14] The meaning may have been "clearers of the thicket"[9] or "herb gatherers"[14][15] which may refer to clearing of land for cultivation[11] or to collecting medicinal plants.[15]
Indigenous peoples, early history[link]
Indigenous peoples of varying cultures lived in the area for thousands of years before European colonization. Trade with the Northeast via the Ohio River began during the Burial Mound Period (1000 BC–AD 700) and continued until European contact.[16] The agrarian Mississippian culture covered most of the state from AD 1000 to 1600, with one of its major centers being at the Moundville Archaeological Site in Moundville, Alabama.[17][18] Analysis of artifacts recovered from archaeological excavations at Moundville were the basis of scholars' formulating the characteristics of the Southeastern Ceremonial Complex (SECC).[19] Contrary to popular belief, the SECC appears to have no direct links to Mesoamerican culture, but developed independently. The Ceremonial Complex represents a major component of the religion of the Mississippian peoples; it is one of the primary means by which their religion is understood.[20]
Among the historical tribes of Native American people living in the area of present-day Alabama at the time of European contact were Iroquoian-speaking Cherokee, and the Muskogean-speaking Alabama (Alibamu), Chickasaw, Choctaw, Creek, Koasati, and Mobile.[21]
European settlement[link]
The French founded the first European settlement in the region at Old Mobile, in 1702.[22] The area was French from 1702 to 1763; part of British West Florida from 1763 to 1780. Thomas Bassett was the first British settler in the state. He settled near what is now Tombigbee River in Washington County.[23] Alabama became part of Spanish West Florida from 1780 to 1810; part of the independent Republic of West Florida for a short time (90 days); annexed by the U.S. and added to the Territory of Orleans (1810); and, finally, added to the Mississippi Territory in 1812. Throughout these later developments, however, the Spanish had kept a nominal (although largely ignored) governmental presence in the region, based out of Mobile. When Andrew Jackson's forces occupied Mobile in 1814 —while preparing for the Battle of New Orleans —he demonstrated the United States' de facto authority over the region, effectively ending Spanish governance (though not its claim), while gaining an unencumbered passage to the gulf.[24]
The area making up today's northern and central Alabama, known as the Yazoo lands, had been claimed by the Province of Georgia after 1767. Following the Revolutionary War, it remained a part of the state of Georgia —although heavily disputed. Conflicting claims to the area were held, first by several Native American tribes (most notably the Chickamauga-Cherokee and Yazoo), by other states (e.g. South Carolina); and by the US federal government; Britain and Spain. In 1802, the region was joined to the Mississippi Territory. Individual statehood was delayed, however, by the territory's lack of a coastline.[citation needed]
Statehood, Civil War, and Reconstruction[link]
Alabama was admitted to the Union in 1819 as the 22nd state. Part of the frontier in the 1820s and 1830s, its constitution provided for universal suffrage for white men. Settlers rapidly arrived to take advantage of the fertile soil. Southeastern planters and traders from the Upper South brought slaves with them as the cotton plantations expanded. The economy of the central "Black Belt" (named for its dark, productive soil) was built around large cotton plantations whose owners' wealth grew largely from slave labor.[25] The area also drew many poor, disfranchised people who became subsistence farmers. The 1860 census records show that enslaved Africans comprised 45% of the state's total population of 964,201. There were only 2,690 free persons of color living in Alabama at the time.
From 1826 to 1846, Tuscaloosa served as the capital of Alabama. On January 30, 1846, the Alabama legislature announced that it had voted to remove the capital city from Tuscaloosa to Montgomery. The first legislative session in the new capital met in December 1847. In time, a Capitol building was erected under the direction of a Philadelphia, Pennsylvania architect. The original structure burnt down in 1849 but was rebuilt in 1851 following the original plans.[26]
On January 11, 1861, Alabama declared its secession from the Union and joined the Confederate States of America. While few battles were fought in the state, Alabama contributed about 120,000 soldiers to the American Civil War. Alabama's slaves were freed by the 13th Amendment in 1865.[27] During Reconstruction, the new state legislators created a public school system for the first time, as well as establishing some welfare institutions to help its people. Alabama was officially restored to the Union in 1868.
After the Civil War, the state was still chiefly agricultural, with an economy tied to cotton. Planters resisted working with free labor during Reconstruction and sought to re-establish controls over freedmen. In the early years the Ku Klux Klan had numerous independent chapters in Alabama that attacked freedmen and other Republicans. After it was suppressed, insurgent whites organized paramilitary groups, such as the Red Shirts and White League, that acted more openly to suppress black voting. Regaining power by the late 1870s, in the last decade of the 19th century, white Democrats passed electoral laws disfranchise most blacks and many poor whites.[28] Having regained power in the state legislature, Democrats passed Jim Crow laws, including racial segregation in public facilities, to restore white supremacy in the society.
In 1875, the state passed the Blaine Amendment, to prohibit public money from being used to finance Catholic schools.[29]
1900–1960[link]
The new 1901 Constitution of Alabama effectively disfranchised African Americans and many poor whites through voting restrictions, including literacy requirements. While the planter class had persuaded poor whites to support these legislative efforts, the new restrictions resulted in disfranchising poor whites as well, due mostly to imposition of a cumulative poll tax.
In 1900, 14 Black Belt counties had more than 79,000 voters on the rolls.[clarification needed] By June 1, 1903, the number of[clarification needed] registered voters had dropped to 1,081. In 1900, Alabama had more than 181,000 African Americans eligible to vote. By 1903, only 2,980 had qualified to register, although at least 74,000 black voters were literate.[30]
By 1941, a total of more whites than blacks had been disfranchised: 600,000 whites to 520,000 blacks.[30] Nearly all African Americans lost the ability to vote.
The disfranchisement was ended by African Americans' leading the Civil Rights Movement and gaining Federal legislation in the mid-1960s to protect their voting and civil rights. The Voting Rights Act of 1965 also protected the suffrage of poor whites.
The rural-dominated Alabama legislature consistently underfunded schools and services for the disfranchised African Americans in the segregated state, but did not relieve them of paying taxes.[25] Continued racial discrimination, agricultural depression, and the failure of the cotton crops due to boll weevil infestation led tens of thousands of African Americans to seek opportunities in northern cities. They left Alabama in the early 20th century as part of the Great Migration to industrial jobs and better futures in northern industrial cities. The population growth rate in Alabama (see "Historical Populations" table below) dropped by nearly half from 1910 to 1920, reflecting the effect of emigration.
At the same time, many rural whites and blacks migrated to the city of Birmingham for work in new industrial jobs. It experienced such rapid growth that it was nicknamed "The Magic City." By the 1920s, Birmingham was the 19th largest city in the U.S. and held more than 30% of the population of the state. Heavy industry and mining were the basis of the economy.[31]
Industrial development related to the demands of World War II brought prosperity.[25] Cotton faded in importance as the state developed a manufacturing and service base. In the 1960s under Governor George Wallace, many whites in the state opposed federal integration efforts in schools and public facilities.
1960–present[link]
Despite massive population changes in the state from 1901 to 1961, the rural-dominated legislature refused to reapportion House and Senate seats based on population. They held on to old representation to maintain political and economic power in agricultural areas. In addition, the state legislature gerrymandered the few Birmingham legislative seats to ensure election by persons living outside Birmingham.
One result was that Jefferson County, containing Birmingham's industrial and economic powerhouse, contributed more than one-third of all tax revenue to the state, but did not receive a proportional amount in services. Urban interests were consistently underrepresented in the legislature. A 1960 study noted that because of rural domination, "A minority of about 25 per cent of the total state population is in majority control of the Alabama legislature."[6]
African Americans were presumed partial to Republicans for historical reasons, but they were disfranchised. White Alabamans felt bitter towards the Republican Party in the aftermath of the Civil War and Reconstruction. These factors created a longstanding tradition that any candidate who wanted to be viable with white voters had to run as a Democrat regardless of political beliefs.
During the Civil Rights Movement, African Americans achieved a protection of voting and other civil rights through the passage of the national Civil Rights Act of 1964,[32] and the Voting Rights Act of 1965. De jure segregation ended in the states as Jim Crow laws were invalidated or repealed.[33]
Under the Voting Rights Act of 1965, cases were filed in Federal courts to force Alabama to redistrict by population both the House and Senate of the state legislature. In 1972, for the first time since 1901, the legislature implemented the Alabama constitution's provision for periodic redistricting based on population. This benefited the urban areas that had developed, as well as all in the population who had been underrepresented for more than 60 years.[6]
After 1972, the state's white voters shifted much of their support to Republican candidates in presidential elections (as also occurred in neighboring southern states). Since 1990 the majority of whites in the state have voted increasingly Republican in state elections. In 2010, Republicans won control of both houses of the legislature for the first time in 136 years.[34]
Geography[link]
Main article: Geography of Alabama
See also: List of Alabama counties and Geology of Alabama
Alabama is the thirtieth-largest state in the United States with 52,419 square miles (135,760 km2) of total area: 3.2% of the area is water, making Alabama 23rd in the amount of surface water, also giving it the second-largest inland waterway system in the United States.[35] About three-fifths of the land area is a gentle plain with a general descent towards the Mississippi River and the Gulf of Mexico. The North Alabama region is mostly mountainous, with the Tennessee River cutting a large valley creating numerous creeks, streams, rivers, mountains, and lakes.[36]
The states bordering Alabama are Tennessee to the north; Georgia to the east; Florida to the south; and Mississippi to the west. Alabama has coastline at the Gulf of Mexico, in the extreme southern edge of the state.[36] Alabama ranges in elevation from sea level[37] at Mobile Bay to over 1,800 feet (550 m) in the Appalachian Mountains in the northeast. The highest point is Mount Cheaha,[36] at a height of 2,413 ft (735 m).[38] Alabama's land consists of 22 million acres (89,000 km2) of forest or 67% of total land area.[39] Suburban Baldwin County, along the Gulf Coast, is the largest county in the state in both land area and water area.[40]
Areas in Alabama administered by the National Park Service include Horseshoe Bend National Military Park near Alexander City; Little River Canyon National Preserve near Fort Payne; Russell Cave National Monument in Bridgeport; Tuskegee Airmen National Historic Site in Tuskegee; and Tuskegee Institute National Historic Site near Tuskegee.[41] Additionally, Alabama has four National Forests: Conecuh, Talladega, Tuskegee, and William B. Bankhead.[42] Alabama also contains the Natchez Trace Parkway, the Selma To Montgomery National Historic Trail, and the Trail Of Tears National Historic Trail. A notable natural wonder in Alabama is "Natural Bridge" rock, the longest natural bridge east of the Rockies, located just south of Haleyville.
A 5-mile (8 km)-wide meteorite impact crater is located in Elmore County, just north of Montgomery. This is the Wetumpka crater, the site of "Alabama's greatest natural disaster." A 1,000-foot (300 m)-wide meteorite hit the area about 80 million years ago.[43] The hills just east of downtown Wetumpka showcase the eroded remains of the impact crater that was blasted into the bedrock, with the area labeled the Wetumpka crater or astrobleme ("star-wound") because of the concentric rings of fractures and zones of shattered rock that can be found beneath the surface.[44] In 2002, Christian Koeberl with the Institute of Geochemistry University of Vienna published evidence and established the site as 157th recognized impact crater on Earth.[45]
Urban areas[link]
Main article: List of Metropolitan areas of Alabama
See also: List of cities in Alabama
| Rank | Metropolitan Area | Population (2010 Census) |
Counties |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Birmingham-Hoover | 1,128,047 | Bibb, Blount, Chilton, Jefferson, St. Clair, Shelby, Walker |
| 2 | Huntsville | 417,593 | Limestone, Madison |
| 3 | Mobile | 412,992 | Mobile |
| 4 | Montgomery | 374,536 | Autauga, Elmore, Lowndes, Montgomery |
| 5 | Tuscaloosa | 219,461 | Greene, Hale, Tuscaloosa |
| 6 | Decatur | 153,829 | Lawrence, Morgan |
| 7 | Florence-Muscle Shoals | 147,137 | Colbert, Lauderdale |
| 8 | Dothan | 145,639 | Geneva, Henry, Houston |
| 9 | Auburn-Opelika | 140,247 | Lee |
| 10 | Anniston-Oxford | 112,249 | Calhoun |
| 11 | Gadsden | 104,430 | Etowah |
| Total | 3,362,483 |
| Rank | City | Population (2010 Census) |
County |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Birmingham | 212,237 | Jefferson |
| 2 | Montgomery | 205,764 | Montgomery |
| 3 | Mobile | 195,111 | Mobile |
| 4 | Huntsville | 180,105 | Madison Limestone |
| 5 | Tuscaloosa | 90,468 | Tuscaloosa |
| 6 | Hoover | 81,619 | Jefferson Shelby |
| 7 | Dothan | 65,496 | Houston |
| 8 | Decatur | 55,683 | Morgan Limestone |
| 9 | Auburn | 53,380 | Lee |
| 10 | Madison | 42,938 | Madison Limestone |
| 11 | Florence | 39,319 | Lauderdale |
| 12 | Gadsden | 36,856 | Etowah |
| 13 | Vestavia Hills | 34,033 | Jefferson |
| 14 | Prattville | 33,960 | Autauga |
| 15 | Phenix City | 32,822 | Russell |
Climate[link]
Main article: Climate of Alabama
The state is classified as humid subtropical (Cfa) under the Koppen Climate Classification.[46] The average annual temperature is 64 °F (18 °C). Temperatures tend to be warmer in the southern part of the state with its proximity to the Gulf of Mexico, while the northern parts of the state, especially in the Appalachian Mountains in the northeast, tend to be slightly cooler.[47] Generally, Alabama has very hot summers and mild winters with copious precipitation throughout the year. Alabama receives an average of 56 inches (1,400 mm) of rainfall annually and enjoys a lengthy growing season of up to 300 days in the southern part of the state.[47]
Summers in Alabama are among the hottest in the United States, with high temperatures averaging over 90 °F (32 °C) throughout the summer in some parts of the state. Alabama is also prone to tropical storms and even hurricanes. Areas of the state far away from the Gulf are not immune to the effects of the storms, which often dump tremendous amounts of rain as they move inland and weaken.
South Alabama reports many thunderstorms. The Gulf Coast, around Mobile Bay, averages between 70 and 80 days per year with thunder reported. This activity decreases somewhat further north in the state, but even the far north of the state reports thunder on about 60 days per year. Occasionally, thunderstorms are severe with frequent lightning and large hail – the central and northern parts of the state are most vulnerable to this type of storm. Alabama ranks seventh in the number of deaths from lightning and ninth in the number of deaths from lightning strikes per capita.[48]
Alabama, along with Kansas, has the most reported EF5 tornadoes of any state – according to statistics from the National Climatic Data Center for the period January 1, 1950, to October 31, 2006.[49] Several long – tracked F5 tornadoes have contributed to Alabama reporting more tornado fatalities than any other state, even surpassing Texas which has a much larger area within Tornado Alley. The state suffered damage in the Super Outbreak of April 1974, and the April 25–28, 2011 tornado outbreak. The outbreak in April 2011 produced a record amount of tornadoes in the state. The tally reached 62.[50]
The peak season for tornadoes varies from the northern to southern parts of the state. Alabama is one of the few places in the world that has a secondary tornado season in November and December, along with the spring severe weather season. The northern part of the state – along the Tennessee Valley – is one of the areas in the U.S. most vulnerable to violent tornadoes. The area of Alabama and Mississippi most affected by tornadoes is sometimes referred to as Dixie Alley, as distinct from the Tornado Alley of the Southern Plains.
Winters are generally mild in Alabama, as they are throughout most of the southeastern United States, with average January low temperatures around 40 °F (4 °C) in Mobile and around 32 °F (0 °C) in Birmingham. Although snow is a rare event in much of Alabama, areas of the state north of Montgomery may receive a dusting of snow a few times every winter, with an occasional moderately heavy snowfall every few years. Historic snowfall events include New Year's Eve 1963 snowstorm and the 1993 Storm of the Century. The annual average snowfall for the Birmingham area is 2 inches (51 mm) per year. In the southern Gulf coast, snowfall is less frequent, sometimes going several years without any snowfall.
Alabama's highest recorded temperature of 114 °F (46 °C) was recorded on September 5, 1925 in the unincorporated community of Centerville. −27 °F (−33 °C) was the state's record low recorded in 1966 in New Market.[citation needed]
| Monthly normal high and low temperatures for various Alabama cities [°F (°C)] | |||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year | ||
| Huntsville | Average high | 48.9 (9.4) |
54.6 (12.6) |
63.4 (17.4) |
72.3 (22.4) |
79.6 (26.4) |
86.5 (30.3) |
89.4 (31.9) |
89.0 (31.7) |
83.0 (28.3) |
72.9 (22.7) |
61.6 (16.4) |
52.4 (11.3) |
71.1 (21.7) |
|
| Average low | 30.7 (−0.7) |
34.0 (1.1) |
41.2 (5.1) |
48.4 (9.1) |
57.5 (14.2) |
65.4 (18.6) |
69.5 (20.8) |
68.1 (20.1) |
61.7 (16.5) |
49.6 (9.8) |
40.7 (4.8) |
33.8 (1.0) |
50.1 (10.1) |
||
| Birmingham | Average high | 52.8 (11.6) |
58.3 (14.6) |
66.5 (19.2) |
74.1 (23.4) |
81.0 (27.2) |
87.5 (30.8) |
90.6 (32.6) |
90.2 (32.3) |
84.6 (29.2) |
74.9 (23.8) |
64.5 (18.1) |
56.0 (13.3) |
73.4 (23.0) |
|
| Average low | 32.3 (0.2) |
35.4 (1.9) |
42.4 (5.8) |
48.4 (9.1) |
57.6 (14.2) |
65.4 (18.6) |
69.7 (20.9) |
68.9 (20.5) |
63.0 (17.2) |
50.9 (10.5) |
41.8 (5.4) |
35.2 (1.8) |
50.9 (10.5) |
||
| Montgomery | Average high | 57.6 (14.2) |
62.4 (16.9) |
70.5 (21.4) |
77.5 (25.3) |
84.6 (29.2) |
90.6 (32.6) |
92.7 (33.7) |
92.2 (33.4) |
87.7 (30.9) |
78.7 (25.9) |
68.7 (20.4) |
60.3 (15.7) |
77.0 (25.0) |
|
| Average low | 35.5 (1.9) |
38.6 (3.7) |
45.4 (7.4) |
52.1 (11.2) |
60.1 (15.6) |
67.3 (19.6) |
70.9 (21.6) |
70.1 (21.2) |
64.9 (18.3) |
52.2 (11.2) |
43.5 (6.4) |
37.6 (3.1) |
53.2 (11.8) |
||
| Mobile | Average high | 60.7 (15.9) |
64.5 (18.1) |
71.2 (21.8) |
77.4 (25.2) |
84.2 (29.0) |
89.4 (31.9) |
91.2 (32.9) |
90.8 (32.7) |
86.8 (30.4) |
79.2 (26.2) |
70.1 (21.2) |
62.9 (17.2) |
77.4 (25.2) |
|
| Average low | 39.5 (4.2) |
42.4 (5.8) |
49.2 (9.6) |
54.8 (12.7) |
62.8 (17.1) |
69.2 (20.7) |
71.8 (22.1) |
71.7 (22.0) |
67.6 (19.8) |
56.3 (13.5) |
47.8 (8.8) |
41.6 (5.3) |
56.2 (13.4) |
||
| Source: NOAA[51][52][53][54] | |||||||||||||||
Demographics[link]
Main article: Demographics of Alabama
| Historical populations | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Census | Pop. | %± | |
| 1800 | 1,250 |
|
|
| 1810 | 9,046 | 623.7% | |
| 1820 | 127,901 | 1,313.9% | |
| 1830 | 309,527 | 142.0% | |
| 1840 | 590,756 | 90.9% | |
| 1850 | 771,623 | 30.6% | |
| 1860 | 964,201 | 25.0% | |
| 1870 | 996,992 | 3.4% | |
| 1880 | 1,262,505 | 26.6% | |
| 1890 | 1,513,401 | 19.9% | |
| 1900 | 1,828,697 | 20.8% | |
| 1910 | 2,138,093 | 16.9% | |
| 1920 | 2,348,174 | 9.8% | |
| 1930 | 2,646,248 | 12.7% | |
| 1940 | 2,832,961 | 7.1% | |
| 1950 | 3,061,743 | 8.1% | |
| 1960 | 3,266,740 | 6.7% | |
| 1970 | 3,444,165 | 5.4% | |
| 1980 | 3,893,888 | 13.1% | |
| 1990 | 4,040,587 | 3.8% | |
| 2000 | 4,447,100 | 10.1% | |
| 2010 | 4,779,736 | 7.5% | |
| Sources: 1910–2010[55] | |||
|
The United States Census Bureau estimates that the population of Alabama was 4,802,740 on July 1, 2011, a 0.48% increase since the 2010 United States Census.[2]
The United States Census Bureau, as of July 1, 2008, estimated Alabama's population at 4,661,900,[56] which represents an increase of 214,545, or 4.8%, since the last census in 2000.[57] This includes a natural increase since the last census of 121,054 people (that is 502,457 births minus 381,403 deaths) and an increase due to net migration of 104,991 people into the state.[57] Immigration from outside the United States resulted in a net increase of 31,180 people, and migration within the country produced a net gain of 73,811 people.[57] The state had 108,000 foreign-born (2.4% of the state population), of which an estimated 22.2% were illegal immigrants (24,000).
The center of population of Alabama is located in Chilton County, outside of the town of Jemison.[58]
Race and ancestry[link]
According to the 2010 U.S. Census, Alabama had a population of 4,779,736. In terms of race and ethnicity, the state was 68.5% White (67.0% Non-Hispanic White Alone), 26.2% Black or African American, 0.6% American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.1% Asian, 0.1% Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander, 2.0% from Some Other Race, and 1.5% from Two or More Races. Hispanics or Latinos of any race made up 3.9% of the population.[59]
The largest reported ancestry groups in Alabama are: African American (26.2%), English (23.6%), Irish (7.7%), German (5.7%), and Scots-Irish (2.0%).[60][61][62] Those citing "American" ancestry in Alabama are of overwhelmingly English extraction, however most English Americans identify simply as having American ancestry because their roots have been in North America for so long, in some cases since the 1600s. Demographers estimate that a minimum of 20–23% of people in Alabama are of predominantly English ancestry and state that the figure is probably much higher. In the 1980 census, 41% of the people in Alabama cited that they were of English ancestry, making them the largest ethnic group at the time.[63][64][65][66][67] There are also many more people in Alabama of Scots-Irish origins than are self-reported.[68] Many people in Alabama claim Irish ancestry because of the term Scots-Irish, but most of the time in Alabama this term is used for those with Scottish roots, rather than Irish.[69]
In 1984, under the Davis–Strong Act, Alabama established a state Indian Commission and officially recognized seven American Indian tribes, including the Echota Cherokee Tribe of Alabama, which is a 501 (c)(3) group. It is made up of descendants of the Chickamauga Cherokee and others who managed to evade Indian Removal in the 1830s. Working with Auburn University, the tribe has begun a revival of the Cherokee language.
