Posted on January 12th, 2010 by rstewartahf
Only days before we arrived for the Federation of State Humanities Councils’ national conference in Omaha, Nebraska, in November, the city’s famed “oracle,” investor Warren Buffett, announced that he was buying Burlington Northern Santa Fe Railroad. I don’t know whether Buffett, from his Berkshire Hathaway offices, can see either the BNSF tracks or those of the Union-Pacific also headquartered downtown. But the railroad has been a defining feature of Omaha since its post-Civil War beginnings, and I’m sure Buffett understands the historical connections. (Of course he didn’t buy the railroad out of nostalgia. Burlington Northern is a profitable enterprise, which he purchased at a fair price, and it promises even greater returns in the future.) Read more »
Filed under: Bob S., Nationwide, Support | No Comments »
Posted on January 5th, 2010 by kcrawfordahf
Selling that is not selling is often the best selling. That’s something Mr. Ford knew and why he was one of the best. Mr. Ford, oddly enough, sold Buicks. He lived in a town a half hour’s drive from the dealership where he worked. Just about every day, Mr. Ford drove a different customer’s Buick into work. He dropped his car off at the customer’s home in the morning, with his car keys, and drove the customer’s car into the dealership for service, repair or whatever was needed. The customer was free to use Mr. Ford’s car. At the end of the day, Mr. Ford returned the freshly repaired or serviced Buick to his customer. Read more »
Filed under: Mission, Support | No Comments »
Posted on December 29th, 2009 by tbryantahf
AHF’s 2009 SUPER (School and University Partners for Educational Renewal) Teacher Program calendar concluded September 28-29 with a follow-up meeting to this summer’s teacher institute “Slavery in America: Public Amnesia, Historical Memory,” held June 28-July 3. A partnership project of AHF and the Alabama Department of Archives and History (ADAH), with additional support provided by the Rosa Parks Museum at Troy University Montgomery and Old Town Alabama, the Institute and two-day follow-up took place in Montgomery and brought 21 elementary and secondary teachers from across the state together with 22 scholars and specialists from the ADAH to explore the history and legacy of African and African-American slavery in Alabama and the greater U.S. Read more »
Filed under: Education, Language, Mission, Thomas B. | No Comments »
Posted on December 22nd, 2009 by plawsonahf
I was personally delighted when the grants committee of the Alabama Humanities Foundation recently provided funding for a baseball program developed by Vulcan Park and Museum. “From Factory to Field” is an exhibition, opening April 1, 2010, that celebrates the 100th anniversary of Rickwood Field and the history of baseball as a reflection of the social changes in Birmingham. It consists of: emergence of baseball in Birmingham; industrial league play; segregated professional baseball in Birmingham; desegregation of baseball; and the modern-day Barons. Read more »
Filed under: Alabamians, Culture, History, Paul L. | No Comments »
Posted on December 18th, 2009 by rstewartahf
I had a special reason to celebrate the University of Alabama’s victory over the University of Florida in the SEC Championship game on December 5. At the Federation of State Humanities Councils’ national conference in November, I made a wager on the game with the incoming chairman of the Federation board, David Colburn. David is a retired UF history professor and former provost of the university. Our bet was that if Alabama won, David would read an excerpt from Zora Neale Hurston’s Their Eyes Were Watching God at the next Federation event. But he would have to introduce her as “Alabama native Zora…” If Florida won, I would read the same excerpt but identify her as “Florida native Zora…” There has been a longstanding scholarly controversy over whether the famous African-American folklorist and Harlem Renaissance figure was born near Notasulga, Alabama, or Eatonville, Florida. Read more »
Filed under: Alabamians, Bob S., Literature, Nationwide | No Comments »
Posted on December 16th, 2009 by kcrawfordahf
AHF Board member Lynne Berry appeared on the Sundial Writers Corner on Huntsville’s public radio station, WLRH, for the segment “Art on the Radio.” Visit this site and scroll down to find several podcasts by Lynne.
Filed under: Art, Education | 1 Comment »
Posted on December 10th, 2009 by mbrowneahf
When it comes to change, we humans are persnickety. Visits with my father to his old neighborhood on Staten Island, New York, invariably raised his bitter lament about a deli that had become a high-rise apartment complex. I felt obliged to comfort him by repeating what he said earlier in our trip. “Isn’t that the deli where they wouldn’t sell you a sandwich because you were black?” A sardonic grin crossed his lips. “Oh, yeah.” Read more »
Filed under: Art, Culture, Hometown, Malík B., Music | No Comments »
Posted on December 8th, 2009 by rstewartahf
At its October 16 business meeting, the Alabama Humanities Foundation Board of Directors elected new members to the board. Read more »
Filed under: Alabamians, Bob S. | 2 Comments »
Posted on December 3rd, 2009 by plawsonahf
Have you met Bud? He is a kind man who is nearing retirement. He also owns some property that is not yielding the financial return he had expected. To double Bud’s trouble, the property is highly appreciated. He would have to pay Uncle Sam a large amount of capital gains tax if he found a willing buyer. Oh, one other thing about Bud. He has a strong affinity for the mission and vision of the Alabama Humanities Foundation. He would like to make a gift but really isn’t aware that he can also help himself. Read more »
Filed under: Paul L., Support | No Comments »
Posted on December 2nd, 2009 by bbashorahf
We have officially entered into the holiday season! At my house, the holiday decorations are up and the holiday music is playing around the clock. Now that my husband and I have a family of our own, we had to take the traditions from both sides of the family and decide which ones we want our children to enjoy and remember. For example, my mother quilted a wall-size advent calendar for my family to enjoy–similar to the one that still hangs at my parent’s house overseas. And I am going to attempt (for the first time) my mother-in-law’s homemade cinnamon rolls recipe that is now a must for breakfast on Christmas morning. Read more »
Filed under: Art, Béverly B., Culture, Music | No Comments »
