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Spend A Perfect Day On This Old Fashioned Paddle Boat Cruise In Alabama

Jennifer Young

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Alabama is no stranger when it comes to natural scenic beauty. Luckily, we’re able to experience this beautiful scenery in a variety of unique ways. One way in particular is by taking a cruise down one of Alabama’s most scenic rivers while aboard the Harriott II. For more information about the Harriott II, including why it should be experienced by everyone, take a look below.

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Have you ever taken a ride on the Harriott II? If so, please share your experience with us in the comments.

Another unique attraction in Montgomery is Old Alabama Town, which you can read all about here .

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Harriott II Riverboat

Come on down to the River and re-live history while enjoying a relaxing cruise on Montgomery's downtown attraction, the Harriott II. Docked beside the uniquely built Riverwalk Amphitheater, this elegant 19th-century riverboat is center stage of Montgomery's entertainment district and hosts public and private cruiseswtihgreat food, drinks, music, entertainment, and fun along the scenic Alabama River.

Getting There

• 255 Commerce Street
• Montgomery, AL 36104

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Sleep inn & suites, the woods rv resort, holiday inn express & suites, woodspring suites montgomery, doubletree by hilton montgomery--downtown, hillcrest manor bed & breakfast, key west inn south, homewood suites by hilton-eastchase, comfort inn & suites, baymont by wyndham montgomery south, upcoming events, 'poosa jeep fest, market day at old alabama town, beyond the horizon air & space show at maxwell afb, flimp festival 2024, u.s. canoe slalom & kayak cross olympic team trials, baskerville: a sherlock holmes mystery, 2023 statewide us 80 hi-way sale, montgomery whitewater | all forward festival & raft race, montgomery travel exhibit, zelda in the backyard (world premiere), where to eat, sa za serious italian food, jan's beach house grill, el rey burrito lounge, island delight caribbean restaurant at dexter, chris' famous hot dog, frutta bowls, lek's taste of thailand, find your alabama sweet spot.

Find the sweetest Alabama vacation spot perfectly suited just for you. Customize your next Alabama vacation by the type of experience you are looking for, then filter by the region of Alabama you want to visit. Don't know what your Alabama destination should be? Let our interactive location map be your guide. Now, where is your next Alabama Sweet Spot?

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NomadTreneur

Harriot II Riverboat (Montgomery) Travel Guide

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August 6, 2023

Amidst Montgomery’s rich tapestry of history and culture, the Harriott II Riverboat stands as a proud reminder of the city’s ties to the Alabama River.

Whether you’re a Montgomery native or a tourist eager to experience Southern hospitality at its finest, a cruise on the Harriott II is an experience you won’t want to miss. This guide delves into the magic of the Harriott II, offering insights and tips for a memorable voyage.

• Introduction to the Harriott II Riverboat

The Harriott II Riverboat, anchored at Montgomery’s Riverfront Park, is a majestic 19th-century riverboat replica. With its gleaming white facade, grand paddlewheel, and red accents, it’s a nostalgic throwback to the days when steamboats ruled the rivers.

• A Glimpse into History

While the Harriott II itself is a modern construction, Montgomery has a longstanding riverboat history. The original Harriott, for which Harriott II is named, operated in the 1820s, transporting cotton, goods, and passengers along the Alabama River. Today’s riverboat is a tribute to this storied past, ensuring that Montgomery’s riverboat legacy continues to thrive.

• Cruising Options

The Harriott II offers a range of cruising experiences tailored to different tastes:

a. Scenic Cruises: Perfect for those looking to relax and enjoy the Alabama River’s tranquil beauty. These cruises often come with insightful narrations about Montgomery’s history and its relationship with the river.

b. Dinner Cruises: A gourmet experience, these cruises feature a delicious spread of Southern dishes, live music, and dancing.

c. Themed Nights: From jazz nights to blues cruises, the Harriott II frequently hosts themed evenings, allowing guests to immerse themselves in rich musical traditions.

d. Private Charters: For special occasions, the riverboat can be privately chartered, offering a personalized experience for guests.

• Amenities Onboard

Spread over three levels, the Harriott II boasts a range of amenities:

a. The Saloon Deck: Featuring a full-service bar, concessions, and restrooms.

b. The Jubilee Deck: This is where you’ll find the dance floor, band stage, and another full-service bar.

c. The Patriot Deck: Perfect for taking in panoramic river views, it offers open-air seating and a bird’s-eye view of the paddlewheel in action.

