In an ongoing effort with the local libraries in Jefferson County, Alabama we are seeking materials that can give us insight on the Magic City's past. After being allowed to review yards and yards of microfilm at the Birmingham Public Library main branch, we asked if we could be allowed to have some of the older damaged books on young Birmingham. We were giving an old moldy smelling milk crate, ripe with Secrets. One of the books we found was this.
We found a book that shortly speaks more about Scratch Ankle, the old Birmingham Red-Light District, Entitled "The Early History of Alabama Brothels" by DR. B.Otis Hardin.
We did a little digging and found this (latest) picture of him.
All that we could really discover about him was he wrote a book called "The Early History of Alabama Brothels" in 1977. He mysteriously died in a fire with his brother in 1979 in his home in Pratt City, Alabama.
On page 119, Hardin expounds on what he was able to research. I had a friend type out a transcript.
"…The second largest brothel in Birmingham , “The Palace” was also run by a Madame who much like the rest was also a bold businesswoman. Many of the most successful brothels in the south where in fact owned and operated by Mulatto women, like Selma Alabama native Ms. Lulu White who ran an Octaroon Parlor specializing in Black and Mulatto women called Mahogany Hall in New Orleans.
(MS. LULU WHITE)
Unlike Birmingham white Madame Wooster
with her brothel directly across the street from Birmingham City Hall,many colored brothels were often forced to play by a different set of rules.
The Palace was located in a district of downtown Birmingham known as ‘Scratch Ankle’.
This name was assigned by Birmingham police officers to the 4 th avenue, now historical Black business district. history goes a charming and charismatic extremely light-skinned woman named Ms. Jessie Belle also know as “The Speckled Queen” in reference to her appearance. She had reddish brown hair, green eyes and her face was covered in tiny freckles and her brothel was named “The Palace” earning her the name “The Speckled Queen” Belle employed both Black and Mixed Race women at The Palace and had both Black and White solicitors making it one of the first truly integrated spots in the Iron City at that time.
The Palace was rumored to have the most beautiful girls of every shade and color in one spot making it infamous through out Jefferson County.
This often drew the attention of the local law in the form of random raids a practice Madame Woo her white counterpart did not have to deal with.
During 1888- 1889 citizens criticized Birmingham Police for the Hawes Murder riots ,that left 12 dead and the courthouse burned down. Some believe in an attempt to look busy when the randomly raided The Palace, a practice Madame Woo her white counterpart historically did not have to deal with. The Palace is no longer standing and the descendants of Ms Jessie Belle live today in anonymity. The Speckled Queen and her exotic beauties have managed to be almost forgotten on purpose."
It has come to our attention that the word Mulatto" could be offensive to some people, we acknowledge this and express that we are only quoting a published author, as the context relates to the exposing of Magic City Dark Secrets, no harm is intended.
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