Most Black folks had never traveled many miles from the area where they were born, but after the Civil War, others moved to northern cities seeking better lives for their families. For some, life was nothing more than survival with work from dawn to dusk; for others, life was an opportunity to provide a better existence for themselves and their family.

Black Folktales of the Muscle Shoals is a collection of stories from Black people interviewed by Huston Cobb Jr. and Rickey Butch Walker. In it, the authors share an array of personal stories about these individuals and their families who were tied to the land along the Muscle Shoals of the Tennessee River in northwest Alabama.

Some of the Black individuals interviewed identified themselves as mixed-ancestry descendants of Black slaves, White folks, and American Indians. Their stories are reminiscent of an era when life was much simpler, and change came slowly. When change came, it was primarily propelled by inventions, wars, and civil rights campaigns.

People who are interested in genealogy will find Black Folktales of the Muscle Shoals a wonderful source of information, including the census records of numerous Black families who are mentioned in the stories. Also included is a brief history of the relationship of American Indians and Black folks who called the land along the Muscle Shoals of the mighty Tennessee River home.

Formato	Tapa dura
Número de Páginas	302
Lenguaje	Inglés
Editorial	Bwpublications.com
Fecha de Publicación	2023-02-20
Dimensiones	8.5" x 5.5" x 0.94" pulgadas
Letra Grande	No
Con Ilustraciones	No

Cobb, Huston

Huston became a political advocate and joined the Republican Party. He ran on the same platform for state representative, as Republican Governor Guy Hunt. Huston was politically active, and his support was highly sought by local, state, and national political figures from both the Democrat and Republican parties. From all candidates running for national offices, such as president, senator, and representative to state and local positions, the political endorsement of Huston Cobb Jr. was very desirable.Not only was Huston Cobb Jr. sought after by political candidates, but he was also asked and agreed to serve on prestigious boards of local importance to northwest Alabama. Mr. Cobb served on the Board of Trustees at the University of North Alabama in Florence. In addition, Huston was on the Board of Equalization for Colbert County for many years. Huston Cobb Jr. performed his public service duties with the utmost distinction.In the 1980s, Huston realized the importance of recording the history of his Black neighbors and kinfolks, who were descendants of local slaves that lived in the Town Creek Triangle and surrounding areas of Colbert County and northwest Alabama. He visited many Black elders in the area and recorded their personal family stories. Through the efforts of Huston Cobb Jr., a treasure trove of historically significant information that would have been lost forever was saved.Huston was influenced to record historical information of the Black community by Alexander "Alex" Haley who wrote the 1976 book Roots: The Saga of an American Family; Haley also wrote the 1993 novel Queen: The Story of an American Family. Huston and William L. McDonald, a noted local historian, had toured with Mr. Haley when he came to northwest Alabama to investigate the history of his slave ancestors who inspired the two television miniseries.There are not enough words to describe all the successful accomplishments of Huston Cobb Jr. He has made significant social, historical, and political contributions for both Black and White families of northwest Alabama.