Religion[link]
Alabama is located in the middle of the Bible Belt, a region of high Christian followers. Alabama has been identified as one of the most religious states in the US, with about 58% of the population attending church regularly.[70] A majority of people in the state identify as Protestant. As of 2000, the three largest denominational groups in Alabama are Evangelical Protestant, Mainline Protestant, and Catholic. The Southern Baptist Convention has the highest number of adherents in Alabama with 1,380,121, followed by the United Methodist Church with 327,734 members, and the Catholic Church with 150,647 adherents.[71]
In a 2007 survey, nearly 70% of respondents could name all four of the Christian Gospels. Of those who indicated a religious preference, 59% said they possessed a "full understanding" of their faith and needed no further learning.[72] In a 2007 poll, 92% of Alabamians reported having at least some confidence in churches in the state.[73][74] In the 2008 American Religious Identification Survey, 80% of Alabama respondents reported their religion as Christian (other than Catholic,) 6% as Catholic, and 11% as having no religion at all.[75]
Health[link]
A Centers for Disease Control and Prevention study showed that Alabama was one of the worst in the country for obesity with most counties having over 29% of adults obese, except for ten which exceeded 26%.[76] Residents were least likely of any state in the nation to exercise.[77] Alabama has one of the highest incidences of adult onset diabetes in the country, exceeding 10% of adults.[78][79]
Economy[link]
The state has invested in aerospace, education, health care, banking, and various heavy industries, including automobile manufacturing, mineral extraction, steel production and fabrication.
According to the United States Bureau of Economic Analysis, the 2008 total gross state product was $170 billion, or $29,411 per capita. Alabama's 2008 GDP increased 0.7% from the previous year. The single largest increase came in the area of information.[80] In 2010, per capita income for the state was $22,984.[81]
As of September 2010, the state's unemployment rate is 8.9%.[82]
Largest employers[link]
According to the Birmingham Business Journal, the five employers which employ the most employees in Alabama as of 2011 were:[83]
| Employer | Number of employees |
|---|---|
| Redstone Arsenal | 25,373 |
| University of Alabama at Birmingham (includes UAB Hospital) | 18,750 |
| Maxwell Air Force Base | 12,280 |
| State of Alabama | 9,500 |
| Mobile County Public School System | 8,100 |
Agriculture[link]
Alabama's agricultural outputs include poultry and eggs, cattle, plant nursery items, peanuts, cotton, grains such as corn and sorghum, vegetables, milk, soybeans, and peaches. Although known as "The Cotton State", Alabama ranks between eighth and tenth in national cotton production, according to various reports,[84][85] with Texas, Georgia and Mississippi comprising the top three.
Industry[link]
Alabama's industrial outputs include iron and steel products (including cast-iron and steel pipe); paper, lumber, and wood products; mining (mostly coal); plastic products; cars and trucks; and apparel. Also, Alabama produces aerospace and electronic products, mostly in the Huntsville area, location of NASA's George C. Marshall Space Flight Center and the U.S. Army Materiel Command, headquartered at Redstone Arsenal.
Most of Alabama's economic growth is due to the state's expanding automotive manufacturing industry. Located in the state are Honda Manufacturing of Alabama, Hyundai Motor Manufacturing Alabama, Mercedes-Benz U.S. International, and Toyota Motor Manufacturing Alabama, as well as their various suppliers. Since 1993, the automobile industry has generated more than 67,800 new jobs in the state. Alabama currently ranks 4th in the nation in automobile output.[86]
Steel producers Nucor, SSAB, ThyssenKrupp, and U.S. Steel have facilities in Alabama and employ over 10,000 people. In May 2007, German steelmaker ThyssenKrupp selected Alabama for a $3.7 billion steel production plant, with the promise of 2,700 permanent jobs.[87] When ThyssenKrupp's new facilities reach full production capacity, Alabama is expected to become the third largest steel producing state in the country behind Indiana and Pennsylvania.[88]
The Hunt Refining Company, a subsidiary of Hunt Consolidated, Inc., is based in Tuscaloosa and operates a refinery there. The company also operates terminals in Mobile, Melvin, and Moundville.[89] JVC America, Inc. operates an optical disc replication and packaging plant in Tuscaloosa.[90]
Michelin North America operated a 1,000,000 square feet (9.3 ha) BFGoodrich Tire manufacturing plant in Opelika from 1963 to 2009, when it shut down.[91] GAF Materials Corporation formerly operated a plant in Mobile, but ceased production operations in 2010. The plant had previously been idled in 2007 before resuming in 2008 and may reopen in the future once demand recovers.[92]
Tourism[link]
An estimated 100,000 tourists annually from other countries visit the state, including from Canada, England, Germany and Japan. In 2006, 22.3 million tourists spent $8.3 billion providing an estimated 162,000 jobs in the state.[93][94][95]
Health[link]
UAB Hospital is the only Level I trauma center in Alabama.[96][97] UAB is the largest state government employer in Alabama, with a workforce of about 18,000.[98]
Banking[link]
Alabama has the headquarters of Regions Financial Corporation, BBVA Compass and Superior Bancorp. Birmingham-based Compass Banchshares was acquired by Spanish-based BBVA in September 2007, although the headquarters of BBVA Compass remains in Birmingham. In November 2006, Regions Financial completed its merger with AmSouth Bancorporation, which was also headquartered in Birmingham. SouthTrust Corporation, another large bank headquartered in Birmingham, was acquired by Wachovia in 2004 for $14.3 billion. The city still has major operations for Wachovia and its now post-operating bank Wells Fargo, which includes a regional headquarters, an operations center campus and a $400 million dollar data center. Nearly a dozen smaller banks are also headquartered in the Birmingham, such as Superior Bancorp, ServisFirst and New South Federal Savings Bank. Birmingham also serves as the headquarters for several large investment management companies, including Harbert Management Corporation.
Electronics[link]
Telecommunications provider AT&T, formerly BellSouth, also has a major presence in Alabama with several large offices in Birmingham. The company has over 6,000 employees and more than 1,200 contract employees.
Many commercial technology companies are headquartered in Huntsville, such as the network access company ADTRAN, computer graphics company Intergraph, design and manufacturer of IT infrastructure Avocent, and telecommunications provider Deltacom. Cinram manufactures and distributes 20th Century Fox DVDs and Blu-ray Discs out of their Huntsville plant.
Construction[link]
Rust International has grown to include Brasfield & Gorrie, BE&K, Hoar Construction and B.L. Harbert International, which all routinely are included in the Engineering News-Record lists of top design, international construction, and engineering firms. (Rust International was acquired in 2000 by Washington Group International, which was in turn acquired by San-Francisco based URS Corporation in 2007.)
Transportation[link]
The Port of Mobile, Alabama's only saltwater port, is a busy seaport on the Gulf of Mexico with inland waterway access to the Midwest by way of the Tennessee-Tombigbee Waterway. The Port of Mobile is currently the 9th-largest by tonnage in the United States.[99]
Barge transportation in and out of the Port of Tuscaloosa and other commercial navigation make the Black Warrior River useful in the state of Alabama.
Law and government[link]
State government[link]
Main article: Government of Alabama
The foundational document for Alabama's government is the Alabama Constitution, which was ratified in 1901. At almost 800 amendments and 310,000 words, it is the world's longest constitution and is roughly forty times the length of the U.S. Constitution.[100][101] There is a significant movement to rewrite and modernize Alabama's constitution.[102] This movement is based upon the fact that Alabama's constitution highly centralizes power in Montgomery and leaves practically no power in local hands. Any policy changes proposed around the state must be approved by the entire Alabama legislature and, frequently, by state referendum. One criticism of the current constitution claims that its complexity and length were intentional to codify segregation and racism.
Alabama is divided into three equal branches: The legislative branch is the Alabama Legislature, a bicameral assembly composed of the Alabama House of Representatives, with 105 members, and the Alabama Senate, with 35 members. The Legislature is responsible for writing, debating, passing, or defeating state legislation. The Republican Party currently holds a majority in both houses of the Legislature. The Legislature has the power to override a gubernatorial veto by a simple majority (most state Legislatures require a two-thirds majority to override a veto).
The executive branch is responsible for the execution and oversight of laws. It is headed by the Governor of Alabama. Other members of executive branch include the cabinet, the Attorney General of Alabama, the Alabama Secretary of State, the Alabama Commissioner of Agriculture and Industries, the Alabama State Treasurer, and the State Auditor of Alabama. The current governor of the state is Republican Robert Bentley. The lieutenant governor is Republican Kay Ivey.
The judicial branch is responsible for interpreting the Constitution and applying the law in state criminal and civil cases. The highest court is the Supreme Court of Alabama. The Chief Justice of the Alabama Supreme Court is Republican Chuck Malone. All sitting justices on the Alabama Supreme Court are members of the Republican Party.
The members of the Legislature take office immediately after the November elections. The statewide officials, such as the Governor, Lieutenant Governor, Attorney General, and other constitutional offices take office in the following January.[103]
Taxes[link]
Alabama levies a 2, 4, or 5 percent personal income tax, depending upon the amount earned and filing status. Taxpayers are allowed to deduct their federal income tax from their Alabama state tax, and can do so even if taking the standard deduction. Taxpayers who file itemized deductions are also allowed to deduct federal Social Security and Medicare taxes.
The state's general sales tax rate is 4%.[104] The collection rate could be substantially higher, depending upon additional city and county sales taxes. For example, the total sales tax rate in Mobile is 10% and there is an additional restaurant tax of 1%, which means that a diner in Mobile would pay a 11% tax on a meal. Sales and excise taxes in Alabama account for 51% of all state and local revenue, compared with an average of about 36% nationwide. Alabama is also one of the few remaining states that levies a tax on food and medicine. Alabama's income tax on poor working families is among the nation's very highest.[105] Alabama is the only state that levies income tax on a family of four with income as low as $4,600, which is barely one-quarter of the federal poverty line.[105] Alabama's threshold is the lowest among the 41 states and the District of Columbia with income taxes.[105]
The corporate income tax rate is currently 6.5%. The overall federal, state, and local tax burden in Alabama ranks the state as the second least tax-burdened state in the country.[106] Property taxes are the lowest in the United States. The current state constitution requires a voter referendum to raise property taxes.
Since Alabama's tax structure largely depends on consumer spending, it is subject to high variable budget structure. For example, in 2003 Alabama had an annual budget deficit as high as $670 million.
Local and county government[link]
Alabama has 67 counties. Each county has its own elected legislative branch, usually called the County Commission, which usually also has executive authority in the county. Because of the restraints placed in the Alabama Constitution, all but seven counties (Jefferson, Lee, Mobile, Madison, Montgomery, Shelby, and Tuscaloosa) in the state have little to no home rule. Instead, most counties in the state must lobby the Local Legislation Committee of the state legislature to get simple local policies such as waste disposal to land use zoning.
On November 9, 2011 Jefferson County declared bankruptcy.[107][108]
Alabama is an alcoholic beverage control state; the government holds a monopoly on the sale of alcohol. However, counties can declare themselves "dry"; the state does not sell alcohol in those areas.
| Rank | County | Population (2010 Census) |
Seat | Largest city |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Jefferson | 658,466 | Birmingham | Birmingham |
| 2 | Mobile | 412,992 | Mobile | Mobile |
| 3 | Madison | 334,811 | Huntsville | Huntsville |
| 4 | Montgomery | 229,363 | Montgomery | Montgomery |
| 5 | Shelby | 195,085 | Columbiana | Hoover (part) Alabaster |
| 6 | Tuscaloosa | 194,656 | Tuscaloosa | Tuscaloosa |
| 7 | Baldwin | 182,265 | Bay Minette | Daphne |
| 8 | Lee | 140,247 | Opelika | Auburn |
| 9 | Morgan | 119,490 | Decatur | Decatur |
| 10 | Calhoun | 118,572 | Anniston | Anniston |
Politics[link]
During Reconstruction following the American Civil War, Alabama was occupied by federal troops of the Third Military District under General John Pope. In 1874, the political coalition known as the Redeemers took control of the state government from the Republicans, in part by suppressing the African American vote.
After 1890, a coalition of whites passed laws to segregate and disenfranchise black residents, a process completed in provisions of the 1901 constitution. Provisions which disfranchised African Americans also disfranchised poor whites, however. By 1941 more whites than blacks had been disfranchised: 600,000 to 520,000, although the impact was greater on the African-American community, as almost all of its citizens were disfranchised.
From 1901 through the 1960s, the state did not redraw election districts as population grew and shifted within the state. The result was a rural minority that dominated state politics until a series of court cases required redistricting in 1972.
Alabama state politics gained nationwide and international attention in the 1950s and 1960s during the American Civil Rights Movement, when majority whites bureaucratically, and at times, violently resisted protests for electoral and social reform. Democrat George Wallace, the state's only four-term governor, was a controversial figure. Only with the passage of the Federal Civil Rights Act of 1964[32] and Voting Rights Act of 1965 did African-Americans regain suffrage and other civil rights.
In 2007, the Alabama Legislature passed, and Republican Governor Bob Riley signed, a resolution expressing "profound regret" over slavery and its lingering impact. In a symbolic ceremony, the bill was signed in the Alabama State Capitol, which housed Congress of the Confederate States of America.[109]
Elections[link]
Main article: Elections in Alabama
State elections[link]
With the disfranchisement of African Americans, the state became part of the "Solid South", a system in which the Democratic Party became essentially the only political party in every Southern state. For nearly 100 years, local and state elections in Alabama were decided in the Democratic Party primary, with generally only token Republican challengers running in the General Election.
Republicans hold all nine seats on the Alabama Supreme Court[110] and all ten seats on the state appellate courts. Until 1994, no Republicans held any of the court seats. This change also began, likely in part, due to the same perception by voters of Democratic party efforts to disenfranchise voters again in 1994. In that general election, the then-incumbent Chief Justice of Alabama, Ernest C. Hornsby, refused to leave office after losing the election by approximately 3,000 votes to Republican Perry O. Hooper, Sr.. Hornsby sued Alabama and defiantly remained in office for nearly a year before finally giving up the seat after losing in court. This ultimately led to a collapse of support for Democrats at the ballot box in the next three or four election cycles. The Democrats lost the last of the nineteen court seats in August 2011 with the resignation of the last Democrat on the bench.
Republicans hold all seven of the statewide elected executive branch offices. Republicans hold six of the eight elected seats on the Alabama State Board of Education. In 2010, Republicans took large majorities of both chambers of the state legislature giving them control of that body for the first time in 136 years. Democrats hold one of the three seats on the Alabama Public Service Commission.[111][112][113]
Only two Republican Lieutenant Governors have been elected since Reconstruction, one is Kay Ivey, the current Lieutenant Governor.
Local elections[link]
Many local offices (County Commissioners, Boards of Education, Tax Assessors, Tax Collectors, etc.) in the state are still held by Democrats. Local elections in most rural counties are generally decided in the Democratic primary and local elections in metropolitan and suburban counties are generally decided in the Republican Primary, although there are exceptions.[114][115]
Alabama's 67 County Sheriffs are elected in partisan races and Democrats still retain the majority of those posts. The current split is 42 Democrats, 24 Republicans, and one Independent (Choctaw).[116][Full citation needed] However, most of the Democratic sheriffs preside over rural and less populated counties and the majority of Republican sheriffs preside over more urban/suburban and heavily populated counties.[117] Two Alabama counties (Montgomery and Calhoun) with a population of over 100,000 have Democratic sheriffs and five Alabama counties with a population of under 75,000 have Republican sheriffs (Autauga, Coffee, Dale, Coosa, and Blount).[118] The state has one female sheriff (Morgan) and nine African-American sheriffs.[119][Full citation needed]
Federal elections[link]
The state's two U.S. senators are Jefferson B. Sessions III and Richard C. Shelby, both Republicans.
In the U.S. House of Representatives, the state is represented by seven members, six of whom are Republicans: (Jo Bonner, Mike D. Rogers, Robert Aderholt, Morris J. Brooks, Martha Roby, and Spencer Bachus) and one Democrat: Terri Sewell).
Further information: United States presidential election in Alabama, 2004
Education[link]
Main article: Education in Alabama
Primary and secondary education[link]
Public primary and secondary education in Alabama is under the overview of the Alabama State Board of Education as well as local oversight by 67 county school boards and 60 city boards of education. Together, 1,541 individual schools provide education for 743,364 elementary and secondary students.[120]
Public school funding is appropriated through the Alabama Legislature through the Education Trust Fund. In FY 2006–2007, Alabama appropriated $3,775,163,578 for primary and secondary education. That represented an increase of $444,736,387 over the previous fiscal year.[120] In 2007, over 82 percent of schools made adequate yearly progress (AYP) toward student proficiency under the National No Child Left Behind law, using measures determined by the State of Alabama. In 2004, 23 percent of schools met AYP.[121]
While Alabama's public education system has improved, it lags behind in achievement compared to other states. According to U.S. Census data, Alabama's high school graduation rate – 75% – is the fourth lowest in the United States (after Kentucky, Louisiana and Mississippi).[122] The largest educational gains were among people with some college education but without degrees.[123]
Colleges and universities[link]
Main article: List of colleges and universities in Alabama
Alabama's programs of higher education include 14 four-year public universities, two-year community colleges, and 17 private, undergraduate and graduate universities. In the state are two medical schools (University of Alabama School of Medicine and University of South Alabama), two veterinary colleges (Auburn University and Tuskegee University), a dental school (University of Alabama School of Dentistry), an optometry college (University of Alabama at Birmingham), two pharmacy schools (Auburn University and Samford University), and five law schools (University of Alabama School of Law, Birmingham School of Law, Cumberland School of Law, Miles Law School, and the Thomas Goode Jones School of Law). Public, post-secondary education in Alabama is overseen by the Alabama Commission on Higher Education. Colleges and universities in Alabama offer degree programs from two-year associate degrees to 16 doctoral level programs.[124][125]
The largest single campus is the University of Alabama, located in Tuscaloosa, with 31,747 enrolled for fall 2011.[126] Troy University is the largest institution in the state, enrolling 29,689 students (as of 2010) across four Alabama campuses (Troy, Dothan, Montgomery, and Phenix City), as well as sixty learning sites in seventeen other states and eleven other countries. The oldest institutions are the public University of North Alabama in Florence and the Catholic Church-affiliated Spring Hill College in Mobile, both founded in 1830.[127][128]
Accreditation of academic programs is through the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools (SACS) as well as other subject-focused national and international accreditation agencies such as the Association for Biblical Higher Education (ABHE),[129] the Council on Occupational Education (COE),[130] and the Accrediting Council for Independent Colleges and Schools (ACICS).[131]
According to the 2011 U.S. News and World Report, Alabama had three universities ranked in the top 100 Public Schools in America (University of Alabama at 31, Auburn University at 36, and University of Alabama at Birmingham at 73).[132]
Sports[link]
Professional sports teams[link]
Main article: List of professional sports teams in Alabama
Alabama has several minor league professional teams including four minor league baseball teams.
| Team name | Location | Sport | League | Venue | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alabama Hammers | Huntsville | Arena football | Southern Indoor Football League | Von Braun Center | |
| Birmingham Barons | Birmingham | Baseball | Southern League | Regions Park | |
| Huntsville Havoc | Huntsville | Ice Hockey | Southern Professional Hockey League | Von Braun Center | |
| Dixie Derby Girls | Huntsville | Roller derby | Women's Flat Track Derby Association (WFTDA) | Von Braun Center | |
| Huntsville Stars | Huntsville | Baseball | Southern League | Joe W. Davis Stadium | |
| Mobile BayBears | Mobile | Baseball | Southern League | Hank Aaron Stadium | |
| Montgomery Biscuits | Montgomery | Baseball | Southern League | Montgomery Riverwalk Stadium | |
| Rocket City United | Huntsville | Soccer | National Premier Soccer League | Madison City Schools Stadium | |
| Tennessee Valley Tigers | Huntsville | Football | Independent Women's Football League | Milton Frank Stadium | replaced the Alabama Renegades |
Venues[link]
Alabama has four of the world's largest stadiums by seating capacity: Talladega Superspeedway in Talladega, Bryant-Denny Stadium in Tuscaloosa, Jordan-Hare Stadium in Auburn and Legion Field in Birmingham.
The Talladega Superspeedway motorsports complex hosts a series of NASCAR events. It has a seating capacity of 143,000 and is the thirteenth largest stadium in the world and sixth largest stadium in America. Bryant-Denny Stadium serves as the home of the University of Alabama football team has a seating capacity of 101,821. It is the fifth largest stadium in America and the eighth largest non-racing stadium in the world. Jordan-Hare Stadium is the home field of the Auburn University football team and has a seating capacity of 87,451. It is the twelfth largest college football stadium in America. Legion Field is home for the UAB Blazers football program and the Papajohns.com Bowl. It seats 71,594.[133][134]
Ladd-Peebles Stadium in Mobile serves as the home of the NCAA Senior Bowl, GoDaddy.com Bowl, Alabama-Mississippi All Star Classic and home of the University of South Alabama football team. Ladd-Peebles Stadium opened in 1948 and seats 40,646.[135]
In 2009, Bryant-Denny Stadium and Jordan-Hare Stadium became the homes of the Alabama High School Athletic Association state football championship games, known as the Super Six. Bryant-Denny hosts the Super Six in odd-numbered years, with Jordan-Hare taking the games in even-numbered years. Previously, the Super Six was held at Legion Field in Birmingham.[136]
Transportation[link]
Air transportation[link]
Main article: Aviation in Alabama
Major airports in Alabama include Birmingham-Shuttlesworth International Airport (BHM), Huntsville International Airport (HSV), Dothan Regional Airport (DHN), Mobile Regional Airport (MOB), Montgomery Regional Airport (MGM), Muscle Shoals – Northwest Alabama Regional Airport (MSL), Tuscaloosa Regional Airport (TCL), and Pryor Field Regional Airport (DCU).
Rail[link]
For rail transport, Amtrak schedules the Crescent, a daily passenger train, running from New York to New Orleans with stops at Anniston, Birmingham, and Tuscaloosa.
Roads[link]
File:I-565 at Space and Rocket Center.jpg
Interstate 565 passing by the US Space and Rocket Center in Huntsville.
Alabama has five major interstate roads that cross the state: I-65 runs north–south roughly through the middle of the state; I-59/I-20 travels from the central west border to Birmingham, where I-59 continues to the north-east corner of the state and I-20 continues east towards Atlanta; I-85 originates in Montgomery and runs east-northeast to the Georgia border, providing a main thoroughfare to Atlanta; and I-10 traverses the southernmost portion of the state, running from west to east through Mobile. Another interstate road, I-22, is currently under construction. When completed around 2014 it will connect Birmingham with Memphis, Tennessee. In addition, there are currently five auxiliary interstate routes in the state: I-165 in Mobile, I-359 in Tuscaloosa, I-459 around Birmingham, I-565 in Huntsville, and I-759 in Gadsden. A sixth route, I-685, will be created when I-85 is rerouted along a new southern bypass of Montgomery. A proposed northern bypass of Birmingham will designated as I-422.
Several U.S. Highways also pass through the state, such as US 11, US 29, US 31, US 43, US 45, US 72, US 78, US 80, US 82, US 84, US 90, US 98, US 231, US 278, US 280, US 331, US 411, and US 431.
There are four toll roads in the state: Montgomery Expressway in Montgomery; Tuscaloosa Bypass in Tuscaloosa; Emerald Mountain Expressway in Wetumpka; and Beach Express in Orange Beach.
In March 2011, Alabama ranked among the top five "Worst" states on the American State Litter Scorecard, for overall poor effectiveness and quality of its statewide public space cleanliness—primarily roadway and adjacent litter removals—from state and related efforts.[137]
Ports[link]
Alabama has one seaport, in Mobile on the Gulf of Mexico. The state's other ports are on rivers with access to the Gulf.
Water ports of Alabama, listed from north to south:
| Port name | Location | Connected to |
|---|---|---|
| Port of Florence | Florence/Muscle Shoals, on Pickwick Lake | Tennessee River |
| Port of Decatur | Decatur, on Wheeler Lake | Tennessee River |
| Port of Guntersville | Guntersville, on Lake Guntersville | Tennessee River |
| Port of Birmingham | Birmingham, on Black Warrior River | Tenn-Tom Waterway |
| Port of Tuscaloosa | Tuscaloosa, on Black Warrior River | Tenn-Tom Waterway |
| Port of Montgomery | Montgomery, on Woodruff Lake | Alabama River |
| Port of Mobile | Mobile, on Mobile Bay | Gulf of Mexico |
See also[link]
 |
Book: United States |
| Wikipedia books are collections of articles that can be downloaded or ordered in print. | |
- Outline of history
- Outline of geography
- List of people from Alabama
- National Register of Historic Places listings in Alabama
References[link]
- ^ The Alabama monument south of Gettysburg
- ^ a b "Annual Estimates of the Resident Population for the United States, Regions, States, and Puerto Rico: April 1, 2010 to July 1, 2011" (CSV). 2011 Population Estimates. United States Census Bureau, Population Division. December 2011. http://www.census.gov/popest/data/state/totals/2011/tables/NST-EST2011-01.csv. Retrieved December 21, 2011.
