Jay Welborn
Welborn heard that a storm was threatening two stores in West Tuscaloosa. Realizing it was headed for Alberta, he ushered customers and workers into the coolers. His store became a refuge and triage center for stunned citizens. The good news is, Alberta is rebuilding and coming back even stronger.
The late Robert T. Wade
Wade began printing when he was in ninth grade and continued until he was drafted into the U.S. Navy after graduating high school. He was in the Navy for two years, then attended Alabama A & M. After college, Wade worked for The Hale County News in Moundville. He started his own business, Wade Printing, in 1953, and ran it until he became ill in 2015. He and his late wife raised seven children.
Ruth Eaton Cummings Bolden
“Readers are leaders.” That was her motto. She helped found a library in West Tuscaloosa and worked for the civil rights movement. She passed away at the age of 94, but left a great impression on our community. In 1948, she got county money to start a library in the local community center.
Dinah Washington
Despite a relatively short career, Dinah Washington laid claim to being one of the major jazz voices, and one of the most versatile of all jazz singers. Her full-bodied voice made her become one of the most popular black female recording artist of the fifties.
Good Day Tuscaloosa!
City Councilor Kip Tyner hosts a local television program, “Great Day Tuscaloosa,” that is produced daily on Comcast Channel 21. The show provides an hour of programming that residents can’t get anywhere else. Nearly every guest who appears on the show lives in the Tuscaloosa area.
Robert E. Witt
Dr. Witt has had an undeniable impact on the growth of the Tuscaloosa area. During his nine-year tenure as President of The University of Alabama, he led an ambitious plan to improve academic excellence and competitive strength that has positioned UA as one of the fastest-growing public research universities.
Rev. Thomas Gilmore, 1941 – 2015
The Very Reverend Thomas Gilmore was a leading figure in the civil rights movement in Alabama and the first elected African American sheriff in Greene County. Known as the “Sheriff Without a Gun,” Gilmore served his community for 12 years before retiring in 1983 to become a pastor.
Benjamin H. Barnes, 1887 – 1971
Barnes was educated under Booker T. Washington at Tuskegee. He took Washington’s message to heart and returned to his native Tuscaloosa and became an essential leader in the African American community, and even helped design the First African Baptist Church.
Moon Winx
The famous sign dates to 1957 and was designed by Pickens County folk artist Glenn House. “It’s not my crowning achievement,” House says, “but it’s the longest-lasting piece of art that I’ve ever done.” It survived Tuscaloosa’s greatest natural disaster. Mr. House has a gallery in Gordo, Alabama.
History Changed by Two Men in 1958
In 1958, legendary Coach Paul “Bear” Bryant arrived and John “Big Daddy” Bishop opened his first Dreamland Bar-B-Que Cafe.