My son and I are traveling to Walker County AL (near Birmingham) to do some genealogy work as part of a road trip from Texas. Any sights or restaurant suggestions in that part of Alabama would be much appreciated.

My friends from Jasper (in Walker Cty) usually drive to either Tuscaloosa or B'ham when they eat out at anything other than fast food. There was a thread earlier this week with good suggestions for B'ham; the only others I can add would be the Bright Star in Bessemer and a BBQ place in T'loosa whose name escapes me...Dreamland, maybe...

Yes, that would be Dreamland BBQ in Tuscaloosa.

There is a Dreamland in Birmingham also. Great ribs.

Go by and see Vulcan or the Birmingham Zoo. lots of fun

Here are some restaurant suggestions -
http://www.fodors.com/forums/threads...1&tid=35144901

And a Birmingham trip report -
http://www.fodors.com/forums/threads...1&tid=35103562

Go over to Montgomery and visit the Civil Rights memorial at the Southern Poverty Law Center. Wihout a doubt it is one of the most moving and effective memorials I have ever seen. It was designed by Maya Lin.
http://www.splcenter.org/crm/memorial.jsp

I realize that Arcadia77 has probably already made her trip to B'ham, but since others are posting links, I'll add mine. Maybe someone will benefit from it. It's of 5 Points South in B'ham:
http://tinyurl.com/4pg5dz