North Alabama Baptist Academy, Courtland, Alabama

Subject

School

Description

A collection of regional newspaper articles on the North Alabama Baptist Academy (NABA), founded in 1896 in Courtland, Lawrence Co., Alabama by the Muscle Shoals Baptist Association, a Missionary Baptist association comprised of sixty-six churches in a half-dozen NW AL counties. Sixty students were enrolled for the school's first term.

The first classes were held in the Colored Baptist Church at Courtland "until they can get their buildings ready, which they hope to do before another session." By September of 1898 OE Freeman of Barton's Station, Colbert Co., had the contract to build the academy building. By 1900 the Academy consisted of 20 acres and a "large commdious building" a 1/2 mile from Courtland on Lamb's Ferry Road. The acreage had decreased to 12 acres (valued at $10,000) by 1914 but the campus included 2 buildings used for dormitories and recitations and 228 students.

The NABA was an industrial academy which offered courses in academics, music, agriculture, sewing and other domestic sciences, as well as classes on the Bible. Besides its principal and assistant-principal there were five teachers overseen by a 15-man board of directors. Rev. CO Boothe was the school's first principal. The NABA was supported largely through donations from member congregations of the Muscle Shoals Baptist Association.

For "some years" beginning in 1910 the board of trustees considered relocating the NABA to Decatur (the Decatur Land Co offered to donate a plot of land) or Sheffield, however the school apparently never relocated. References suggest there may have been an extension of the NABA at Tuscumbia.

The NABA building burned to the ground in December of 1928, killing one faculty-member and one student. The academy continued through at least 1957.

Source

1. Courtland (AL) Enterprise
2 Birmingham (AL) News
3. Courtland (AL) Enterprise
4. Montgomery (AL) Advertiser
5. Montgomery (AL) Advertiser
6. New Decatur (AL) Advocate
7-40. (Tuscumbia AL) American Star
41. Moulton (AL) Advertiser
42. Centerville (AL) Press
43-47. (Tuscumbia, AL) American Star
48. Montgomery (AL) Advertiser
49. Huntsville (AL) Daily Times
50. Decatur (AL) Guardian
51. Decatur (AL) Guardian
52. The Guardian (Decatur, AL)
53. The Guardian (Decatur, AL)
54. Birmingham (AL) Reporter
54. Moulton (AL) Advertiser
55. Huntsville (AL) Mirror

Publisher

Newspapers.com

Contributor

Lee Freeman

Rights

Images are available for educational and research purposes. This image may not be reproduced for commercial purposes without the express written consent of the copyright holder. It is the responsibility of the interested party to identify the copyright holder and receive permission.

