POWERGRAMS

Hollywood's spotlight fell recently on Alabama as the movie "Selma" opened nationwide. Directed by Ava DuVernay, it tells the story of the events that led to the 1965 Selma-to-Montgomery march, which changed the course of civil rights history. Alabama Power employees who lived through that era know the story well. "My father worked on the Selma- to-Montgomery marches," said Albert Wilson, 63, a retired operations supervisor for Alabama Power. "He provided rides to people and attended the meetings." Wilson's father, Woodrow, owned and operated a barbershop and restaurant in downtown Montgomery. Ten years earlier he had offered rides in support of the Montgomery bus boycott. "My parents were concerned about my safety," said Wilson, one of 10 children in his family. "So I prepared meals at our restaurant for the marchers." Wilson, who retired in 2010 after 37 years, said he hoped the movie is accurate and true to life. "I'm interested to see how they depicted things, whether or not it's going to be in line with what actually happened," he said. "Unless you were involved, you really didn't get the feel of it." Douglas Chandler went to work for Alabama Power in 1971 and eventually became a lead lineman. Like Wilson, he attended a segregated all-black high school. "Things got heated up around 1963," said Chandler, who was raised and still lives in Auburn. "We've made a lot of progress, but we've still got a long way to go." The movie shows the marchers being tear-gassed and beaten at the foot of the Edmund Pettus Bridge in Selma. It also touches on the violence that plagued Birmingham at the time. On Sept. 15, 1963, a bomb exploded at the 16th Street Baptist Church, one block from Alabama Power Corporate Headquarters. Four girls, including Addie Mae Collins, were killed. Addie Mae's sister, Sarah, was badly injured. "When the movie came on, it scared me to death, had me shaken up," said Sarah Collins Rudolph, who watched a screening with her husband, George. "It started with a bombing and young girls walking. We weren't expecting that. It took me back to that time when I did hear the bombing." Sarah, who lost an eye in the blast, is writing a book about her experiences. "My wife went through a war and survived it," said George. As a company, Alabama Power was targeted by the Ku Klux Klan earlier in the century because it sent integrated crews out on calls, according to Leah Rawls Atkins' book "Developed for the Service of Alabama." The company worked behind the scenes to help moderate political views on race. Today, it supports Birmingham's most important civil rights institutions, including the 16th Street Baptist Church and the Birmingham Civil Rights Institute. "This (city) block really changed how the world looked at civil rights," said Ahmad Ward, head of Education and Exhibitions at the Institute, referring to the church bombing and the fire-hosing of children demonstrating in Kelly Ingram Park nearly 52 years ago. "I think (the movie) is a great thing for Alabama," Ward said. "This is a pivotal event in American history, not just civil rights history." The Alabama Power Foundation, through nonratepayer money, has helped fund the Selma-to-Montgomery Commemorative March, the National Voting Rights Museum and Institute in Selma, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Unity Breakfasts in Birmingham and Montgomery Bus Boycott commemorations, among many civil rights observances. Alabama Power backs the Birmingham Civil Rights Heritage Trail, which was expanded last March to three new locations: Smithfield, East Thomas and Enon Ridge. Ward said citizens from all over the country came to Selma in 1965 to march 50 miles for voting rights. "People walked it with medical problems, missing limbs, you name it," said Ward. "It was all because of an ideal. It showed the power of nonviolence." Chandler, 70, said the key is understanding. "We all come from a different culture," he said. "If everybody would sit back and try to understand each other – if I understand yours and you understand mine – then I think we can see eye to eye." By John Herr 'Selma' a bridge to memories for employees across Alabama 100% CONNECTED 5 Movie about Selma has been nominated for Academy Award for Best Picture.

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