Hog Heaven: A Brief History of Alabama Barbecue

Name: Hog Heaven: A Brief History of Alabama Barbecue
Start: 2025-09-13T11:00:00-05:00
Location: 2100 Park Pl, Birmingham, AL, United States, Alabama 35203

Schedule

Sat, 13 Sep, 2025 at 11:00 am

UTC-05:00

Location

2100 Park Pl, Birmingham, AL, United States, Alabama 35203 | Birmingham, AL

In the nineteenth century, barbecue played a prominent role in the campaign rallies of the state’s aspiring politicians. By the end of the century, barbecue joints started popping up near Birmingham’s steel mills. In the 1950s, pitmasters set up shop in roadside shacks to feed weary travelers venturing out on the nation’s new highways and interstates. In the 1960s, barbecue fed the Civil Rights Movement. Most recently, Alabama barbecue has adapted to foodie interest in heritage breeds and sustainability.
Mark A. Johnson, PhD, is Assistant Professor of History at the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga. In 2016, he earned his PhD from the University of Alabama. In 2017, he published An Irresistible History of Alabama Barbecue. Currently, he’s completing a cultural history of bacon in the United States.
Mark is a participant in the AHA Young Scholars Program which brings young historians into the Speaker's Bureau to share their research with the public.
This event will take place in the 205Create Lab on the second Floor of the Main Central Branch. If you have any questions, please contact Catherine Oseas at [email protected] or 205.226.3630.