Joe Louis on Tour during World War II

Professional heavyweight boxer Joe Louis is one of the most famous sports figures native to Alabama, and one of the first African-Americans to become a national hero. Louis was born near Lafayette in Chambers County on May 13, 1914. In 1926 his family moved to Detroit where his stepfather found work in the auto industry. Louis discovered boxing in a local gym and by 1934 had a 50-4 amateur record. On July 4 of that year he entered his first professional fight, which lasted less than two minutes. Within two years Louis won 27 fights, many against well-known opponents. He lost his first professional bout in June 1936 against Nazi Germany's Max Schmeling. In the June 1938 rematch Louis knocked out Schmeling in the first round, and instantly became a hero in both white and black America. 

The Encyclopedia of Alabama article linked above, by Jim Lewis, describes Louis' military service during the Second World War:

"Louis's boxing career was interrupted in 1942 when he enlisted in the Army after the United States had officially entered World War II the previous year. During his military service, Louis participated in 96 boxing exhibitions to raise money for Armed Services relief funds as well as to boost morale. Louis's high profile also advanced the cause of desegregating the armed forces. Louis was able to use his status to help future baseball great Jackie Robinson and several other African American soldiers gain admittance to Officer Candidate School."

Thus we come to "Louis on Tour", an article that appeared in the September 13, 1943 issue of Life magazine. I came across this item as my brother Richard and I continue to go through our parents' house in Huntsville. Dad kept a big stack of issues from his Gadsden parents' subscription; most are from the 1940s during World War II.

The brief text and photos describe his activities at Fort Devens, Massachusetts, on August 30, 1943, as he begins "a 100-day boxing and physical-fitness tour under auspices of the Army's Special Services Division....Affable and at home on his feet, he gives a gracious and fluent  talk on physical fitness and how to be a good soldier." Those 100 days would include both daily boxing matches and public appearances. "[M]any find a quiet parable in racial good will...hundreds of white soldiers, officers and men, are proud to shake his hand."

Other activities depicted in this photo essay include signing autographs at the base hospital for wounded from North Africa, greeting the post commander, attending a service club dance, and inspecting a marching formation of nurses. 

Joe Louis died on April 12, 1981. In 2010 a statue of him was placed in Lafayette near the Chambers County Courthouse. 

I've written some other pieces on this blog related to Louis. One told the story of Coley Wallace, who played Louis in the movies. Another described The Phynx, a very strange 1970 film in which Louis appeared. I also posted about Joseph E. Pullum, an Anniston native who in 1935 recorded "Joe Louis is the Man", the first of more than 40 songs about the boxer written and recorded in the 1930s and 1940s. 

The cover story examined that strange new item of women's fashion, leotards. 

Source: Encyclopedia of Alabama

Issued June 22, 1993

First US stamp to honor a professional boxer

Issued on 55th anniversary of Louis's most famous match (and victory) against Nazi Germany's Max Schmeling

Part of the Sport Series of US stamps

Stamp Category:  Commemorative

Set:  Sports Series

Value:  29¢, First Class Mail Rate

Source: Mystic Stamp Company

See link for more information about the stamp's design, the artist. etc. 

Branch Books 2 in Cullman

In July I wrote a piece on Branch Books in Hartselle. As I noted then, "I've written a number of blog posts about Alabama bookstores past and present. There's even a blog post linking to many of them." The owners of the Hartselle store, Robert and Cheryl Kahlstorf, opened another store in Cullman in early July that offers inventory they didn't have room for in Hartselle. 

Naturally I had to check it out and made a visit in early December. Like the other store, the new one offers used books in many categories ranging from adult fiction to history, religion, children's books, etc. Also on sale are DVDs, CDs and audiobooks. 

I found a few books to buy, including a special one noted at the end. If you are in the area, a stop at either book store is well worth the time.

You can also visit the stores' web site and Facebook page.

I found this item for my son Amos, signed by the author. Barra grew up in Birmingham and has also published a history of Rickwood Field. 

In These Days of Modern Times (2)

Sometimes I just like to be silly on this blog, so here we go.

In October 2021 I did one of these pieces using photos of Amazon deliveries to our house. Here's the introduction:

"We seem to have had a lot of Amazon orders delivered lately [for some mysterious reason!], and many of them come with an email and a photograph of the item(s) on our porch. I present some here for the general amusement of the  readers to show the endless variety of Amazon delivery placement on this porch. The pumpkins are keeping watch. 

A tip of the hat to all the anonymous Amazon drivers and photographers out there.

To be continued, I'm sure..."

That intro referred to Halloween pumpkins we had on the porch at the time.

In this post I've chosen photos from the same month, different years. Believe me, there were a lot of other choices, so these are just a sampling. 

As the man said, to be continued, I'm sure.... 

July 2023

July 2024

June 2022

June 2024

March 2023

March 2024

December 2021

December 2023

September 2022

Some nice shadow effects...

