Birmingham City Commission: Difference between revisions

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In [[1911]] [[Birmingham]] moved from a Mayor-[[Birmingham Aldermen|Aldermen]] system to a three-member City Commission. The Commission system was adopted at the time that [[Greater Birmingham]] was annexed into the City with the idea that the government should be run less like a small town and more like a business enterprise. Presidents of the Commission, beginning with [[Culpepper Exum]], who inherited the role as the sitting Mayor, are listed at [[Mayor of Birmingham]]. This listing includes the full commission for the years 1911 to 1963, when the present [[Mayor-Council Act]] was passed, providing for a nine-member [[Birmingham City Council|City Council]].
[[File:Birmingham City Commission.jpg|right|thumb|450px|The Birmingham City Commission, c. 1950–1953 {{BPL permission caption|https://cdm16044.contentdm.oclc.org/digital/collection/p4017coll6/id/2410}}]]
The '''Birmingham City Commission''' (or '''Birmingham Board of Commissioners''') was the form of Birmingham's government from [[1911]] to [[1963]]. The city moved from a Mayor-[[Birmingham Aldermen|Aldermen]] system to a three-member commission at the time that [[Greater Birmingham]] was annexed into the City. The idea was that the municipal government should be run less like a small town and more like a business enterprise. The proposal was overwhelmingly favored by voters in a [[1910 Birmingham mayoral election|1910 referendum]], and was initiated by a new [[1911 Birmingham City Commission election|City Commission election]] in [[1911]]


* [[1911]]-[[1913]]: [[Culpepper Exum]], president, [[A. O. Lane]], [[James Weatherly]]
The first commission was appointed by [[Governor of Alabama|Governor]] [[B. B. Comer]]. [[Culpepper Exum]], who had just been elected [[Mayor of Birmingham|Mayor]] under the former system, was appointed president, a position that functioned as Mayor for all intents and purposes, with the term often used interchangeably with Commission President. Like previous administrations, the commissioners were to serve two-year terms, with the first election to be held in [[1913 Birmingham municipal election|1913]]. Beginning in [[1917]] the term was extended to four years to provide for more continuity. Between [[1915]] and [[1923]] the board was expanded to five commissioners.
* [[1913]]-[[1915]]: [[George Ward]], president, [[A. O. Lane]], [[James Weatherly]]
 
* [[1915]]-[[1917]]: [[George Ward]], president, [[Arlie Barber]], [[J. R. Hornady]], [[J. D. Truss]], [[James Weatherly]]
This listing includes the full commission for the years 1911 to 1963, when residents voted to adopt the  [[Mayor-Council Act of 1955]] as Birmingham's form of government, providing for a Mayor and nine-member [[Birmingham City Council|City Council]] to be elected at-large.
* [[1917]]- [[November 7]], [[1921]]: [[Nathaniel A. Barrett]], president, [[J. Ellis Brown]], [[Henry Page Burrus]], [[J. R. Hornady]], [[John H. Taylor]]
 
* November 7, 1921 -[[1925]]: [[D. E. McLendon]], president, [[W. B. Cloe]], [[W. E. Dickson]], [[Mary Echols]], [[William E. Harrison]]
==Commissions==
* 1925-[[1929]]: [[James M. Jones, Jr]], president, [[W. E. Dickson]], [[John H. Taylor]]
 
* 1929-[[1933]]: [[James M. Jones, Jr]], president, [[W. E. Dickson]], [[John H. Taylor]]
===1911-1913===
* 1933-[[1937]]: [[James M. Jones, Jr]], president, [[W. O. Downs]], [[Lewey Robinson]]
* [[Culpepper Exum]], Commission President
* 1937-[[1941]]: [[James M. Jones, Jr]], president (unexpired term filled by [[Cooper Green]] at his death), [[Bull Connor]], [[James W. Morgan]]
* [[A. O. Lane]],
* 1941-[[1945]]: [[Cooper Green]], president, [[Bull Connor]], [[James W. Morgan]]
* [[James Weatherly]]
* 1945-[[1953]]: [[Cooper Green]], president, [[Bull Connor]], [[James W. Morgan]]
<gallery>
* 1953-[[1957]]: [[James W. Morgan]], president, [[Wade Bradley]] (unexpired term filled by [[Jabo Waggoner]] at his resignation)
Image:Culpepper Exum.png|[[Culpepper Exum]]
* 1957-[[1961]]: [[James W. Morgan]], president, [[Bull Connor]], [[Jabo Waggoner]]
Image:A O Lane.jpg|[[A. O. Lane]]
* 1961-[[1963]]: [[Art Hanes]], president, [[Bull Connor]], [[Jabo Waggoner]]
Image:James Weatherly.jpg|[[James Weatherly]]
</gallery>
 
