Aliceville, Alabama

Aliceville is a city in Pickens County, Alabama, United States, located thirty-six miles west of Tuscaloosa. At the 2010 census its population was 2,486, down from 2,567 in 2000. Founded in the first decade of the 20th century and incorporated in 1907,<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> the city has become notable for its World War II-era prisoner-of-war camp, Camp Aliceville. Since 1930, it has been the largest municipality in Pickens County.<ref>1830-2010 U.S. Censuses research on Pickens County, Alabama communities</ref>

History

File:1907.09.01.excitement.at.aliceville.montgomery.advertiser.png

Story from the Montgomery Advertiser (September 1, 1907) about a lynching in Aliceville

In 1902 the settlement that would become Aliceville was founded with the opening of a single store.<ref name=fertile>Template:Cite news</ref> The city was named in honor of the wife of John T. Cochrane, founder of the Alabama, Tennessee and Northern Railroad and moving force behind the construction of the short line from Carrollton, Alabama to Aliceville.<ref name=story>Template:Cite news</ref> Within two years of the completion of the short line, Aliceville had grown to what the Montgomery Advertiser called in 1905 "a town of considerable pretensions. There are about a dozen stores, a bank, public buildings and numerous enterprises."<ref name=boom>Template:Cite news</ref>

In 1907 an election was scheduled to allow the citizens of Aliceville to decide whether their community should be incorporated.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> Incorporation was approved by the voters, and on March 19, 1907, a municipal election was held to choose municipal officers, including a mayor and five aldermen: T.H. Sommerville, J.M. Summerville, A. Hood, J.D. Sanders, W.E. Stringfellow, and J.B. Cunningham, respectively.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>

In August 1907 a black man named Gibson was lynched in Aliceville, which caused civil disturbances in the community.<ref name=excitement>Template:Cite news</ref> Rumors swirled that "the negroes were arming themselves," and a group of blacks on horseback were fired on in the street.<ref name=excitement/> Gibson's father was subsequently "ordered to leave the county on account of some impertient (sic) talk."<ref name=excitement/>

By March 1908, municipal officials had decreed that all streets should have ten-foot sidewalks built on both sides.<ref name=progress>Template:Cite news</ref> Property owners were to be responsible for building the sidewalks in front of their parcels.<ref name=progress/> This work, along with the paving of the streets, was largely completed by June 1910 and the city began considering the installation of water and electricity.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>

Camp Aliceville

Template:Main During World War II, a Prisoner-of-war camp was set up in Aliceville to hold 6,000 German prisoners, most from the Afrika Korps, although the population of the camp rarely exceeded 3,500.<ref name=Cronenberg>Template:Cite book</ref> The camp operated between June 2, 1943<ref name=Cronenberg/> and September 30, 1945.<ref name=columbus>Template:Cite book</ref> Prisoners were brought to the camp via the St. Louis – San Francisco Railway.<ref name=Cronenberg/>

The only remaining trace of the camp is an old stone chimney.<ref name=columbus/> However, there is a German POW collection at the Aliceville Museum and Cultural Arts Center<ref>Template:Cite book</ref> which retains documentation from the camp including maps, photographs, camp publications, letters, and artwork.<ref name=tusca>Template:Cite news</ref>

File:1937.06.02.Ingleside.house.aliceville.alabama.by.alex.bush.jpg

Ingleside house in Aliceville, June 1937

Civil rights movement

1960

During the civil rights movement, organizing in small communities such as Aliceville was often more dangerous for activists than it was in larger cities because of their isolation.<ref name=jordan>Template:Cite book</ref> As late as 1965, according to James Corder, a Primitive Baptist minister from Aliceville, Pickens County had not yet experienced any civil unrest related to the movement.<ref name=jordan/> Jordan was inspired by the Selma to Montgomery marches in March of that year to organize a civil rights group in Aliceville, which he called the "Rural Farm and Development Council" in order to avoid scrutiny.<ref name=jordan/> The group organized protests at the Aliceville city hall to oppose officially sanctioned racism in the city.<ref name=jordan/>

