Lowndesboro’s beginnings predate Alabama’s statehood. The small community now located off U.S. Highway 80, in Lowndes County, began shortly after the end of the Creek Indian War in 1814. Pioneers from the central and south Atlantic states sought prosperity in the cotton lands of the Black Belt.
They built residences that still line the main avenue with others not far away. Today stand several country homes, raised cottages, and elaborate Greek revival mansions. Six churches in town date from the 1830s to 1888. One of them supports the dome from Alabama’s first capital.
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Sites in Lowndesboro
In the heart of Lowndes County at the site of the Lowndes County Interpretive Center lies a profound chapter of American history born out of the turbulence and tenacity of the Civil Rights Movement. Tent City emerged in the mid-1960s as a stark testament to the struggle for equality and justice. This temporary encampment was established when African American tenant farmers and sharecroppers were evicted from their homes by white landowners in retaliation for their attempts to register to vote.
Deprived of shelter and stability, families found refuge in Tent City, transforming it into a symbol of resistance and resilience. Despite the rudimentary living conditions, the spirit of community thrived.
Men, women, and children persevered from within these modest quarters. Support from civil rights organizations, particularly the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee (SNCC), provided essential aid and bolstered the morale of those who had lost nearly everything in their pursuit of equality. Tent City became more than just a shelter; it was a defiant statement against systemic oppression. Tent City’s legacy endures, ensuring that the voices of those who once called it home are not forgotten.
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The Viola Liuzzo Memorial is located in Lowndes County, Alabama, on U.S. Highway 80 along the Selma to Montgomery National Historic Trail. The marker was erected in 1991 at the site of her murder by members of the Ku Klux Klan on March 25, 1965.
The memorial commemorates the life and legacy of Liuzzo, a white woman and married mother of five from Detroit, Michigan who traveled south to support the Voting Rights March. The large granite monument features the words, “In Memory of Our Sister Vila Liuzzo Who Gave Her Life in the Struggle for the Right to Vote….” A garden at the site offers a bench for visitors to reflect.
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Key Events
During the 1930s and 1940s, Elmore Bolling (born 1908) was known for his arduous work ethic, his business acumen, and his abundant generosity. From humble beginnings he became a successful farmer and trucking entrepreneur, and his general merchandise store grew to be a gathering place for the African American community. On December 4, 1947, his family was working at the store and heard several shots. They then found Mr. Bolling dead in a ditch. According to an article in the Chicago Defender, “Enraged whites jealous over the success of a Negro, are believed to be the lynchers of Elmore Bolling.” No one was ever indicted for his killing.
Viola Liuzzo was a housewife and mother of four from Detroit, Michigan. While she was involved in local activism and was a member of the NAACP, she was compelled to go to Selma in spring 1965 after seeing the images from Bloody Sunday and hearing Dr. King’s plea for folks from all walks of life to participate in the struggle for equal rights. She contacted the SCLC and was put to work as a volunteer, shuttling people and supplies along the march route. After the march was over, and as she was driving a young man, Leroy Moton, back to Montgomery, she was shot and killed on March 25 by four white men who were later determined to be members of the Klan.