- ^ "Cheehahaw". NGS data sheet. U.S. National Geodetic Survey. http://www.ngs.noaa.gov/cgi-bin/ds_mark.prl?PidBox=DG3595. Retrieved October 20, 2011.
- ^ a b "Elevations and Distances in the United States". United States Geological Survey. 2001. http://egsc.usgs.gov/isb/pubs/booklets/elvadist/elvadist.html. Retrieved October 21, 2011.
- ^ Elevation adjusted to North American Vertical Datum of 1988.
- ^ a b c "George Mason University, United States Election Project: Alabama Redistricting Summary, accessed March 10, 2008". Web.archive.org. Archived from the original on October 17, 2007. http://web.archive.org/web/20071017192719/http://elections.gmu.edu/Redistricting/AL.htm. Retrieved October 24, 2010.
- ^ a b c Read, William A. (1984). Indian Place Names in Alabama. University of Alabama Press. ISBN 0-8173-0231-X. OCLC 10724679.
- ^ Sylestine, Cora; Hardy; Heather; and Montler, Timothy (1993). Dictionary of the Alabama Language. Austin: University of Texas Press. ISBN 0-292-73077-2. OCLC 26590560. http://www.ling.unt.edu/~montler/Alabama/.
- ^ a b c Rogers, William W.; Robert D. Ward, Leah R. Atkins, Wayne Flynt (1994). Alabama: the History of a Deep South State. University of Alabama Press. ISBN 0-8173-0712-5. OCLC 28634588.
- ^ a b c d e f g h "Alabama: The State Name". All About Alabama. Alabama Department of Archives and History. http://www.archives.alabama.gov/statenam.html. Retrieved August 2, 2007.
- ^ a b Wills, Charles A. (1995). A Historical Album of Alabama. The Millbrook Press. ISBN 1-56294-591-2. OCLC 32242468.
- ^ Griffith, Lucille (1972). Alabama: A Documentary History to 1900. University of Alabama Press. ISBN 0-8173-0371-5. OCLC 17530914.
- ^ The use of state names derived from Native American languages is common; an estimated 27 states have names of Native American origin. Weiss, Sonia (1999). The Complete Idiot's Guide to Baby Names. Mcmillan USA. ISBN 0-02-863367-9. OCLC 222611214.
- ^ a b Swanton, John R. (1953). "The Indian Tribes of North America". Bureau of American Ethnology Bulletin 145: 153–174. http://www.hiddenhistory.com/PAGE3/swsts/alabam-1.htm. Retrieved August 2, 2007.
- ^ a b Swanton, John R. (1937). "Review of Read, Indian Place Names of Alabama". American Speech 12 (12): 212–215. DOI:10.2307/452431. JSTOR 452431.
- ^ "Alabama". The New York Times. August 11, 2006. http://travel2.nytimes.com/2004/07/15/travel/NYT_ALMANAC_US_ALABAMA.html. Retrieved September 23, 2006.
- ^ Welch, Paul D. (1991). Moundville's Economy. University of Alabama Press. ISBN 0-8173-0512-2. OCLC 21330955.
- ^ Walthall, John A. (1990). Prehistoric Indians of the Southeast-Archaeology of Alabama and the Middle South. University of Alabama Press. ISBN 0-8173-0552-1. OCLC 26656858.
- ^ Townsend, Richard F. (2004). Hero, Hawk, and Open Hand. Yale University Press. ISBN 0-300-10601-7. OCLC 56633574.
- ^ edited by F. Kent Reilly III and James F. Garber ; foreword by Vincas P. Steponaitis. (2004). F. Kent Reilly and James Garber. ed. Ancient Objects and Sacred Realms. University of Texas Press. ISBN 978-0-292-71347-5. OCLC 70335213.
- ^ "Alabama Indian Tribes". Indian Tribal Records. AccessGenealogy.com. Updated 2006. http://www.accessgenealogy.com/native/alabama/. Retrieved September 23, 2006.
- ^ "Alabama State History". theUS50.com. http://www.theus50.com/alabama/. Retrieved September 23, 2006.
- ^ "Alabama Historical Association Marker Program: Washington County". Archives.state.al.us. http://www.archives.state.al.us/aha/markers/washington.html. Retrieved June 1, 2011.
- ^ "AL-Alabama". Landscapes and History by state. StateMaster.com. http://www.statemaster.com/graph-T/bac_sum. Retrieved September 23, 2006.
- ^ a b c "The Black Belt". Southern Spaces Internet Journal. Emory University. April 19, 2004. http://southernspaces.org/2004/black-belt. Retrieved September 23, 2006.
- ^ Montgomery: History – Early Days in Montgomery, Lafayette's Visit a Local Highlight
- ^ "13th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution: Abolition of Slavery (1865)". Historical Documents. HistoricalDocuments.com. 2005. http://www.historicaldocuments.com/13thAmendment.htm. Retrieved September 23, 2006.
- ^ J. Morgan Kousser.The Shaping of Southern Politics: Suffrage Restriction and the Establishment of the One-Party South, New Haven: Yale University Press, 1974
- ^ "A Blaine Amendment Update (July 00)". Schoolreport.com. http://www.schoolreport.com/schoolreport/articles/blaine_7_00.htm. Retrieved June 1, 2011.
- ^ a b Glenn Feldman. The Disfranchisement Myth: Poor Whites and Suffrage Restriction in Alabama. Athens: University of Georgia Press, 2004, p. 136.
- ^ "Birmingham". Bhamwiki. http://www.bhamwiki.com/w/Birmingham. Retrieved October 24, 2010.
- ^ a b "Civil Rights Act of 1964". Finduslaw.com. http://finduslaw.com/civil_rights_act_of_1964_cra_title_vii_equal_employment_opportunities_42_us_code_chapter_21. Retrieved October 24, 2010.
- ^ "Voting Rights". Civil Rights: Law and History. U.S.Department of Justice. January 9, 2002. Archived from the original on February 21, 2007. http://web.archive.org/web/20070221054512/http://www.usdoj.gov/kidspage/crt/voting.htm. Retrieved September 23, 2006.
- ^ "The New South Rises, Again". Civil Rights: Law and History. Southerner.net. Spring 1999. http://www.southerner.net/v1n1_99/coverstory1.html. Retrieved September 23, 2006.
- ^ "GCT-PH1-R. Population, Housing Units, Area, and Density (areas ranked by population): 2000". Geographic Comparison Table. U.S.Census Bureau. Census Year 2000. http://factfinder.census.gov/servlet/GCTTable?_bm=n&_lang=en&mt_name=DEC_2000_SF1_U_GCTPH1R_US9S&format=US-9S&_box_head_nbr=GCT-PH1-R&ds_name=DEC_2000_SF1_U&geo_id=01000US. Retrieved September 23, 2006.
- ^ a b c "The Geography of Alabama". Geography of the States. NetState.com. August 11, 2006. http://www.netstate.com/states/geography/al_geography.htm. Retrieved September 23, 2006.
- ^ "Elevations and Distances in the United States". U.S Geological Survey. April 29, 2005. http://erg.usgs.gov/isb/pubs/booklets/elvadist/elvadist.html#Highest. Retrieved November 3, 2006.
- ^ "NGS Data Sheet for Cheaha Mountain". U.S. National Geodetic Survey. http://www.ngs.noaa.gov/cgi-bin/ds_mark.prl?PidBox=DG3595. Retrieved June 8, 2011.
- ^ Alabama Forest Owner's Guide to Information Resources, Introduction, Alabamaforests.org
- ^ "Alabama County (geographies ranked by total population)". Geographic Comparison Table. U.S. Census Bureau. Census year 2000. http://factfinder.census.gov/servlet/GCTTable?_bm=y&-context=gct&-ds_name=DEC_2000_SF1_U&-mt_name=DEC_2000_SF1_U_GCTPH1R_ST2S&-CONTEXT=gct&-tree_id=4001&-redoLog=true&-geo_id=04000US01&-format=ST-2. Retrieved May 14, 2007.
- ^ "National Park Guide". Geographic Search. Washington, D.C: National Park Service – U.S. Department of the Interior. http://home.nps.gov/applications/parksearch/state.cfm?st=al. Retrieved September 23, 2006.
- ^ "National Forests in Alabama". USDA Forest Service. United States Department of Agriculture. http://www.fs.fed.us/r8/alabama/forests/. Retrieved October 5, 2008.
- ^ "Wetumpka". Earth Impact Database. University of New Brunswick. http://www.passc.net/EarthImpactDatabase/wetumpka.html. Retrieved August 20, 2009.
- ^ "The Wetumpka Astrobleme" by John C. Hall, Alabama Heritage, Fall 1996, Number 42.
- ^ King, David T., Jr. (April 23, 2010). "Wetumpka Crater". Encyclopedia of Alabama. http://www.encyclopediaofalabama.org/face/Article.jsp?id=h-1035. Retrieved December 13, 2011.
- ^ Christopher M. Godfrey (November 4, 2008). "Greenhouse effect and climate". Atmospheric Sciences. University of North Carolina, Asheville. http://facstaff.unca.edu/cgodfrey/courses/atms179/ppt/greenhouse.pdf.
- ^ a b "Alabama Climate". Britannica.com. http://www.britannica.com/eb/article-78303/Alabama. Retrieved October 24, 2010.
- ^ Lightning Fatalities, Injuries and Damages in the United States, 1990–2003. NLSI. Retrieved May 8, 2007.
- ^ Fujita scale. Tornadoproject.com. Retrieved September 3, 2007.
- ^ Oliver, Mike. "April 27's record tally: 62 tornadoes in Alabama". al.com. http://blog.al.com/spotnews/2011/08/april_27s_record_tally_62_torn.html. Retrieved November 4, 2012.
- ^ "Climatography of the United States No. 20 (1971–2000)" (PDF). National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. 2004. Archived from the original on July 6, 2011. http://www.webcitation.org/5zy9c24Md. Retrieved July 6, 2011.
- ^ "Climatography of the United States No. 20 (1971–2000)" (PDF). National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. 2004. Archived from the original on July 6, 2011. http://www.webcitation.org/5zy9gazEr. Retrieved July 6, 2011.
- ^ "Climatography of the United States No. 20 (1971–2000)" (PDF). National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. 2004. Archived from the original on July 6, 2011. http://www.webcitation.org/5zy9hg7e3. Retrieved July 6, 2011.
- ^ "Climatography of the United States No. 20 (1971–2000)" (PDF). National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. 2004. Archived from the original on July 6, 2011. http://www.webcitation.org/5zy9j4S0w. Retrieved July 6, 2011.
- ^ Resident Population Data. "Resident Population Data – 2010 Census". 2010.census.gov. http://2010.census.gov/2010census/data/apportionment-pop-text.php. Retrieved June 1, 2011.
- ^ "Annual Estimates of the Resident Population for the United States, Regions, States, and Puerto Rico: April 1, 2000 to July 1, 2008". United States Census Bureau. http://www.census.gov/popest/states/tables/NST-EST2008-01.csv. Retrieved February 1, 2009. [dead link]
- ^ a b c U.S. Census Bureau (December 15, 2008). "Cumulative Estimates of the Components of Population Change for the United States, Regions and States: April 1, 2000 to July 1, 2008 (NST-EST2008-04)" (CSV). http://www.census.gov/popest/states/tables/NST-EST2008-04.csv. Retrieved January 16, 2009. [dead link]
- ^ "Population and Population Centers by State – 2000". United States Census Bureau. http://www.census.gov/geo/www/cenpop/statecenters.txt. Retrieved December 3, 2008.
- ^ "American FactFinder". Factfinder2.census.gov. October 5, 2010. http://factfinder2.census.gov/faces/tableservices/jsf/pages/productview.xhtml?pid=DEC_10_PL_QTPL&prodType=table. Retrieved June 1, 2011.
- ^ "Data on selected ancestry groups". Google. http://docs.google.com/viewer?a=v&q=cache:WJGw9z2RkkYJ:www.uen.org/Lessonplan/downloadFile.cgi%3Ffile%3D1041-6-15955-AF_Census_Data.pdf%26filename%3DAF_Census_Data.pdf+49,598,035&hl=en&gl=uk&pid=bl&srcid=ADGEESgyigzsjZP7yBWdThzodFWP_t7GiFtOGi5W12qTf5nLj_yFzQ0YIKJn2pSyS1TIT-ZjvBx0s057h5mpwrf39HOZmlg3VzoOdaoPrNTdS6x-0SbHnwGXfzVLkDYTyIg7k4E_Zsn8&sig=AHIEtbTzro9GQY6LB1-9ZG9n2r46Epyyaw. Retrieved June 1, 2011.
- ^ "1980 United States Census" (PDF). http://www.census.gov/population/censusdata/pc80-s1-10/tab02.pdf. Retrieved June 1, 2011.
- ^ "Alabama – Selected Social Characteristics in the United States: 2006–2008". Factfinder.census.gov. http://factfinder.census.gov/servlet/ADPTable?_bm=y&-geo_id=04000US01&-qr_name=ACS_2008_3YR_G00_DP3YR2&-ds_name=&-_lang=en&-redoLog=false. Retrieved October 24, 2010.
- ^ "Ancestry of the Population by State: 1980 – Table 3" (PDF). http://www.census.gov/population/www/censusdata/files/pc80-s1-10/tab03.pdf. Retrieved February 10, 2012.
- ^ Sharing the Dream: White Males in a Multicultural America By Dominic J. Pulera.
- ^ Reynolds Farley, 'The New Census Question about Ancestry: What Did It Tell Us?', Demography, Vol. 28, No. 3 (August 1991), pp. 414, 421.
- ^ Stanley Lieberson and Lawrence Santi, 'The Use of Nativity Data to Estimate Ethnic Characteristics and Patterns', Social Science Research, Vol. 14, No. 1 (1985), pp. 44–6.
- ^ Stanley Lieberson and Mary C. Waters, 'Ethnic Groups in Flux: The Changing Ethnic Responses of American Whites', Annals of the American Academy of Political and Social Science, Vol. 487, No. 79 (September 1986), pp. 82–86.
- ^ "American FactFinder". Factfinder.census.gov. http://factfinder.census.gov/servlet/ADPTable?_bm=y&-geo_id=04000US01&-qr_name=ACS_2008_3YR_G00_DP3YR2&-ds_name=&-_lang=en&-redoLog=false. Retrieved February 10, 2012.
- ^ Census 2000 Map – Top U.S. Ancestries by County
- ^ US Church attendance
- ^ "State Membership Reports". thearda.com. http://www.thearda.com/mapsReports/reports/state/01_2000.asp. Retrieved June 15, 2010.
- ^ Campbell, Kirsten (March 25, 2007). "Alabama rates well in biblical literacy". Mobile Register (Advance Publications, Inc): p. A1.
- ^ "Confidence in State and Local Institutions Survey" (PDF). Capital Survey Research Center. Archived from the original on August 9, 2007. http://web.archive.org/web/20070809021852/http://www.myaea.org/PDFfile/Confidence+in+State+Institutions07.pdf. Retrieved June 2, 2007.
- ^ White, David (April 1, 2007). "Poll says we feel good about state Trust in government, unlike some institutions, hasn't fallen". Birmingham News (Birmingham News): p. 13A.
- ^ Barry A. Kosmin and Ariela Keysar (2009). "AMERICAN RELIGIOUS IDENTIFICATION SURVEY (ARIS) 2008" (PDF). Hartford, Connecticut, USA: Trinity College. p. 20. http://b27.cc.trincoll.edu/weblogs/AmericanReligionSurvey-ARIS/reports/ARIS_Report_2008.pdf. Retrieved May 8, 2009.
- ^ "County Level Estimates of Obesity – State Maps". Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. 2008. http://apps.nccd.cdc.gov/DDT_STRS2/CountyPrevalenceData.aspx?StateId=1&mode=OBS.
- ^ "Highest Rates of Leisure-Time Physical Inactivity in Appalachia and South". Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. 2008. http://www.cdc.gov/media/releases/2011/p0216_physicalinactivity.html.
- ^ "County Level Estimates of Diagnosed Diabetes – State Maps". Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. 2008. http://apps.nccd.cdc.gov/DDT_STRS2/CountyPrevalenceData.aspx?mode=DBT.
- ^ "CDC national chart on diabetes". Apps.nccd.cdc.gov. http://apps.nccd.cdc.gov/DDT_STRS2/NationalDiabetesPrevalenceEstimates.aspx?mode=DBT. Retrieved June 1, 2011.
- ^ "GDP by State (2008)". Bureau of Economic Analysis, Regional Economic Accounts. June 2, 2009. http://www.bea.gov/newsreleases/regional/gdp_state/gsp_newsrelease.htm. Retrieved October 9, 2009. full release with tables
- ^ "United States Census Bureau". State and County Quick Facts. http://quickfacts.census.gov/qfd/states/01000.html. Retrieved February 25, 2012.
- ^ Bls.gov; Local Area Unemployment Statistics
- ^ Aneesa McMillan. "Top of the List: Alabama's largest employers" (April 22, 2011). Birmingham Business Journal.
- ^ "Alabama and CBER: 75 Years of Change" (PDF). Alabama Business. Center for Business and Economic Research, Culverhouse College of Commerce, The University of Alabama. Q4 2005. http://cber.cba.ua.edu/pdf/ab2005q4.pdf. Retrieved September 23, 2006.
- ^ "State Highlights for 2004–2005" (PDF). Alabama Cooperative Extension System. USDA, NASS, Alabama Statistical Office. 2005. http://www.aces.edu/dept/nass/bulletin/2005/pg05.pdf. Retrieved September 23, 2006.
- ^ "Vehicle Technologies Program: Fact #539: October 6, 2008 Light Vehicle Production by State". .eere.energy.gov. October 6, 2008. http://www1.eere.energy.gov/vehiclesandfuels/facts/2008_fotw539.html. Retrieved October 24, 2010.
- ^ "ThyssenKrupp's Alabama incentive package tops $811 million". Press-Register. May 11, 2007. http://blog.al.com/live/2007/05/mobile_county_wins_thyssenkrup.html. Retrieved July 22, 2011.
- ^ http://www.alalabor.state.al.us/PDFs/SteelCouncilNewsletter.pdf
- ^ "Hunt Refining Company." Linkedin.
- ^ "Company Overview." JVC America, Inc.
- ^ Kathryn Kroll. "BFGoodrich closing Alabama plant that employs 1,000." (April 13, 2009). The Plain Dealer.
- ^ Jeff Amy. "GAF Materials to close Mobile shingle plant by year's end" (November 9, 2010). Press-Register.
- ^ Encyclopedia of Alabama: Alabama Tourism Department (ATD)
- ^ "Frequently Asked Questions – Sweet Home Alabama". 800alabama.com. July 1, 2004. http://www.800alabama.com/about-alabama/alabama-news-facts/frequently-asked-questions/. Retrieved February 10, 2012.
- ^ Fahrenthold, David A. (May 2, 2010). "Obama to survey environmental damage in gulf". Washington, DC: Washington Pose. pp. A6.
- ^ "Verified Trauma Centers". American College of Surgeons, Verified Trauma Centers. December 30, 2010. http://www.facs.org/trauma/verified.html. Retrieved January 9, 2011.
- ^ "College Research Data". University of Texas. https://webspace.utexas.edu/jas5349/Research_Data.htm. Retrieved April 18, 2012.
- ^ [1]
- ^ "WATERBORNE COMMERCE OF THE UNITED STATES". U.S. Army Corps of Engineers: Waterborne Commerce Statistics. p. 90. http://www.iwr.usace.army.mil/ndc/wcsc/pdf/wcusnatl08.pdf. Retrieved March 8, 2010.
- ^ Roig-Franzia, Manuel (November 28, 2004). "Alabama Vote Opens Old Racial Wounds". Washington Post. http://www.washingtonpost.com/ac2/wp-dyn/A16443-2004Nov27?language=printer. Retrieved September 22, 2006.
- ^ "Constitution of Alabama – 1901". The Alabama Legislative Information System. http://www.legislature.state.al.us/CodeOfAlabama/Constitution/1901/Constitution1901_toc.htm. Retrieved September 22, 2006.
- ^ "Alabama Citizens for Constitutional Reform". Constitutionalreform.org. http://www.constitutionalreform.org/. Retrieved October 24, 2010.
- ^ Lee, McDowell (2009). "Alabama's Legislative Process". State of Alabama. http://www.legislature.state.al.us/misc/legislativeprocess/legislativeprocess_ml.html.
- ^ Comparison of State and Local Retail Sales Taxes, July 2004 Retrieved on May 25, 2007.
- ^ a b c "Reducing Alabama's Income Tax on Working-Poor Families: Two Options – 4/14/99". Cbpp.org. http://www.cbpp.org/cms/index.cfm?fa=view&id=1812. Retrieved October 24, 2010.
- ^ "Alabama State Local Tax Burden Compared to U.S. Average (1970–2007)" (PDF). Tax Foundation. http://www.taxfoundation.org/files/sl_burden_alabama-2007-04-04.pdf. Retrieved May 30, 2007.
- ^ http://jeffconline.jccal.org/home/news/photo/1517060216/
- ^ "Jefferson County, Ala., Falls Off the Bankruptcy Cliff". The New York Times. February 18, 2012. http://www.nytimes.com/2012/02/19/business/jefferson-county-ala-falls-off-the-bankruptcy-cliff.html.
- ^ Rawls, Phillip (June 1, 2007). "Alabama offers an apology for slavery". The Virginian Pilot (Landmark Communications).
- ^ "Sue Bell Cobb considering running for governor - Breaking News from The Birmingham News". Blog.al.com. May 2, 2009. http://blog.al.com/spotnews/2009/05/sue_bell_cobb_considering_runn.html. Retrieved August 7, 2009.
- ^ "Commissioners". Psc.state.al.us. http://www.psc.state.al.us/commissioners.htm. Retrieved August 7, 2009.
- ^ Special (November 5, 2008). "Lucy Baxley wins Alabama Public Service Commission presidency, but recount possible". Birmingham News via al.com. http://blog.al.com/spotnews/2008/11/lucy_baxley_wins_alabama_publi.html. Retrieved August 7, 2009.
- ^ Jeff Amy, Press-Register. "Public Service Commission: Twinkle Cavanaugh, Terry Dunn join GOP sweep". al.com. http://blog.al.com/live/2010/11/public_service_commission.html. Retrieved June 1, 2011.
- ^ "2006 Gubernatorial Democratic Primary Election Results – Alabama". Uselectionatlas.org. http://uselectionatlas.org/RESULTS/state.php?fips=1&year=2006&f=0&off=5&elect=1. Retrieved August 7, 2009.
- ^ "2006 Gubernatorial Republican Primary Election Results – Alabama". Uselectionatlas.org. February 15, 2007. http://uselectionatlas.org/RESULTS/state.php?fips=1&year=2006&f=0&off=5&elect=2. Retrieved August 7, 2009.
- ^ Alabama Sheriff's Association
- ^ "Association". Alabama Sheriffs. http://www.alabamasheriffs.com/?PageID=131&IsNav=true. Retrieved August 7, 2009.
- ^ "2007–2011 Alabama Sheriffs". Alabamasheriffs.com. http://www.alabamasheriffs.com/Image.aspx?ImageID=11481&Title=2007-2011+Alabama+Sheriffs. Retrieved August 7, 2009.