• What to Expect Onboard

A cruise on the Harriott II is more than just a ride; it’s an experience. Guests can expect:

a. Engaging Entertainment: From live bands to DJs, there’s always something to keep guests entertained.

b. Delicious Southern Cuisine: Depending on the cruise, guests might enjoy a buffet dinner, snacks, or themed meals.

c. A Friendly Crew: Known for their Southern hospitality, the crew is always on hand to ensure guests have a memorable experience.

• Tips for Travelers

a. Reservations: Popular cruises, especially themed or dinner cruises, can fill up quickly. It’s advisable to book in advance.

b. Attire: While daytime cruises are generally casual, evening cruises, especially those with dinner and dancing, might have a dressier code.

c. Weather: Given the Patriot Deck’s open nature, it’s a good idea to check the weather forecast and dress accordingly.

• Nearby Attractions

The Harriott II docks at Riverfront Park, making it easy for guests to explore surrounding attractions:

a. Riverwalk: A scenic trail ideal for walking or jogging with picturesque views of the Alabama River.

b. Montgomery Biscuits Baseball: If you’re lucky, you might catch a game at the nearby Riverwalk Stadium.

c. Amphitheater: Located right in Riverfront Park, the amphitheater hosts a range of concerts, festivals, and events throughout the year.

• Reviews and Testimonials

Guests frequently highlight the Harriott II’s romantic ambiance, making it a popular choice for anniversaries and date nights. The combination of southern food, soulful music, and the gentle sway of the riverboat creates a magical experience cherished by many.

• Accessibility and Facilities

The Harriott II is equipped to accommodate guests with disabilities. However, it’s always a good idea to check in advance regarding specific needs.

Montgomery’s Harriott II Riverboat is more than just a mode of transportation; it’s a voyage through time. It’s an ode to the bygone era of grand riverboats, of sultry Southern nights filled with music, laughter, and the gentle murmur of the Alabama River. Whether you’re a history buff, a music enthusiast, or someone simply seeking a unique experience, the Harriott II promises a journey you’ll cherish long after you’ve disembarked.

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What is the Harriott II, riverboat involved in Montgomery riverfront brawl?

• Updated: Aug. 13, 2023, 1:54 p.m. |
• Published: Aug. 11, 2023, 5:00 a.m.

The Harriott II riverboat sits docked in Montgomery, Ala., on Tuesday, Aug. 8, 2023. A riverfront brawl occurred on Aug. 5 when a crew member was punched for trying to move a pontoon boat that was blocking the riverboat from docking. (AP Photo/Kim Chandler)

• Mary Colurso | [email protected]

The Harriott II riverboat has been in the news lately, figuring into the infamous riverfront brawl in Montgomery that happened on Saturday, Aug. 5, and quickly captured national attention via viral videos.

The videos showed a Black riverboat co-captain attacked by a group of white people as other Black people rushed to his defense. As of Friday morning, Aug. 12, four people had been charged with assault in connection to the large fight, and another was being sought for questioning in connection with the incident.

The melee was ignited, police said, when the Harriott II, which had been out on the Alabama River for a dinner cruise, was trying to dock in a spot that had been designated and reserved for the riverboat. A private pontoon boat was docked too close to the spot, and the captain used a public address system to try to find the pontoon’s occupants and get them to move it.

The Harriott’s co-captain, Damien Pickett, was taken by a smaller boat to the dock to try to address the situation. That’s when a confrontation ensued between Pickett and some of the pontoon boat occupants.

READ: Montgomery riverboat crew says they were attacked by drunk people yelling n word, records state

“The co-captain was doing his job,” Montgomery Police Chief Darryl Albert told CNN . “He was simply trying to move the boat in just enough to where the cruise ship could park safely in its identified location. However, it quickly escalated.”

Police responded to break up the fight, and 13 people were detained and questioned for several hours Saturday, officials said. Meanwhile, videos taken by bystanders during the brawl were posted on social media, causing a national sensation. An investigation is ongoing, police said.

READ: Montgomery Riverfront Park brawl: 2 defendants jailed on assault charges

The Harriott II, a familiar sight on the river, might have been taken for granted by folks in Montgomery in the past, but no longer. Recent comments on the Harriott’s Facebook page , both positive and negative, have mentioned the brawl, and the incident has significantly raised the riverboat’s profile.