In September 1969 black students held protests against the principal of an all-black school in Aliceville, prompting governor Albert Brewer to send National Guard troops into the city.<ref name=wallace>Template:Cite news</ref> Two of the city's all-black schools were closed on September 4 due to the demonstrations, and they reopened the next day under National Guard supervision.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>

1970s and 1980s

In 1982, Aliceville native Maggie Bozeman testified at Congressional hearings held in Montgomery, Alabama, concerning proposed amendments to the Voting Rights Act of 1965.<ref name=enforcing>Template:Cite book</ref> She testified that as late as 1980 in Aliceville and Pickens County voting took place in the open rather than in private booths and that white police officers were stationed in polling places, taking photographs of people who assisted black voters.<ref>Template:Cite book</ref> This revelation outraged Republican congressman Henry Hyde, who had previously been unconvinced of the necessity of amending the law.<ref name=enforcing/>

Bozeman's testimony followed her 1979<ref name=flare>Template:Cite newsTemplate:Subscription required</ref> arrest, conviction, and sentencing for vote fraud.<ref name=march>Template:Cite news</ref> Bozeman and fellow political activist Julia Wilder of Olney, Alabama were given "the sternest sentences for a vote fraud conviction in recent Alabama history": five years for Wilder and four for Bozeman.<ref name=march/> The sentences were upheld on appeal, prompting the formation of an organization, the National Coalition to Free Julia Wilder and Maggie Bozeman and Save the Voting Rights Act, and a march through Aliceville from Carrollton, Alabama, to Montgomery to publicize their cause.<ref name=march/>

The United States Department of Justice sent eight poll-watchers to Aliceville to observe the 1984 primary election runoffs following reports from observers of the July 1984 main primaries.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>

And after

In November 2013 three tanker cars carrying crude oil exploded when an Alabama and Gulf Coast Railway train derailed near Aliceville.<ref>Template:Cite newsTemplate:Subscription required</ref> As of March 2014, the cleanup of the spilt oil was still not complete, despite four months of work.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> About 750,000 gallons of Bakken crude was released.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

Geography

Aliceville is located at Template:Coord (33.126276, -88.154427).<ref name="GR1">Template:Cite web</ref> According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the city has a total area of Template:Convert, all land.

Climate

The climate in this area is characterized by hot, humid summers and generally mild to cool winters. According to the Köppen Climate Classification system, Aliceville has a humid subtropical climate, abbreviated "Cfa" on climate maps.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

Demographics

Aliceville

Template:US Census population Aliceville first appeared on the 1910 U.S. Census as an incorporated town.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> It became the largest town in Pickens County in 1930,<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> surpassing Reform, and continues to hold the title as of 2010.<ref name="2010CensusPopulation">Template:Cite web</ref>

2020 census

Aliceville racial composition<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

Race	Num.	Perc.
White (non-Hispanic)	425	19.52%
Black or African American (non-Hispanic)	1,679	77.12%
Asian	6	0.28%
Other/Mixed	41	1.88%
Hispanic or Latino	26	1.19%

As of the 2020 United States census, there were 2,177 people, 898 households, and 625 families residing in the city.

2010 Census data

As of the 2010 United States census, there were 2,486 people living in the city. 74.9% were African American, 22.6% White, 0.1% Native American, 0.0% Asian, 0.8% from some other race and 1.6% of two or more races. 1.2% were Hispanic or Latino of any race.

2000 Census data

As of the census<ref name="GR2">Template:Cite web</ref> of 2000, there were 2,567 people, 978 households, and 646 families living in the city. The population density was Template:Convert. There were 1,092 housing units at an average density of Template:Convert. The racial makeup of the city was 32.29% White, 66.54% Black or African American, 0.12% Native American, 0.31% Asian, and 0.74% from two or more races. 0.39% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race.

