Our Stories

Rev. Thomas Linton played a critical role in the civil rights movement in Tuscaloosa. He worked closely with Rev. T. Y. Rogers, Jr., to direct the local movement and served on the Tuscaloosa Citizens Action Committee. Working with former Tuscaloosa Mayor Snow Hinton and civic leader Ward McFarland, Linton helped blacks get jobs at the local mall. He con­vinced white leaders to hire blacks as clerks and cashiers outside of the black district . The Chamber of Commerce relied on Linton for references for jobs at department stores and businesses. Linton lived his conviction that everyone–black or white–should be treated fairly.

With the passing of Rev. Thomas Linton in 2020, the City of Tuscaloosa acquired the property from his family. Planning for a museum at this location, the Foundation and the City cleared out the contents of the barbershop in order to allow building repairs. This project aims to accession, briefly describe, and repackage the materials–from framed posters and photographs to barber chairs and equipment. This project has entailed developing appropriate procedures for the process, soliciting volunteers to process the materials and repackage them in appropriate containers.