- ^ Alabama Sheriffs Association
- ^ a b "Alabama Education Quick Facts 2007" (PDF). http://www.alsde.edu/general/quick_facts.pdf. Retrieved August 11, 2007.
- ^ "Eighty-Two Percent of Alabama Schools Make AYP While Increasing Annual Measurable Objectives" (PDF). http://www.alsde.edu/Accountability/2007Reports/Press/2007AYPNewsRelease.pdf. Retrieved August 11, 2007.
- ^ http://www.census.gov/prod/2003pubs/c2kbr-24.pdf
- ^ Education Statistics. CensusScope.org
- ^ "Degree titles and abbreviations". Alabama Commission on Higher Education. http://www.ache.state.al.us/Acadaffr/ProInv/Degreeabbr.htm. Retrieved September 3, 2007. [dead link]
- ^ "Education Programs | CCHS". Cchs.ua.edu. http://cchs.ua.edu/edu/. Retrieved June 1, 2011.
- ^ "University of Alabama Reaches Record Enrollment this Fall". Wtvy.com. September 15, 2011. http://www.wtvy.com/home/headlines/University_of_Alabama_Reaches_Record_Enrollment_this_Fall_129916513.html. Retrieved February 10, 2012.
- ^ "History in the making". University of North Alabama. Archived from the original on August 21, 2011. http://www.una.edu/makinghistory/. Retrieved July 22, 2011.
- ^ "The Mission Statement of Spring Hill College: History". Spring Hill College. Archived from the original on August 21, 2011. http://www.shc.edu/about-shc/employment/hiring/the-mission-statement-of-spring-hill-college/. Retrieved July 22, 2011.
- ^ "Members". Association for Biblical Higher Education. Archived from the original on August 21, 2011. http://directory.abhe.org/default.aspx?status=Member. Retrieved June 24, 2011.
- ^ "Membership Directory" (PDF). Council on Operational Education. November 2010. Archived from the original on August 5, 2011. http://www.council.org/forms/acc_membership.pdf. Retrieved August 5, 2011.
- ^ "ACICS Website Directory" (PDF). Accrediting Council for Independent Colleges and Schools. July 20, 2009. Archived from the original on August 5, 2011. http://www.acics.org/uploadedFiles/Publications/7_20_09.pdf. Retrieved August 5, 2011.
- ^ "Top Public Schools". U.S. News and World Report. Archived from the original on September 17, 2011. http://www.webcitation.org/61mTinjiN. Retrieved September 17, 2011.
- ^ [2][dead link]
- ^ "Stadium List :: 100 000+ Stadiums". World Stadiums. http://www.worldstadiums.com/stadium_menu/stadium_list/100000.shtml. Retrieved February 10, 2012.
- ^ "Welcome to Ladd Peebles Stadium". Laddpeeblesstadium.com. January 23, 2012. http://www.laddpeeblesstadium.com/. Retrieved February 10, 2012.
- ^ "Super 6 leaving Birmingham for Bryant-Denny, Jordan-Hare stadiums | al.com". Blog.al.com. http://blog.al.com/sentell/2009/04/super_6_byebye_birmingham.html. Retrieved February 10, 2012.
- ^ S. Spacek, 2011 American State Litter Scorecard: New Rankings for an Increasingly Environmentally Concerned Populace.
Further reading[link]
- For a detailed bibliography, see the History of Alabama.
- Atkins, Leah Rawls, Wayne Flynt, William Warren Rogers, and David Ward. Alabama: The History of a Deep South State (1994)
- Flynt, Wayne. Alabama in the Twentieth Century (2004)
- Owen Thomas M. History of Alabama and Dictionary of Alabama Biography 4 vols. 1921.
- Jackson, Harvey H. Inside Alabama: A Personal History of My State (2004)
- Mohl, Raymond A. "Latinization in the Heart of Dixie: Hispanics in Late-twentieth-century Alabama" Alabama Review 2002 55(4): 243–274. ISSN 0002-4341
- Peirce, Neal R. The Deep South States of America: People, Politics, and Power in the Seven Deep South States (1974). Information on politics and economics 1960–72.
- Williams, Benjamin Buford. A Literary History of Alabama: The Nineteenth Century 1979.
- WPA. Guide to Alabama (1939)
External links[link]
| Find more about Alabama on Wikipedia's sister projects: | |
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Images and media from Commons |
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Learning resources from Wikiversity |
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Source texts from Wikisource |
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Textbooks from Wikibooks |
- Alabama.gov – official site
- Alabama State Guide, from the Library of Congress
- Alabama Association of Regional Councils
- Energy Data & Statistics for Alabama- From the U.S. Department of Energy
- TourAlabama.org – Alabama Department of Tourism and Travel
- All About Alabama, at the Alabama Department of Archives and History
- AlabamaMosaic, a digital repository of materials on Alabama's history, culture, places, and people
- Code of Alabama 1975 – at the Alabama Legislature site
- Alabama at the Open Directory Project
- USGS real-time, geographic, and other scientific resources of Alabama
- Alabama QuickFacts from the U.S. Census Bureau
- Alabama State Fact Sheet from the U.S. Department of Agriculture
Geographic data related to Alabama at OpenStreetMap
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 Tennessee |
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 Georgia (U.S. state) |
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 Alabama: Outline • Index East |
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| Gulf of Mexico |  Florida |
| Preceded by Illinois |
List of U.S. states by date of statehood Admitted on December 14, 1819 (22nd) |
Succeeded by Maine |
Coordinates: 33°0′N 86°40′W / 33°N 86.667°W / 33; -86.667
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This page contains text from Wikipedia, the Free Encyclopedia - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alabama
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This article is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 3.0 Unported License, which means that you can copy and modify it as long as the entire work (including additions) remains under this license.
| Charlie Sheen | |
|---|---|
 Sheen on March 11, 2009 |
|
| Born | Carlos Irwin Estevez (1965-09-03) September 3, 1965 (age 46)[1] New York City, U.S. |
| Occupation | Actor |
| Years active | 1974–present |
| Spouse | Donna Peele (1995–1996) Denise Richards (2002–2006) Brooke Mueller (2008–2011)[2] |
| Children | 5 |
| Parents | Martin Sheen (father) Janet Templeton (mother) |
| Relatives | Emilio Estevez (brother) Ramon Estevez (brother) Renée Estevez (sister) |
| Website | |
| www.charliesheen.com | |
Carlos Irwin Estevez (born September 3, 1965), better known by his stage name Charlie Sheen, is an American film and television actor. He is the youngest son of actor Martin Sheen.
His character roles in films have included Chris Taylor in the 1986 Vietnam War drama Platoon, Jake Kesey in the 1986 film The Wraith, and Bud Fox in the 1987 film Wall Street. His career has also included more comedic films such as Major League, the Hot Shots! films, and Scary Movie 3 and Scary Movie 4. On television, Sheen is known for his roles on two sitcoms: as Charlie Crawford on Spin City and as Charlie Harper on Two and a Half Men. In 2010, Sheen was the highest paid actor on television, earning US$1.8 million per episode of Two and a Half Men.[3]
Sheen's personal life has also made headlines, including reports about alcohol and drug abuse and marital problems as well as allegations of domestic violence. He was fired from his role on Two and a Half Men by CBS and Warner Bros. on March 7, 2011. Sheen subsequently announced a nationwide tour.[4]
Contents |
Early life[link]
Sheen was born Carlos Irwin Estevez in New York City, the youngest son and third of four children of actor Martin Sheen and artist Janet Templeton.[5] His paternal grandparents were immigrants from Galicia (northwestern Spain) and Ireland.[6] Sheen has two older brothers, Emilio Estevez and Ramon Estevez, and a younger sister, Renée Estevez, all actors. His parents moved to Malibu, California, after Martin's Broadway turn in The Subject Was Roses. Sheen's first movie appearance was at age nine in his father’s 1974 film The Execution of Private Slovik. Sheen attended Santa Monica High School in Santa Monica, California, where he was a star pitcher and shortstop for the baseball team.[5][7]
At Santa Monica High School, he showed an early interest in acting, making amateur Super 8 films with his brother Emilio and school friends Rob Lowe and Sean Penn under his birth name. A few weeks before graduation, Sheen was expelled from school for poor grades and attendance. Deciding to become an actor, he took the stage name Charlie Sheen. His father had adopted it in honor of the Catholic archbishop and theologian Fulton J. Sheen.[8][9]
Acting career[link]
Film[link]
Sheen's film career began in 1984 with a role in the Cold War teen drama Red Dawn with Patrick Swayze, C. Thomas Howell, Lea Thompson, and Jennifer Grey. Sheen and Grey reunited in a small scene in Ferris Bueller's Day Off (1986). He also appeared in an episode of the anthology series Amazing Stories. Sheen had his first major role in the Vietnam War drama Platoon (1986). In 1987, he starred with his father in Wall Street. Both Wall Street and Platoon were directed by Oliver Stone. In 1988, Stone asked Sheen to star in his new film Born on the Fourth of July (1989), but later cast Tom Cruise instead. Sheen was never notified by Stone, and only found out when he heard the news from his brother Emilio. Sheen did not take a lead role in Stone's subsequent films,[10] although he did have a cameo role in Money Never Sleeps.
In 1987, Sheen was cast to portray Ron in the unreleased Grizzly II: The Predator, the sequel to the 1976 low budget horror movie Grizzly. In 1988, he starred in the baseball film Eight Men Out as outfielder Happy Felsch. Also in 1988, he appeared opposite his brother Emilio in Young Guns and again in 1990 in Men at Work. In 1989, Sheen, John Fusco, Christopher Cain, Lou Diamond Phillips, Emilio Estévez and Kiefer Sutherland were honored with a Bronze Wrangler for their work on the film Young Guns.[11]
In 1990, he starred alongside his father in Cadence as a rebellious inmate in a military stockade and with Clint Eastwood in the buddy cop action film The Rookie.[5] The films were directed by Martin Sheen and Eastwood, respectively. In 1992, he starred in Beyond the Law with Linda Fiorentino and Michael Madsen. In 1994, Sheen was awarded a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.[11] In 1997, Sheen wrote his first movie, Discovery Mars, a direct-to-video documentary revolving around the question, "Is There Life on Mars?". The next year, Sheen wrote, produced and starred in the action movie No Code of Conduct.[12]
Sheen appeared in several comedy roles, including the Major League films, Money Talks, and the spoof Hot Shots! films. In 1999, Sheen appeared in a pilot for A&E Network, called Sugar Hill, which was not picked up. In 1999, Sheen played himself in Being John Malkovich. He also appeared in the spoof series Scary Movie 3 and follow up Scary Movie 4.
Sheen appears as Dex Dogtective in the unreleased Lionsgate animated comedy Foodfight.[12]
Sheen has been cast to star alongside Jason Schwartzman in Roman Coppola's upcoming film A Glimpse Inside the Mind of Charlie Swan III.[13]
Television[link]
In 2000, Sheen debuted on the small screen when he replaced Michael J. Fox for the last two seasons of the sitcom Spin City. For his work on Spin City, Sheen was nominated for two ALMA Awards and won his first Golden Globe for Best Performance by an Actor in a Television Series – Musical or Comedy.[14][15] The series ended in 2002.
In 2003, Sheen was cast as Charlie Harper in the CBS sitcom Two and a Half Men, which followed the popular Monday night time slot of Everybody Loves Raymond. Sheen's role on Two and a Half Men was loosely based on Sheen's bad boy image.[16] The role garnered him an ALMA Award and he gained three Emmy Award nominations and two Golden Globe award nominations.[14] During his eighth and final season on the show, Sheen earned a record $1.8 million per episode.[3]
Warner Bros. dismissal[link]
In January 2011, production of Two and a Half Men went on hiatus while Sheen underwent a substance rehabilitation program in his home, his third attempt at rehab in twelve months.[17][18][19] The following month, however, CBS canceled the season's four remaining episodes after Sheen publicly made derogatory comments about the series' creator, Chuck Lorre,[20] and Warner Bros. officially banned Sheen from entering its production lot.[21] Sheen, already the highest-paid actor on television,[3] responded by publicly demanding a 50 percent raise,[22] claiming that in comparison to the amount that the series was making, he was "underpaid."[22]
CBS and Warner Bros. fired Sheen from Two and a Half Men on March 7, 2011.[23] He was replaced by Ashton Kutcher.[24][25] In the aftermath of his dismissal, Sheen remained vocally critical of Chuck Lorre,[26] and filed a wrongful termination lawsuit against Lorre and Warner Bros., which was settled the following September 26.[27] That same month, Sheen, while presenting an award at the Primetime Emmy Awards, addressed "everybody here from Two and a Half Men" and stated, "From the bottom of my heart, I wish you nothing but the best for this upcoming season. We spent eight wonderful years together and I know you will continue to make great television."[28]
Meltdown[link]
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This section requires expansion. |
In the wake of the dismissal, Sheen had a highly publicized "meltdown" which was broadcast on television and the internet. He made bizarre statements in television interviews, suggesting that he was a "warlock" with "tiger blood" and "Adonis DNA".[29] He also posted videos to YouTube showing himself smoking cigarettes through his nose, and cursing out his former employers. [30] He told one TV interviewer, "‘I’m tired of pretending I’m not special. I’m tired of pretending I’m not a total bitchin’ rock star from Mars."[31]
Other[link]
On September 19, 2011, Sheen was roasted on Comedy Central. It was watched by 6.4 million people, making it the highest rated roast on Comedy Central to date.[32]
Other ventures[link]
In 2006, Sheen launched a clothing line for kids, called Sheen Kidz.[33]
In 2011, Sheen set a new Guinness World Record for Twitter as the "Fastest Time to Reach 1 Million Followers" (adding an average of 129,000 new followers per day[34]) as well as the Guinness record for "Highest Paid TV Actor Per Episode – Current" at $1.25 million while he was a part of the cast of Two and a Half Men sitcom.[35] On March 3, 2011, Charlie Sheen signed with Ad.ly marketing agency specializing in Twitter and Facebook promotions.[36][37]
On March 10, 2011, Sheen announced a nationwide tour, "My Violent Torpedo of Truth/Defeat is Not An Option", which began in Detroit on April 2.[38] The tour sold out in 18 minutes, a Ticketmaster record.[39] However, on April 1, 2011 the Detroit Free Press featured an article that stated as of March 30 that there were over 1000 tickets available from a third-party reseller, some at 15% less than the cheapest seats sold at the Fox Theater.[40] The Huffington Post reported that it was expected Sheen would earn $1 million in 2011 from Twitter endorsements and $7 million from the North American tour.[41] Many of those attending the April 2 performance in Detroit found it disappointing;[42] the subsequent performance in Chicago, which featured some adjustments, received a more positive reception.[43]
Sheen has taken up a new business venture as a partner in a line of electronic cigarettes. The "NicoSheen" product will feature the actor's signature smirk on packages of disposable E-cigarettes and related products.[44]
On August 13, 2011, Sheen appeared as a host at the 12th annual Gathering of the Juggalos. He received a mixed reaction from the audience. Some cheered him, and some booed and threw things at him.[45]
Personal life[link]
Family and relationships[link]
Sheen has been married three times and has five children. His first daughter, Cassandra Jade Estevez, was born on December 12, 1984, to his former high school girlfriend, Paula Profit.[46][47]
In January 1990, Sheen accidentally shot his fiancee, Kelly Preston, in the arm.[48] She broke off the engagement soon after.[49][50][51]
In the 1990s, Sheen dated a number of adult film actresses, including Ginger Lynn[48][52][53] and Heather Hunter.[48]
On September 3, 1995,[54] Sheen married Donna Peele.[55] That same year, Sheen was named as one of the clients of an escort agency operated by Heidi Fleiss.[56] Sheen and Peele divorced in 1996.[5]
On June 15, 2002, Sheen married actress Denise Richards. They have two daughters, Sam[57] and Lola Sheen.[58] In March 2005, Richards filed for divorce, accusing Sheen of alcohol and drug abuse and threats of violence.[59] The divorce was finalized in November 2006 and preceded a custody dispute over their two daughters.[60][61][62]
On May 30, 2008, Sheen married Brooke Mueller, who later gave birth to their twin sons, Bob and Max.[63][64][65] In November 2010, Sheen filed for divorce. On March 1, 2011, police removed Bob and Max from Sheen's home. Sheen told NBC's Today, "I stayed very calm and focused."[66] According to People, social services took the children after Mueller obtained a restraining order against Sheen. The document said, "I am very concerned that [Sheen] is currently insane."[67] Asked if he would fight for the children, Sheen texted People, "Born ready. Winning."[67] Sheen and Mueller's divorce became final on May 2, 2011.[2][68][69]
On March 1, 2011, Sheen was concurrently living with pornographic actress Rachel Oberlin and model and graphic designer Natalie Kenly, whom he collectively nicknamed his "goddesses".[70][71][72][73][74] Oberlin left Sheen in April 2011, and Kenly left in June 2011.[75][76]
Substance abuse and legal issues[link]
On May 20, 1998, Sheen overdosed while using cocaine and was hospitalized. On August 11, 1998, Sheen, already on probation for a previous drug offense, had his probation extended for an extra year and entered a rehab clinic.[77][78] In a 2004 interview, Sheen admitted that the overdose was caused by his experimentation with injecting cocaine.[79]
On December 25, 2009, Sheen was arrested for assaulting his wife, Brooke Mueller. He was released the same day from jail after posting an $8,500 bond.[80][81] Sheen was charged with felony menacing, as well as third-degree assault and criminal mischief.[82] On August 2, 2010, Sheen pleaded guilty to misdemeanor assault as part of a plea bargain that included dismissal of the other charges against him. Sheen was sentenced to 30 days in a drug rehab center, 30 days of probation, and 36 hours of anger management.[83]
On October 26, 2010, the police removed Sheen from his suite at the Plaza Hotel after he reportedly caused $7,000 in damage.[84] According to the NYPD, Sheen admitted to drinking and using cocaine the night of the incident.[84] He was released after entering a hospital for observation.[85]
Political views and activities[link]
Charitable activities[link]
Sheen was the 2004 spokesperson for the Lee National Denim Day breast cancer fundraiser that raised millions of dollars for research and education regarding the disease. Sheen stated that a friend of his died from breast cancer, and he wanted to try to help find a cure for the disease.
A major donor and supporter of Aid For AIDS since 2006, Sheen was honored with an AFA Angel Award, one of only a few ever given, at the nonprofit's 25th Silver Anniversary Reception in 2009.[86] In addition to his financial support, he has volunteered to act as a celebrity judge for several years for their annual fundraiser, Best In Drag Show,[87] which raises around a quarter of a million dollars[86] each year in Los Angeles for AIDS assistance.[88][89] He has brought other celebrities to support the event, including his father, actor Martin Sheen.[90] Sheen's interest in AIDS was first reported in 1987 with his support of Ryan White, an Indiana teenager who became a national spokesperson for AIDS awareness after being infected with AIDS through a blood transfusion for his hemophilia.[91][92]
On March 27, 2008, Sheen and Jenna Elfman co-hosted a New York Rescue Workers Detoxification Project charity event.[93]
Sheen is donating one dollar from each ticket sold from his “My Violent Torpedo of Truth/Defeat is Not An Option Show” 2011 tour to the Red Cross Japanese Earthquake Relief Fund.[39]
In 2011, Sheen took on a Twitter challenge by a grieving mother to help critically ill babies born with Congenital diaphragmatic hernia by supporting CHERUBS – The Association of Congenital Diaphragmatic Hernia Research, Awareness and Support.[94]
September 11 attacks[link]
On March 20, 2006, Sheen stated that he questions the U.S. Government's account of the September 11 attacks.[95] He said during the interview that the collapse of the World Trade Center towers looked like a controlled demolition.[96][97]
Sheen has since become a prominent advocate of the 9/11 Truth movement.[98] On September 8, 2009, he appealed to President Barack Obama to set up a new investigation into the attacks. Presenting his views as a transcript of a fictional encounter with Obama, he was characterized by the press as believing the 9/11 Commission was a whitewash and that the administration of former President George W. Bush may have been responsible for the attacks.[99][100]
Filmography[link]
Main article: List of awards and nominations received by Charlie Sheen
Films[link]
| Year | Film | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1974 | The Execution of Private Slovik | Kid at Wedding | NBC TV-movie; uncredited part. |
| 1979 | Apocalypse Now | Extra[101] | |
| 1984 | Red Dawn | Matt Eckert | |
| Silence of the Heart | Ken Cruze | CBS TV-movie | |
| 1985 | The Fourth Wise Man | Captain (Herod's Soldiers) | TV-movie |
| Out of the Darkness | Man Shaving | CBS TV-movie | |
| The Boys Next Door | Bo Richards | ||
| 1986 | Lucas | Cappie | |
| Ferris Bueller's Day Off | Garth Volbeck-Boy in Police Station | Cameo | |
| Platoon | Private Chris Taylor | ||
| The Wraith | Jake Kesey | ||
| Wisdom | Hamburger Restaurant Manager | Cameo | |
| 1987 | Wall Street | Bud Fox | |
| No Man's Land | Ted Varrick | ||
| Three for the Road | Paul | ||
| Grizzly II: The Predator Concert | Ron | Unreleased filmed in 1983 |
|
| 1988 | Never on Tuesday | Thief | Uncredited Cameo |
| Eight Men Out | Oscar 'Happy' Felsch | ||
| Young Guns | Richard "Dick" Brewer | Bronze Wrangler Award | |
| 1989 | Tale of Two Sisters | Narrator | Also writer (poems) |
| Major League | Ricky 'Wild Thing' Vaughn | ||
| Catchfire | Bob | Cameo | |
| 1990 | Cadence | Pfc. Franklin Fairchild Bean | |
| Courage Mountain | Peter | ||
| Men at Work | Carl Taylor | ||
| Navy SEALs | Lt. (j.g.) Dale Hawkins | ||
| The Rookie | David Ackerman | ||
| 1991 | Hot Shots! | Lt. Sean Topper Harley | |
| 1992 | Beyond the Law | William Patrick Steaner/Daniel "Dan" Saxon/Sid | |
| Oliver Stone: Inside Out | Himself | Documentary | |
| 1993 | National Lampoon's Loaded Weapon 1 | Gern, Parking Valet | |
| Deadfall | Morgan "Fats" Gripp | ||
| Hot Shots! Part Deux | Lt. Sean Topper Harley | ||
| The Three Musketeers | Aramis | ||
| 1994 | Charlie Sheen's Stunt Spectacular | Himself | TV-movie |
| Terminal Velocity | Richard 'Ditch' Brodie | ||
| The Chase | Jackson Davis "Jack" Hammond | Also executive producer | |
| Major League II | Ricky 'Wild Thing' Vaughn | ||
| 1996 | Loose Women | Barbie Loving Bartender | Cameo appearance |
| Frame by Frame | |||
| All Dogs Go to Heaven 2 | Charles B. "Charlie" Barkin | Voice only | |
| The Arrival | Zane Zaminsky | ||
| 1997 | Money Talks | James Russell | |
| Shadow Conspiracy | Bobby Bishop | ||
| Bad Day on the Block | Lyle Wilder | Also known as Under Pressure | |
| 1998 | Postmortem | James McGregor | |
| A Letter from Death Row | Cop No. 1 | Cameo | |
| No Code of Conduct | Jacob "Jake" Peterson | Also executive producer and writer | |
| Free Money | Bud Dyerson | ||
| Junket Whore | Himself | Documentary | |
| 1999 | Lisa Picard is Famous | Himself | |
| Five Aces | Chris Martin | ||
| Being John Malkovich | Himself | Nominated – Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by a Cast in a Motion Picture Nominated – Online Film Critics Society Award for Best Cast |
|
| 2000 | Rated X | Artie Jay "Art" Mitchell | Showtime TV-movie |
| 2001 | Good Advice | Ryan Edward Turner | |
| Last Party 2000 | Himself | Documentary, uncredited | |
| 2002 | The Making of Bret Michaels | Himself | Documentary |
| 2003 | Scary Movie 3 | Tom Logan | |
| 2004 | The Big Bounce | Bob Rogers Jr. | |
| Pauly Shore Is Dead | Himself | Cameo | |
| 2005 | Guilty Hearts | Charlie Sheen | Segment "Spelling Bee" |
| 2006 | Scary Movie 4 | Tom Logan | Uncredited Cameo |
| 2010 | Wall Street: Money Never Sleeps | Bud Fox | Uncredited Cameo |
| Due Date | Himself/Charlie Harper | Cameo |
Short films[link]
| Year | Film | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1986 | A Life in the Day | ||
| 1989 | Comicits | Himself | Also producer |
| 2003 | Deeper Than Deep | Charles "Chuck" E. Traynor | |
| 2004 | Spelling Bee | Himself | From Guilty Hearts |
Television[link]
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1986 | Amazing Stories: Book Three | Casey | Episode: "No Day at the Beach" |
| 1996 | Friends | Ryan | Episode: "The One with the Chicken Pox" |
| 1999 | Sugar Hill | Matt | Unsold pilot |
| 2000–2002 | Spin City | Charlie Crawford | Golden Globe Award for Best Actor – Television Series Musical or Comedy (2002) Nominated – ALMA Award for Outstanding Actor in a Television Series (2001) Nominated – ALMA Award for Outstanding Actor in a Television Series (2002) |
| 2003–2011 | Two and a Half Men | Charlie Harper | ALMA Award for Outstanding Actor in a Comedy Television Series (2008) Nominated – Kids Choice Awards for Favorite Television Actor (2002) Nominated – Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Comedy Series (2005) Nominated – Golden Globe Award for Best Actor – Television Series Musical or Comedy (2005) Nominated – Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Comedy Series (2006) Nominated – Golden Globe Award for Best Actor – Television Series Musical or Comedy (2006) Nominated – Teen Choice Award for Choice TV Actor: Comedy (2008) Nominated – Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Comedy Series (2008) Nominated – Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Comedy Series (2009) |
| 2006 | Overhaulin' | Himself | Episode: "LeMama's Boy" |
| 2008 | The Big Bang Theory | Himself | Episode: "The Griffin Equivalency", cameo appearance |
| 2009 | The Tonight Show with Jay Leno | Himself | |
| 2009 | Lopez Tonight | Himself | |
| 2010 | Family Guy | Himself | Episode: "Brian Griffin's House of Payne" |
| 2011 | Drew Carey's Improv-A-Ganza | Himself | Episode 2 (in improv game "Fairy Tale") |
| 2011 | Comedy Central Roast | Himself (Roastee) | |
| 2012 | Anger Management | Charlie |
References[link]
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- ^ a b "Charlie Sheen, Brooke Mueller Officially Divorced", US Magazine, May 2, 2011
- ^ a b c CBS adds six new shows, hangs on to Charlie Sheen USA TODAY, May 20, 2010 By Gary Levin
- ^ "Charlie Sheen (Worth $70 Mil?) Will Donate $8.4 Thousand to Japan Relief". Showbiz411. http://www.showbiz411.com/2011/03/13/charlie-sheen-worth-70-mil-will-donate-8-4k-to-japan-relief. Retrieved August 18, 2011.
