From The Trussville Tribune staff reports
MONTGOMERY – Alabama Secretary of State John H. Merrill and co-author Tom Ward have released the history book “Alabama: The Bicentennial,” celebrating Alabama’s 200th anniversary of statehood in 2019.
“Alabama: The Bicentennial” celebrates over 400 past and present Alabamians, including “athletes, authors, agriculture, artists, autos, achievers, aviation, armed forces, astronauts, and advocates for freedom.”
Every school in Alabama that has a fourth-grade classroom will receive a complimentary copy. Seventy-five percent of book proceeds will be directed to the Friends of the Alabama Archives, a non-profit auxiliary to the Alabama Department of Archives and History. The Friends organization will use the funds to sponsor fourth-grade field trips to the Archives by schools that otherwise lack financial resources for the trip. Merrill will not receive any compensation from the book.
“The great Rudyard Kipling once said, ‘If history were taught in the form of stories, it would not be forgotten,’” said Merrill.
For Merrill and Ward, the book serves as a vehicle to bring Alabamians together.
“When we encourage our students to read and tell these stories, we preserve the legacies of Alabama leaders of yesterday and today,” Merrill said. “When Tom and I started this project two years ago, we wanted to tie together the people, events, groups, and places that define the history in this state that we call home. Tom and I are so excited to release this book about a state and its people that are so special to us!”
“Alabama: The Bicentennial” is available for purchase at the Alabama Department of Archives & History and alabama200book.com. It will soon be available in bookstores around the state.