So what is the Harriott II? What role does it serve on the city’s entertainment and tourism landscape? What services does it provide, and how much does it cost to ride? If you’re unfamiliar with the riverboat, here’s a primer.

The Harriott II riverboat sails down the Alabama River in March 2013 at Union Station Train Shed in Montgomery, Alabama. (AL.com file photo/Julie Bennett)

What is the Harriott II?

The Harriott II, a 19th-century riverboat, offers public and private cruises on the Alabama River. The riverboat is part of Montgomery’s entertainment district, and was part of a downtown revitalization effort in the city that revved up in 2008-2009.

Right now, Montgomery’s website for parks and recreation and special events touts the Harriott II as “center stage of Montgomery’s entertainment district.” The City of Montgomery website lauds the Harriott II as a prime attraction on its “vibrant riverfront,” and also points to “ballets, sports complexes, museums, civil rights memorials, city parks.”

The Harriott II arrived in Montgomery in October 2008 , after taking a 1,400-mile trip that took about 28 days from its origin in Savannah, Georgia. The Montgomery Riverfront Development Foundation paid about $500,000 for the riverboat as an entertainment and tourist attraction, according to a report by WFSA TV , an NBC affiliate in Montgomery. Reports at the time said the riverboat could hold up to 400 passengers.

The Harriott II is maintained and managed by the City of Montgomery/Riverfront Facilities, according to an online brochure with rental information.

Right now, the riverboat offers regularly scheduled cruises for the public on Fridays through Sundays through October. There’s a two-hour dinner cruise on Fridays at 6:30 p.m., a two-hour getaway cruise on Saturdays at 4:30 p.m. and a two-hour blues cruise on Sundays at 4:30 p.m. Food, drinks, and live entertainment are part of the cruises.

Tickets are $30-$55 for adults, $15-$35 for children. Packages for birthdays and anniversaries cost $49.95-$79.95, the riverboat’s website says. The agenda trims to Saturdays and Sundays in November. (See this online brochure for details.)

People board the Harriott II about a half-hour before departure, at 255 Commerce St. near Riverfront Park . Tickets can be bought online or at the box office at 213 Commerce St. At least 35 paying customers must be on board for a cruise, the brochure says. About 227 people were on the Harriott when the riverfront brawl happened on Aug. 5, according to CNN.

Charter rentals for the Harriott II range from $3,700 to $10,500, depending on the day, the cruise and the services provided. There’s also an educational cruise that lasts one hour and has a minimum of 75 passengers, with historic narration and a box lunch, that costs $22 per person.

The Harriott II has scheduled several specialty cruises this year, including a Halloween costume party cruise on Oct. 28; a murder mystery cruise on Nov. 19; holiday cruises Dec. 1-2, 8-9 and 15-16; and a New Year’s Eve cruise on Dec. 31.

Food entrees on the riverboat range from barbecue chicken to beef tips over rice to spaghetti and meatballs, according to the rental brochure, and grill area offers burgers, wings, nachos and other casual fare. Beer, wine, liquor and specialty drinks are available at the bar.

The Harriott II has a rating of 4 out of 5 on TripAdvisor , based on 82 reviews. It’s got 4.5 stars on Google, based on 300 reviews.

MORE ON THE RIVERFRONT BRAWL:

21-year-old woman is 4th person charged in Montgomery riverboat brawl

3 white men in pontoon boat charged in Montgomery brawl; Black man with chair sought for questioning

Johnson: Montgomery brawl defenders embody broader Black resolve, ‘Not today, y’all’

Man seen trying to stop Montgomery riverfront brawl: ‘I don’t really think this was a racism thing’

Montgomery riverfront brawl: ‘Justice will be served,’ mayor says as police obtain 4 warrants

Man claims he was on Montgomery riverboat, tells radio host: ‘Made me proud of Black people’

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Racial tensions linger in Montgomery after dock brawl

MONTGOMERY, Ala. — When he noticed their path was blocked, Steven Clayton Thomason, an entertainer aboard the Harriott II ferry, began a singalong among the more than 200 passengers: I need you to move that boat!