===1913-1915===
* [[George Ward]], Commission President
* [[A. O. Lane]]
* [[James Weatherly]]
<gallery>
Image:George Ward 1920.jpg|[[George Ward]]
Image:A O Lane.jpg|[[A. O. Lane]]
Image:James Weatherly.jpg|[[James Weatherly]]
</gallery>
 
===1915-1917===
Associate commissioners added, increasing size of board to five
* [[George Ward]], Commission President
* [[Arlie Barber]], Commissioner of Public Safety
* [[John Hornady]], Commissioner of Health and Education
* [[James D. Truss]], Commissioner of Public Improvements
* [[James Weatherly]], Commissioner of Public Property and Utilities
<gallery>
Image:George Ward 1920.jpg|[[George Ward]]
Image:John Hornady.png|[[John Hornady]]
Image:James Weatherly.jpg|[[James Weatherly]]
</gallery>
 
===1917-1921===
The commission's term was extended to four years ([[November 6]], [[1917]]-[[November 7]], [[1921]])
* [[Nathaniel A. Barrett]], Commission President
* [[Ellis Brown|John Ellis Brown]], Commissioner of Public Utilities
* [[Henry Burrus]], Commissioner of Public Improvements
* [[John Hornady]], vice president, Commissioner of Health and Education
* [[John H. Taylor]], Commissioner of Public Safety
 
The new board of commissioners was sworn in at a joint meeting with the former board, with both the outgoing and incoming members giving short speeches.
<gallery>
Image:Nathaniel Barrett.jpg|[[Nathaniel Barrett]]
Image:John Hornady.png|[[John Hornady]]
File:John Taylor.jpg|[[John Taylor]]
</gallery>
 
===1921-1925===
Served November 7, 1921&ndash;[[1925]]. Associate commissioners dismissed after law passed on [[August 15]], [[1923]].
* [[David McLendon]], Commission President
* [[William Cloe]], Commissioner of Public Safety
* [[William Dickson]], Commissioner of Public Improvements
* [[Mary Echols]], Associate Commissioner of Health and Education
* [[William Harrison]], Associate Commissioner of Public Utilities
<gallery>
Image:David McLendon.jpg|[[David McLendon]]
Image:Mary Echols.png|[[Mary Echols]]
</gallery>
 
===1925-1929===
* [[Jimmie Jones]], Commission President
* [[John H. Taylor]], Commissioner of Public Safety
* [[William Dickson]], Commissioner of Public Improvements
<gallery>
Image:Jimmie Jones.jpg|[[Jimmie Jones]]
File:John Taylor.jpg|[[John Taylor]]
</gallery>
 
===1929-1933===
* [[Jimmie Jones]], Commission President
* [[William Dickson]]
* [[John H. Taylor]]
<gallery>
Image:Jimmie Jones.jpg|[[Jimmie Jones]]
File:John Taylor.jpg|[[John Taylor]]
</gallery>
 
===1933-1937===
* [[Jimmie Jones]], Commission President, Commissioner of Finance and General Administration
* [[Lewey Robinson]], Commissioner of Public Improvements
* [[William Downs|William O. Downs]], Commissioner of Public Safety, Health and Education
<gallery>
Image:Jimmie Jones.jpg|[[Jimmie Jones]]
</gallery>
 
===1937-1941===
* [[Jimmie Jones]], Commission President (unexpired term filled by [[Cooper Green]] at his death in [[1940]])
* [[Bull Connor]], Commissioner of Public Safety
* [[Jimmy Morgan]], Commissioner of Public Improvements
<gallery>
Image:Jimmie Jones.jpg|[[Jimmie Jones]]
Image:Bull Connor 1937.jpg|[[Bull Connor]]
Image:Jimmy Morgan.jpg|[[Jimmy Morgan]]
</gallery>
 
===1941-1945===
* [[Cooper Green]], Commission President
* [[Bull Connor]], Commissioner of Public Safety
* [[Jimmy Morgan]], Commissioner of Public Improvements
<gallery>
Image:Cooper Green.jpg|[[Cooper Green]]
Image:Bull Connor 1937.jpg|[[Bull Connor]]
Image:Jimmy Morgan.jpg|[[Jimmy Morgan]]
</gallery>
 
===1945-1949===
* [[Cooper Green]], Commission President
* [[Bull Connor]], Commissioner of Public Safety
* [[Jimmy Morgan]], Commissioner of Public Improvements
<gallery>
Image:Cooper Green.jpg|[[Cooper Green]]
Image:Bull Connor 1937.jpg|[[Bull Connor]]
Image:Jimmy Morgan.jpg|[[Jimmy Morgan]]
</gallery>
 