September 2023

Here's an outlier, left at the side door.

Birmingham Postcard: Electrik Maid Bake Shop & Restaurant

I recently added this postcard to my collection and decided to find out what I could on the business, "The South's Finest Retail Bakery & Restaurant". I didn't uncover much, but here we are.

A business named the Electric Maid Bake Shop filed incorporation papers with the state on November 15, 1929. The Bizapedia site where I found that information did not include an address, but gave the names of three incorporators: Bessie Helms Clark, Ralph Clark and S.J. Redmon. Via Ancestry.com I found these individuals, all living in Andalusia in Covington County. Bessie [1897-1995] was married to Ralph, an attorney who died in 1963. In the 1910 U.S. Census S.J. Redmon was listed as a carpenter. Huh. 

Well, that strangely named shop may have operated in Andalusia, not Birmingham. Let's move on.

The BhamWiki site has a massive listing for the occupants over time of addresses along 20 Street South in the Magic City. Lo and behold, at the address 1014 20th Street, we find the Electrik Maid Bake Shop operating from 1941 until 1953. The last image below is taken from the 1945 Birmingham Yellow Pages and shows the bakery, designated "No. 1", phone 7-5871. That spot on 20th is now occupied by the Homewood Suites Five Points South. Other business once located on the site include Piggly Wiggly, Winn-Dixie, and the Five Points Music Hall. 

I next found the business later in the 1950s at the Alabama Company Directory site. That listing describes a Jefferson County incorporation on April 25, 1956, for the Electrik Maid Bake Shop. Three individuals were listed, and I located some information about them via Ancestry. William S. Levey was 25 years old in the 1950 U.S. Census, living in Mountain Brook and his occupation given was partner in a retail bakery. He died in 1996 and is buried in Elmwood Cemetery. All I found on Mary Joe Rice were dates, born in 1924 and died in 1972. Ralph Bryant Tate was a 38-year old attorney in 1950, living in Birmingham. He died in 1999 and is buried in Oak Hill Cemetery. 

According to the Directory, the business was dissolved on February 12, 1957, less than a year later. Perhaps the partners had a falling out. At any rate, as we can see on the card, the bakery AND restaurant operated in the Shephard-Sloss building at 2011 Highland Avenue when the card was issued. Bhamiki's entry for Highland Avenue tells us the business was located there from 1946-1964. The address has also been the location for an antique shop and several bars over the years.

I suppose we can conclude the Electrik Maid Bakery etc [what a strange name!] was open  until at least 1964. Further research into old telephone directories, city directories, etc, would probably turn up more details. 

As we learn from the back, this "Natural Color Post Card" was manufactured by the E.C. Kropp Co. of Milwaukee, Wisconsin, which was active from 1907 until 1956. Thus the card is perhaps early or mid-1950s. We are also informed that the Electrik Maid "offers the public the finest in Home Cooked Meals and Baked Delicacies" and is "Recommended by the American Automobile Association." 

You can actually visit the Electrik Maid Bake Shop today, but you'll have to go to Biloxi, Mississippi. That so-named business has operated there for over 100 years. The use of "Electric" or "Electrik" Maid has popped up in other areas of the country as well.

Isn't historical research fun?

More comments below some of the images. 

This photo is from Google Maps and taken May 2024. The door in the center and window to the left in the building now at 2007 Highland Avenue would seem to match the postcard view. 

Birmingham Yellow Pages 1945

 

Native American Quarry in Lamar County

This site where Native Americans quarried something from sandstone is located on private property in western Alabama in Lamar County near Beaverton and Guin, north of US 278 and near the Marion County line.  In the late 1920's my maternal grandfather, Rev. John M. Shores and Guy Gilmer were on a hunting trip and found the quarry. 

In the fall 1966 and spring 1967 two trips were made to the site by the authors of the article below, my dad Amos J. Wright, Jr. and Bart Henson, as well as Rev. Shores, my mom Carolyn Shores Wright,  Bart's wife Bettye, my younger brother Richard and yours truly. On one of those trips Emmett Cantrell, who had lived on the property as a boy, helped relocate the site, a sandstone outcropping that runs along a creek for several hundred yards.

The article by Dad and Bart appeared in the December 1968 issue of the Journal of Alabama Archaeology published by the Alabama Archaeological Society. I have reproduced most pages of the article here. They note that little had previously been written about Native American sandstone quarries. The discs resulting from this work may have been used for ceremonial purposes or shallow bowls. Cutting or drilling tools of jasper similar to those found at another site were in abundance at this one.

Conical holes were also found, but their use was unknown. The authors suggest the holes could have been used as part of the quarry work, used in ceremonial activities or in grinding of grain, seeds and/or nuts. 

In one of our recent forays through family memorabilia, Richard and I found the photographs taken on December 16, 1966, and in May 1967 during the visits. I scanned some and have included them below as an addendum to the article. 

Richard is not in this photo and says he must have been wandering in the woods or something.