A pontoon boat was blocking the way of the commercial vessel trying to dock. Thomason, known as “Wildcat” among his friends, picked up his cellphone and started recording as the ferry’s co-captain argued with a White man about the obstructed path.

What unfolded next has made the rounds on social media and tested racial tensions in the historic town on the banks of the Alabama River: The co-captain, Damien Pickett, who is Black, was attacked by several White men, falling to the ground as he endured kicks and punches. Soon, the deck was flooded with people coming to his defense — ferry crew, passengers and passersby, most Black — turning the fight over a docking space into a brawl that fell largely along racial lines.

Thomason, 57, who has been performing as a singer on the ferry for more than a decade, said he shouted so long and hard that, days later, his voice is still hoarse.

What we know about the Montgomery Riverfront brawl

“Everybody was mad” about the attack on the co-captain, he said. “So the Blacks fight back. Now all of a sudden we’re heroes to the world. But what is Jim Crow really going to do?”

The response to the melee, which has captured headlines across the country, has become a litmus test for Montgomery, a blue city in a red state, the first capital of the Confederacy turned civil rights icon. The city, which is more than 60 percent Black, elected its first Black mayor in 2019, but still is wrestling with its past.

Montgomery has been trying to establish itself as a destination on the burgeoning civil rights tourism trail, touting its place in the history books. But that depends on tourists and local residents feeling safe downtown, officials acknowledge, which the brawl could make more difficult.

“If any place understands the progress that’s been made going back decades, it’s this city,” Mayor Steven Reed, a Democrat, said as he sat in city hall this week in front of the state flag, which features red bars in honor of the Confederacy.

Police have charged four people, all white , three men and a woman, with misdemeanor assault in connection with the fight. A Black man was also charged with disorderly conduct.

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But the fallout is continuing. Civil rights activists have held protests outside a mini mart in nearby Selma allegedly owned by one of the men charged.

“This whole thing has woken up a sleeping giant,” said Faya Rose Touré, a Black activist and lawyer who organized the event. Black people “are the ones who keep these White businesses open. If they don’t start supporting us, we won’t keep supporting them.” There will be more protests, she predicted.

The city’s history has helped shape the response to the fight, which took place on a dock once used as a port for the thousands of enslaved people who arrived in the city on steamboats. The port made Montgomery one of the busiest slave-trading centers in the nation, according to the Equal Justice Initiative, a nonprofit Montgomery-based law firm and advocacy group.

Montgomery also was the backdrop for several pivotal battles in the civil rights movement. Just blocks away from the dock is a museum focused on the scourge of lynching, a church where the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. once served as a pastor, and a former Greyhound bus station that has been converted into a museum about the civil rights-era Freedom Rides.

In Montgomery and the rest of the state, Reed said, racism is, “always just beneath the surface. It doesn’t take much for it to show itself.”

He called videos of the fight “disturbing” and “cringeworthy” but said the FBI didn’t find grounds for hate crime charges.

“From what we’ve seen from the history of our city — a place tied to both the pain and the progress of this nation — it seems to meet the moral definition of a crime fueled by hate, and this kind of violence cannot go unchecked,” Reed said.

“There’s been a major race-and-class divide in this city for a long time,” which his administration is trying to address through increased funding for public education, downtown development and opportunities for Black business owners, he said. These efforts are meant to address “not just the symbols, but the systems that perpetuate that,” he said.

The melee erupted late Saturday after the Harriott II waited more than 40 minutes for the smaller boat to move and Pickett, the co-captain, went ashore to address the problem. Passengers had enjoyed dancing and drinks aboard the 19th-century riverboat as part of Montgomery’s popular Riverfront Park but now were in limbo.

Ferry Captain Jim Kittrell, who is White, said that the White men involved in the fight had caused problems for the Harriott II before and that he believed the attack on Co-Captain Pickett was “ racially motivated. ”

Richard Roberts, 48; Allen Todd, 23; Mary Todd, 21, and Zachery Shipman, 25, all of the Selma, Ala., area, have been charged with third-degree misdemeanor assault. They did not respond to requests for comment. Their attorney, Darron Hendley, said in an email statement: “Commentary would be premature at this point.”

The mayor’s office released the defendants’ mug shots and said in a statement: “The four assailants who came from out of town to cause chaos and sow divisiveness. … If you violate the sanctity of our community and the safety of our citizens, then you will be brought to justice.”

