Kathryn Tucker Windham Museum

04/16/2026

Kathryn was a prolific writer. She began writing for publication at 12, when she wrote movie reviews for The Thomasville Times. Perhaps her most popular book was “13 Alabama Ghosts and Jeffrey,” though she authored 29 books during her long and productive life.

What’s your favorite Kathryn Tucker Windham book?

Photo: maybe The Birmingham News
The Kathryn Tucker Windham Museum
Alabama Humanities Alliance
University of Alabama Press
kathryntuckerwindham.com

04/08/2026

Kathryn’s father once told her, “You can’t really hate someone you’ve laughed with.”

So when her beloved Selma, Alabama, was feeling the tension of a divided community, she introduced the “Comb Chorus.” Via the local newspaper, she invited the entire community to the lawn of the Selma library to play combs.

She and helpers handed out plastic combs she had ordered, each with a piece of wax paper. If you hum a song into the paper over the comb, it tickles your lips and makes the sound of swarming bees. The invitation drew a big crowd of various ages and races to laugh and play songs on the comb that summer afternoon in Selma.

Photo: Ted Tucker (maybe?)
The Kathryn Tucker Windham Museum
Alabama Humanities Alliance
kathryntuckerwindham.com

03/11/2026

Kathryn’s father once said to her, “Don’t complain about things; get out and do something about them.” So when litter became a problem in her Selma neighborhood, Kathryn began a daily patrol so as not to complain, but to pick it up.

One day while she was on patrol, a car pulled up beside her. The driver rolled down the window a couple of inches and slide two dollars her way. Rather than explain her mission, Kathryn took the bills, thanked the man, and went about her business!

Credit: maybe Ted Tucker
The Kathryn Tucker Windham Museum
kathryntuckerwindham.com

03/02/2026

Newspapering was in the Windham family blood. Kathryn worked for The Montgomery Advertiser, The Birmingham News, and The Selma Times-Journal. Her husband Amasa had a long newspaper career, and their son Ben was a newspaper man too. Ben often referred to journalism as “the family illness!”

Photo: Ted Tucker
kathryntuckerwindham.com
Kathryn Tucker Windham Museum

02/06/2026

02/06/2026

02/04/2026

Kathryn was unwavering in her beliefs, especially about cornbread. When it came to the question of adding sugar, she would say, “If you want cake, make a cake!”
And she made the best cornbread in all of Alabama.

01/23/2026

Kathryn had many visitors who came to Selma to spend time with her. If the weather wasn’t right for a picnic in the cemetery, she took her guests to Hancock’s Bar-B-Que, where the meat is cooked slow and the atmosphere is cozy. Kathryn once wrote a glowing letter to the proprietor, and that note is framed and on the wall…just next to the deer heads and the autographed pictures of Alabama football coaches.

Credit: Ted Tucker

01/18/2026

01/05/2026

With her book “13 Alabama Ghosts and Jeffrey,” Kathryn may have influenced a love of reading for many youngsters in the region.
In this 1953 photograph, Kathryn reads to her own children.

kathryntuckerwindham.com

12/23/2025

Can you imagine asking Kathryn Tucker Windham to fill out an application...proving she just might make a decent speaker/scholar?

What’s the sporting equivalent? Asking Jesse Owens for three references to be a P.E. teacher?

Well, this recently rediscovered form, from 1997, is a treasured gem for Alabama Humanities today. Ha, and we love her understated answers here: “Have published seven books on those subjects.” And how she just slips in “two honorary doctorates” :)

Not to ruin the surprise, but Kathryn Tucker Windham did indeed get that “teaching folklore” gig with Alabama Humanities. It was AHA’s delight to work with her often. And to honor her with our Alabama Humanities Fellow award in 2000.

All this comes to mind now as we get out the popcorn tonight and start watching Alabama Public Television’s new series, JEFFREY’S SOUTHERN GHOSTS, based on Windham’s beloved ghost stories. First episode premieres tonight on APT’s YouTube channel, “The Phantom Steamboat of the Tombigbee.”


Kathryn Tucker Windham Museum
Kathryn Tucker Windham Remembered