October 17, 2007
By: Tiffany Nabors

LIVINGSTON, Ala.--The University of West Alabama’s Center for the Study of the Black Belt, founded in 2005, has taken on the central role in an effort to bring national recognition to Alabama’s Black Belt region.

If approved by the United States Congress, the area would be the 38th designation in the country on the list of National Heritage Areas, which are locally-managed land designations set aside for the conservation and development of an area’s heritage. Gaining the title means tangible benefits like financial and technical support as well as intangible benefits like heightened community pride.

Dr. Tina Jones, director of the Center for the Study of the Black Belt, is serving as the co-chairperson of the task force that is working to ensure the area receives the designation. The UWA Center serves as the management entity that is responsible for seeking grant funds and coordinating communication between the 19 counties, including Sumter County, involved in the proposal.

Similar to national parks that recognize places of interest, this distinction focuses on the interaction of people with the land in the area.

“We do have a great story when you combine the history, the nature and the land,” Jones said. “There are all kinds of treasures in the area.”

Assets include the entire town of Gainesville, which is a National Historic Register Site, and some 67 antebellum structures that are still intact. There is also the Moundville Archaeological Museum and the Edmund Pettis Bridge, made famous during the Civil Rights Era, that join an extensive musical, social, artistic and political history which stands to be preserved in these counties.

“What we are preserving is the stories of the people,” Jones said. “We have a wonderful opportunity to explore how these cultures come together.”

Among the individual resources held by each county is one key element they all share, the dark soil, which gives the Black Belt region its name. This shared characteristic will serve as the cornerstone of the proposal.

Dorothy Walker, also co-chairperson of the task force, said national exposure such as this will enhance the lives of the people who live in the Black Belt. The Dallas County native believes that growing up in the area can leave some numb to the rich history around them.

“It’s easy as a native to take for granted the rich historical and scenic landscape we have,” Walker said. “We have such a rich history that is built on diversity. This is a culturally distinct area.”

She views this effort as only an extension of the many organizations who strive to preserve the history and culture of the area.

Widespread public support and a commitment from the local governments are required when applying for the national designation. This support was evidenced when the Center for the Study of the Black Belk recently acquired more than $18,000 in grant funds to bring county representatives together at UWA. The Alabama Cooperative Extension Service provided those funds.

The Center is also responsible for providing information to be included in a feasibility study. The Alabama Board of Tourism and Travel is assisting in the study by providing the services of Fermata Inc., a company that specializes in rural tourism marketing.

Although Jones said the length of the proposal process varies greatly, the task force is currently working hard to secure more public support. There is also another meeting planned for next summer at UWA.

For more information, visit www.alblackbeltheritage.com or contact Dr. Tina Jones at 205-652-3752.