Reggie Ray, 42, a Black man who wielded a folding chair during the brawl, was charged with disorderly conduct, police said. Ray could not immediately be reached for comment, and it is not clear whether he has an attorney.

From his office in a downtown high-rise, Thomason, the ferry entertainer, pointed down to Commerce Street, where enslaved people were once marched up from the river for sale, and at a statue of Rosa Parks on the corner where she began her historic bus protest. Up on the hill stood the gleaming state capitol.

He says he worries that city leaders will face pressure to bring charges against Black crew members and ferry passengers involved in the fight. He has been keeping tabs by phone on many of them, including 16-year-old Aeron Rudolph, who leaped into the water and swam to Pickett’s aid.

Progress is relative for people of color here, said Thomason, an Alabama native, and many local people who grew up during Jim Crow remain wary.

Anwar Price, a 42-year-old Black resident, tried to break up the brawl. He had been at the riverfront market at a back-to-school event with his 14-year-old daughter when the confrontation started.

It is understandable that many saw racist motives behind the incident, he said, but he said that he didn’t hear any racial slurs and that it appeared the White boaters truly thought they were in the right.

“I think in their mind, they were thinking, ‘Hey, we’re not doing anything wrong. We’re in a public space; y’all are just bothering us,’” he said.

Alabama has made great strides since he moved to the state to attend Alabama State University, a historically Black institution south of downtown Montgomery, he said.

“When I first moved to Alabama back in 2001, I was in a gas station and I was actually called [the n-word] to my face. I was like, ‘Whoa, did that really just happen?’” Price said. “I remember thinking, ‘I have to get the hell out of here,’ but this city has changed a lot since then.”

The brawl and its fallout could reopen wounds from the city’s racist past that were just starting to heal, he said. “When the dust settles, as a city, as a community, as a people, we need to sit down and really look into it, what happened,” Price said.

Leslie Mawhorter, of Calera, Ala., about 55 miles northwest of the capital, was on the ferry celebrating a friend’s birthday when she picked up her phone to record the confrontation .

The White man who confronted Pickett, “had this air about him that he was there first and he wasn’t going to move,” said Mawhorther, who is White. The ferry was too far from the dock for her to hear their exchange, she said, but it didn’t appear that race was the primary cause. “Every state, every population has their classless people with no manners,” she said. “Unfortunately, the world got to see who those people were in Alabama.”

As she left the ferry, Mawhorter saw a woman whom she recognized as having participated in the fight, and said, ‘This is all your fault. You should’ve moved the boat when you were asked and none of this would’ve happened.’” The woman smirked, she said.

The brawl has been the subject of countless memes and online commentaries over the past week. And a few laughs. On Tuesday, at the Statesman bar’s weekly amateur comedy night, all of the acts — Black and White — roasted the city for the confrontation. Brandon Stinson, who tends bar at the after-hours spot, said his mother phoned to compare viral brawl memes.

Stinson said the fracas is embarrassing for Montgomery and worries that it will perpetuate racist stereotypes.

“People in the surrounding cities, they view Montgomery as this lawless city,” said Stinson, who lives in the nearby suburb of Prattville.

On Friday evening, as dark storm clouds loomed, more than 200 passengers boarded the Harriott II for the first time since the fight. Law enforcement officers, including the police chief, patrolled the area, along with SWAT officers in tactical gear. Crew members, including Pickett, who was attacked by the White men, and Rudolph, the teenager who had swum to shore to help — and has been dubbed “Black Aquaman” on social media — posed for photos.

“Everybody raise your glass to peace and prosperity — and to the co-captain,” Thomason said, and they did. Then Pickett, at Thomason’s urging, raised his cap as he had done during the brawl.

After about two hours, the ferry returned to the dock — this time without interruption. “We restored our peace. We got our boat back today,” Thomason said.

Felton and Hatzipanagos reported from Washington. Timothy Bella contributed to this report.

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• How oral storytelling helped a blind man see the Montgomery brawl August 12, 2023 How oral storytelling helped a blind man see the Montgomery brawl August 12, 2023
• Racial tensions linger in Montgomery after dock brawl August 12, 2023 Racial tensions linger in Montgomery after dock brawl August 12, 2023

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The riverfront brawl in Alabama reignites national debate over race

Dustin Jones

The Harriott II riverboat sits at the Riverfront dock in Montgomery, Ala. Three white men have been charged with assault for attacking the ship's co-captain last Saturday, which turned into a brawl along racial lines, as seen in dozens of videos online. Kim Chandler/AP hide caption

The Harriott II riverboat sits at the Riverfront dock in Montgomery, Ala. Three white men have been charged with assault for attacking the ship's co-captain last Saturday, which turned into a brawl along racial lines, as seen in dozens of videos online.

