Alabama author Wayne Greenhaw will be on campus tonight to discuss his newest book, “Fighting the Devil in Dixie: How Civil Rights Activists Took on the Ku Klux Klan in Alabama.”
The lecture will begin at 5:30 p.m. in the W.S. Hoole Special Collections Library in Mary Bryant Hall, with a reception in Greenhaw’s honor in the lobby starting at 5 p.m. and continuing after the lecture.
Guests are invited to buy copies of the book, have them signed, interact one-on-one with Greenhaw and enjoy some refreshments.
“He’s one of those people that you’ll meet him and you’ll remember it forever, even if you haven’t read his books,” said Jessica Lacher-Feldman, curator of rare books and special collections for Hoole. “I just think this is one of those times where people will really enjoy themselves, remember it for a long time and talk about it later.”
Tonight’s lecture marks the second time Greenhaw has been on campus this school year. In November, he was the keynote speaker for the opening of an exhibit honoring the hundredth birthday of his mentor William Bradford Huie, another Alabama alumnus.
“It wasn’t like he was lecturing or talking down to us,” said Jamie Burke, a senior majoring in American studies who attended the talk in November. “We were just part of his everyday reminiscing about his experiences. It was really enjoyable to feel comfortable with him in that setting.”
Along with Greenhaw, Lacher-Feldman said there should be a “very, very, very special guest” introducing him, giving students an informal setting in which to hear about Alabama’s history from two people who lived through it.
According to Greenhaw’s website, “Fighting the Devil in Dixie” chronicles what happened in Montgomery after the U.S. Supreme Court ruled Montgomery’s city ordinance forcing segregation of races on public transportation unconstitutional. Greenhaw was working as a journalist, covering the events as they happened.
“It’s… a look at a very specific time in Alabama’s history,” Lacher-Feldman said. “He isn’t just some professor from a high school. It’s somebody who went through it, experienced it, witnessed it and had to maneuver in these worlds.”
Since graduating from the University, Greenhaw has written 22 books and numerous articles and has won many prestigious awards. Lacher-Feldman said she thinks tonight will be a great opportunity for students to not only learn something about their state’s history but also to learn about the process of writing.
“There are authors and then there are writers – he is a writer,” she said. “He has made his living for decades and decades by writing everything from magazine and newspaper articles to whole books to plays.”
Besides coming to campus to discuss his new book, Greenhaw will be bringing some of his personal first edition copies of his other books to donate to the Alabama Collection of the W.S. Hoole Special Collections library.
The Alabama Collection, which houses books by Alabama authors, books about Alabama and books published in Alabama, aims to be the best and most well-rounded source for anyone interested in or researching Alabama literature and history.
“Anything he writes he puts his heart and soul into it, and that has to come across on the pages,” Burke said. “So anyone who reads his books will definitely get a good read, and anyone who comes to his speech is definitely going to be entertained and get a lot of good stories out of it.”
