Birmingham, Alabama: Catching Up

Tia and I posed this question to four women in their early eighties who were lunching this Thursday afternoon at my grandmother’s house in Birmingham, specifically Roosevelt City. The four women, including my grandmother, are part of a group called Les Dames Charmantes. If you know what this means, please inform us. The four of them either thought it meant “The Beautiful Ladies” or “The Young Ladies.” Regardless of what Les Dames Charmantes means, these four women gave Tia and me a lot to think about. Enjoy their responses to the question, What is Birmingham.

Feb 11
What is Birmingham?
Les Dames Charmantes (whatever that means…) in Birmingham (Roosevelt City).
Feb 10

Les Dames Charmantes (whatever that means…) in Birmingham (Roosevelt City).

Dorothy Gilbert Anderson, 84, native of Birmingham (Pratt City); presently living in Birmingham (Pratt City) I remember eating souse meat. I used to just love it when I was girl. Then when I went off to nursing school and I used to receive packages, I would hide the food because I was ashamed. When I wasn’t around, the girls would go through the packages and I would come back and everything would be gone! They thought my family had money because I would get so many packages.
Feb 10

Dorothy Gilbert Anderson, 84, native of Birmingham (Pratt City); presently living in Birmingham (Pratt City)

I remember eating souse meat. I used to just love it when I was girl. Then when I went off to nursing school and I used to receive packages, I would hide the food because I was ashamed. When I wasn’t around, the girls would go through the packages and I would come back and everything would be gone! They thought my family had money because I would get so many packages.

Armelia Yow Bruce, 82, native of Marengo County, Alabama; presently living in Birmingham (Bush Hills) It was integrated where I lived [in Marengo County]. I didn’t know a lot about segregation until I was grown. I didn’t like to lie to my children about why they couldn’t go to the [Alabama State] Fairgrounds [in West Birmingham], but I didn’t want them to know that they couldn’t go somewhere because of their skin. I graduated from Alabama State and, you know, we’re known for our black education. We talk about how bad it was all the time, but God has blessed us to become educated—that’s something people can’t do in other countries.
Feb 10

Armelia Yow Bruce, 82, native of Marengo County, Alabama; presently living in Birmingham (Bush Hills)

It was integrated where I lived [in Marengo County]. I didn’t know a lot about segregation until I was grown. I didn’t like to lie to my children about why they couldn’t go to the [Alabama State] Fairgrounds [in West Birmingham], but I didn’t want them to know that they couldn’t go somewhere because of their skin. I graduated from Alabama State and, you know, we’re known for our black education. We talk about how bad it was all the time, but God has blessed us to become educated—that’s something people can’t do in other countries.

Evelyn Clark Gilbert, 81, native of Birmingham (Pratt City); presently living in Birmingham (Pratt City)—next door to the house she was born in. Going to elementary [Sandusky Elementary School] and high school [West Field High School], teachers cared about you. When you did something, your parent would know before you got home. That’s what I miss today. And it didn’t hurt us—whippings at school. It hurt us physically, but it didn’t hurt us; it helped us.
Feb 10

Evelyn Clark Gilbert, 81, native of Birmingham (Pratt City); presently living in Birmingham (Pratt City)—next door to the house she was born in.

Going to elementary [Sandusky Elementary School] and high school [West Field High School], teachers cared about you. When you did something, your parent would know before you got home. That’s what I miss today. And it didn’t hurt us—whippings at school. It hurt us physically, but it didn’t hurt us; it helped us.

Dorothy Lightfoot Welch, 82, native of Birmingham (East Avondale); presently living in Birmingham (Roosevelt City) I remember when the Newberry Store was integrated and those kids sat at the counter, had hot water poured on them. And Lyric Theater, downtown, the outside had stairs where blacks, well, we were coloreds then, had to go up the tall stairs to sit on the balcony. I was a movie nut, so whatever rules they came up with I had to go with them. I remember wanting to go into Avondale Park so bad when I was a girl, I could taste it.
Feb 10

Dorothy Lightfoot Welch, 82, native of Birmingham (East Avondale); presently living in Birmingham (Roosevelt City)

I remember when the Newberry Store was integrated and those kids sat at the counter, had hot water poured on them. And Lyric Theater, downtown, the outside had stairs where blacks, well, we were coloreds then, had to go up the tall stairs to sit on the balcony. I was a movie nut, so whatever rules they came up with I had to go with them. I remember wanting to go into Avondale Park so bad when I was a girl, I could taste it.