Warning: This story contains profanity and a racial slur.

Police in Montgomery, Ala., say that they have not found evidence that last weekend's riverfront brawl — in which a large number of people squared off against each along racial lines — rises to the level of a hate crime.

However, a week later, people who have seen videos of the fight, including experts, pundits and social media users, remain divided: Some are saying race had nothing to do with the incident, while others say the footage clearly shows how groups divided by race.

What's certain is that the incident has reignited conversations about race across the U.S.

I've spent my career explaining race, but hit a wall with Montgomery brawl memes

What montgomery officials are saying.

Montgomery Police Chief Darryl Albert told reporters at a press conference on Tuesday that the brawl doesn't meet the criteria for hate crime charges under federal law. He said that he also understands why people are raising the issue of race.

"That's why this department went above and beyond and looked under every stone for answers," Albert said, adding that the charges that were brought accurately reflect the evidence available at the time. Investigations are ongoing.

Steven L. Reed, Montgomery's first Black mayor , has promised to hold the people responsible for fight accountable. He says he has two different perspectives on the incident, one as a public servant and one as Black man.

Montgomery Mayor Steven Reed (seen here on Aug. 8 speaking to the press with Montgomery Police Chief Darryl Albert in the background) says the people responsible for the fight will be held accountable. Julie Bennett/Getty Images hide caption

Montgomery Mayor Steven Reed (seen here on Aug. 8 speaking to the press with Montgomery Police Chief Darryl Albert in the background) says the people responsible for the fight will be held accountable.

"At this point in the investigation, the FBI has not classified these attacks as a hate crime. As a former judge and as an elected official, I understand that and will trust this process and the integrity of our justice system," Reed said in a statement to NPR on Thursday.

"However, my perspective as a Black man in Montgomery differs from my perspective as mayor. From what we've seen from the history of our city — a place tied to both the pain and the progress of this nation – it seems to meet the moral definition, and this kind of violence cannot go unchecked."

He also says that as more information becomes available, his office will work with the U.S. Justice Department to "thoroughly vet whether new evidence reclassifies the incident as a hate crime per FBI protocol."

How the brawl unfolded

Dozens of videos of the incident last Saturday began surfacing earlier this week, including one from Alabama political reporter Josh Moon, who shared a video of the fight on X, the social media platform formerly known as Twitter. It shows that the incident at Montgomery's Riverfront Park appears to have started after a group of people docked their pontoon boat in a space reserved for the city's riverboat, the Harriott II.

A screenshot from one of the videos of the brawl in Montgomery, Ala., on Saturday. The video shows a fight that broke out between a boat co-captain and several men who appeared to be parking their pontoon boat in a space reserved for the city's riverboat. @Josh_Moon/Screenshot by NPR hide caption

A screenshot from one of the videos of the brawl in Montgomery, Ala., on Saturday. The video shows a fight that broke out between a boat co-captain and several men who appeared to be parking their pontoon boat in a space reserved for the city's riverboat.

After 45 or so minutes of announcements over a loudspeaker asking for the pontoon boat to be moved, the Black co-captain of the Harriott II, named as Dameion Pickett in court documents, and a white 16-year-old deckhand, who NPR isn't naming because he's a minor, went ashore to move the craft so the riverboat could dock, said Albert, the police chief.

Pickett, 43, was confronted by several men from the pontoon boat, and heated conversation escalated to a fight. Video appears to show Richard Roberts, 48, striking Pickett first. Allen Todd and Zachery Shipman joined the fight, punching and kicking Pickett.

Another Harriott II crew member, Crystal Warren, witnessed the incident from aboard the riverboat. Her son is the 16-year-old deckhand, who was allegedly assaulted by people associated with the pontoon boat . She said in a sworn statement to police that she heard one of the men yell, "F*** that n*****" as Pickett was trying to move the vessel.