 
===1949-1953===
* [[Cooper Green]], Commission President
* [[Bull Connor]], Commissioner of Public Safety
* [[Jimmy Morgan]], Commissioner of Public Improvements
<gallery>
Image:Cooper Green.jpg|[[Cooper Green]]
Image:Bull Connor 1937.jpg|[[Bull Connor]]
Image:Jimmy Morgan.jpg|[[Jimmy Morgan]]
</gallery>
 
===1953-1957===
* [[Jimmy Morgan]], Commission President
* [[Robert Lindbergh]], Commissioner of Public Safety
* [[Wade Bradley]], Commissioner of Public Improvements (resigned in [[1956]], term completed by [[J. T. Waggoner Sr]])
<gallery>
Image:Jimmy Morgan.jpg|[[Jimmy Morgan]]
Image:Bull Connor portrait.jpg|[[Bull Connor]]
File:J T Waggoner.jpg|[[J. T. Waggoner]]
</gallery>
 
===1957-1961===
* [[Jimmy Morgan]], Commission President
* [[Bull Connor]], Commissioner of Public Safety
* [[J. T. Waggoner Sr]], Commissioner of Public Improvements
<gallery>
Image:1961 Bham City Commission.jpg|1961 City Commission (L-R: Waggoner, Morgan, Connor)
Image:Jimmy Morgan.jpg|[[Jimmy Morgan]]
Image:Bull Connor portrait.jpg|[[Bull Connor]]
File:J T Waggoner.jpg|[[J. T. Waggoner]]
</gallery>
 
===1961-1963===
* [[Art Hanes]], Commission President
* [[Bull Connor]], Commissioner of Public Safety
* [[J. T. Waggoner Sr]], Commissioner of Public Improvements
<gallery>
Image:1962 Bham City Commission.jpg|1961 City Commission (L-R: Connor, Waggoner, Hanes)
Image:Art Hanes 1963.jpg|[[Art Hanes]]
Image:Bull Connor portrait.jpg|[[Bull Connor]]
File:J T Waggoner.jpg|[[J. T. Waggoner]]
</gallery>


==References==
==References==
* Norton, Bertha Bendall. (1970) ''Birmingham's First Magic Century: Were You There?.'' Birmingham: Lakeshore Press. p. 14-16
* "Culpepper Exum, Birmingham's First Commission Mayor" (October 23, 1910) ''The Atlanta Constitution''
* "[http://hdl.handle.net/2027/uc1.$b22905 An Act of the Legislature of Alabama Creating a Commission Form of Government with Five Commissioners Under Which the City of Birmingham is Now Organized]" (September 25, 1915) - via the University of California
* Vick, Mary-Helen (1965) ''A Survey of the Governing Body of Birmingham, Alabama, 1910-1964''. Master's thesis. Alabama College
* {{Norton-1970}}


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[[Category:Birmingham City Commission]]
[[Category:Birmingham City Commission]]
[[Category:1911 establishments]]
[[Category:1963 disestablishments]]

Latest revision as of 13:11, 14 January 2024

The Birmingham City Commission, c. 1950–1953 courtesy BPL Archives

The Birmingham City Commission (or Birmingham Board of Commissioners) was the form of Birmingham's government from 1911 to 1963. The city moved from a Mayor-Aldermen system to a three-member commission at the time that Greater Birmingham was annexed into the City. The idea was that the municipal government should be run less like a small town and more like a business enterprise. The proposal was overwhelmingly favored by voters in a 1910 referendum, and was initiated by a new City Commission election in 1911

The first commission was appointed by Governor B. B. Comer. Culpepper Exum, who had just been elected Mayor under the former system, was appointed president, a position that functioned as Mayor for all intents and purposes, with the term often used interchangeably with Commission President. Like previous administrations, the commissioners were to serve two-year terms, with the first election to be held in 1913. Beginning in 1917 the term was extended to four years to provide for more continuity. Between 1915 and 1923 the board was expanded to five commissioners.

This listing includes the full commission for the years 1911 to 1963, when residents voted to adopt the Mayor-Council Act of 1955 as Birmingham's form of government, providing for a Mayor and nine-member City Council to be elected at-large.

Commissions

1911-1913

1913-1915

1915-1917

Associate commissioners added, increasing size of board to five

1917-1921

The commission's term was extended to four years (November 6, 1917-November 7, 1921)

The new board of commissioners was sworn in at a joint meeting with the former board, with both the outgoing and incoming members giving short speeches.

1921-1925

Served November 7, 1921–1925. Associate commissioners dismissed after law passed on August 15, 1923.

1925-1929

1929-1933

1933-1937

1937-1941

1941-1945

1945-1949


1949-1953

1953-1957

1957-1961

1961-1963

References


Preceded by:
Birmingham Board of Aldermen 		Legislative Body for the City of Birmingham
1911 - 1963 		Succeeded by:
Birmingham City Council
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