Helen Keller was born at "Ivy Green" in Tuscumbia, Alabama, in 1880. When she was a small child, an illness destroyed her sight and hearing and, consequently, depriving her of the senses by which we normally learn to speak. Despite her disabilities, Helen Keller learned to speak and read using the raised and manual alphabets, as well as Braille. Miss Keller also graduated with honors, receiving her Bachelor of Arts degree from Radcliffe. She went on to publish numerous books, articles and essays. Helen Keller lived out her life addressing social issues for disabled persons and women. Every year at "Ivy Green," a weeklong celebration is held to commemorate her lifetime of accomplishments and her "Spirit of Courage."

Historically Alabama is renowned for its contributions to the Civil War and nation's Civil Rights Movement. A legacy that is vividly portrayed in its landmarks and museums. Montgomery was Confederate Capital during the Civil War and site of Jefferson Davis' inauguration as President of the Confederacy in 1861.

Analogous to how events in Boston ignited the American Revolution, it would be centuries later that events in Alabama sparked the Civil Rights Movement. Shortly after the 1954 Supreme Court decision outlawing segregation in public schools a black woman named Rosa Parks inspired a nation by refusing to give up her bus seat in Montgomery. Thousands of black men and women boycotted bus lines and petitioned the federal government for intervention on behalf of those whose rights had been violated. A catalyst to change that reverberated throughout the country and brought monumental revisions to laws protecting the rights of all citizens.

Alabama is the site of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr's march down the streets of Birmingham for racial justice. It was here that the immortalized "We shall overcome" speech was heard. Where Alabama Governor George Wallace and U.S. Attorney General Robert Kennedy had their infamous showdown over segregation in 1963 that brought federal troops to the steps of the state's schools.

AL, Dr. Martin Luther King

And at the center of this controversy was the state's infamous past Governor, 1964 presidential candidate, George Wallace. His impact on the state's political and social atmosphere was pervasive. A career marked by numerous discords on racial issues, especially his opposition to integration. Nevertheless, his promotion of economic progress and development throughout the state led to his reelection for four terms or 16 years as Governor of Alabama.

Outside the state's largest cities are numerous opportunities for outdoor recreation in its northern mountains, central lakes, and gently flowing rivers. Alabama has 24 State Parks, 20 State Forests, and 4 National Forests (Bankhead, Conecuh, Talladega, and Tuskegee). The National Forests are widely distributed throughout the state providing easy access from any location. The Cheaha State Park located on Alabama's highest mountain is surrounded by the Talladega National Forest. This 2,799-acre mountaintop retreat provides breathtaking scenery of the surrounding forest and mountain. The annual non-resident fishing license is $31 for saltwater and $31 for freshwater (the same as Florida's). A 7 day license is available for $11. Reflect on history as you stroll through this land of antebellum mansions, museums, memorials, and cotton.