America at 250: Alabama’s Hand-Shaped Heritage
As the United States approaches its 250th anniversary, Alabama steps into the spotlight, celebrating its role in shaping both the country’s story and the artistry that defined it.
Each Friday, we’ll be celebrating America’s 250th by exploring one state at a time, uncovering the history, crafts, and Semiquincentennial events that help tell the nation’s story.
A Brief History of the Yellowhammer State
Image courtesy of the author.
Long before Alabama became a state, it was home to thriving Indigenous cultures. The region was shaped for centuries by the Chickasaw, Cherokee, Muscogee, and Choctaw nations, whose agricultural systems, trade networks, and ceremonial traditions were closely tied to the land and waterways. While Hernando de Soto’s 1540 expedition included exploration of modern-day Alabama, European influence arrived to stay in 1702, when the French established the first permanent settlement in Alabama at present-day Mobile. Control of the region later shifted among the French, British, and Spanish powers. Each of these each left their cultural mark before Alabama was drawn more fully into the expanding American frontier.
Alabama became the 22nd state in 1819, and by the decades leading up to the Civil War, its economy was deeply tied to agriculture and enslaved labor. The state played a significant role in the Confederacy, and the aftermath of the war brought a long and difficult period of Reconstruction. In the 20th century, Alabama again stood at the center of national change during the Civil Rights Movement, with events and leaders that helped shape landmark legislation and redefine American democracy. In the decades since, Alabama has continued to evolve into a 21st-century state, shaped by expanding opportunity, civic participation, and an ongoing commitment to equality, while carrying forward a complex history that remains deeply woven into its identity.
As the United States prepares to celebrate 250 years of independence, Alabama is focusing on America’s founding and its own connection to the nation's early history.
Honoring the 250th: Alabama’s Role in America’s Celebration
Alabama is observing America’s Semiquincentennial through a coordinated mix of statewide initiatives, local programs, and educational outreach that emphasize history as both remembered and preserved. The state’s efforts are guided by the Alabama America250 Commission, which works with historical societies, museums, and cultural institutions to highlight Alabama’s place in the American story through documents, artifacts, and everyday objects that have survived across generations.
Material culture plays a meaningful role in Alabama’s Semiquincentennial programming. At sites such as American Village, living history experiences bring the nation’s early years to life through period furnishings, tools, household goods, and trade objects, many of which mirror the kinds of antiques collectors seek today. Educational initiatives supported by the Alabama Humanities Alliance further encourage communities to explore local collections, family heirlooms, and regional craftsmanship as part of the broader anniversary observance. Across the state, cities, including Huntsville, are developing commemorations that invite residents to look closely at the objects that tell Alabama’s story, reinforcing the idea that history lives not only in archives but also in the tangible things people have saved, used, and passed down.
Some of the most telling objects in Alabama’s history are simple pottery wares made from local clay, created for work, storage, and survival.
Alabama’s Folk Pottery Heritage
Some of the most telling objects in Alabama’s history are simple pottery wares made from local clay, created for work, storage, and survival. Throughout the 19th and early 20th centuries, potters across central Alabama produced stoneware vessels that met the demands of everyday life, including jars, jugs, churns, and storage crocks. These pieces were created to be durable. The forms were shaped by hand and fired to withstand heavy use in homes, farms, and workshops.
Much of Alabama’s pottery tradition is defined by salt-glazed and alkaline-glazed stoneware. Both of these techniques were well-suited to the region’s natural resources. Salt glazing produced a subtly textured, glasslike surface, while alkaline glazes, made from wood ash, lime, and clay, resulted in earthy tones ranging from olive green to deep brown. These wares were often unsigned, reflecting a craft tradition rooted in function rather than individual recognition. Today, their weight, surface variation, and firing marks help collectors distinguish regional Alabama examples from similar Southern pottery.
The Birmingham Museum of Art holds a notable collection of Alabama folk pottery that traces the craft’s cultural influences over the past two centuries. Recent exhibitions have featured private collections that informed scholars and guest curator John A. Burrison’s research, offering visitors a rare opportunity to see historically important wares typically held outside museum walls. Together, these pieces help place Alabama’s pottery tradition within a broader story of Southern craftsmanship and everyday life.
Alabama Folk Pottery by Joey Brackner offers a deeper dive into the state’s ceramic traditions and cultural influences. There are also a number of websites specializing in the folk pottery of Alabama.
Looking Ahead: America 250 Alabama Calendar Highlights
January 10–11, 2026 — “Battle at the Village” Revolutionary War Reenactment
A living history event in Baldwin County featuring Revolutionary-era drills, demonstrations, and interpretive programming tied to Alabama’s America 250 observance.
January 23, 2026 — OLLI America 250 Program: “LaFayette in Alabama”
A public lifelong-learning program exploring the Marquis de Lafayette’s 1825 visit to Alabama and its historical significance.
April 10–11, 2026 — Old Autauga Historical Society “250+” Displays
A two-day community event in Prattville showcasing more than 250 local history displays created in honor of the Semiquincentennial.
Throughout 2026 — American Village Semiquincentennial Programming
A year-long series of educational programs, public events, and living history experiences in Montevallo, designated Alabama’s Semiquincentennial Celebration Capital.
March–November 2026 — Alabama Humanities Alliance America 250 Speaker Series
Lectures, exhibits, and public humanities programs across the state explore Alabama’s role in the nation’s founding and development.
All Year 2026 — Huntsville Salutes America’s 250th
A coordinated, year-long schedule of civic events, educational programming, and cultural activities led by the City of Huntsville.