Format

Jpeg

Language

English

Type

Still Image

Files

The NABA Open Courtland Enterp Fri Oct 23 1896 p 3.jpg
From Special to Bham News report on recent house bills Bham News Fri Jan 22 1897 p 7.jpg
The Colored People Courtland Enterp Fri Sep 23 1898 p 3.jpg
NABA Just about Completed from Courtland Mont Adv Tues July 11 1899 p 3.jpg
Death of Mrs JK Swope Mont Adv has note about NABA Sat Sept 8 1900 p 3.jpg
Courtland News NABA open for first trem New Decat Adv Fri Nov 16 1900 p 4.jpg
North Alabama Baptist Academy AS Wed Feb 20 1901 p 3 p I.jpg
North Alabama Baptist Academy AS Wed Feb 20 1901 p 3 p II.jpg
Program Am St Sun Sept 1 1912 p 1 p II.jpg
Program Amer Star Thurs Sept 19 1901 p 1 p II.jpg
Rev GB Johnson Pres Board of Trus NABA Am St Thurs Nov 14 1901 p 1.jpg
Sentiment of Joint Boards Am St Thurs Nov 14 1901 p 1.jpg
Courtlland AL letter to the ed AS Thurs Nov 28 1901 p 1 p I.jpg
Courtlland AL letter to the ed AS Thurs Nov 28 1901 p 1 p II.jpg
The North AL Bapt Academy AS Thurs Feb 13 1902 p 1.jpg
I H Hampton AB Principal of NABA AS Thurs June 5 1902 p 1.jpg
Leland Hall of the NAB Academy Tusc AS Thurs June 5 1902 p 1.jpg
The NABA Questions AL Hist AS Sun Jan 1 1905 p 1.jpg
NABA Collectons Dec 1904 AS Sun Jan 1 1905 p 1 p I.jpg
NABA Collectons Dec 1904 AS Sun Jan 1 1905 p 1 p II.jpg
NABA Collectons Dec 1904 AS Sun Jan 1 1905 p 1 p III.jpg
NABA Collections for Jan 1905 AS Wed Feb 15 1905 p 1.jpg
NAB Academy AS Wed Mar 15 1905 p 1.jpg
NABA AS Sat Apr 15 1905 p 1.jpg
Trustees to Meet AS Sat Apr 15 1905 p 1.jpg
Prof HE Lev Biog Sketch AS Wed Nov 1 1905 p 2.jpg
NABA AS Fri Dec 15 1905 p 1 p I.jpg
NABA AS Fri Dec 15 1905 p 1 p II.jpg
NABA AS Fri Dec 15 1905 p 1 p III.jpg
Our School Bldg is Insured AS Mon Jan 1 1906 P 1.jpg
North AL Baptist Academy AS Thurs Feb 1 1906 p 1.jpg
NABA AS Tues May 1 1906 p 1.jpg
NAB Academy AS Sat Feb 1 1908 p 5 p I.jpg
NAB Academy AS Sat Feb 1 1908 p 5 p II.jpg
Removal of the NABA Recommended AS Fri July 1 1910 p 4.jpg
Rev WE Northcross Dead AS Sun Aug 1 1909 p 1 p I.jpg
Rev WE Northcross Dead AS Sun Aug 1 1909 p 1 p II.jpg
NABA Announc AS Fri Oct 1 1909 p 1.jpg
Removal of the NABA Recommended AS Fri July 1 1910 p 4.jpg
Trustees Meeting Attendees from Brief Local Notes AS Mon Aug 1 1910 p 1.jpg
NABA to Relocate to Decatur Moulton Adv Tues Oct 18 1910 p 3.jpg
Colored Academy for Decatur Centerville AL Press Thurs Oct 20 1910 p 6.jpg
The NAB Academy Relocation AS Thurs Dec 1 1910 p 2.jpg
Sheffield Local Notes mentions NABA relocating there AS Thurs Feb 1 1912 p 1 p I.jpg
Sheffield Local Notes mentions NABA relocating there AS Thurs Feb 1 1912 p 1 p II.jpg
People of Sheff Contr to NABA Board of Trus from Editorial Notes and Comment AS Wed May 1 1912 p 1.jpg
Prof EZ Matthews Appointed Principal NABA Am St Sun Sept 1 1912 p 1.jpg
Bible Training School for Negro Preachers Mont Adv Sun Dec 13 1914 p 3 p I.jpg
Commencement at Courtland Academy Huntsv Daily Times Wed June 2 1915 p 1.jpg
NAB Academy The Decat AL Guardian Wed March 1 1916 p 1 p I.jpg
NAB Academy The Decat AL Guardian Wed March 1 1916 p 1 p II.jpg
Miss Parcinia Wilson teacher at NABA visiting Brother from Sparks from the Anvil Decat AL The Guardian Mon May 1 1916 p 1.jpg
Two Innocent Youths Face Death in Columbus SC sic From Worthwhile Activities Among Women fire at NABA kills 2 Bham Reporter Sat Dec 22 1928.jpg
Negro Farmers Hold Annual Conference Moulton Adv Thurs Mar 8 1945 p 1.jpg
Courtland News mentions Musc Shls Sun Sch Conv at NABA Huntsv Mirror Sat Apr 6 1957 p 5.jpg

Collection

School

Citation

“North Alabama Baptist Academy, Courtland, Alabama,” Shoals Black History, accessed October 20, 2020, https://shoalsblackhistory.omeka.net/items/show/1040.