‘Weaving the Threads of Our Shared History’ — The legacy of historic Jacksonville and Montevallo’s Shortridge families
A fuller, more truthful story of Montevallo’s past is coming into view.
Join us Friday, November 7, from 5:30–8:00 p.m., Parnell Memorial Library for Weaving the Threads of Our Shared History, a descendant-led discussion exploring the legacy of Montevallo’s Shortridge families and sharing discoveries unearthed by descendants of those enslaved and a descendant of the enslavers working together.
Narcissus Shortridge
Jack and Narcissus Shortridge, both born into slavery, founded the historic Jacksonville community north of downtown, which thrived until the 1950s. Their descendants include William E. Shortridge, known as a fearless colleague of Rev. Fred Shuttlesworth during Birmingham’s Civil Rights Movement.
Guest speakers Melanie Morrison, Richard Cain, Linda Thompson, and Wilda Stephens from across the country will share how they uncovered and connected their family histories.
Melanie Morrison, author, educator, and MLP research consultant, has written about her slaveholding ancestors in Montevallo, Edmund King and Elizabeth Shortridge.
Richard Cain, an IT specialist from Arizona, has compiled archival materials, photos, and oral histories of his Montevallo ancestors.
Linda Thompson, assistant professor of nutritional sciences, authored a family history featuring vivid portraits of her great-great-grandparents, Jack and Narcissus.
Wilda Stephens, paralegal and daughter of William E. Shortridge, brings records and testimonies of her father’s Civil Rights leadership.
Together, they will reflect on what drew them to ancestral research, tell how they found one another, and share discoveries they have made about their ancestors’ lives and legacies. Join us to learn more about this newly reclaimed layer of Montevallo history.
This event is supported by the Alabama Humanities Alliance. It is free and open to the public.