- ^ a b c d Stated in interview on Inside the Actors Studio, 2007
- ^ Zagursky, Erin (February 24, 2011). "Pilgrimage brings together Hollywood stars, academics". College of William and Mary. http://www.wm.edu/news/stories/2011/pilgrimage-brings-together-hollywood-stars,-academics-123.php. Retrieved July 30, 2011.
- ^ Merron, Jeff (February 19, 2004). "How Good Was Charlie Sheen?". Page 3 (ESPN). http://sports.espn.go.com/espn/page3/story?page=sheen/merron. Retrieved March 21, 2009.
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- ^ "Sheen Channels His Real Life in 'Glimpse'". Variety. September 8, 2011. http://www.showblitz.com/2011/09/sheen-channels-his-real-life-in-glimpse.html. Retrieved September 9, 2011.
- ^ a b "Charlie Sheen". TheGoldenGlobes.com. http://www.thegoldenglobes.com/welcome.html?nominee/sheen_charlie.html. Retrieved July 27, 2008.
- ^ Weinraub, Bernard (May 7, 2001). "Charlie Sheen Delivers A New Spin To 'Spin City'". The New York Times: p. E1. http://www.nytimes.com/2001/05/07/arts/charlie-sheen-delivers-a-new-spin-to-spin-city.html?pagewanted=all.
- ^ Heffernan, Virginia (September 22, 2003). "Swinging Bachelor's Peril: Beware of Geek Bearing Kid". The New York Times: p. E6. http://www.nytimes.com/2003/09/22/arts/television-review-swinging-bachelor-s-peril-beware-of-geek-bearing-kid.html.
- ^ Charlie Sheen to take time off CBS sitcom to enter rehab by Lynette Rice, February 23, 2010, Entertainment Weekly
- ^ "Charlie Sheen Goes to Rehab", People, January 28, 2011
- ^ "Charlie Sheen Gets Personalized Rehab Program", People, January 31, 2011
- ^ "Two and a Half Men axed after rant leaves Sheen looking a proper Charlie", The Guardian, February 25, 2011
- ^ Angus, Kat (February 28, 2011). "Charlie Sheen banned from Warner Bros. lot". Calgary Herald. http://www.calgaryherald.com/entertainment/Charlie+Sheen+banned+from+Warner+Bros/4361196/story.html. Retrieved March 8, 2011.
- ^ a b McGraw, Seamus. "Sheen demands 50 percent raise for ‘Two and a Half Men’," Today (Feb. 28, 2011). Accessed Mar. 1, 2011.
- ^ Andreeva, Nellie (March 7, 2011). "FIRED! Charlie Sheen Axed From 'Two And A Half Men', He Fires Back & Vows To Sue". Deadline.com. http://www.deadline.com/2011/03/charlie-sheen-fired-from-two-and-a-half-men/#more-111910. Retrieved March 8, 2011.
- ^ Villarreal, Yvonne (May 13, 2011). "'Dude, where's my sitcom?': Ashton Kutcher officially joins 'Two and a Half Men'". The Los Angeles Times. http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/showtracker/2011/05/dude-wheres-my-sitcom-ashton-kutcher-officially-joins-two-and-a-half-men.html. Retrieved May 13, 2011.
- ^ Barrett, Annie (May 13, 2011). "Official: Ashton Kutcher joins 'Two and a Half Men'". Entertainment Weekly. http://insidetv.ew.com/2011/05/13/official-ashton-kutcher-joins-two-and-a-half-men/. Retrieved August 18, 2011.
- ^ Villarreal, Yvonne (March 9, 2011). "Charlie Sheen to 'Two and a Half Men's' Chuck Lorre: 'Where ya hiding, silly clown?'". Los Angeles Times. http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/showtracker/2011/03/charlie-sheen-to-two-and-a-half-men-co-creator-chuck-lorre-where-ya-hiding-silly-clown.html. Retrieved March 10, 2011.
- ^ "Sheen, studio settle lawsuit over 'Men' firing". AP. CBS News. September 26, 2011. http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2011/09/26/ap/entertainment/main20111934.shtml. Retrieved September 26, 2011.
- ^ "Charlie Sheen Goes Gracious as Emmys Presenter". ABC News. September 18, 2011. http://abcnews.go.com/Entertainment/wireStory/charlie-sheen-gracious-emmys-presenter-14551731. Retrieved September 18, 2011.
- ^ AOL news
- ^ Reuters
- ^ UK Daily Mail
- ^ Seidman, Robert (September 20, 2011). "Comedy Central Roast of Charlie Sheen Averages 6.4 Million Viewers". TV By the Numbers. http://tvbythenumbers.zap2it.com/2011/09/20/comedy-central-roast-of-charlie-sheen-averages-6-4-million-viewers/104354/. Retrieved September 21, 2011.
- ^ "Official Sheen Kidz website". Our Concept. http://www.sheenkidz.com/index2.shtml. Retrieved July 21, 2008.
- ^ "Twitter Stats for Charlie Sheen". Twitter Counter. http://twittercounter.com/charliesheen. Retrieved March 10, 2011.
- ^ Wasserman, Todd (March 3, 2011). "Charlie Sheen sets new Guinness World Record for Twitter". CNN. http://www.cnn.com/2011/TECH/social.media/03/03/charlie.sheen.twitter/. Retrieved March 3, 2011.
- ^ Olivarez-Giles, Nathan (March 3, 2011). "Charlie Sheen to pitch products on Twitter, sets Guinness world record". Los Angeles Times. http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/technology/2011/03/charlie-sheen-twitter-guinness-world-record.html. Retrieved March 3, 2011.
- ^ Bond, Paul (March 3, 2011). "Charlie Sheen to Start Tweeting Endorsements". The Hollywood Reporter. http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/charlie-sheen-start-tweeting-endorsements-163882. Retrieved March 3, 2011.
- ^ Nordyke, Kimberly (March 10, 2011). "The actor says he's launching "Charlie Sheen LIVE: My Violent Torpedo of Truth/Defeat Is Not an Option" in April, with two dates scheduled so far". The Hollywood Reporter. http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/charlie-sheen-announces-live-tour-166652. Retrieved March 11, 2011.
- ^ a b TMZ Staff (March 12, 2011). "Charlie Sheen Tour – Sold out in 18 minutes!". TMZ. http://www.tmz.com/2011/03/12/charlie-sheen-tour-ticketmaster-detroit-chicago-tickets-sold-out-18-minutes. Retrieved March 15, 2011.
- ^ "Charlie Sheen at Detroit's Fox: Tickets remain, demand softens". http://www.freep.com/article/20110331/ENT03/110331054/Charlie-Sheen-Detroit-s-Fox-Tickets-remain-demand-softens?odyssey=tab. Retrieved April 1, 2011.
- ^ Riedel, David (March 21, 2011). "Will Charlie Sheen get his "Two and a Half Men" job back?". CBS news. http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-31749_162-20045536-10391698.html. Retrieved March 22, 2011.
- ^ "Sheen bombs on opening night of 20-city stage tour". Asheville Citizen-Times. Associated Press. April 3, 2011. http://www.citizen-times.com/article/20110403/ENT/110403004/-1/updates/Sheen-bombs-opening-night-20-city-stage-tour-. Retrieved April 4, 2011.
- ^ Lachno, James (April 4, 2011). "Charlie Sheen wins over the crowds in Chicago". The Daily Telegraph (London). http://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/culturenews/8426641/Charlie-Sheen-wins-over-the-crowds-in-Chicago.html. Retrieved April 8, 2011.
- ^ Chaitman, Steven (May 1, 2011). "Charlie Sheen Introduces 'NicoSheen' Cigarettes". hollywoodreporter.com. http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/charlie-sheen-introduces-nicosheen-cigarettes-183868. Retrieved May 1, 2011.
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- ^ Stephen M. Silverman (March 16, 2004). "Sheen, Richards Welcome a Baby Girl". People. http://www.people.com/people/article/0,26334,627858,00.html. Retrieved June 1, 2007.
- ^ Caryn Midler (June 2, 2005). "Denise Welcomes Baby Lola!". People. http://www.people.com/people/gallery/0,,1066791,00.html. Retrieved June 1, 2007.
- ^ "Charlie Sheen Divorce Bombshell". The Smoking Gun. http://www.thesmokinggun.com/archive/0421061sheen1.html. Retrieved July 16, 2008.
- ^ "Charlie Sheen and Denise Richards". China Daily. December 13, 2006. http://www.chinadaily.com.cn/entertainment/2006-12/13/content_758022.htm. Retrieved June 1, 2007.
- ^ Friedman, Roger (October 3, 2007). "Inside Charlie Sheen's and Denise Richard's Divorce". Fox News. http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,299100,00.html. Retrieved July 16, 2008.
- ^ "In Touch Exclusive: Charlie Sheen: "They've made me a better man"". In Touch Weekly. April 10, 2009. http://www.intouchweekly.com/2009/04/in_touch_exclusivecharlie_shee.php. Retrieved June 6, 2009.
- ^ Wihlborg, Ulrica (May 30, 2008). "Charlie Sheen & Brooke Mueller Get Married". People. http://www.people.com/people/article/0,,20203278,00.html. Retrieved July 17, 2008.
- ^ Finn, Natalie (May 30, 2008). "Charlie's Got That Newlywed Sheen". E! Online. http://uk.eonline.com/uberblog/b140223_charlies_got_newlywed_sheen.html. Retrieved July 17, 2008.
- ^ "Charlie Sheen and His Wife Welcome Twins". E! Online. March 15, 2009. http://www.etonline.com/news/2009/03/71806/index.html.
- ^ Flam, Lisa (March 2, 2011). "Sheen Loses Custody of Twin Sons". AOL News. http://www.aolnews.com/2011/03/02/sheen-loses-custody-of-twin-sons/. Retrieved March 17, 2011.
- ^ a b Lee, Ken (March 2, 2011). "Charlie Sheen Surrenders His Children to Police". People. http://www.people.com/people/article/0,,20470188,00.html. Retrieved March 17, 2011.
- ^ Charlie Sheen makes it official CNN.com, November 2, 2010
- ^ "Charlie Sheen – Divorce Is Set". TMZ. February 10, 2011. http://www.tmz.com/2011/02/10/charlie-sheen-divorce-brooke-mueller-filed-papers-court-divorce-settlement/. Retrieved February 28, 2011.
- ^ Robinson, Georgina (March 3, 2011). "Charlie Sheen's sons removed from his home". The Sydney Morning Herald. http://www.smh.com.au/lifestyle/people/charlie-sheens-sons-removed-from-his-home-20110303-1bf9s.html. Retrieved March 6, 2011.
- ^ "Charlie Sheen, girlfriends describe their life together". New York Post. March 1, 2011. http://www.nypost.com/p/news/national/charlie_sheen_girlfriends_describe_PqBFEyfbTgLD9UQc0lSmJO. Retrieved March 1, 2011.
- ^ "Charlie Sheen ‘20/20′ Interview: Rachel Oberlin Says 'I Would Love to Marry Charlie'". OK!. http://www.okmagazine.com/2011/03/charlie-sheen-2020-interview-rachel-oberlin-says-i-would-love-to-marry-charlie/#more-2401311. Retrieved March 7, 2011.
- ^ "Good Morning America: Charlie Sheen's 'Goddesses': 'We All Love Charlie' (03.01.11)". ABC News video upload onto YouTube. March 1, 2011. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-ciFGqXIUPU. Retrieved March 1, 2011.
- ^ "20/20: Charlie Sheen and His Goddesses (03.02.11)". ABC News video upload onto YouTube. March 2, 2011. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=emEM5H9NgTI. Retrieved March 4, 2011.
- ^ "'Goddess' details time with Sheen". Toronto Sun. July 21, 2011. http://www.torontosun.com/2011/07/21/goddess-details-time-with-sheen. Retrieved August 5, 2011.
- ^ "Charlie Sheen is goddess-less". CBS News. June 27, 2011. http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-31749_162-20074713-10391698.html. Retrieved August 5, 2011.
- ^ "Charlie Sheen's Probation Extended". Daily News. August 12, 1998. http://news.google.com/newspapers?id=L45TAAAAIBAJ&sjid=L4YDAAAAIBAJ&pg=2823,5598507&dq=charlie+sheen+probation&hl=en. Retrieved March 10, 2011.
- ^ "Charlie Sheen in hospital for drugs, alcohol". CNN. May 22, 1998. http://www.cnn.com/SHOWBIZ/Movies/9805/22/charlie.sheen/index.html. Retrieved March 10, 2011.
- ^ Higginbotham, Adam (January 19, 2004). "How Charlie Sheen saw the light". London: The Telegraph. http://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/4730330/How-Charlie-Sheen-saw-the-light.html. Retrieved March 9, 2011.
- ^ "Bond Posted". USA Today. December 25, 2009. http://www.usatoday.com/life/people/2009-12-25-sheen-arrest_N.htm?csp=34. Retrieved December 25, 2009.
- ^ "Charlie Sheen 'threatened to kill wife'". BBC News. December 29, 2009. http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/8433407.stm. Retrieved December 29, 2009.
- ^ "Charlie Sheen charged with felony in alleged assault on wife in Aspen [Updated"]. The Los Angeles Times. February 8, 2010. http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/lanow/2010/02/charlie-sheen-charged-with-3-felonies-in-alleged-assault-on-wife-in-aspen.html. Retrieved February 9, 2010.
- ^ Banda, Solomon (August 2, 2010). "Charlie Sheen Pleads Guilty to Aspen Assault". Associated Press. The Huffington Post. http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2010/08/02/charlie-sheen-pleads-guil_n_668120.html. Retrieved March 9, 2011.
- ^ a b Widdicombe, Ben (October 29, 2010). "In Praise of Celebrity Excuses". The New York Times Style Magazine. http://tmagazine.blogs.nytimes.com/2010/10/29/poparazzi-in-praise-of-celebrity-excuses/?scp=2&sq=charlie%20sheen&st=cse. Retrieved January 30, 2011.
- ^ Celona, Larry; Doyle, John; Schram, Jamie (October 26, 2010). "Charlie Sheen trashes room at Plaza Hotel in coke-fueled rampage". New York Post. http://www.nypost.com/p/news/local/manhattan/police_called_to_charlie_sheen_room_zKbwIvShUm8vhbeDUEowRK. Retrieved January 30, 2011.
- ^ a b "Aid For AIDS 25th Silver Anniversary Reception and Awards Presentation". http://www.aidforaids.net/events.html. Retrieved October 17, 2010.
- ^ "Charlie Sheen supports Aid For AIDS". October 2006. http://www.tmz.com/2006/10/23/charlie-sheen-does-drag-sort-of/. Retrieved March 24, 2010.
- ^ "Access Hollywood video interview". November 2008. http://www.accesshollywood.com/access-extended-maria-menounos-judges-best-in-drag-show_video_775419?__source=omg. Retrieved March 24, 2010.
- ^ Saunders, Tim (October 16, 2008). "Check Out the Best in Drag This Weekend". Look to the Stars; The World of Celebrity. http://www.looktothestars.org/news/1398-check-out-the-best-in-drag-this-weekend. Retrieved March 24, 2010.
- ^ "Martin Sheen Beats Perez Hilton in Popularity Competition with the Gays". The Insider. October 15, 2007. http://www.theinsider.com/news/411727_Martin_Sheen_Beats_Perez_Hilton_in_Popularity_Competition_with_the_Gays. Retrieved March 24, 2010.
- ^ Friedman, Jack; and Shaw, Bill (May 30, 1988). "Amazing Grace". People Magazine. http://www.people.com/people/archive/article/0,,20099075,00.html. Retrieved March 24, 2010.
- ^ Citron, Alan (November 2, 1988). "Charity Reaches for Stars – Critics Say It Falls Short". Los Angeles Times. http://articles.latimes.com/1990-11-02/news/mn-3707_1_hollywood-charity?pg=5. Retrieved March 24, 2010.
- ^ Jenna hosts NY Rescue Workers Detoxification Project Charity Event. March 27, 2008.
- ^ "Charlie Sheen Takes On Twitter Challenge By Grieving Mom To Help Sick Babies". CNBC. July 13, 2011. http://www.cnbc.com/id/43748175/. Retrieved July 24, 2011.
- ^ "Charlie Sheen on The Alex Jones Show". InfoWars. March 20, 2006. http://www.infowars.com/video/clips/news/september_11/032006_charlie_sheen_911_wm.htm. Retrieved August 4, 2008.
- ^ Brynaert, Ron (March 23, 2006). "Controversial Charlie Sheen 9/11 interview begins to attract media attention". Raw Story. Archived from the original on May 30, 2008. http://web.archive.org/web/20080530044634/http://www.rawstory.com/news/2006/Sheen_interview_on_911_garners_media_0323.html. Retrieved July 17, 2008.
- ^ "Showbiz Tonight March 22 transcript". CNN. March 22, 2008. http://transcripts.cnn.com/TRANSCRIPTS/0603/22/sbt.01.html. Retrieved July 17, 2008.
- ^ Keating, Joshua; Downie, James (September 10, 2009). "The World's Most Persistent Conspiracy Theories". Foreign Policy. http://www.foreignpolicy.com/articles/2009/09/10/the_worlds_most_popular_conspiracy_theories. Retrieved September 13, 2009.
- ^ Thompson, Paul (September 10, 2009). "'Call me crazy, Mr President': Actor Charlie Sheen provokes outrage over claims of 9/11 'cover-up'". Daily Mail (UK). http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/worldnews/article-1212543/Charlie-Sheen-demands-speak-Barack-Obama-9-11-government-cover-up.html. Retrieved September 10, 2009.
- ^ Banerjee, Subhajit (September 12, 2009). "Charlie Sheen urges Barack Obama to reopen 9/11 investigation in video message". The Daily Telegraph (London). http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/newstopics/celebritynews/6177194/Charlie-Sheen-urges-Barack-Obama-to-reopen-911-investigation-in-video-message.html. Retrieved September 13, 2009.
- ^ "Overview for Charlie Sheen". Tcm.com. http://www.tcm.com/tcmdb/participant.jsp?spid=175644&apid=0. Retrieved August 18, 2011.
External links[link]
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Wikiquote has a collection of quotations related to: Charlie Sheen |
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Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Charlie Sheen |
- Official website
- Charlie Sheen at the Internet Movie Database
- Charlie Sheen: Life and Times – slideshow by Life magazine
|
||||||||
| Persondata | |
|---|---|
| Name | Sheen, Charlie |
| Alternative names | Estevez, Carlos Irwin |
| Short description | Actor |
| Date of birth | September 3, 1965 |
| Place of birth | New York City, U.S. |
| Date of death | |
| Place of death | |
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This page contains text from Wikipedia, the Free Encyclopedia - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Charlie_Sheen
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This article is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 3.0 Unported License, which means that you can copy and modify it as long as the entire work (including additions) remains under this license.
| Kelly Clarkson | |
|---|---|
 Kelly Clarkson at the 2009 Women's World Awards in Austria |
|
| Background information | |
| Birth name | Kelly Brianne Clarkson |
| Born | (1982-04-24) April 24, 1982 (age 30) Fort Worth, Texas, U.S. |
| Origin | Burleson, Texas |
| Genres | Pop rock, pop |
| Occupations | Singer, songwriter, record producer, actress |
| Instruments | Vocals |
| Years active | 2001–present[1] |
| Labels | RCA, 19 |
| Associated acts | Reba McEntire |
| Website | kellyclarkson.com |
Kelly Brianne Clarkson (born April 24, 1982) is an American singer, songwriter and occasional actress. Clarkson came into prominence after becoming the winner of the inaugural season of the television series American Idol in 2002 and later was the runner-up in the television special World Idol in 2003.
In 2003, Clarkson released her debut album, Thankful, which was a commercial success and established herself in the pop music industry. The release of its first single, "A Moment Like This" (2002), broke The Beatles' record for the biggest leap to number one, from 52, in the history of the Billboard Hot 100 chart. After parting ways with her management, Clarkson developed a more rock-oriented music with the release of her critically acclaimed sophomore album, Breakaway (2004), which sold more than 12 million copies worldwide[2] and which garnered Clarkson more worldwide success as a pop rock artist. The album's single, "Because of You" (2005), became the best-selling single by an Idol contestant worldwide. In 2007, Clarkson took full creative control for her third album My December, which had a more rock-inspired sound and was met with controversy and moderate success. Clarkson later returned to a more pop-oriented sound with All I Ever Wanted (2009), which became a commercial and critical success. The album's lead single, "My Life Would Suck Without You" (2009), surpassed "A Moment Like This"'s record for the biggest leap to number one on a single week in the history of the Billboard Hot 100 Chart, a milestone it still holds today. Furthermore, it also became her first number one single in the United Kingdom. Clarkson's fifth studio album, Stronger, was released in 2011, containing elements from synthpop, R&B and country music. The album's single, "Stronger (What Doesn't Kill You)" (2012), became her longest number one single and eventually became her best-selling single in the United States.
