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==History== About 310 million years ago, Carbon Hill was located in a swampy area south of the equator.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Kopaska-Merkel |first1=David |title=Field-Trip Guidebook to the Steven C. Minkin Paleozoic Footprint Site, Walker County, Alabama |url=http://www.alabamapaleo.org/Alabama_Paleontological_Society_files/Minkin%20Guide%20-%20optimized%20Apr%206%202012.pdf |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160102192956/http://www.alabamapaleo.org/Alabama_Paleontological_Society_files/Minkin%20Guide%20-%20optimized%20Apr%206%202012.pdf|archive-date=January 2, 2016|publisher=Alabama Paleontological Society |access-date=June 13, 2019}}</ref> A number of important fossil discoveries and trackways have been located near Carbon Hill.<ref name="ButaKopaska-Merkel2016">{{cite book|author1=Ronald J. Buta|author2=David C. Kopaska-Merkel|title=Footprints in Stone: Fossil Traces of Coal-Age Tetrapods|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=322oCwAAQBAJ|date=July 26, 2016|publisher=University of Alabama Press|isbn=978-0-8173-5844-0}}</ref> Carbon Hill, Alabama was settled in 1886 because of coal mining and the railroad. A post office was established in 1887 with John T. Anderson as the first Postmaster. By 1888, the community had grown enough to support the Carbon Hill United Methodist Church. The Galloway Coal Company was responsible for the early development of Carbon Hill. Col. Robert Galloway<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=VAAwAAAAYAAJ&q=keokuk+iowa+hard-tack+galloway&pg=PA1860|title = The Book of Three States: Notable Men of Mississippi, Arkansas, Tennessee|year = 1914}}</ref> entered the coal and transfer business in 1863. On May 1, 1890, Galloway bought mines and property on Carbon Hill (as it was then called) from The Kansas City Coal and Coke Company for $130,000. Galloway turned the operation into a commercial success. Other mining companies set up operations after word spread of Galloway's success. On February 1, 1891, the Sheriff of Walker County telegraphed the governor of Alabama requesting fifty soldiers to be dispatched to Carbon Hill. Mayor Anderson wired: "There is a lawless mob here. Colored people are shot and driven from home. No arrest made. We need troops." Superintendent B. W. Whitfield of the Carbon Hill Coal and Coke Company was anxious to fire 200 striking miners, and the men had caught word of it. The strikers feared the black citizens would take their jobs. On February 14, 1891, the town of Carbon Hill was incorporated, with John T. Anderson as mayor. February 14 is also known as St. Valentine's Day; the founding fathers wanted the tiny town to be known as The Village of Love and Luck. The notion of coal as luck derives from the cultural traditions of Scotland (where Colonel Galloway was born) - it is also customary and considered lucky in Scotland and the North of England to give coal as a gift on New Year's Day. This occurs as part of First-Footing and represents warmth for the year to come. On [[Tornado outbreak sequence of May 25 – June 1, 1917|May 27, 1917]], an F3 tornado hit Carbon Hill, killing 6 people and destroying 200 homes in an area 3 miles wide by 17 miles long. Carbon Hill was "especially hard-hit by the [[Great Depression in the United States|Depression]]," and became known for its "savvy utilization of federal resources" provided by the [[Works Progress Administration]] (WPA) and the [[Public Works Administration]] (PWA). Residents used the funding to build a new high school, and made improvements to sewers, sidewalks, and streets. <ref name="newdeal">{{Cite web |title = A New Deal for Carbon Hill, Alabama |access-date = March 3, 2012 |url = http://newdeal.feri.org/carbonhill/index.htm |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20021209100411/http://www.newdeal.feri.org/carbonhill/index.htm |url-status = dead |archive-date = December 9, 2002 }}</ref> On November 17, 1957, an F4 (max. wind speeds 207-260 mph) tornado 13.2 miles away from the Carbon Hill city center killed 4 people and injured 15 people. An F3 tornado destroyed much of Carbon Hill on [[2002 Veterans Day Weekend tornado outbreak|November 10, 2002]].<ref name="tornado">[http://media.www.cw.ua.edu/media/storage/paper959/news/2003/11/06/News/Town-Rebuilds.Recovers.From.Past.Tragedies-2859882.shtml]{{dead link|date=November 2016 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}</ref> An EF1 (max speeds 86-110 mph) tornado quickly passed through Carbon Hill on April 12, 2020, part of the [[2020 Easter tornado outbreak]]. It remain on the ground for four minutes, traveling in a northeasterly direction and was 1,000 yards at its widest point. The tornado remained on the ground for 2.9 miles uprooting and snapping tree, destroying homes and other structures. This tornado was one of four that struck the Walker County on same day. No deaths or severe injuries were reported.<ref>[mountaineagle]</ref> ===Mark Chambers controversies=== Mark Chambers was appointed to the mayoralty in 2014.<ref>{{cite news |title=Carbon Hill council names new mayor |url=https://www.wbrc.com/story/27159561/carbon-hill-council-names-new-mayor/ |access-date=June 29, 2020 |publisher=WBRC |date=October 30, 2014}}</ref> He won a full mayoral term in 2016.