A History of Mobile in 22 Objects | NOW OPEN | at the History Museum of Mobile

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

A HISTORY OF MOBILE IN 22 OBJECTS 

NOW OPEN

AT THE HISTORY MUSEUM OF MOBILE 

The History Museum of Mobile is proud to announce the October 30 opening of the landmark exhibition A History of Mobile in 22 Objects and the publication of a catalogue by the same name.  

Twenty-two unexpected and compelling objects weave together over 300 years of Mobile history, from the pre-Colonial era to the twenty-first century port. With contributions from Mobile’s leading historians, professors, and museum curators, you are sure to discover both new and familiar stories in this landmark exhibition. “This exhibition and the catalogue that accompanies it are meant to be an accessible, object-based guide to Mobile history,” said Meg McCrummen Fowler, director of the History Museum of Mobile. 

Contributors to the catalogue and exhibition include: Bob Allen, Cart Blackwell III, Philip Carr, Ph.D., Diedra Dees, Ed.D., Matthew Downs, Ph.D., Meg McCrummen Fowler (editor), Kenneth Gaddy, Frye Gaillard, Daryn Glassbrook, Ph.D., Gentry Holbert, Kern Jackson, Ph.D., Anika Jensen, Tom McGehee, Stephen McNair, Ph.D., Erin Nelson, Ph.D., Christopher Nordmann, Ph.D., Breck Pappas, John Sledge, Caesar Smith, Ph.D., Michael Thomason, Ph.D., Charles Torrey, Angela Trigg, John Valentine, Ph.D., and Rebecca Williams, Ph.D.

“With professors from Mobile’s four colleges, curators from nine museums, and some of the best local writers, this publication and exhibition are truly a community effort,” Fowler said. “We are profoundly grateful to the twenty-four contributors who made this catalogue and exhibition possible.” 

The exhibition, originally scheduled to open in April 2020, features objects from the History Museum of Mobile’s own collection. Together, they frame stories around Colonial Mobile, yellow fever, export economy, education, hurricanes, two world wars, civil rights, downtown Mobile, the modern port – and many others.   

At the end of the exhibition, visitors are asked to provide their own answers to the question, “What are we missing?” Fowler explained: “It is so important to always be asking ‘what stories are missing,’ and ‘whose history is not being told?’ By dramatically limiting the number of objects, this exhibition brings into relief what historians and curators do every day, that is, to select particular groupings of objects or facts and then string them together into a coherent narrative. By asking our visitors to contribute additional stories, we acknowledge that this is a history of Mobile, not the definitive history of Mobile.” 

The museum wishes to offer special thanks to The Friends of the Museum, Alabama Bicentennial Commission, Alabama State Council on the Arts, and the City of Mobile for their support of the exhibition and catalogue. 

The catalogue will be available in the History Museum of Mobile gift shop for $24.99. It can be found in local bookstores and gift shops, as well. 

Guided tours are available for groups of no more than 20 people (divided into two small groups of 10 people). For more information, contact Jennifer Theeck, curator of education, at (251) 301-0270. 

HISTORY MUSEUM OF MOBILE: The History Museum of Mobile is where Mobile’s story begins. Over 117,000 objects weave together the rich, diverse, and often turbulent histories of Mobile and the surrounding area, from the prehistoric past to the present. Located in the heart of downtown, the History Museum is in the Old City Hall - Southern Market building at 111 South Royal Street. For more information, please visit: www.historymuseumofmobile.com

###