3 men are being charged with assault for the waterfront brawl in Montgomery

Warren also said that one of the men fighting Harriot II crew members was heard saying he was "getting his gun." She said a riverboat employee tackled the man as he appeared to try and get the weapon.

As of Friday, Roberts has been charged with two counts of 3rd degree assault, while Todd, 23 , and Shipman , 25, each face one count of 3rd degree assault. They are scheduled to be arraigned on these misdemeanor charges on Sept. 1. (A fourth person, Mary Todd, 21, has also been charged with one count of 3rd degree assault.)

NPR attempted to reach the defendants for comment, but those efforts were unsuccessful.

Why conversations about race are hard for officials

It's not surprising that authorities have been reluctant to discuss race, says Christina Ferraz , a public relations consultant who specializes in reaching communities of color.

Public officials can be risk-averse on the topic because of its general divisiveness in today's "culture wars," says Ferraz .

A dancer's killing — over voguing — highlights the dangers Black LGBTQ Americans face

"As this conflict may be identified as racially motivated, but not yet been charged as a hate crime, it can be considered slander and defamation of character for a public official to make a statement on the conflict without anyone being charged," Ferraz tells NPR. "Public officials can be sued and this can negatively impact their brand reputation with donors and constituents."

NPR reached out to the Montgomery Police Department for further comment, but did not receive a response.

One historian says the question of race is clear

Formal hate crime charges haven't been made, but observers like Derryn Moten , a professor of American history at Alabama State University, are blunt when describing Saturday's attack: "I completely reject the idea that race had no part or played no part in that incident."

To those who disagree, he says, "That's not what my eyes saw, that's not how my brain understood what I was looking at."

Moten, who also serves as chair of the university's Department of History and Political Science, says the fight took place in the area where enslaved people were brought in by boat on the Alabama River — and mere blocks from warehouses where they were held before being sold at auction.

Media outlets and pundits have been discussing these ties between Montgomery's racial history and the brawl. But Moten says what happened in Montgomery isn't exclusive to the South; it's a national problem.

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"The incident that happened in Montgomery is not unique to Montgomery," he says. "I don't want, or would not want, anybody to think, 'Oh, these are the types of things that just happen in the South.' No. Sadly, they can happen anywhere in the United States."

He says that race is a factor in many of the issues that currently divide the country, including critical race theory, what some politicians and conservative activists refer to as "cancel culture" and "wokeness," police use of deadly force, and how American history is taught.

When Republicans Attack 'Cancel Culture,' What Does It Mean?

"The time period that we're experiencing socially and politically in our country is really interesting in that there seems to be an effort among some, for lack of a better word, to sanitize American history, particularly American history as it relates to enslavement, as it relates to immigration, as it relates to the forced migration of Native people," Moten says. "And all of this done in an effort to paint the United States as exceptional. And I think any honest person who reads American history would find it impossible to accept that notion."

Despite the painful racial fault lines of the U.S. today, Moten says he remains optimistic that things will get better with time, and that "good ultimately will triumph."

"I'm a student of history, so I have a lot of evidence to back that up," he says, citing the reunification of Germany, the end of apartheid in South Africa and, closer to home, the success of the Montgomery bus boycott .

"I think one of the difficult things for a lot of people to accept is that we have to work constantly at making sure that equal protection means equal protection for all. That equal rights means equal rights for all. And that we can't rest on our laurels."

Correction Aug. 12, 2023

An earlier photo caption incorrectly referred to a dock worker instead of a boat co-captain.

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Riverfront brawl brings unwelcome attention to historic civil rights city in Alabama

Police in Montgomery, Alabama, said three people are expected to be in custody Tuesday on charges including misdemeanor assault in connection with a riverfront brawl that drew nationwide attention. (Aug. 8)

Montgomery Mayor Steven Reed speaks a news conference at City Hall in Montgomery, Ala., on Tuesday August 8, 2023, to discuss a riverfront brawl. Listening at right is Police Chief Darryl Albert. Video circulating on social media showed a large melee Saturday, Aug. 5, that appeared to begin when a crew member of a city-operated riverboat tried to get a pontoon boat moved that was blocking the riverboat from docking.(Mickey Welsh/The Montgomery Advertiser via AP)

