The University of Alabama accepted a bid to play in the 1926 Rose Bowl against powerhouse University of Washington. This was the first time a team from the South was invited to play in this historic event. The underdog Alabama team won the game in no small part because of the play of Johnny Mack Brown. Learn the story of this game and how Brown went from being the “Dothan Antelope” to one of Hollywood's leading men and stars of Western movies.  Support the show Support the Podcast The podcast is free but it’s not cheap. If you enjoy Alabama Short Stories, there are a few ways you can supp ..read more

We have grown up hearing stories about the gold rush. But it’s always the California gold rush they are talking about. An event so huge that years later, San Francisco’s NFL team called themselves the ’49ers after the prospectors of the 1849 gold rush. But the first gold rush started in the east and as prospectors followed the gold vein, they discovered gold in east Alabama. Learn the story about this event and what happened to the prospectors when the gold ran out. Support the show Support the Podcast The podcast is free but it’s not cheap. If you enjoy Alabama Short Stories, there are a few ..read more

Mrs. Irene, as she was known to neighbors, was born with a sixth sense. From a young age, she was able to find things, easter eggs, misplaced items, or the missing hunting dog. Her father tried to shield her from the scrutiny fortune tellers received in the community. Instead, Irene Teel became popular with people driving miles for her advice and wisdom. When a small child went missing, and the National Guard was called in, it was Mrs. Rena who was the most helpful. Support the show Support the Podcast The podcast is free but it’s not cheap. If you enjoy Alabama Short Stories, there are a few ..read more

Music is a vital part of our lives in Alabama, and it covers all genres. This story is about one genre of music called Sacred Harp. It is named after the book of songs of the same name. at the beginning of the 20th century, these songs sounded antiquated to modern listeners. Worried that this style would go away, teachers presented Sacred Harp music as a virtue, a tradition that would be passed down the generations. And some of the most influential teachers and guardians of this tradition were from right here in Alabama.  Support the show Support the Podcast The podcast is free but it’s ..read more

Zelda Sayre was born and raised in Montgomery, the daughter of a lawyer and politician. She was a socialite and caught the interest of young men from as far away as Atlanta. No one swept her off her feet until she met a young soldier stationed in Montgomery named F. Scott Fitzgerald. Their marriage and volatile relationship became the story ideas for books such as “The Great Gatsby” and made them the poster children of the Jazz Age.  Support the show Support the Podcast The podcast is free but it’s not cheap. If you enjoy Alabama Short Stories, there are a few ways you can support us. Te ..read more

Spider Martin was a commercial photographer in Birmingham, Alabama, who billed himself with a little tongue-in-cheek as the “world’s greatest photographer.” He worked for corporate clients and earned his fair share of awards for his work. But his real claim to fame was as a photographer for the Birmingham News when he stood on the Edmund Pettus Bridge documenting what the Alabama State Troopers did to John Lewis and the rest of the peaceful marchers in 1965. He would be with marchers until they arrived at the Capital in Montgomery. This is Spider’s story. Support the show Support the Podcast T ..read more

Roads in Alabama go as far back as when indians followed the trails that animals had created. These trails would be widened and “improved” as more people and bigger vehicles used them. When the car came along, it was apparent that we must have good roads and we needed them fast. The good roads movement sprang up to encourage and push state and local governments to build and maintain roads. This is the story of those roads here in Alabama. Support the show Support the Podcast The podcast is free but it’s not cheap. If you enjoy Alabama Short Stories, there are a few ways you can support us. Te ..read more

Cudjo Lewis was a captive aboard the Clotilda when it entered Mobile Harbor, the last slave boat to the United States in 1860. The story was well known to locals in Mobile but two writers, Emma Langdon Roche and Zora Neale Hurston, went to find Cudjo and tell their version of his story. Over 80 years later, Ben Raines would find the remains of the Clotilda and bring the story to light again.  Support the show Support the Podcast The podcast is free but it’s not cheap. If you enjoy Alabama Short Stories, there are a few ways you can support us. Tell a friend about the podcast. Buy some m ..read more

I hope you have enjoyed the first 5 seasons of the Alabama Short Stories podcast. When I released season three, I published the book, Alabama Short Stories, Volume 1. This was the perfect solution for those who like their podcasts in written form. And as a bonus, it had pictures to illustrate the stories.  With season six of the podcast upon us, I am proud to announce volume two of the book, Alabama Short Stories. There are 30 more stories covering seasons four through six with photos. There are 50 more pages in this book for the same great price. I don’t know, I guess my stories are get ..read more

Welcome to Alabama Short Stories. This is Shawn Wright, and I am happy to say that Season 6 starts on Tuesday, March 5, 2024, with more great stories about the state of Alabama. I will start the season with a story in the news the past couple of years. It’s about Cudjo Lewis and the writers who have been telling this former slave's story for the past 100+ years, and we find the Clotilda in the process. We take driving on our well-maintained roads around the state for granted, but can you imagine what it would be like without them? Some Alabamians did and became part of a movement of good road ..read more