In a career spanning a decade, Clarkson has become the most successful Idol contestant around the world, with album sales of over 23 million worldwide and singles sales of over 36 million,[3] according to Billboard[4] and Nielsen SoundScan.[5][6][7] Clarkson's work also gained her numerous accolades, including two Grammy Awards, three MTV Video Music Awards, 12 Billboard Music Awards, four American Music Awards and a Women's World Award. Billboard also ranked Clarkson as the 14th best-selling artist of the 2000s, as well as also being ranked on the top 200 album sellers of the Nielsen SoundScan era at number 187.[8][9] She is currently a mentor on ABC's singing competition show Duets.
Contents |
Early life and career beginnings[link]
Clarkson was born in Fort Worth, Texas, and grew up in the small town of Burleson, a suburb of Fort Worth. She is the third and youngest child of Jeanne Rose, a first grade English teacher of Greek descent and Stephen Michael Clarkson, a former engineer of English descent.[citation needed]
Clarkson's siblings include her older brother and sister, Jason and Alyssa. When Clarkson was six years old, her parents divorced after seventeen years of marriage. The family settled in Burleson, where Clarkson's mother married her second husband, Jimmy Taylor.[10]
Clarkson's family struggled financially, and after her parents divorced, music became her refuge. Clarkson attended Pauline G Hughes Middle School and Burleson High School. She wanted to become a marine biologist but changed her mind after seeing the movie Jaws.[11] In seventh grade, a teacher (Mrs. Cynthia Glenn) overheard her singing in a hallway and asked her to audition for the school choir; Clarkson told the teacher that she had never received professional vocal training.
In high school, Clarkson performed in musicals such as Annie Get Your Gun, Seven Brides for Seven Brothers and Brigadoon. She sang at her high school talent show, after which an audience member shared some inspiring words with her: "God has given you this gift. You've got to sing. You're destined to sing." Clarkson continued singing and soon started classical training, hoping that music would be her ticket to a college scholarship.[12]
Upon high school graduation, Clarkson was offered full scholarships to The University of Texas at Austin, University of North Texas, and Berklee, but decided against college because she had "already written so much music and wanted to try it on her own," and she figured "you're never too old to go to college."[12] Clarkson later turned down two recording contracts from Jive Records and Interscope Records in the late 1990s, stating "They would have completely pigeonholed me as a bubblegum act. I was confident enough that something better would come along."[13] She went to Los Angeles in late 2001 to pursue a career in music, but worked as a waitress and appeared as an extra in such shows as Sabrina, the Teenage Witch and Dharma & Greg to support herself.[14] She worked with songwriters such as Gerry Goffin and recorded five tracks between January and March 2002 to try to get a record deal, but returned to Texas after four months in Los Angeles.[1]
Music career[link]
[edit] 2002–03: American Idol and World Idol
Main articles: American Idol (season 1) and World Idol
Clarkson auditioned for the first season of American Idol (under the full title American Idol: The Search for a Superstar) in May 2002. She subsequently won the competition on September 4, 2002, earning 58% of the vote against runner-up Justin Guarini.[15] Clarkson performed the ballad "A Moment Like This", the song written for the winner of American Idol, which subsequently appeared on her debut album, Thankful. When released as a single in October 2002, it set a record on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100 chart when it rose from number 52 to number one.[16] The CD single sold 236,000 copies in its first week of sales in the U.S.[17] and spent five weeks at number one in Canada.
[edit] American Idol season 1 performances and results
| Week # | Theme | Song choice | Original artist | Order # | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Audition | Dallas | "Express Yourself" "At Last" |
Madonna Glenn Miller & His Orchestra |
N/A | Advanced |
| Top 121 | Hollywood round 1 | "Respect" | Otis Redding | ||
| Top 65 | Hollywood round 2 | "I Say a Little Prayer" | Dionne Warwick | ||
| Top 45 | Hollywood round 3 | "Save The Best For Last" | Vanessa L. Williams | ||
| Top 30 | Semifinal/Group 2 | "Respect" | Otis Redding | 9 | |
| Top 10 | Motown | "You're All I Need to Get By" | Marvin Gaye & Tammi Terrell | 8 | Safe |
| Top 8 | 1960s | "(You Make Me Feel Like) A Natural Woman" | Aretha Franklin | 5 | |
| Top 7 | 1970s | "Don't Play That Song (You Lied)" | Ben E. King | ||
| Top 6 | Big Band | "Stuff Like That There" | Betty Hutton | 6 | |
| Top 5 | Burt Bacharach Love Songs | "Walk On By" | Dionne Warwick | 1 | |
| Top 4 | 1980s 1990s |
"It's Raining Men" "I Surrender" |
The Weather Girls Celine Dion |
3 7 |
|
| Top 3 | Judges' Choice Idol's Choice |
"Without You" "Think Twice" |
Badfinger Celine Dion |
3 6 |
|
| Top 2 | Finale | "A Moment Like This" "Respect" "Before Your Love" |
Kelly Clarkson Otis Redding Kelly Clarkson |
2 4 6 |
Winner |
[edit] World Idol performance and results
| Song choice | GER | AUS | GCC | CAN | NLD | SA | POL | US | BE | UK | NOR | Total | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| "(You Make Me Feel Like) A Natural Woman" | 9 | 9 | 5 | 9 | 9 | 8 | 8 | 12 | 9 | 9 | 10 | 97 | Runner-up |
In December 2003, a competition titled World Idol was held at the Pop Idol stage in London, gathering the winners of the first seasons of Idol series around the world. Clarkson was contractually obligated to participate, and placed second behind Norwegian Idol Kurt Nilsen. She performed Aretha Franklin's "(You Make Me Feel Like) A Natural Woman". She left immediately after the competition, later explaining to fans that she was not feeling well.[18]
[edit] 2003–04: Thankful
Main article: Thankful (Kelly Clarkson album)
Shortly after the completion of the first season of American Idol, Clarkson was signed to RCA Records by Clive Davis and Simon Fuller. In 2003, Clarkson was later accused of working with a record company prior to winning American Idol. American Idol's rules stated that a contestant was not allowed to compete on the program if they had been linked to a record company. However, she was cleared of all allegations, as she only had a contract in order to conduct demonstration work.[19]
Following the release of "A Moment Like This", Clarkson's full-length debut album Thankful was released in North America by RCA Records on April 15, 2003 with several singers and songwriters including Christina Aguilera, Diane Warren and Babyface contributing on the tracks.[20] It debuted at number one on the U.S. Billboard 200. To promote the album, Clarkson appeared on various episodes of American Idol in 2003. In October that year she performed in Australia at the 2003 NRL grand final.[21] "A Moment Like This" was certified double platinum by the RIAA for sales of two million copies on December 8, 2003[22] and platinum by the CRIA for sales of 100,000 copies on February 10, 2004.[23] Thankful peaked at number 41 on the UK albums chart and at number 33 on the Australian albums chart.
Reviews for the album were generally favorable. However, several critics noted that her early achievement was established due to her performances on American Idol. Allmusic critic Stephen Thomas Erlewine praised the album for its vocal ability: "throughout this record, [Clarkson] makes it seem effortless and charming. She can croon, she can belt out a song, she can be sexy and sassy while still being graceful and as wholesome as the girl next door".[24] Rachel Kipp of JS Online criticized Clarkson for not having the same personality on Thankful that she had on American Idol, and wrote: "on American Idol, Clarkson showcased a great voice and an endearing, 'aw-shucks' personality. That personality is missing on Thankful, and there lies the album's greatest fault". Kipp blamed the producers behind the album for not allowing Clarkson to be herself.[25] Clarkson covered Danielle Brisebois' "Just Missed the Train" on the album.
"Miss Independent" was released as the second single from Thankful. It reached the top ten of the U.S. and Canadian singles charts, and earned Clarkson a 2004 Grammy Award nomination for "Best Female Pop Vocal Performance".[26] When the single was released in the United Kingdom and Australia, it reached the top ten of the charts. "Low", the third single from Thankful, reached number two in Canada, but it was unable to make the top 40 of the US chart. The final single, "The Trouble with Love Is", was released as a promotional single for the British romantic film Love Actually and failed to chart in the United States, she then promoted the song on Pop Idol in 2003.
Soon after the first season of American Idol ended, Clarkson starred with Idol runner-up Justin Guarini in the movie From Justin to Kelly (2003). The film was poorly received by critics[27] and grossed only $5 million at the North American box office, less than half its reported budget.[28] Clarkson has mentioned in interviews that she is shocked when people send her scripts after From Justin to Kelly, often citing contractual obligation as her sole reason for involvement in the film.[29] Clarkson was quoted telling People, "I knew when I read the script it was going to be real, real bad, but when I won, I signed that piece of paper and I could not get out of it."[30] The script was written by Kim Fuller, Simon Fuller's brother.[31]
She played Brenda Lee in the television drama American Dreams and appeared in the sitcom Reba. She also participated in sketch comedy on MADtv (2002) and Saturday Night Live (2005).[32]
[edit] 2004–06: Breakaway
Main article: Breakaway (Kelly Clarkson album)
 |
At the age of 16, Clarkson wrote the lyrics and melody to this song to cope with her emotions. The later composition resulted in the use of the piano and a full orchestral arrangement.
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| Problems listening to this file? See media help. | |
Distancing herself from her American Idol image, Clarkson parted ways with 19 Entertainment and took more creative control with her second studio album Breakaway, to develop a more rock-oriented image.[33] Clarkson co-wrote six of the songs with songwriters such as former Evanescence band members Ben Moody, David Hodges and producer Max Martin; the title track was co-written by punk-pop singer Avril Lavigne.
Breakaway was released by RCA Records on November 30, 2004.[34] The album debuted within the U.S. top five and Canadian top ten, but sales were initially low in comparison to Thankful.[35] The singles from Breakaway were very successful, and the album became only the fourth album in history to stay in the Billboard 200 top 20 for a consecutive year, as well as being certified six times platinum in the U.S. in late 2007[36] and five times platinum in Canada in May 2006.[37] With worldwide sales of over 12 million copies, Breakaway is the most successful album by an Idol.
Breakaway received different responses from critics; Rolling Stone commented that "on Kelly Clarkson's second album, ... she embraces her rock side rather than the pop pageantry that put her on top of the American Idol heap".[38] TeenInk noted the strength of her vocals on Breakaway, and praised the change from pop music to contemporary rock: "[Clarkson] retains the incredible power and beauty of her voice while switching to rock".[39] Stylus magazine also enjoyed Clarkson's foray into rock music, however, she was called out because of her American Idol image, which reviewer Charles Merwin believed she had yet to lose. He praised the non-singles and wrote that they "maintain a quality high".[40] Allmusic called the album "a nice, low-key relief".[41]
"Breakaway" served as the original song for The Princess Diaries 2: Royal Engagement (2004) and achieved considerable success across the world; it became Clarkson's third top-ten single in the U.S. and fourth top-ten single in Canada. It reached number ten in Australia, and number 22 in the UK. The second single, "Since U Been Gone", which was produced by Max Martin, became the most successful release from the album. It reached number two in the U.S. and the top five across the world. It also earned Clarkson her first Grammy Award for "Best Female Pop Vocal Performance"; she won a second award for "Best Pop Vocal Album".[42]
The third and fourth single releases, "Behind These Hazel Eyes" and "Because of You", also followed with chart success. The video for "Because of You" won the 2006 MTV Video Music Award for Best Female Video, her second consecutive win in that category (following "Since U Been Gone"). Clarkson was the most-played artist of 2006 on American radio, despite releasing only one single in the entire year, "Walk Away" (the fifth single from Breakaway).[43] She was also the most radio-broadcasted artist of 2006 in Australia and "Because of You" was the third most broadcast song of the same year, despite being released in 2005.[44]
In 2005, Clarkson made a performance during the 2005 NBA All-Star Weekend as part of the festivities leading up to the All-Star Game.[45] Later that year, she performed "The Star-Spangled Banner" at Game 2 of the NBA Finals between the San Antonio Spurs and Detroit Pistons She also performed that spring as part of the 2005 NCAA Final Four festivities in St. Louis, Missouri.[46]
Clarkson performed during the festivities of the 2006 Winter Olympics in Torino, Italy.[47] In mid 2006, Clarkson lent Ford Motor Co. a song titled "Go", written by Clarkson and Rhett Lawrence ("Miss Independent"). The song was used in the company's advertising campaign in 2006, "Bold Moves" and the song, along with its music video, was made available free at Ford's AddictedtoKelly.com website (now defunct).[48]
[edit] 2006–08: My December
Main article: My December
During her tour in Europe in 2006, Clarkson began writing songs for her third album, My December.[49] The first single from My December was "Never Again", which peaked on the Billboard Hot 100 at number eight. Clarkson released "Sober" as the second single. She returned to American Idol for the season 6 finale, performing "Never Again" and "Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band" with Aerosmith guitarist Joe Perry during a Beatles medley.[50]
Clarkson parted with her management, The Firm, in June 2007, amid low radio airplay for "Never Again" and low ticket sales for her then-upcoming tour.[51] Clarkson then signed with Starstruck Entertainment, run by Narvel Blackstock – the husband of Reba McEntire – on July 2, 2007.[52] The same month, Live Nation announced that the tour – her first nationwide arena tour – had been canceled due to underwhelming ticket sales, to be rescheduled after the release of the My December album at smaller, more intimate concert environments.[53] Clarkson reinstated plans to tour the U.S. during 2007, with a much smaller tour than the one she canceled in June. She began her My December Tour in October 2007 in venues significantly smaller than those previously booked.[54] The August 2007 issue of Blender included a feature on Clarkson and her new album, as well as her music label woes.[55]
My December was released in the U.S. on June 26, 2007. The album debuted at number two in the U.S. with 291,000 albums sold,[56] a slightly higher debut than Clarkson's previous album, Breakaway, which debuted at number three.[57] In Canada, the album was awarded a platinum certification for shipments of more than 100,000 copies.[58] My December was certified platinum in December 2007 by the RIAA.[59] It has sold more than three million copies worldwide.[60]
In April 2007, Clarkson appeared on the American Idol Idol Gives Back charity show aimed at raising money for tackling poverty, hunger and AIDS in Africa, as well as the Hurricane Katrina appeal. Clarkson noted that she was in a dispute with her record label bosses and executives as to which song to perform for the event. Clarkson refused to perform her new single "Never Again" viewing it as simple self-promotion through a charitable event. She is quoted as saying,
| “ | My label wanted me to sing 'Never Again,' and I was like, to promote yourself on a charity event is beyond crass. People are starving and dying and I'm up there singing some bitter pop song? And believe me, everyone wanted me to sing it. Because they are jaded and they have no soul. Imagine sitting in a room full of people totally against you. Can't they hear themselves speaking? Capitalize on AIDS? Are you kidding? Insulting an entire nation of people? I just refused."[61] | ” |
She opted to perform Patty Griffin's "Up to the Mountain". After the performance, the audience who watched Clarkson perform live gave her a standing ovation. American Idol judge Simon Cowell described her as "incredible", saying, "When you let her [Clarkson] come back on the show it makes everybody else look like an amateur."[62] Clarkson later sang "Never Again" in the American Idol grand finale on May 23, 2007. On July 7, 2007, Clarkson performed on the American leg of Live Earth.[63] Clarkson was invited to be a celebrity mentor for Canadian Idol during its Top 5 week of the fifth season, aired on the CTV network on August 20, and she performed on the results show the next night. Clarkson also performed the grand finale of Swedish Idol in December 2007.[64] Clarkson also performed at the 2007 NFL opening kickoff where she sang the national anthem and songs from My December.[65] Clarkson also performed in the halftime show for the Dallas Cowboys and New York Jets game on Thanksgiving Day.[66][67]
In addition to her roles as spokeswoman for the acne treatment Proactiv as well as Vitaminwater, Clarkson partnered with NASCAR for the 2007 season. She appeared in televised advertising spots, performed at pre-race concerts, promoted NASCAR Day, and appeared at the Champions' Banquet in December.[68] In April 2008, Clarkson participated in a Papal Youth Rally at the campus of St. Joseph's Seminary, Dunwoodie in Yonkers, New York performing a mini-concert for those in attendance. This was the Papal Visit of Pope Benedict XVI. She performed Schubert's "Ave Maria" for the Pope later in the day following the Pope's speech.[69]
Clarkson performed "What Hurts the Most" with Rascal Flatts at the ACM Awards in 2006 and returned again to sing a duet with Reba McEntire in 2007. This was her second performance on a country music award show, even though she is in the pop/rock genre. Along with her performance with Rascal Flatts, Clarkson also performed "Cigarettes", with the country duo The Wreckers during one of their shows in Texas.[70]
Building on her country music status, Clarkson and Reba McEntire, who first met after Clarkson won the first season of American Idol,[71] recorded an hour-long CMT Crossroads special at Nashville's famed Ryman Auditorium on February 22, 2007. It aired on CMT and Palladia (then known as MHD) on June 24, 2007. Previously, Clarkson was a performer on CMT's Giants: Reba McEntire. where she sang McEntire's hit song "Why Haven't I Heard From You", introduced Dolly Parton, and later also sang McEntire's hit "Does He Love You" with Martina McBride. Clarkson also appeared on an episode of McEntire's sitcom Reba, that aired on January 14, 2007.[72]
At the Academy of Country Music Awards on May 16, 2007, Clarkson and McEntire sang a duet of Clarkson's own 2005 single, "Because of You", which also became the lead single from McEntire's album of all-star duets.[73] The music video for this version of the song later debuted on June 20, 2007. This collaboration with McEntire earned Clarkson a CMA Award nomination for "Musical Event of the Year" in 2007 and a Grammy Award nomination for "Best Country Collaboration With Vocal" in 2008. Additionally, the song was featured on Now That's What I Call Country, which was released in August 2008.
Clarkson was a surprise guest at the 2007 CMA Music Festival in Nashville on June 7, 2007, where she performed "Does He Love You" and "Because of You" with Reba McEntire during the internationally-renowned annual event. The performance of "Because of You" was taped and aired as part of the "CMA Music Festival: Country's Night To Rock" television special that aired on ABC on July 23, 2007.[74]
On January 17, 2008, Clarkson embarked on the 2 Worlds, 2 Voices Tour 2008, a co-headlining tour with Reba McEntire. Reba and Clarkson have since stayed in touch and Clarkson is now managed by McEntire's husband Narvel Blackstock.[75]
On May 18, 2008, Clarkson performed on stage at the Academy of Country Music Awards All-Star Jam with Reba McEntire and Ronnie Dunn of Brooks and Dunn.[76] The All-Star jam is the final event of the week taking place immediately after the awards show. Clarkson was not announced ahead of time for an appearance.
[edit] 2008–10: All I Ever Wanted
Main article: All I Ever Wanted (Kelly Clarkson album)
Clarkson's fourth album, All I Ever Wanted, was released on March 10, 2009. During recording of the album, Clarkson worked closely with producer-songwriters Ryan Tedder, Dr. Luke, Max Martin, and Howard Benson, among others. In its first week of sales, it sold 255,000 copies in the U.S., debuting at number one on the Billboard 200; it stayed at number one for two weeks.[77] All I Ever Wanted received a Grammy Award nomination for "Best Pop Vocal Album".[78] Clarkson was placed eighth on Billboard's Top Female Artists of 2009 and ninth on Billboard's Top Hot Artists of 2000s.[79] She was ranked second on Billboard's Best of 2000s: Pop Song Artist, behind Pink.[80]
The first single from All I Ever Wanted, "My Life Would Suck Without You", entered the Billboard Hot 100 at number 97 and rose to number one the following week; this broke the record for the largest leap to the top spot, formerly held by Britney Spears' "Womanizer".This was the second time Clarkson broke this record. Moreover, "My Life Would Suck Without You" was Clarkson's first number one in the United Kingdom and it made her the first American Idol winner to achieve a number one single in the UK. The album's second single, "I Do Not Hook Up", peaked at number 20 in the U.S. "I Do Not Hook Up" did not fare very well overseas and the believed reason for this is due to a lack of radio support because a previous version had been recorded by Katy Perry. The third single, "Already Gone", reached number 13 in the USA and number 15 in Canada, but had mixed results internationally. "Already Gone" sparked another conflict between Clarkson and her label. There was a widely reported scandal with the album's third single, which Clarkson wrote with OneRepublic's Ryan Tedder. Many critics had noticed that the backing track and style of the song sounded similar to Beyoncé's "Halo". After becoming aware of the comparisons, Clarkson did not want to release the song out of respect for Beyoncé, instead requesting release for a self-penned song, "Cry", which later hailed extremely positive reviews, most notably from the BBC.[81] However, her record company refused, publishing "Already Gone" against Clarkson's wishes. In response to the entire fiasco, Clarkson penned a song called "Wash Rinse Repeat" in which she states her view on the lack of creativity record labels give their artists; it is widely believed the song is an attack on Ryan Tedder.
The fourth single was "All I Ever Wanted". Clarkson performed as one of many guests for the return of VH1 Divas in September 2009.[82] Clarkson also became a guest mentor on the Dutch television series X Factor in November 2009.
Clarkson was announced as one of the VH1 Save the Music Foundation ambassadors for 2009–2010.[83] She began her 32-date All I Ever Wanted tour in October, following a string of summer concerts around the United States. Clarkson toured all over the world with the album, reaching territories such as Europe, South Africa, Oceania and Asia.The fall tour shows were performed in arena/theater type venues, with the summer tour being performed in outdoor amphitheatres. Her Indonesia show was initially sponsored by tobacco company Djarum, but after complaints from some fans and anti-tobacco groups, the promoter removed the sponsor.[84] The tour ended in May 2010 in China.[85]
[edit] 2010–present: Stronger
Main article: Stronger (Kelly Clarkson album)
On August 23, 2010, it was announced that Clarkson had recorded a duet called "Don't You Wanna Stay" with country star Jason Aldean for Aldean's upcoming album, My Kinda Party.[86] They performed the song at the 2010 CMA Awards on November 10, 2010[87] and again on April 14, 2011 during the elimination show of American Idol season ten. On the week ending February 27, 2011, the song moved to number one on Billboard Hot Country Songs, giving Clarkson her first number one hit on the chart.[88] As of July 21, 2011, "Don't You Wanna Stay" has sold nearly 2 million digital singles, becoming the most downloaded country music collaboration of all time.[89] "Don't You Wanna Stay" was nominated for a 2012 Grammy Award for "Best Country Duo/Group Performance".[90]
Clarkson's fifth studio album, Stronger, was released on October 24, 2011.[91] Clarkson began writing the material on November 2009 and was originally intended for a late 2010 release.[92] Clarkson collaborated with several producers including Greg Kurstin, Ester Dean, Darkchild, Toby Gad, Steve Jordan and Howard Benson.[93][94] Clarkson completed recording on February 28, 2011, and stated that it "was influenced by Prince, Tina Turner, Sheryl Crow, Radiohead and there's a little bit of a country vibe/influence on a couple of songs."[93] On March 15, 2011, she announced that the album had been pushed back to at least September 2011. Rodney Jerkins told The Hollywood Reporter that it was a "smart decision",[95] while Claude Kelly, said to MTV News that the move could work in her favor.[96] Associated Content also reported that the delay was caused by the company restructuring at Sony Music with the former Universal Music Group chairman Doug Morris entering as its new CEO.[95][97] The release of the album was accompanied by a limited release of Clarkson's first extended play, The Smoakstack Sessions, which featured alternate versions of Stronger and All I Ever Wanted songs.[98]
The first single, "Mr. Know It All", premiered via a live webcast on on August 30, 2011 and was commercially released on September 5, 2011. The song entered the Billboard Hot 100 at number 18, becoming her second highest debut since "Never Again" (2007); On November 3, the song ascended to number 10, earning Clarkson her ninth top ten single. On October 2, 2011, Clarkson performed the song at the 2011 NRL Grand Final in Sydney, Australia, marking Clarkson's first appearance at the event since the 2003 NRL Grand Final.[99][100][101] The following week, "Mr. Know It All" hit #1 on the Australian charts, the first single of her career to top the charts in that country.[102] 'Mr Know It All charted at number 4 in the UK and 8 in New Zealand. The song received double platinum certification in Australia and gold certification in New Zealand.
