Special to the
Opelika Observer
Ty Malugani, education coordinator for Sloss Furnaces National Historic Landmark, will present “The Role of Convict Labor in Birmingham Industry” at OLLI’s Oct. 9 Alabama Bicentennial Brown Bag Lunch and Lecture Series.
The story of Alabama’s convict lease system, in effect from 1866 to 1928, is an infamous chapter in the state’s history. Installed as a new form of slavery, convict labor serves as the perfect example of Southern entrepreneurs attempting to create a New South economy while holding on to the Old South’s ideas on race and labor relations. The role of convict labor in Birmingham helped build Birmingham’s fledgling industrial economy and shows that forced labor in the South did not actually end in 1865.
Malugani has served as the Education Coordinator at Sloss Furnaces National Historic Landmark for two and a half years. Malugani has both a bachelor’s and master’s degree in history from the University of Alabama at Birmingham.
The Osher Lifelong Learning Institute at Auburn University (OLLI at Auburn) hosts its Alabama Bicentennial Brown Bag Lunch and Lecture Series from 11:45 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the Caroline Marshall Draughon Center for the Arts and Humanities, also known as Pebble Hill, which is located at 101 S. Debardeleben St. in Auburn.
Lunch begins at 11:45 a.m. and participants shoud bring their own meal. Coffee, tea and water will be provided. The program begins at 12:15 p.m. The series is made possible by a grant from the Alabama Bicentennial Commission and is cosponsored by the Caroline Marshall Draughon Center for the Arts and Humanities. The program is open to the public at no charge.
OLLI at Auburn is a program of the Office of the Vice President for University Outreach at Auburn University. OLLI’s administrative offices and select classes are located at the historic Sunny Slope property located at 1031 S. College St.
For more information regarding this event or to learn about becoming a volunteer faculty member, volunteer service assistant or sponsor, call Shawnee McKee, OLLI Administrative Support, at 334-844-3146 email at olli@auburn.edu or visit www.olliatauburn.org.