https://thebbrm.org/files/original/da2b4cc2eb20b3e3f76ddf83f294ff37.jpg a83c04fad83d45ff44eb59d1be7cbfec https://thebbrm.org/files/original/4dfb4cf3da884f8491d69662685db61b.mp3 b979d67d21f0eff8b6664c578e366b7e https://thebbrm.org/files/original/0b80d4effd9e3f14323eabe3abb913f3.pdf c3044483399973d0c6549c681f514efd Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Oral History Collection Description An account of the resource <p>A collection of sound files, transcribed oral interviews, and images documenting Black radio in Birmingham, Alabama. Please click the link below.<b></b></p> Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Bob Friedman Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource All Rights held by The Birmingham Black Radio Museum unless otherwise specified. Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource .jpg .mp3 .wav .pdf Language A language of the resource English Type The nature or genre of the resource Oral History Ephemera Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Birmingham Black Radio Museum Contributor An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource Bob Friedman Emily Bibb and numerous student volunteers Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context OralHistory Oral History A resource containing historical information obtained in interviews with persons having firsthand knowledge. Interviewer The person(s) performing the interview Bob Friedman Interviewee The person(s) being interviewed Ed Boutwell Transcription Any written text transcribed from a sound Transcription of audio snippet: Bob Friedman: (laughs) Now you, did you told a story earlier about when Bull Connor was trying to whip up his support and went on radio to do a radio program and you recorded it and tell us a little bit that. Ed Boutwell: Okay. It was a one hour program he had bought WAPI radio, and WSGN and WBRC were rebroadcasting it a long with it. It was all simulcasted. BF: Mhm EB: On those three stations. He blitzed Birmingham and in it, he cursed and acted like the very unfriendly person he was. And BF: He called out the "N" word and the "J" word and he called and EB: He used every bad, bad word he could have used. BF: And what was the message? EB: And the message was, you can't elect, Albert is a friend of the Jews and the Niggers and blah, blah, blah. Well that just affronted me somethin' terrible. And I was already workin' with Albert tryin' to make the transition to... BF: Who made the change? Was that the courts? Was it simply the referendum made the change? EB: The referendum. BF: Mhm EB: I believe. BF: Mhm EB: And the, but Bull was, ran against Albert for major. And Albert beat 'em handily. And BF: So, was after the change of the form of government that then there was a race for mayor, right? EB: Right, Albert ran against Bull...and Albert beat him handily BF: Was it scary that race? Was there, were there threats? EB: I got shot at. (laughs) BF: That's a little bit about that EB: In my little car. BF: Yeah EB: I had this little bitty Morris Minor. BF: You had a Morris Minor! EB: I loved that car BF: One of the guys I sang with had a Morris Minor. I was the one who would drive it. EB: Oh that was a great car! BF: (laughs) EB: I think 40 watts of power. (laughs) BF: And it was such a tiny little thing. EB: And, one day, one evening, I was down town and a car pulled up beside me and a guy stuck a gun out goin' out the back window of his car. I don't remember. I just remember what it looked like at the time. BF: Yeah EB: And I just floor boarded that little Morris and took off. And they were chasin'...and I got over to BF: Where was, yeah. EB: There was a White Temple.... was that the name of a restaurant downtown? BF: Golden Temple? EB: No. This was downtown Birmingham BF: Yeah EB: On North side. Over in the area where Frank Trexill business was. The ticket printing business over there. Anyway, I knew what I could do and I ran over to the, I think it was called The White Temple Restaurant and I ran up into their parking lot and waited for that car to come and he saw me and ran after me. He came over after me and shooting. BF: Shooting EB: Shooting. And I remember two gun shots and I ran out the alley. Our car was very narrow. Their car was very big and bad (laughs). They couldn't chase me. And I went runnin' out that and went, I believe, I don't know where I lived at the time, but I hid. BF: Yeah EB: Think I lived over on Cobb Lane. BF: Yeah EB: So, anyway. That was, that was