The album's second single, "Stronger (What Doesn't Kill You)", was released to mainstream radio on January 17, 2012.[103] The song climbed to number one on the Hot 100 in its seventh week, becoming Clarkson's career's third number-one single, after "A Moment Like This" and "My Life Would Suck Without You".[104]. According to Clarkson, the song was inspired by a Friedrich Nietzsche quote, translated to "That which does not kill us makes us stronger", and its lyrics contain the theme of empowerment. The song is considered as an anthem for recovery after the end of a bad relationship. Stronger has been compared to Since U Been Gone, and received generally positive reviews from critics. The song also peaked at number one in Poland, Belgium, and Denmark. In addition, it peaked in the top 10 in over 15 countries and achieved 2x Platinum in Australia as well as Platinum in New Zealand, Canada and Denmark, which has made it one of Clarkson's most successful singles. Moreover, the music video is her most watched on YouTube, with over 38,000,000 views. [105][106][107] When Stronger (What Doesn't Kill You) reached number one in the Billboard's Dance/Club Play Songs chart, Clarkson became the first artist to top the Billboard Hot 100, Country Songs, Adult Contemporary, Adult Pop Songs and Dance/Club Play Songs charts, albeit it not at the same time.[108]
The song "Tell Me A Lie" on the debut album by the boy band One Direction was co-written by Clarkson, which was originally intended for Stronger. The song was leaked onto the internet a few months before.[109] Clarkson's second extended play, iTunes Session, was announced on November 23, 2011,[110] and was released on December 27, 2011.[111] On December 2 Clarkson released her first Christmas single, a cover of "I'll Be Home For Christmas" which is included on iTunes Session EP. Her rendition of the holiday classic debuted on the Billboard Hot 100 at number 93 for the chart dated December 24, 2011 with 24,000 copies sold and also charted at number 16 on Holiday Songs.[citation needed]
Clarkson was a mentor to Blake Shelton's contestants on season two of The Voice in 2012. With this, Clarkson becomes the only former television singing-competition contestant to appear on American Idol, The X Factor and The Voice.[112]
Clarkson sang the U.S. national anthem at Super Bowl XLVI on February 5, 2012.[113] She received widespread acclaim for this performance from numerous publications and fellow celebrities.[114]
Clarkson performed at the 54th Grammy Awards on February 12, 2012. She and Jason Aldean sang their hit "Don't You Wanna Stay".[115] On April 1, 2012, "Don't You Wanna Stay" won the Academy of Country Music awards for Vocal Event of the Year and Single of the Year.[116]
On May 20, 2012 Clarkson debuted her new single "Dark Side" at the 2012 Billboard Music Awards.[117]
In the summer of 2012, Clarkson will be a mentor on a new singing show called Duets on ABC.[118]
Artistry[link]
Voice[link]
Clarkson possesses the vocal range of a soprano;[119][120] which has been described as dynamic and robust.[121]
On an interview with Good Morning America, Simon Cowell was asked of the then six American Idol winners, who he thought had the best voice. Cowell immediately answered that Clarkson did "by a mile", noting that she was "up there" with other great singers such as Celine Dion.[122]
Arion Berger of Rolling Stone has said of Clarkson that "her high notes are sweet and pillowy, her growl is bone-shaking and sexy, and her midrange is amazingly confident for a pop posy whose career is tied for eternity to the whims of her American Idol overlords."[123]
Dr. Luke, a songwriter and producer of some of Clarkson's hits stated that "She has powerful lungs. She's like the Lance Armstrong of vocal cords."[124]
Jon Caramanica, music critic of The New York Times, stated that Clarkson's voice is "too huge, too violent" for warmer and sweeter vocal stylings, stating "she’s on a par with Taylor Swift when it comes to vengeance, and she’ll do it louder and with more brutality in comparison to her contemporary."[125]
Esquire wrote that Clarkson has “the best voice in the history of pop music".[126]
Influences[link]
Clarkson has often cited soul musicians such as Aretha Franklin,[127] Whitney Houston, Mariah Carey[128] and Etta James[129] as well as rock musicians Radiohead, Garbage,[127] Aerosmith, and Jimi Hendrix[130] as her influences. Her audition performance of James' song "At Last" and her final performance of Franklin's "(You Make Me Feel Like) A Natural Woman" on American Idol garnered critical praise from both the judges of the program as well as from the public. Clarkson also said that she has been influenced by Tina Turner and Annie Lennox. At age eight, Clarkson was first inspired to venture into music during visit to an African-American church in Fort Worth. She recalled: "I was like, 'Wow, whatever they're feeling, I want to feel it too'."[131]
Personal life[link]
Since early 2012 Clarkson has been dating Reba McEntire's stepson, talent manager Brandon Blackstock. Clarkson told the Daily Mail (UK) "Brandon is my manager's son. I've known him for six years but he was married. Then, suddenly, there he was at the Super Bowl and he was single". [132]
Political views[link]
On December 29, 2011, Clarkson posted on Twitter that she would vote for US Congressman Ron Paul as a 2012 presidential candidate, saying, "I love Ron Paul. I liked him a lot during the last Republican nomination and no one gave him a chance. If he wins the nomination for the Republican Party in 2012 he's got my vote. Too bad he probably won't."[133] After stating her support for Paul, she came under fire on Twitter, due to her pro gay rights views.[134] She later apologized for the Tweet saying she did not intend to offend anyone.[134] In a recent interview with Rolling Stone magazine Clarkson was asked about her comments in support of Paul and she replied with, "All I did was tweet what I thought, and people went crazy! All of a sudden, people were like, 'You hate gay people' – what? I didn't even endorse him. All I said was that I like him. I voted for Barack, so it's not even like I'm a hardcore Republican."[135]
Charity[link]
On April 2007, Kelly Clarkson took part on the "Idol Gives Back", a fundraiser for people in poverty in both Africa and the United States, performing "Up to the Mountain" along with Jeff Beck.[136] According to her statings she wanted to perform that song rather to her new single "Never Again" which seemed to her inappropriate for the event, and didn't want to promote herself, despite the label's pressures. She would also perform a five-song set later that year on the American leg of Live Earth concerts opting for environmental awareness about climate change. She is currently an ambassador of "March of Dimes", raising money regularly and assisting in volunteer service, having walked for "March for Babies" as well, for the cause of improvement of the health of mothers and babies.[137] Clarkson, additionally, got involved in the organization "Houses of Hope" who take care and build orphanages for children in South Africa who have been affected by HIV/AIDS, abuse and poverty.[138] She has visited those kids and also participated in the "A Night for Hope" fundraiser concert (held by Clarkson's background vocal singers, Jill and Kate) where she performed a song she wrote after her trip to South Africa, "You Still Won't Know What It's Like". Clarkson is also supporting organizations "Save the Children", "UNICEF", "Do Something" and "STOMP Out Bullying" amongst others as well as music causes like "Save the Music Foundation".[139][140] She has a ranch in Texas for unwanted animals, which includes amputee goats, blind dogs, and horses with colic; there are more than 80 animals at the sanctuary. She helps provide veterinary care for them and finds them an adoptive family.[141]
Filmography[link]
| Year | Title | Role | Episode |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2002 | Sabrina the Teenage Witch | An extra (uncredited) | "The Whole Ball of Wax" |
| That '80s Show | "Valentine's Day" (season 1, episode 2) | ||
| Issues 101 | Crystal (an extra) | Theatrical film | |
| MADtv | Herself / Skits | Season 8, episode 1 | |
| 2003 | From Justin to Kelly | Kelly Taylor | Theatrical film |
| American Dreams | Brenda Lee | "And Promises To Keep" | |
| 2004 | "Tidings of Comfort and Joy" | ||
| King of the Hill | Herself / Dawn | "Stressed For Success" | |
| 2005 | Saturday Night Live | Musical Guest / skits | Host – Jason Bateman |
| Damage Control | Herself | Season 1, episode 1 | |
| Canadian Idol | Guest Mentor | Season 5 | |
| 2007 | Reba | Kelly | "As We Forgive Those" |
| 2009 | Saturday Night Live | Musical Guest | Host – Tracy Morgan |
| X Factor | Guest Mentor | Season 2 | |
| 2010 | Superstar K | Guest Judge | Superstar K2 |
| 2011 | Phineas and Ferb | Herself | "A Phineas and Ferb Family Christmas" |
| 2012 | Saturday Night Live | Musical Guest | Host – Charles Barkley |
| The Voice | Guest Mentor | Season 2 | |
| Duets | Judge | Season 1 |
Discography[link]
Main article: Kelly Clarkson discography
- Thankful (2003)
- Breakaway (2004)
- My December (2007)
- All I Ever Wanted (2009)
- Stronger (2011)
Tours[link]
Main articles: List of Kelly Clarkson concert tours and List of Kelly Clarkson promotional tours
- American Idols LIVE! Tour 2002 (2002), with the American Idol Season 1 Finalists
- Independent Tour (2004), co-headlining tour Clay Aiken
- Breakaway World Tour (2005–06)
- My December Tour (2007–08)
- 2 Worlds 2 Voices Tour (2008), co-headlining tour Reba McEntire
- All I Ever Wanted Tour (2009–10)
- Stronger Tour (2012)
- 2012 Summer Tour (2012), co-headlining tour with The Fray
Awards[link]
See also[link]
References[link]
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- ^ Top 24 'American Idol' Of All-Time
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- ^ Fulton, Rick (February 27, 2009). "I'm not as controversial as the media portrays me, says original American Idol winner Kelly Clarkson". Daily Record. http://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/showbiz/celebrity-interviews/2009/02/27/i-m-not-as-controversial-as-the-media-portrays-me-says-american-idol-winner-kelly-clarkson-86908-21156403/. Retrieved March 20, 2009.
- ^ Elle Cover Story: Kelly Clarkson p. 7
- ^ "Kelly Clarkson – ELLE[dead link]". Archived from the original on January 6, 2008. http://web.archive.org/web/20080106220746/http://www.elle.com/coverstory/11273/kelly-clarkson-page8.html.
- ^ "Live Earth on MSN: The Concerts For A Climate In Crisis". Entertainment.msn.com. http://music.msn.com/artists/kellyclarkson/. Retrieved August 6, 2011.
- ^ "Kelly Clarkson to appear on Top 5's 'My Own Idol' theme week". CTV.ca. http://www.ctv.ca/servlet/ArticleNews/story/CTVNews/20070801/CI5_Kelly_Clarkson_070801/20070801?s_name=idol2007. Retrieved March 20, 2009.
- ^ "IndyStar.com". Archived from the original on December 12, 2007. http://web.archive.org/web/20071212014055/http://www.indystar.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070907/LOCAL18/709070431.
- ^ "CBS Sports Releases: Kelly Clarkson to Perform at Halftime". CBS Sports. November 21, 2007. http://www.cbspressexpress.com/div.php/cbs_sports/release?id=17314. Retrieved March 20, 2009.
- ^ MacMahon, Tim (November 23, 2007). "Pride of Burleson has had better performances". Dallas News. Archived from the original on 2007-11-25. http://web.archive.org/web/20071125124713/http://www.dallasnews.com/sharedcontent/dws/spt/football/cowboys/stories/112307dnspomacmahon.2c5e029.html. Retrieved March 20, 2009.
- ^ "NASCAR and Kelly Clarkson Announce Unprecedented Partnership". nascar.com. January 19, 2007. http://foundation.nascar.com/NetCommunity/Page.aspx?pid=461. Retrieved March 20, 2009.
- ^ "Pop meets pope: US readies rock star welcome for Benedict XVI". AFP. April 10, 2008. http://afp.google.com/article/ALeqM5hccYa9P0AZ8VNCBmVgyXaoi8PKdg. Retrieved March 20, 2009.
- ^ Kelly Clarkson surprises crowd, jumps on stage with The Wreckers shoutmouth.com. March 10, 2007. Retrieved August 13, 2009.
- ^ "Clarkson Duets With Reba On 'idol' Reunion". Allbusiness.com. http://www.allbusiness.com/retail-trade/miscellaneous-retail-retail-stores-not/4600290-1.html. Retrieved August 6, 2011.
- ^ "Reba" As We Forgive Those... (2007) IMDb.com. January 14, 2007 (Season 6, Episode 8). Retrieved August 13, 2009.
- ^ Kelly and Reba to Duet at Academy of Country Music Awards[dead link]
- ^ "CMA Music Festival: Country's Night to Rock" on ABC July 23 americancronicle.com. July 23, 2007. Retrieved August 13, 2009.
- ^ Gardner, Elysa (March 8, 2009). "Former 'Idol' Kelly Clarkson has all she ever wanted". Usatoday.com. http://www.usatoday.com/life/music/news/2009-03-08-clarkson-album_N.htm. Retrieved August 6, 2011.
- ^ Performers Announced for the Academy of Country Music Awards Telecast movieweb.com. April 13, 2007. Retrieved August 13, 2009.
- ^ Caulfield, Keith (March 18, 2009). "Kelly Clarkson Tops Billboard 200". Billboard.com. Archived from the original on 2009-05-24. http://web.archive.org/web/20090524071623/http://www.billboard.com/bbcom/news/kelly-clarkson-tops-billboard-200-1003952562.story. Retrieved March 20, 2009.
- ^ "The 52nd Grammy Award Nominees List". Grammy.com. 2009. http://www.grammy.com/nominees?year=2009&genre=All. Retrieved August 6, 2011.
- ^ "Taylor Swift, Kanye West Named Top Female and Male Artists of 2009". http://www.billboard.com/news/taylor-swift-kanye-west-named-top-female-1004052679.story#/news/taylor-swift-kanye-west-named-top-female-1004052679.story.
- ^ "Billboard Best of the 2000s Chart". http://www.billboard.com/charts-decade-end/pop-songs-artists?year=2009#/charts-decade-end/pop-songs-artists?year=2009.
- ^ "Music – Review of Kelly Clarkson – All I Ever Wanted". BBC. http://www.bbc.co.uk/music/reviews/2wgb. Retrieved August 6, 2011.
- ^ 'VH1 Divas' Returns After a Four-Year Hiatus With Adele, Kelly Clarkson, Leona Lewis, and Miley Cyrus Press release. July 21, 2009. Retrieved July 21, 2009.
- ^ "THE VH1 SAVE THE MUSIC FOUNDATION ANNOUNCES ITS 2009–2010 AMBASSADOR CLASS AND CELEBRATES THE 2008–2009 "ALUMNI" AMBASSADORS". http://www.vh1savethemusic.com/node/5067.
- ^ Associated Press sponsor pulled from Kelly Clarkson show. Retrieved 22-04-10.
- ^ www.kellyclarkson.com
- ^ "Jason Aldean To Release ‘My Kinda Party’ November 2 – Country Music Is Love". Countrymusicislove.com. http://www.countrymusicislove.com/2010/08/jason-aldean-to-release-my-kinda-party-november-2.html. Retrieved August 6, 2011.
- ^ Mansfield, Brian (October 22, 2010). "Carrie Underwood squares off with Brad Paisley in CMA promo". USA Today. http://content.usatoday.com/communities/idolchatter/post/2010/10/carrie-underwood-squares-off-with-brad-paisley-in-cma-promo/1.
- ^ "Week Ending March 6, 2011: Songs: Rated PG – Chart Watch". music.yahoo.com. March 9, 2011. http://music.yahoo.com/blogs/chart-watch/week-ending-march-6-2011-songs-rated-pg.html. Retrieved August 6, 2011.
- ^ "Kelly Clarkson Plants Deep Roots in Country Music". August 9, 2001. http://www.theboot.com/2011/08/09/kelly-clarkson-country-music/.
- ^ Nominees And Winners. GRAMMY.com. Retrieved January 9, 2012.
- ^ "Kelly Clarkson". Facebook. http://www.facebook.com/kellyclarkson. Retrieved November 4, 2011.
- ^ Kelly Clarkson Says Next Album Will Be 'Really Different MTV.com
- ^ a b Kelly Clarkson Hits The Studio With Darkchild 'American Idol' vet teams up with 'Telephone' writer/producer for upcoming album MTV News Retrieved March 14, 2011.
- ^ Kelly Clarkson Dishes On New LP In Impromptu Twitter Q&A MTV News Retrieved March 14, 2011.
- ^ a b Halperin, Shirley (April 4, 2011). "Rodney Jerkins: The 'Idol Worship' Interview". Hollywood Reporter. http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/idol-worship/rodney-jerkins-idol-worship-interview-174395. Retrieved August 6, 2011.
- ^ Vena, Jocelyn (March 21, 2011). "Kelly Clarkson 'Will Sing Her Butt Off' On New Record, Songwriter Says". Mtv.com. http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1660319/kelly-clarkson-new-album-september.jhtml. Retrieved August 6, 2011.
- ^ Halperin, Shirley. "Doug Morris Named CEO of Sony Music". The Hollywood Reporter. http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/doug-morris-named-ceo-sony-163341?page=2. Retrieved August 6, 2011.
- ^ "Kelly Clarkson's Official Website Store". Myplaydirect.com. http://www.myplaydirect.com/kelly-clarkson/details/25839075. Retrieved August 6, 2011.
- ^ "Live updates: NRL grand final". The Sydney Morning Herald (Fairfax Media). October 2, 2011. http://www.smh.com.au/rugby-league/league-news/live-updates-nrl-grand-final-20111002-1l3fp.html. Retrieved October 3, 2011.
- ^ "Kelly Clarkson gets an eyeful of NRL idols". Herald Sun. The Herald and Weekly Times. October 2, 2011. http://www.heraldsun.com.au/sport/nrl/kelly-clarkson-gets-an-eyeful-of-nrl-idols/story-e6frfgbo-1226148486856. Retrieved October 3, 2011.
- ^ "Grand Final Transport Information – NRL.com". NRL. September 30, 2011. http://www.nrl.com/grand-final-transport-information/tabid/10874/newsid/65070/default.aspx. Retrieved October 3, 2011.
- ^ Kelly Clarkson's Mr Know It All is No.1 single in Australia. Ispyperth.com.au. Retrieved January 9, 2012.
- ^ Top 40/M Future Releases | Mainstream Hit Songs Being Released and Their Release Dates. Allaccess.com. Retrieved January 9, 2012.
- ^ Trust, Gary (02-08-2012). "Kelly Clarkson Drives 'Stronger' to Hot 100 Summit". Billboard.com. http://www.billboard.com/#/news/kelly-clarkson-drives-stronger-to-hot-100-1006125152.story. Retrieved January 08, 2012.
- ^ "What Doesn't Kill You (Stronger) NZ Chart Statistics". charts.org.nz. 2011. http://www.charts.org.nz/showitem.asp?interpret=Kelly+Clarkson&titel=Stronger+%28What+Doesn%27t+Kill+You%29&cat=s. Retrieved 08 February 2012.
- ^ "What Doesn't Kill You (Stronger) UK Chart Statistics". The Official UK Charts Company. 2012. http://www.theofficialcharts.com/archive-chart/_/1/2012-02-04. Retrieved 08 February 2012.
- ^ "What Doesn't Kill You (Stronger) Scottish Chart Statistics". The Official UK Charts Company. 2012. http://www.theofficialcharts.com/archive-chart/_/22/2012-02-04. Retrieved 08 February 2012.
- ^ Up for Discussion. "Hot Stuff: Why This Week's Billboard Hot 100 Is History-Making - Chart Beat". Billboard.com. http://www.billboard.com/column/chartbeat/hot-stuff-why-this-week-s-billboard-hot-1006276752.story#/column/chartbeat/hot-stuff-why-this-week-s-billboard-hot-1006276752.story. Retrieved 2012-05-07.
- ^ One Direction unveil new album cover. Theofficialcharts.com (2011-10-17). Retrieved January 9, 2012.
- ^ Kelly Clarkson's post "The band and I recorded diffe..." on WhoSay. Whosay.com (2011-11-22). Retrieved January 9, 2012.
- ^ Get In The Holiday Spirit With Kelly's New Track! | The Official Kelly Clarkson Site. Kellyclarkson.com. Retrieved January 9, 2012.
- ^ Kelly Clarkson to appear as a mentor on NBC's singing competition show 'The Voice'. NYPOST.com. January 6, 2012. Retrieved January 9, 2012.
- ^ Comer, M. Tye (05 February 2012). "Kelly Clarkson Scores With Super Bowl National Anthem". Billboard. http://www.billboard.com/column/super-bowl/madonna-rocks-super-bowl-halftime-show-with-1006099552.story#/column/super-bowl/kelly-clarkson-scores-with-super-bowl-national-1006099152.story. Retrieved 08 February 2012.
- ^ Chen, Joyce (06 February 2012). "Kelly Clarkson sings National Anthem at Super Bowl: 'I've never been more nervous in my life'". NY Daily News. http://www.nydailynews.com/entertainment/television/super-bowl-2012-kelly-clarkson-sings-national-anthem-madonna-nicki-minaj-m-i-a-tackle-halftime-show-article-1.1017886. Retrieved 08 February 2012.
- ^ Dukoff, Lauren (31 January 2012). "Kelly Clarkson confirmed for Grammy awards 2012". Billboard. http://www.billboard.com/#/column/grammys/adele-officially-confirmed-for-grammys-performance-1006045752.story. Retrieved 09 February 2012.
- ^ "ACM Awards Winners 2012: Full list led by Taylor Swift, Blake Shelton". The Washington Post. http://www.washingtonpost.com/lifestyle/style/2012/04/02/gIQALydnqS_story.html. Retrieved 2012-05-07.
- ^ http://content.usatoday.com/communities/idolchatter/post/2012/05/kelly-clarkson-goes-to-the-dark-side/1#.T7u4mdkU-uI
- ^ Shira, Dahvi (2012-03-08). "Duets - Kelly Clarkson to Star in New Singing Competition". People.com. http://www.people.com/people/article/0,,20576801,00.html. Retrieved 2012-05-07.
- ^ Corner, Lewis (October 26, 2011). "Kelly Clarkson – Stronger Review". Digital Spy. http://www.digitalspy.co.uk/music/albumreviews/a347180/kelly-clarkson-stronger-album-review.html. Retrieved October 26, 2011.
- ^ Robinson, Peter (October 2011). "Kelly Clarkson – Interview". Popjustice. http://www.popjustice.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=5770&Itemid=9. Retrieved December 11, 2011.
- ^ Leone, Lauren (26 October 2011). "Kelly Clarkson’s ‘Stronger’ shows off vocal backbone, integrity". Daily Egyptian. http://dailyegyptian.com/2011/10/26/kelly-clarksons-stronger-shows-off-vocal-backbone/. Retrieved 08 February 2012.
- ^ Simon Cowell: The Full Interview – ABC News abcnews.go.com.(video) Retrieved August 13, 2009.
- ^ Kelly Clarkson: Thankful : Music Reviews Rolling Stone. Retrieved August 13, 2009.
- ^ Kaufman, Gil Kelly Clarkson's New Single Could Recapture Her 'Since U Been Gone' Glory, Producer Says VH1.com. Retrieved August 13, 2009.