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Rizzo |first1=Lea |title=Incumbent facing four challengers in mayor's race |url=http://mountaineagle.com/stories/incumbent-facing-four-challengers-in-mayors-race,8160 |access-date=June 29, 2020 |work=Daily Mountain Eagle |date=August 20, 2016}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |last1=Rizzo |first1=Lea |title=Chambers, Keeton in runoff in mayoral race |url=http://mountaineagle.com/stories/chambers-keeton-in-runoff-in-mayoral-race,8209 |access-date=June 29, 2020 |work=Daily Mountain Eagle |date=August 16, 2016}}</ref> On June 5, 2019, Chambers made national news when local news outlet [[WBRC]] reported that Chambers made three public posts on [[Facebook]] with derogatory and threatening statements aimed at members of the [[LGBT]] community, including:<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.cbsnews.com/news/carbon-hill-alabama-mayor-mark-chambers-refuses-to-resign-kill-lgbtq-community-facebook-post-2019-06-05/|title=Alabama mayor refuses to resign after saying to "kill" LGBTQ community on Facebook|website=www.cbsnews.com|date=June 5, 2019 |access-date=June 5, 2019}}</ref> {{Blockquote |text=We live in a society where homosexuals lecture us on morals, transvestites lecture us on human biology, baby killers lecture us on human rights and socialists lecture us on economics. The only way to change it would be to kill the problem out. I know it’s bad to say but without killing them out there’s no way to fix it.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.yahoo.com/lifestyle/alabama-mayor-defends-facebook-post-on-killing-out-lgbtq-people-socialists-and-baby-killers-223150835.html|title=Alabama mayor defends Facebook post on 'killing out' LGBTQ people, socialists and 'baby killers'|website=www.yahoo.com|date=4 June 2019 |access-date=2019-06-05}}</ref> }} He also called immigrants "ungrateful" and initially denied writing the inflammatory social media post to a reporter.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Assunção |first1=Muri |title=Alabama mayor recommends 'killing' of LGBTQ people in Facebook post |url=https://www.nydailynews.com/news/national/ny-alabama-mayor-killing-lgbtq-people-20190604-qax3x6iufrdzvdy7huzdzbx5em-story.html |access-date=June 29, 2020 |work=New York Daily News |date=June 4, 2019}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |title=Alabama mayor suggested 'killing out' gay people |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-48521788 |access-date=June 29, 2020 |publisher=BBC |date=June 4, 2020}}</ref> Chambers later apologized for the posts, which were deleted,<ref>{{cite news |last1=Watts |first1=Amanda |last2=Miettinen |first2=Dylan |last3=Faulk |first3=Leanna |title=Alabama mayor apologizes for homophobic comments in social media post |url=https://www.cnn.com/2019/06/07/us/alabama-mayor-homophobic-facebook-comments/index.html |access-date=June 29, 2020 |publisher=CNN.com |date=June 7, 2019}}</ref> and in an interview with a local newspaper revealed having no intention to resign.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Smith |first1=Kate |title=Alabama mayor refuses to resign after saying to "kill" LGBTQ community on Facebook |url=https://www.cbsnews.com/news/carbon-hill-alabama-mayor-mark-chambers-refuses-to-resign-kill-lgbtq-community-facebook-post-2019-06-05/ |access-date=June 29, 2020 |work=CBS News |date=June 5, 2020}}</ref> Following social media posts on June 25, 2020,<ref>{{cite news |last1=Casagrande |first1=Michael |title=Alabama football posts powerful video calling for racial justice |url=https://www.al.com/alabamafootball/2020/06/alabama-football-posts-powerful-video-calling-for-racial-justice.html |access-date=June 29, 2020 |work=The Birmingham News |date=June 25, 2020}}</ref> by the [[Alabama Crimson Tide football]] team supportive of the [[Black Lives Matter]] movement, Chambers commented on Facebook, "I got several Alabama pictures for sale [[Nick Saban|Nick Sabin]] (sic) and the Tide is done in my opinion... Their sorry ass political views is why their (sic) getting out of my house... When you put Black lives before all lives they can kiss my ass."<ref name="wthornton">{{cite news |last1=Thornton |first1=William |title=Carbon Hill mayor resigns after Facebook post over Black Lives Matter |url=https://www.al.com/news/birmingham/2020/06/carbon-hill-mayor-resigns-after-facebook-post-over-black-lives-matter.html |access-date=June 29, 2020 |work=The Birmingham News |date=June 28, 2020}}</ref> By June 28, Chambers's comments had been deleted.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Howell |first1=Ed |title=Carbon Hill Mayor Mark Chambers resigns after Facebook posts |url=http://www.mountaineagle.com/stories/carbon-hill-mayor-mark-chambers-resigns-after-facebook-posts,26577 |access-date=June 29, 2020 |work=Daily Mountain Eagle |date=June 29, 2020}}</ref> He subsequently resigned from the mayoralty,<ref name="wthornton"/> and was replaced by councilor April Kennedy Herron.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Ring |first1=Trudy |title=Anti-LGBTQ+ Alabama Mayor Resigns After Denouncing Black Lives Matter |url=https://www.advocate.com/politics/2020/7/03/anti-lgbtq-alabama-mayor-resigns-after-denouncing-black-lives-matter |access-date=July 5, 2020 |work=New Orleans Advocate |date=July 3, 2020}}</ref>
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