quite thrill. BF: And you were identified at that point. EB: Yeah. And I was a term red, and uh... BF: So, you got wind about this show that Bull Connor was gonna do. EB: Yes, so I went home. BF: Does this happen after they shot at ya? EB: Good luck with sequence BF: Yeah. Right EB: 'Round, yeah. Around the same time. And they shot at me and I just freaked out. BF: Yeah EB: When I had already figured out how to get away from 'em. I drove out through that little narrow alley. It was an alley built for a wagon. BF: Sure EB: Ya know. Horse and buggy. And I went out through it zoom! And, sorry about that, ashtray and can I ran over. BF: (laughs) EB: But, anyway. I went out and they couldn't get out and they had to stop and back up and come out and drive around and look for me. BF: Yeah EB: I was long gone BF: Yeah EB: So, that was a big thrill. BF: Yeah. So here comes Bull on WAPI. What is EB: And I recorded it and I took that thirty minutes or an hour long program BF: Let me ask you a question. How did you record Bull off of your radio? Did you attach EB: Put clip lead s across the speaker BF: Okay EB: And I picked it up at WAPI FM because I knew that was clean BF: Yeah EB: No compression and it was very, very clean BF: Right EB: Anyway, I took that tape. It was about an hour long, and I called Tommy Little who was heading PR for Uncle Albert. So this was all right in the middle of when Albert was runnin' BF: Yeah EB: And Tommy says, "Can ya edit it together?" (laughs). And he came over in about an hour and I was already editing on it in the studio. By then I had built Boutwell Studios in English Village and I edited that thing together with all those curse words and all that BF: At 30 second? 60 second? EB: I believe it was at least a 60 but I maybe wrong. But anyway, it was enough of blasphemy and hatred and just it galled me terrible, but I put it together. And there was just one curse word after another and Bull's voice. I mean you couldn't deny Bull's voice. There he was. And I had him put on the front of it. This is Bull Connor. And it ran for a minute and I made copies. We ran it everywhere we could around Birmingham. BF: What was the disclaimer at the end? EB: Paid for by friends of Albert Boutwell BF: And were you able to get that on the air? EB: I was sittin' there at WAPI's office the next mornin' with the tape and said, "Can you play this?" They said, "Yeah. We have to play it." It's equal, ya know, the equal time thing..I said, "Play this so many, any spots ya got and call me about the cost. I'll pay it BF: Mhm EB: And that went on to BRC and they didn't like it but they played it. Then I went to SGN and then McKinnon said, "Give me that thing!" And he played it and It ran for about three or four days before the election. And it made a difference, I believe in it, because it stirred everybody's conscious in town. BF: Extraordinary EB: It was very good. So, I was right in the middle of wonderful things. BF: Mhm EB: And I'm still at 82 almost, I'm still in the middle of wonderful things. BF: You don't look a day over EB: 79 BF: 79 Duration Length of time involved (seconds, minutes, hours, days, class periods, etc.) Full interview: 68 minutes Audio snippet: 6 minutes Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Ed Boutwell, Oral History Description An account of the resource Ed Boutwell (b. June 21, 1937, d. January 25, 2023) founder of Boutwell Recording Studios in Birmingham, Alabama. Nephew of Albert Boutwell who was mayor of Birmingham from 1963 to 1967, Ed recounts numerous memories of growing up on Birmingham's southside and his initiation to the politics of the times as well as his illustrious career as both a radio man at WAPI and as owner of Boutwell Recording Studios. Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Ed Boutwell Bob Friedman Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Birmingham Black Radio Museum Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource March 13, 2019 Contributor An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource Mark Usry Emily Bibb Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource PDF JPG MP3 Language A language of the resource English 16th Street Baptist Church 16th Street Baptist Church Bombing 1960s Advertising Albert Boutwell Birmingham Boutwell Studios Children's March Civil Rights Ed Boutwell English Village Eugene "Bull" Connor George Seibels Marches Paul "Tall Paul" White Politics Richard Arrington Shelley "The Playboy" Stewart Shootings WAPI