Why Huntsville History Matters

I became a Huntsville history nerd by happenstance. When COVID hit in 2020, I had some downtime. My work schedule as a lawyer slowed down as the court system essentially shut down for months.

I had always been curious about the Reconstruction-era building on Holmes Avenue that housed my former law firm. During my downtime, I began digging. As it turns out, the parcel of land where our law firm sat was once a slave-trading business. Then, a century later, it became a gathering place for African Americans during the Civil Rights era. On the same little plot of land at the corner of Jefferson & Holmes, everything had come full circle.

And I was in love.

Researching and writing about Huntsville history became a passion mine. I always wanted to find the “full circle” stories and I can say that Huntsville has many of them.

A few years later, the Historic Huntsville Foundation invited me to serve on board. Now in my third year on the board of the Foundation, I want to share with all of you why our work matters. Why being a member of the Foundation is so critically important for the fabric of our community.

But it begs the question: Why should the history of Huntsville matter to us?

While national and global histories dominate textbooks and media, local history offers a more intimate and tangible connection to the past. It allows us to understand where we come from, how our community developed, and how broader historical forces have played out in our own backyard.

One of the most profound values of local history is its power to cultivate a sense of identity and belonging. When we learn about the struggles, achievements, and unique stories of Huntsville, we develop a deeper connection to the ground beneath us and to the people who once tilled its soil and built its buildings.

I’ve been fortunate to be a small part of bringing some of these historical stories to life as a board member of the Foundation. Just in the last three years, we have brought to life historical stories like the works of Daniel & Henderson Brandon, the saga of Shelby Johnson’s fight against City Hall, the history of the suffrage movement in Huntsville, and the transformative history of the Downtown Storage building.

Local history also brings education to life. Students are often more engaged when learning about people and places in their hometown. We’ve been proud to present numerous such opportunities through the Historic Huntsville Foundation to local students. These experiences not only deepen students’ understanding of historical events but also foster critical thinking skills. Through local history, our young people come to see that history is not just something that happens in textbooks — it is ongoing and all around them.

Communities that understand their past are better equipped to shape their future. Local history reminds us that we are part of a longer narrative and that our actions contribute to the community’s continuing story.

Historic Huntsville Foundation is the vehicle by which all of us can preserve our city’s narrative while also contributing to Huntsville’s continuing story. If you haven’t already, please join us in this mission.

Huntsville deserves you.