Slinging Mud
About the Program
“Slinging Mud” examines Alabama’s pottery makers and the world in which they lived. As members of communities shaped by major national events, from the Civil War to Prohibition, these artisans both endured and participated in some of America’s most transformative moments. Their work offers a unique lens through which to understand Alabama’s cultural and historical development.
About the Presenter
Joey Brackner was hired as Alabama's state folklorist in 1985. He retired in 2022 as the director of the Alabama Center for Traditional Culture, the folklife division of the Alabama State Council on the Arts. He is the author of Alabama Folk Pottery and Of Mules and Mud: the Story of Alabama Folk Potter Jerry Brown. Since 2013, he has been the host of the Alabama Public Television series Journey Proud. His research interests include Alabama folk pottery, traditional graveyard decoration and southern horticultural traditions. A native of Fairfield, Alabama, Brackner received his B.A. in Anthropology from the University of Alabama at Birmingham in 1977 and his M.A. in Anthropology from the University of Texas at Austin in 1981.
Programs
Valley | H. Grady Bradshaw Library
September 24, 2026 • 10:30 AM Central Time • 3419 20th Ave, Valley, AL
Hamilton | Bevill State Community College
October 3, 2026 • 10 AM • Bevill Business and Community Center, 1481 Military Street South, Hamilton, AL
Co-sponsored by the Marion County Historical Society
Wadley | SUSCC Wadley Campus
October 14, 2026 • 2 PM • Resource Center, 750 Roberts Street, Wadley, AL
Albertville | Albertville Museum
October 17, 2026 • 2 PM • 101 W Main St, Albertville, AL
Mobile | History Museum of Mobile
November 11, 2026 • Noon • 111 S Royal St, Mobile, AL
Fairhope | Eastern Shore Art Center
January 16, 2027 • 10:30 AM • 401 Oak Ave, Fairhope, AL
Tuscaloosa | Dinah Washington Cultural Arts Center
February 4, 2027 • 6 PM • 620 Greensboro Ave, Tuscaloosa, AL
Harpersville | Wallace Center for Arts & Reconciliation
March 11, 2025 • 5:30 PM • 35184 Highway 25, Harpersville, AL
Draughon Seminars in State and Local History
Draughon Seminars in State and Local History are a series of lectures sponsored by the Caroline Marshall Draughon Center for the Arts and Humanities in the College of Liberal Arts at Auburn University. The series is funded by the Kelly Mosley Endowment in honor of Dr. Ralph B. Draughon, president of Auburn University from 1947 to 1965. Draughon was a historian with a deep commitment to both state history and public education.