There were 978 households, out of which 32.0% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 34.2% were married couples living together, 28.2% had a female householder with no husband present, and 33.9% were non-families. 32.5% of all households were made up of individuals, and 18.6% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.51 and the average family size was 3.20.

In the city, the population was spread out, with 30.2% under the age of 18, 8.7% from 18 to 24, 21.4% from 25 to 44, 20.1% from 45 to 64, and 19.6% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 35 years. For every 100 females, there were 75.2 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 64.9 males.

The median income for a household in the city was $17,092, and the median income for a family was $23,233. Males had a median income of $25,114 versus $15,952 for females. The per capita income for the city was $11,028. About 38.7% of families and 44.7% of the population were below the poverty line, including 64.6% of those under age 18 and 29.9% of those age 65 or over.

Aliceville Precinct/Division (1930-)

Template:US Census population The Aliceville Precinct (Pickens County Precinct 19) first appeared on the 1930 U.S. Census.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Prior to that, from 1880 to 1920, it had been known as the Franconia Precinct.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> In 1960, Aliceville precinct was changed to a census division as part of a general reorganization of counties.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> In 2000, it was merged with the Raleigh Census Division and renamed South Pickens Division.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> In 2010, the name was changed back to Aliceville Census Division.<ref name="2010CensusPopulation" />

Economy

Aliceville is home to the Federal Correctional Institution, Aliceville. Construction on the $250 million, 1,500-bed medium-security women's prison began in 2008 and was completed in 2011. The facility also includes a 256-bed minimum-security work camp.

Arts and culture

Aliceville is home to the Aliceville POW Museum, which houses papers, letters, documents, maps, and other material from the World War II prisoner of war camp situated in the city from 1942 to 1945.<ref name=tusca/> The museum opened in 1995 and, in addition to the POW material, houses a permanent exhibit on the Aliceville Coca-Cola bottling plant.<ref>Template:Cite web (archived from the original on December 14, 2007)</ref>

Education

• Aliceville High School
• Aliceville Middle School
• Aliceville Elementary School

Notable people

• Stephen Fleck, medical officer at Camp Aliceville<ref>Template:Cite journal</ref>
• Butch Hobson, major league third baseman and manager<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>
• Amos Jones, American football coach
• Walter Jones, former offensive tackle for the Seattle Seahawks<ref>Template:Cite book</ref>
• Simmie Knox, portrait artist<ref>Template:Cite book</ref>
• Henry Smith, former NFL defensive tackle

Photo Gallery

• Roadsigns at Aliceville
  Roadsigns at Aliceville
• George Downer Airport, Aliceville
  George Downer Airport, Aliceville
• Federal Correctional Institution, Aliceville
  Federal Correctional Institution, Aliceville
• Dr. William Hughes Plantation, 1937 (near Aliceville)
  Dr. William Hughes Plantation, 1937 (near Aliceville)
• Dr. William Hughes Plantation, 1937 (near Aliceville)
  Dr. William Hughes Plantation, 1937 (near Aliceville)
• Interior Stairway, Dr. William Hughes Plantation, 1937 (near Aliceville)
  Interior Stairway, Dr. William Hughes Plantation, 1937 (near Aliceville)
• Dr. William Hughes Plantation, 1937 (near Aliceville)
  Dr. William Hughes Plantation, 1937 (near Aliceville)
• Ingleside House, 1937, Aliceville
  Ingleside House, 1937, Aliceville

See also

• Aliceville Elementary and High School

Further reading

• Template:Cite book - A history of Camp Aliceville which "highlights the human dimension of war and captivity, and shows the various ways in which the small community of Aliceville became connected to events and places in the United States and abroad."<ref>Template:Cite journalTemplate:Subscription required</ref>

Notes

Template:Note "The onlooker," but literally "the fence-guest."

External links

• Archived version of Camp Alice POW Museum Official Website
• Library of Congress record for Der Zaungast, Camp Alice prisoner newsletter