- ^ Caramanica, Chinen, Jon, Nate (24 October 2011). "Former ‘American Idol’ Now the Voice of Vengeance". The New York Times. http://www.nytimes.com/2011/10/25/arts/music/kelly-clarkson-and-deer-tick-new-album-reviews.html. Retrieved 10 February 2012.
- ^ Esquire name Kelly Clarkson “The best voice in the history of pop music!” www.theprophetblog.net. Retrieved December 29, 2011.
- ^ a b Dinh, James (15 February 2011). "Kelly Clarkson Influenced By Prince, Aretha Franklin, Others For New Album". MTV. http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1658041/kelly-clarkson-new-album.jhtml. Retrieved 08 February 2012.
- ^ "American Idol – Mariah Carey Overwhelms Kelly Clarkson". contactmusic.com. 29 July 2003. http://www.contactmusic.com/news-article/mariah-carey-overwhelms-kelly-clarkson. Retrieved 08 February 2012.
- ^ Ford, Rebecca (22 January 2012). "Kelly Clarkson Honors Etta James With Song During Concert". The Hollywood Reporter. http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/kelly-clarkson-etta-james-concert-radio-city-283904. Retrieved 08 January 2012.
- ^ Moss, Cory (02 March 2004). "Kelly Clarkson's Rockin', Soulful Side To Show On New LP". MTV. http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1485507/kelly-clarkson-talks-new-album.jhtml. Retrieved 08 February 2012.
- ^ "Kelly Clarkson – UK Biography". Sony Music Entertainment. http://www.kellyclarkson.com/uk/biography. Retrieved 08 February 2012.
- ^ http://www.dailymail.co.uk/home/you/article-2148795/Kelly-Clarkson-The-superstar-door.html
- ^ "Kelly Clarkson's post 'I love Ron Paul. I liked him ...'". www.whosay.com. Retrieved December 29, 2011.
- ^ a b Tanabe, Karin (2011-12-29). "Kelly Clarkson supports Ron Paul". Politico. http://www.politico.com/blogs/click/2011/12/kelly-clarkson-supports-ron-paul-108994.html. Retrieved 2012-02-29.
- ^ http://img585.imageshack.us/img585/4268/rslg.jpg
- ^ "Kelly Clarkson on Idol Gives Back". http://www.trendhunter.com/trends/charity-events-kelly-clarksons-stamps-for-idol-gives-back. Retrieved 2012-05-16.
- ^ "Kelly Clarkson supports March of Dimes". http://www.marchofdimes.com/spotlights/spotlight_clarkson.html.
- ^ "Kelly Clarkson Visits South African Orphanage". http://www.contactmusic.com/news/kelly-clarkson-visits-south-african-orphanage_1210824. Retrieved 2012-05-16.
- ^ "Kelly Clarkson Charities". http://www.looktothestars.org/celebrity/498-kelly-clarkson. Retrieved 2012-05-16.
- ^ "Kelly Clarkson Charity". http://www.kellyclarkson.com/us/charity. Retrieved 2012-05-16.
- ^ http://www.dailymail.co.uk/home/you/article-2148795/Kelly-Clarkson-The-superstar-door.html
Further reading[link]
- Phares, Heather. "Kelly – Biography". Allmusic. Retrieved February 11, 2006.
- Lamb, Bill. "Kelly Clarkson – Profile". About.com. Retrieved February 11, 2006.
- Phares, Heather. "Kelly Clarkson – Biography". Yahoo LAUNCHcast. Retrieved February 11, 2006.
- International charting information. Top40-Charts.com. Retrieved February 12, 2006.
- Kelly Gets Cocky. Idol winner fires Simon Fuller. PopSugar.com. Blog Archives. Retrieved February 25, 2006.
- "Review – From Justin to Kelly". Archived from the original on October 12, 2007. http://web.archive.org/web/20071012043036/http://eonline.com/Reviews/Facts/Movies/Reviews/0,1052,88106,00.html. . E! Online. [Some films defy criticism.] Retrieved May 4, 2006.
- Croatto, Pete. From Justin to Kelly. [Watching From Justin to Kelly, one question looms over the entire production: Why was this movie made?] Retrieved May 4, 2006.
External links[link]
| Find more about Kelly Clarkson on Wikipedia's sister projects: | |
|
Images and media from Commons |
|
Textbooks from Wikibooks |
- Official website
- Kelly Clarkson at Allmusic
- Kelly Clarkson at AllRovi
- Kelly Clarkson at the Internet Movie Database
- Kelly Clarkson discography at Discogs
- Kelly Clarkson collected news and commentary at The New York Times
- Works by or about Kelly Clarkson in libraries (WorldCat catalog)
| Preceded by N/A |
American Idol winner 2002 |
Succeeded by Ruben Studdard |
| Awards and achievements | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by Norah Jones for "Sunrise" |
Grammy Award for Best Female Pop Vocal Performance 2006 for "Since U Been Gone" |
Succeeded by Christina Aguilera for "Ain't No Other Man" |
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| Persondata | |
|---|---|
| Name | Clarkson, Kelly |
| Alternative names | Clarkson, Kelly Brianne |
| Short description | Singer-songwriter, actress |
| Date of birth | (1982-04-24) April 24, 1982 (age 30) |
| Place of birth | Fort Worth, Texas |
| Date of death | |
| Place of death | |
http://wn.com/Kelly_Clarkson
Related pages:
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http://cs.wn.com/Kelly Clarkson
http://id.wn.com/Kelly Clarkson
http://es.wn.com/Kelly Clarkson
http://ru.wn.com/Кларксон, Келли
http://nl.wn.com/Kelly Clarkson
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http://fr.wn.com/Kelly Clarkson
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http://pt.wn.com/Kelly Clarkson
This page contains text from Wikipedia, the Free Encyclopedia - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kelly_Clarkson
This article is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 3.0 Unported License, which means that you can copy and modify it as long as the entire work (including additions) remains under this license.
This article is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 3.0 Unported License, which means that you can copy and modify it as long as the entire work (including additions) remains under this license.
| Luke Bryan | |
|---|---|
 Bryan in April 2010 |
|
| Background information | |
| Birth name | Thomas Luther Bryan[1] |
| Born | (1976-07-17) July 17, 1976 (age 35)[2] Leesburg, Georgia, USA[3] |
| Genres | Country |
| Occupations | Singer-songwriter |
| Instruments | Vocals, acoustic guitar |
| Years active | 2005-present |
| Labels | Capitol Nashville |
| Associated acts | Billy Currington, Jason Aldean, Ash Bowers, Travis Tritt, Lady Antebellum, Jeff Stevens |
| Website | www.lukebryan.com |
Luke Bryan (born July 17, 1976) is an American country singer. Bryan began his musical career in the mid-2000s, writing songs for Travis Tritt and Billy Currington. After signing with Capitol Records Nashville in 2007, he released the album I'll Stay Me, which included the singles "All My Friends Say", "We Rode in Trucks" and "Country Man". Followup album Doin' My Thing included "Do I", which Bryan co-wrote with Charles Kelley of Lady Antebellum, and the number one singles "Rain Is a Good Thing" and "Someone Else Calling You Baby". Tailgates & Tanlines, released in 2011, includes "Country Girl (Shake It for Me)" and his third number one, "I Don't Want This Night to End". Bryan co-wrote all of his singles with the exception of "Drunk on You" and co-produced all three albums with Jeff Stevens.
Contents |
Biography[link]
Bryan was born and raised in Leesburg, Georgia. At age fourteen, his parents bought him his first guitar, and after learning to play it, he joined various local bands and began to play in local clubs.[3] After graduating Lee County High School, Bryan planned to move to Nashville, Tennessee; however, this move was delayed, due to the death of his brother, Chris, on the same day he planned to leave. Luke attended Georgia Southern University, and is a member of the Eta Zeta chapter of the Sigma Chi Fraternity.[4] After graduation Luke went to work for his dad, despite everyone encouraging him to move to Tennessee. His dad encouraged him to relocate and he arrived in Nashville in 2001, signing a record deal only two months later.[5]
[edit] 2007-2008: I'll Stay Me
File:Luke Bryan in 2008.JPG
Bryan performing in 2008
He moved to Nashville on September 1, 2001 and landed a deal as a songwriter within two months. In that time his first serious girlfriend was Terri Hasty. [3] Among his first cuts was the title track of Travis Tritt's 2004 album My Honky Tonk History.[6] An A&R representative at Capitol Records saw Bryan perform at a club, and signed him to a recording contract. In the meantime, Bryan co-wrote Billy Currington's single "Good Directions", which went to number 1 on the Hot Country Songs charts in mid-2007.[7] Bryan co-wrote his debut single, "All My Friends Say", with producer Jeff Stevens. This song reached a peak of number 5 on Hot Country Songs in mid-2007. In August 2007, Capitol released Bryan's debut album, I'll Stay Me.[8] Bryan wrote or co-wrote all but one of its 11 songs. The album's second single, "We Rode in Trucks", peaked at number 33 in early 2008, while "Country Man" reached number 10.
Thom Jurek of Allmusic gave the album a positive review, considering Bryan's lyrics "in the mainline of honky tonk tradition" although he thought some of the sound was "calculated".[8]
[edit] 2009-2010: Doin' My Thing
In March 2009, he released an exclusive EP to iTunes titled Spring Break With All My Friends that featured two new songs, "Sorority Girls" and "Take My Drunk Ass Home," plus an acoustic version of "All My Friends Say." After this EP, he released his fourth single, "Do I". Bryan wrote the song with Charles Kelley and Dave Haywood of Lady Antebellum, whose lead singer Hillary Scott also sings backing vocals on it.[9] It debuted at number 53 on the country singles charts dated for May 9, 2009 and reached number 2 in December, having been held from the Number One spot by Lady Antebellum's "Need You Now". "Do I" was included on Bryan's second album, Doin' My Thing, which was released in October 2009. Also included on the album was a cover of OneRepublic's "Apologize".[10] Bryan wrote the album's next two singles, "Rain Is a Good Thing" and "Someone Else Calling You Baby", with Dallas Davidson and Jeff Stevens, respectively. Both of these songs went to number 1 on the country music charts.
Allmusic gave this album a positive review as well, with Stephen Thomas Erlewine considering Bryan more "relaxed" in comparison to his debut.[10]
[edit] 2011-present: Tailgates & Tanlines
Bryan released his seventh single, "Country Girl (Shake It for Me)", to country radio on March 14, 2011. Also co-written by Bryan and Davidson, it served as the lead-off single to his third studio album, Tailgates & Tanlines, which was released August 13' 2011. The album debuted at number 1 on the Top Country Albums and number 2 on the Billboard 200. "Country Girl" peaked at number 4 on the country charts and number 22 on the Billboard Hot 100. Bryan co-wrote the album's second single, "I Don't Want This Night to End", with Davidson, Rhett Akins and Ben Hayslip, who are collectively known as the Peach Pickers. In early 2012, this song became Bryan's third number 1. "Drunk On You" is the album's third single. On March 6, 2012, Bryan released his fourth Spring Break EP entitled Spring Break 4 ... Suntan City. Along with the title track, which Bryan co-wrote with Dallas Davidson, Rhett Akins and Ben Hayslip, the EP includes "Spring Breakup,"Little Bit Later On" and "Shake the Sand."[11]
Personal life[link]
Luke Bryan married Caroline Boyer on Dec. 8, 2006. They welcomed a son, Thomas "Bo" Boyer in March of 2008.[12] Their second son, Tatum "Tate" Christopher, was born in August of 2010.[13]
Discography[link]
Studio albums[link]
| Title | Details | Peak chart positions | Certifications (sales threshold) |
||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| US Country [14] |
US [15] |
CAN [16] |
|||||||
| I'll Stay Me |
|
2 | 24 | — | |||||
| Doin' My Thing |
|
2 | 6 | — | |||||
| Tailgates & Tanlines |
|
1 | 2 | 6 | |||||
| "—" denotes releases that did not chart | |||||||||
Extended plays[link]
| Title | Details | Peak chart positions |
|||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| US Country [14] |
US [15] |
||||||||
| Luke Bryan EP |
|
— | — | ||||||
| Spring Break with All My Friends |
|
— | — | ||||||
| Spring Break 2... Hangover Edition |
|
— | — | ||||||
| Spring Break 3... It's a Shore Thing |
|
6 | 23 | ||||||
| Spring Break 4... Suntan City |
|
2 | 9 | ||||||
| "—" denotes releases that did not chart | |||||||||
Singles[link]
| Year | Single | Peak chart positions | Certifications (sales threshold) |
Album | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| US Country [20] |
US [21] |
CAN [22] |
|||||||
| 2007 | "All My Friends Say" | 5 | 59 | — | I'll Stay Me | ||||
| "We Rode in Trucks" | 33 | — | — | ||||||
| 2008 | "Country Man" | 10 | 74 | — | |||||
| 2009 | "Do I" | 2 | 34 | 66 |
|
Doin' My Thing | |||
| 2010 | "Rain Is a Good Thing" | 1 | 37 | 57 |
|
||||
| "Someone Else Calling You Baby" | 1 | 56 | 84 | ||||||
| 2011 | "Country Girl (Shake It for Me)" | 4 | 22 | 50 | Tailgates & Tanlines | ||||
| "I Don't Want This Night to End" | 1 | 22 | 48 |
|
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| 2012 | "Drunk on You"A | 5 | 22 | 37 |
|
||||
| "—" denotes releases that did not chart | |||||||||
- ACurrent single.
Other charted songs[link]
| Year | Single | Peak chart positions |
Album | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| US Country | US Bubbling | |||
| 2008 | "Run Run Rudolph" | 42 | — | Country for Christmas |
| 2010 | "Wild Weekend" | — | 17[29] | Spring Break 2… Hangover Edition |
| "—" denotes releases that did not chart | ||||
Music videos[link]
| Year | Video | Director |
|---|---|---|
| 2007 | "All My Friends Say" | Shaun Silva |
| "We Rode in Trucks" | ||
| 2008 | "Country Man" | Luke Bryan |
| "Run Run Rudolph" | ||
| 2009 | "Do I" | Shaun Silva |
| 2010 | "Rain Is a Good Thing" | |
| 2011 | "It's a Shore Thing" | Potsy Ponciroli |
| "Country Girl (Shake It for Me)" | Shaun Silva | |
| "If You Ain't Here to Party" | Michael Monaco | |
| "I Don't Want This Night to End" | Shaun Silva | |
| 2012 | "Suntan City" | Michael Monaco |
| "Drunk on You" | Shaun Silva |
Awards and nominations[link]
| Year | Association | Category | Result |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2010 | Academy of Country Music Awards | Top New Solo Vocalist[30] | Won |
| Top New Artist[31] | Won | ||
| CMT Music Awards | USA Weekend Breakthrough Video of the Year - "Do I"[32] | Won | |
| Country Music Association Awards | New Artist of the Year[33] | Nominated | |
| 2011 | CMT Music Awards | Best Web Video of the Year - "It's a Shore Thing"[34] | Nominated |
| Nationwide Insurance On Your Side Award[35] | Nominated | ||
| Teen Choice Awards | Choice Music: Country Single — "Country Girl (Shake It for Me)"[36] | Nominated | |
| Choice Music: Country Male Artist[36] | Nominated | ||
| American Country Awards | Artist of the Year: Male[37] | Nominated | |
| Single of the Year: Male — "Someone Else Calling You Baby"[37] | Nominated |
References[link]
- ^ Whitburn, Joel (2008). Hot Country Songs 1944 to 2008. Record Research, Inc. p. 68. ISBN 0-89820-177-2.
- ^ Fabian, Shelly. "Hot Country Guys Under 35". About.com. http://countrymusic.about.com/od/toppicks/ss/hotcntryguys35_8.htm. Retrieved 2008-10-22.
- ^ a b c allmusic ((( Luke Bryan > Biography )))
- ^ "Luke Bryan : Biography". CMT.com. 2001-09-01. http://www.cmt.com/artists/az/bryan__luke/bio.jhtml. Retrieved 2011-10-10.
- ^ "Luke Bryan : Biography". CMT.com. 2001-09-01. http://www.cmt.com/artists/az/bryan__luke/bio.jhtml. Retrieved 2011-10-10.
- ^ Lounges, Tom (August 31, 2007). "This Georgian just peachy to country fans". Munster (Indiana) Times. http://www.nwi.com/articles/2007/09/03//entertainment/music/doc894e8b65850bf2b58625734600515e86.txt. Retrieved September 7, 2007.
- ^ Morris, Edward (17 July 2007). "Luke Bryan Celebrates No. 1 for Billy Currington Hit Singer-Songwriter Grabs Spotlight for "Good Directions"". CMT. http://www.cmt.com/news/country-music/1564926/luke-bryan-celebrates-no-1-for-billy-currington-hit.jhtml. Retrieved 19 February 2012.
- ^ a b Jurek, Thom. "I'll Stay Me review". Allmusic. http://allmusic.com/album/ill-stay-me-r1058579/review. Retrieved 19 February 2012.
- ^ "Charles & Dave Co-Writers On Luke Bryan's New Single, Hillary Sings Background Vocals". ladyantebellum.com. April 22, 2009. http://ladyantebellum.com/?inc=5&news_id=15806. Retrieved April 28, 2009.
- ^ a b Erlewine, Stephen Thomas. "Doin' My Thing review". Allmusic. http://allmusic.com/album/doin-my-thing-r1639499/review. Retrieved 19 February 2012.
- ^ Luke Bryan's Spring Break 4 EP Due March 6. CMT.com. February, 17 2012. Retrieved March 6, 2012.
- ^ Finan, Eileen (March 18, 2008). "Country Star Luke Bryan Welcomes a Baby Boy". People.com. http://www.people.com/people/article/0,,20184768,00.html. Retrieved August 11, 2010.
- ^ Finan, Eileen (August 11, 2010). "Luke Bryan Welcomes Son Tatum Christopher". People.com. http://celebritybabies.people.com/2010/08/11/luke-bryan-welcomes-son-tatum-christopher/. Retrieved August 11, 2010.
- ^ a b "Luke Bryan Album & Song Chart History - Country Albums". Billboard. Prometheus Global Media. http://www.billboard.com/#/artist/luke-bryan/chart-history/852700?f=320&g=Albums. Retrieved April 10, 2011.
- ^ a b "Luke Bryan Album & Song Chart History - Billboard 200". Billboard. Prometheus Global Media. http://www.billboard.com/#/artist/luke-bryan/chart-history/852700?f=305&g=Albums. Retrieved April 10, 2011.
- ^ "Canadian Albums - August 27, 2011". Billboard. Prometheus Global Media. http://www.billboard.com/#/charts/canadian-albums. Retrieved August 18, 2011.
- ^ "American album certifications – Luke Bryan – Doin My Thing". Recording Industry Association of America. http://www.riaa.com/goldandplatinumdata.php?artist=%22Doin+My+Thing%22. If necessary, click Advanced, then click Format, then select Album, then click SEARCH
- ^ "American album certifications – Luke Bryan – Tailgates & Tanlines". Recording Industry Association of America. http://www.riaa.com/goldandplatinumdata.php?artist=%22Tailgates+%26+Tanlines%22. If necessary, click Advanced, then click Format, then select Album, then click SEARCH
- ^ "Canadian album certifications – Luke Bryan – Tailgates & Tanlines". Music Canada. http://www.musiccanada.com/GPSearchResult.aspx?st=Tailgates+%26+Tanlines&sa=Luke+Bryan&smt=0.
- ^ "Luke Bryan Album & Song Chart History - Country Songs". Billboard. Prometheus Global Media. http://www.billboard.com/#/artist/luke-bryan/chart-history/852700?f=357&g=Singles. Retrieved April 10, 2011.
- ^ "Luke Bryan Album & Song Chart History - Hot 100". Billboard. Prometheus Global Media. http://www.billboard.com/#/artist/luke-bryan/chart-history/852700. Retrieved April 10, 2011.
- ^ "Luke Bryan Album & Song Chart History - Canadian Hot 100". Billboard. Prometheus Global Media. http://www.billboard.com/#/artist/luke-bryan/chart-history/852700?f=793&g=Singles. Retrieved April 10, 2011.
- ^ "American single certifications – Luke Bryan – Do I". Recording Industry Association of America. http://www.riaa.com/goldandplatinumdata.php?artist=%22Do+I%22. If necessary, click Advanced, then click Format, then select Single, then click SEARCH
- ^ "American single certifications – Luke Bryan – Rain Is a Good Thing". Recording Industry Association of America. http://www.riaa.com/goldandplatinumdata.php?artist=%22Rain+Is+a+Good+Thing%22. If necessary, click Advanced, then click Format, then select Single, then click SEARCH
- ^ "Canadian single certifications – Luke Bryan – Country Girl (Shake It for Me)". Music Canada. http://www.musiccanada.com/GPSearchResult.aspx?st=Country+Girl+%28Shake+It+for+Me%29&sa=Luke+Bryan&smt=0.
- ^ "American single certifications – Luke Bryan – Country Girl (Shake It for Me)". Recording Industry Association of America. http://www.riaa.com/goldandplatinumdata.php?artist=%22Country+Girl+%28Shake+It+for+Me%29%22. If necessary, click Advanced, then click Format, then select Single, then click SEARCH
- ^ "American single certifications – Luke Bryan – Want This Night To End". Recording Industry Association of America. http://www.riaa.com/goldandplatinumdata.php?artist=%22Want+This+Night+To+End%22. If necessary, click Advanced, then click Format, then select Single, then click SEARCH
- ^ "American single certifications – Luke Bryan – Drunk On You". Recording Industry Association of America. http://www.riaa.com/goldandplatinumdata.php?artist=%22Drunk+On+You%22. If necessary, click Advanced, then click Format, then select Single, then click SEARCH
- ^ Whitburn, Joel (2011). Top Pop Singles 1955–2010. Record Research, Inc. p. 123. ISBN 0-89820-188-8.
- ^ "Luke is a Double Winner at 2010 ACM Awards!". lukebryan.com. April 20, 2010. http://www.lukebryan.com/index.php?page=news&n_id=693. Retrieved June 13, 2010.
- ^ "ACM Awards Winners 2010 - The Boot". The Boot. April 18, 2010. http://www.theboot.com/2010/04/18/acm-awards-winners-2010/. Retrieved June 13, 2010.
- ^ "2010 CMT Awards Winners - The Boot". The Boot. June 9, 2010. http://www.theboot.com/2010/06/09/cmt-awards-winners-2010/. Retrieved June 13, 2010.
- ^ "Miranda Lambert Leads 2010 CMA Nominees". The Boot. September 1, 2010. http://www.theboot.com/2010/09/01/2010-cma-award-nominees/. Retrieved November 17, 2010.
- ^ "2011 CMT Music Awards : Web Video of the Year". Country Music Television. http://www.cmt.com/cmt-music-awards/best-web-video-of-the-year/. Retrieved June 9, 2011.
- ^ "2011 CMT Music Awards : Nationwide". Country Music Television. http://www.cmt.com/cmt-music-awards/nationwide.jhtml. Retrieved June 9, 2011.
- ^ a b "Teen Choice Award Nominees Named". Teen Hollywood. http://www.teenhollywood.com/2011/06/29/teen-choice-award-nominees-named. Retrieved July 1, 2011.
- ^ a b "American Country Awards 2011 Nominees". Taste of Country. http://tasteofcountry.com/american-country-awards-nominees-2011/. Retrieved October 16, 2011.
External links[link]
|
|||||||||||
| Persondata | |
|---|---|
| Name | Bryan, Luke |
| Alternative names | |
| Short description | Country music singer |
| Date of birth | July 17, 1976 |
| Place of birth | Leesburg, Georgia, USA |
| Date of death | |
| Place of death | |
http://wn.com/Luke_Bryan
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This page contains text from Wikipedia, the Free Encyclopedia - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Luke_Bryan
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This article is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 3.0 Unported License, which means that you can copy and modify it as long as the entire work (including additions) remains under this license.
