Featured Products

David M. Battles is a scholar of American history and culture who holds a BA and an MA in American Studies, with focuses in music (with a minor in music as well), race, American history, and the South, as well as an MLIS in Library and Information Science, all from the University of Alabama. Mr. Battles draws upon his expertise in all these fields, as well as his intimate knowledge of the University of Alabama, to inform many of his books, including 

NEWEST PRODUCTS!!

Miss Crimson Explains"Yea, Alabama!" to Children (Yea Alabama for Children, Vol. 1)  $30   8.5 x 11 inch Hardback. 

In the first of Mr. Battles' children's books, a new UA character created by Mr. Battles to narrate his children's books, Miss Crimson, guides children around the UA campus, and in this volume, explains to them the lyrics to "Yea, Alabama!"  Beautiful color illustrations. Two texts: one for 1st and 2nd graders to read (at the bottom of each page), and one for older children and teens to read, at the top of the narration. Adults may choose to read the various stories to children too young to yet read the book themselves. In addition, there is a 5 Finger Piano arrangement of "Yea, Alabama" for young pianists to play included in the book. For students who need vocabulary help, there is a terrific glossary/vocabulary listing in the book. There are several pages for children to color, thus making each and every book unique. Finally, there are autograph pages for children to collect signatures of all UA people they meet! All in all, a most unique book. This is a great book for your child and a great book for you to give as a gift to your friends's children and to donate to your child's library!!

Fascinating Facts About the University of Alabama.....That You Probably Don't Know! Volume 1: 1812-1926.  

A $15 book that you can buy for all your friends and relatives.....and still have a copy left over for yourself!

YEA, ALABAMA! THE UNCENSORED JOURNAL OF THE UNIVERSITY OF ALABAMA, VOLUME 3 (1901 THROUGH 1926), Cambridge Scholars Publishing.

Among other great stories, Volume 3 answers the following questions (in various colored ink and with hundreds of illustrations):

When is the first substantiated use of the now nationally famous phrase identifying UA sports, the Crimson Tide?

Beginning with the 1914-15 season through the 1925-26 season, how many Crimson Tide sports win at southern or national championships, or both? And which men's sports are officially sanctioned, which are club or intramural-sports?

Does the Tide really not play Auburn at all in sports from fall 1908 through spring 1947? And what is the story behind the cessation of the rivalry?

How many baseball players does UA place into the major leagues by 1926?

During what year does UA attain an enrollment of 1000 students, and what does this encourage the administration to do?

After the military system of student governance, to what system did the University turn?

How does the administration deal with student smoking, cursing, and hazing? And is it successful?

What is some of the evidence that during the years of volume 3, UA becomes noted as a nationally competitive university?

How is the University affected by The Great War (WWI), successful passage of the 19th Amendment to the U.S. constitution, and other national events?

Women are still not fully accepted as permanent students by the administration in 1901. Does this change? When does it change? How do male students regard women students? How are women students treated differently from the male students?

Which women's sports are more or less sanctioned by the University in the 1920s? Are they successes?

Fraternities multiply and sororities are contemplated. This created great tension between Greeks and non-Greeks!

What year sees the University Band coalesce into what is essentially a permanent organization? How does the band acquire the famous nickname, The Million Dollar Band? And what other arts clubs are created during this period in drama, voice, and music?

NEW Accompaniment Tracks CD that features instrumental songs and printed lyrics as warranted for the Yea, Alabama series, volumes 1-3:

Yea, Alabama CD 1:

1. Alabama University March

2. Corolla March in C

3. The Crimson and the White

4. Alma Mater

5. Glory Alabama

6. Alabama Swing

7. Song of the Crimson Tide

8. Fight Alabama

9. Yea, Alabama!

Some of Mr. Battles' books:

Yea, Alabama! A Peek into the Past of One of the Most Storied Universities in the Nation, Volume I: 1819–1871 (Cambridge Scholars Publishing); 

Yea, Alabama! A Rare Glimpse into the Personal Diary of the University of Alabama, Volume II: 1871-1901, (Cambridge Scholars Publishing); 

Yea, Alabama! The Uncensored Journal of the University of Alabama (Volume 3—1901 through 1926) . 

and Miss Crimson Explains “Yea, Alabama!” to Children: Yea Alabama for Children, Volume I.  (Not yet published.)

Other volumes of the adult series and children's series are noted inside the website, and new works are always being researched, written, and published by Mr. Battles.

Related to the Yea, Alabama series, Mr. Battles researched and designed the 2007–2008 primary online exhibit for the Bear Bryant Museum in Tuscaloosa, Alabama. The title of the project was “The Story Behind the Song.” The exhibit traced the origins of all the songs associated with the University of Alabama through 1926, when “Yea, Alabama!” was created and released.

Mr. Battles’ book on the Civil Rights era, The History of Public Library Access for African Americans in the South, Or, Leaving Behind the Plow, utilizes his expertise in the fields of southern studies, African American studies, and library history. It was published in 2009 by Scarecrow Press to stellar reviews from library, African American, and southern historical journals. 

In addition to his work in the above fields, Mr. Battles is also well known as a lifelong musician and music educator. He teaches and writes music as a freelance artist, clinician, and educator. He has written several children's music methods for piano, children's musicals/cantatas, and music arrangement anthologies. 

He is well known for his various arrangements of the University of Alabama fight song, “Yea, Alabama!”   thus the reason for the title of these University of Alabama series.

Mr.  Battles currently owns and manages the websites YeaAlabama.net and DavidMBattles.com. 

Mr. Battles enjoys hearing from his readers. He also encourages anyone with unusual or unpublished historical information (especially photos and anecdotes from students or professors or fans) concerning the University of Alabama for the period 1926 through 1963 to contact him. 

Be sure to visit all the tabs/pages of this website in order to acquaint yourself with Mr. Battles' works. There is a SHOP page for purchases.