History Classes at UAB Collaborate with Local Groups to Preserve Birmingham History

By Tehreem Khan | UAB News University of Alabama at Birmingham students from two classes collaborated on “Go Tell It on Red Mountain,” a Jefferson County Greenways initiative aimed at delving into Birmingham’s rich industrial history and the legacy of its historic company towns. This oral history partnership project between the Red Mountain Park, the Alabama Humanities Alliance and UAB’s College of Arts and Sciences Department of History was launched at Red Mountain Park in November 2024. Michele Forman, director of the Media Studies Program at UAB, learned about Red Mountain Park’s interest in sharing the history of the iron ore miners and their families who worked and lived in the area and saw opportunity for a natural collaboration between UAB Public History and UAB Media Studies. “Red Mountain Park is primarily a recreational site today — people come to hike, run, cycle and visit the dog park every day from all over the region — but it is also an essential place to understand Birmingham’s industrial past,” Forman said. “This is where the iron ore was mined that fueled Birmingham’s iron and steel economy. We wanted to make sure that today’s visitors hear about the lives, culture and communities...