Photo is of Abdallah and Nazha Boohaker and four of their eight children in Bham in 1923 The Lebanes Community Most of the Lebanese that came here settled on Avenue C and as they became more prosperous they moved up to 12th Street and into the Glen Iris area. Mr Meshed was one of the first to come...in 1902,I think. The Bohorfoushs came after that and then the seven Pharo brothers. The old people couldn't speak English but they got by. Nasif Pharo,my father-in-law,couldn't speak English,just Arabic,so since he lived with us,I picked it up pretty good. Two of my children picked it up but the youngest ones- well,the youngest one don't know anything but food and money! It is funerals,holidays,christenings that draw our people together. And the church,the church has kept us together. Some, the older people,went to St Elias because services were in Arabic. My father went to St Elias's and my mother too. It is a custom that the woman must go to her husband's church. When he dies,she can go back to her family's church. When I married,my husband was Melkite so we went to St George. I had never seen a Melkite, Arabic ceremony. They really bless you back and forth,passing a crown over your heads. The entire service was in Arabic. After the wedding,I went to the groom's home and everyone in his family was there, playing flutes and dancing. My family didn't go to his house they stayed home and after a week they came to my new house bringing sweets and things. Thats an old tradition-they don't do that any more. When I got there.to my new house,they gave me a piece of dough and stood me up on a chair and you are suppose to put thatpiece of dough on the door frame-stick it there,for luck after your wedding ceremony. If it sticks the marriage will last. Like you carry the bride over the threshold,I think just for luck. I was real young. It was all new for me too. Mrs Mary Bohorfoush Pharo July1 1915 The Alabama Legislature passes a statewide prohibition law,that closes all Bham saloons,against the wishes of a majority of Bham voters July2nd 1894 A railroad trestle near Adamsville is burned during a strike of railroad workers in the Bham area July 6th 1886 The East Lake Land Co is organized by James A Van Hoose,Robert Jemison and Rufus H. Hagood July 8th 1908 5,000 coal miners join the 4,000 already on strike July 10th 1953 Dominique Lusco the city's first Italian settler and the organizer of the Farmers Market,dies a millionaire July11th 1894 Gov Thomas Jones breaks the railroad strike when he dispatches the state militia to Bham to enforce order July 12th 1931 5,000 people attend a picnic in Yarbrough Park sponsored by 6 local Italian Socities July 13th 1908 The Glen Irsi Park Committee pays 3.00 for the service of a mule to assist in cutting the grass in the park July 17th 1908 Gov. B.B. Comer sends the state militia to Bham to keep peace between striking miners,strikebreakers,and the coal operators July 23rd 1936 The Iron and Steel Credit Union organized to serve employees at TCI's Ensley works. July 27th 1895 Birmingham physician Thomas Parke reports on the extremely unhealthy working conditions of convicts leased to the Coalburg mine