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Montgomery Mayor Steven Reed, left, listens as Police Chief Darryl Albert speaks a news conference at City Hall in Montgomery, Ala., on Tuesday, Aug. 8, 2023, to discuss a riverfront brawl. Video circulating on social media showed a large melee Saturday, Aug. 5, that appeared to begin when a crew member of a city-operated riverboat tried to get a pontoon boat moved that was blocking the riverboat from docking.(Mickey Welsh/The Montgomery Advertiser via AP)

The Harriott II riverboat sits docked in Montgomery, Ala., on Tuesday, Aug. 8, 2023. A riverfront brawl occurred on Aug. 5 when a crew member was punched for trying to move a pontoon boat that was blocking the riverboat from docking. (AP Photo/Kim Chandler)

MONTGOMERY, Ala. (AP) — Three white boaters in Alabama’s capital city will be charged with misdemeanor assault for a riverfront brawl with a Black boat captain that drew nationwide attention, with more charges likely to come, police said.

Videos of the incident, which circulated widely on social media, have proven crucial in investigating what happened, Montgomery Police Chief Darryl Albert said. One person has turned himself in and the other two have agreed to turn themselves in by the end of the day Tuesday.

“The investigation is ongoing and more charges are likely,” Albert said.

The fight was largely split along racial lines and began when a moored pontoon boat blocked the Harriott II riverboat from docking in its designated space along the city’s riverfront, Albert said. The Harriott II had 227 passengers aboard for a tour.

The viral video of white boaters assaulting a Black riverboat captain and the following melee brought unwelcome attention to the historic city — which is known across the country for the Montgomery bus boycott in the 1950s and voting rights marches in the 1960s. The city in recent decades has tried to move beyond its reputation as a site of racial tension and to build a tourism trade instead based on its critical role in the Civil Rights Movement.

“I don’t think you can judge any community by any one incident. This is not indicative of who we are,” Mayor Steven Reed said Tuesday. He noted that the people on the pontoon boat were not from Montgomery. “It’s important for us to address this as an isolated incident, one that was avoidable and one that was brought on by individuals who chose the wrong path of action,” Reed said.

Before the fight began, the riverboat captain tried to contact the pontoon boat owner by loudspeaker. People on the other boat responded with “obscene gestures, curse words and taunting,” the police chief said. The riverboat co-captain took another vessel to shore to attempt to move the pontoon boat and “was attacked by several members of the private boat.” Albert said several people from the riverboat came to the co-captain’s defense, “engaging in what we all have seen since on social media.”

Video captured by bystanders showed that once the Harriott II docked, several people from the riverboat rushed to confront the people on the pontoon boat and more fighting broke out. The video showed people being shoved, punched and kicked, and one man hitting someone with a chair. At least one person was knocked into the water.

“The co-captain was doing his job. He was simply trying to move the boat just enough so the cruise ship could park safely, but it quickly escalated,” Albert said.

The police chief said so far the charges are against people from the pontoon boat who assaulted the co-captain and a 16-year-old who got involved. Police are trying to locate and question the man with the chair.

The fight took place along Montgomery’s downtown riverfront in an area where slaveowners once unloaded people from steam boats to be sold at auction.

Now, the city has developed the area into a tourist and recreation place with restaurants, bars and hotels. The Harriott II take tourists on sightseeing trips with food and entertainment, along the Alabama River.

The brawl sparked dozens of internet memes and videos with some joking that the chair should be placed in a local museum.

Albert said while some made racial taunts, the police department does not believe the motivation behind the fight rises to the standard of a hate crime. Alcohol is believed to be an escalating factor, he said.

Christa Owen of Clanton was aboard the riverboat with her husband and their daughter for a dinner cruise to celebrate the daughter’s 12th birthday. She said the riverboat captain said on loudspeaker: “Black pontoon boat, move your boat,” and that passengers also yelled for the boat to move so they could dock.

“They shrugged their shoulders,” Owen said. She said the crew member, identified by police as the co-captain of the riverboat, got off to move the pontoon boat a few feet. Owen said the tension was obvious and mounting before punches were thrown. She said passengers felt helpless as they watched the co-captain get pummeled by several people on shore.

Owen, a stay-at-home mom, filmed the confrontation as it began on the dock. She said as a “mother of many” she knows the importance of being able to document how a conflict started. Once the boat was able to dock, she said her family had to figure out how to get off the boat safely with the fighting going on around them.

“It didn’t have to escalate to that,” she said.

Harriot II Riverboat

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