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==Events== | ==Events== | ||
* [[Birmingham | * [[January 6]]: The [[Red Gap Branch]] of the [[Birmingham Mineral Railroad]] between [[Hedona]] and [[Irondale]] was abandoned. | ||
* [[March 4]]: "Confederate Flag Day" was recognized by the [[Alabama State Legislature]]. | |||
* [[April 18]]: The [[1953 Siluria tornado]] killed eight people and caused damage to the [[Buck Creek Mill]]. | |||
* [[April 19]]: The [[Birmingham Transit Company]]'s last streetcar trip was completed on the [[No. 27 Ensley No. 38 South East Lake streetcar line]]. | |||
* [[Birmingham Transit Company]] sold its remaining fleet of nearly-new streetcars to the Toronto Transit Commission and replaced all lines with buses. | |||
* [[September 17]]: Actress Gloria Swanson made special appearances at the downtown [[Loveman's]] store. | |||
* September 17: The [[Crestwood Civic Club]] was organized. | |||
* [[October 5]]-[[October 10|10]]: The [[1953 Alabama State Fair]] was held. | |||
* The [[Birmingham Festival of Arts]] was held as a "[[Festival of the Seven Arts]]". | |||
* The first of the [[Coleman Lakes]] opened to public use. | |||
* The [[Crestwood Civic Club]] was founded. | |||
* [[Fountain Heights Methodist Church]] purchased the former [[Weather Forecast Office Birmingham]] on [[13th Street North]]. | * [[Fountain Heights Methodist Church]] purchased the former [[Weather Forecast Office Birmingham]] on [[13th Street North]]. | ||
* [[ | * [[Richard Howard]] donated his collection of Japanese prints to the [[Birmingham Museum of Art]]. | ||
* [[ | * "[[Birmingham Bop]]" swept across the city's dance floors. | ||
* [[Mel Torme]] performed at the [[Lotus Supper Club]]. | |||
==Business== | |||
[[File:Woodward No 3 tipple postcard.jpg|right|thumb|375px|Woodward Mine No. 3 closed in 1953]] | |||
* January: The Federal Communications Commission granted [[WAFM-TV]] a permit to increase its transmitter power for around-the-clock broadcasting. | |||
* [[Alagasco|Alabama Gas Corporation]] was spun off from [[Southern Natural|Southern Natural Gas Company]]. | |||
* Storer Broadcasting of Toledo, Ohio purchased [[WBRC 6|WBRC-TV]] for $2.3 million and switched it from Channel 4 to Channel 6. | * Storer Broadcasting of Toledo, Ohio purchased [[WBRC 6|WBRC-TV]] for $2.3 million and switched it from Channel 4 to Channel 6. | ||
* The [[Birmingham News|Birmingham News Company]] purchased [[WVTM|WAFM-TV]], [[WAPI-AM]] and [[WAPI-FM]] and moved their studios to [[Red Mountain]]. | * The [[Birmingham News|Birmingham News Company]] purchased [[WVTM|WAFM-TV]], [[WAPI-AM]] and [[WAPI-FM]] and moved their studios to [[Red Mountain]]. | ||
* [[Wright Dairy|Riverbend Farm]] in [[Ragland]] ceased bottling and distribution of its dairy products. | |||
* [[Marino's]] grocery moved to its present location on [[Avenue E Ensley]]. | |||
* Development of the [[Shoppes of Crestwood|Crestwood Shopping Center]] was first announced, but delayed due to opposition. | |||
* [[Brown-Service Funeral Homes]] was merged into [[Ridout's Brown Service]]. | |||
* The [[Vulcan Motor Lodge]] was purchased by [[Mac McGrady]] and renamed the [[Vulcan Motor Lodge|St Francis Hotel Courts]]. | |||
* [[Woodward Iron Company]] closed its [[Woodward Mine No. 3|Mine No. 3]], the last iron ore mine on [[Red Mountain]]. | |||
* [[Woodward Iron Company]] closed its coal mine shafts at [[Muscoda]] (but continued to extract coal from the area accessed by the [[Pyne Mine]] hoist shaft. | |||
* The [[Empire Mine]] in [[Walker County]] was converted into a surface mine. | |||
* [[Mrs Todd's Cafeteria]] moved to the new [[Town House]] motor hotel. | |||
* [[Roy Welch]] bought half of [[Joe Gunther]]'s wrestling promotion. | |||
* The weekly 15-minute [[Mr. Twister Time]] debuted on [[WBRC 6]]. | |||
===Establishments=== | |||
* [[Bert Bank]] founded the [[Alabama Football Network]]. | |||
* The [[Dixie Cycle & Toy Co.]] opened in the [[W. S. Brown Mercantile Building]]. | |||
* [[Floyd & Beasley Transfer]] was incorporated. | |||
* [[Robert Luckie Jr]] founded [[Luckie & Co.]] | |||
* [[Mayfield Cleaners]], operating since [[1946]], was incorporated. | |||
* [[Michael Matsos]] opened a second location of [[La Paree]] restaurant in the [[Holiday Inn]] on [[Bessemer Super Highway]]. | |||
* [[Jimmy Pappas|Jimmy]] and [[Inez Pappas]] founded [[Jimez's]] restaurant in [[Hueytown]]. | |||
* [[Frank Lovoy]] founded [[Lovoy's Italian Restaurant]] in [[Homewood]]. | |||
* Pasquale and Vincent Gramaglia founded [[Pasquale's Pizza & Pasta]] in Cincinnati, Ohio. | * Pasquale and Vincent Gramaglia founded [[Pasquale's Pizza & Pasta]] in Cincinnati, Ohio. | ||
* [[William Veenschoten]] founded [[Veenschoten & Company]]. | |||
* [[WBCO-AM]] went on the air. | |||
* December: [[Toney Carnaggio|Toney]] and [[Vince Carnaggio]] opened [[Carnaggio's]] restaurant in [[Midfield]] | |||
==Government== | |||
* [[February 23]]: The city of [[Alabaster]] was incorporated. | |||
* April: [[Cooper Green]] resigned from the [[Birmingham City Commission]] to become a vice president of the [[Alabama Power Company]]. | * April: [[Cooper Green]] resigned from the [[Birmingham City Commission]] to become a vice president of the [[Alabama Power Company]]. | ||
* [[Jimmy Morgan]] succeeded [[Cooper Green]] as [[Mayor of Birmingham|President of the Birmingham City Commission]]. | * [[Jimmy Morgan]] succeeded [[Cooper Green]] as [[Mayor of Birmingham|President of the Birmingham City Commission]]. | ||
* The [[Birmingham Department of Parks and Recreation]] purchased the [[Arlington Antebellum Home & Gardens|Arlington]] home in [[West End]] for $53,000, raised through private donations. | |||
* [[May 5]]: [[1953 primary elections]] and [[1953 Birmingham municipal election]] | |||
* [[September 8]]: Alabama ratified the 19th amendment to the U.S. Constitution. | |||
* [[October 6]]: The city of [[Midfield]] was incorporated. | * [[October 6]]: The city of [[Midfield]] was incorporated. | ||
* [[October 13]]: The city of [[Adamsville]] was re-incorporated. | |||
* [[Douglas Arant]] was appointed to the United States Department of Justice's National Committee To Study The Antitrust Laws. | |||
* [[Hobart Grooms]] was appointed to the [[United States District Court for the Northern District of Alabama]] by President Dwight Eisenhower. | |||
* [[Seybourn Lynne]] was made chief judge of the [[United States District Court for the Northern District of Alabama]]. | |||
* [[Hal McCall]] succeeded [[James Robertson]] as [[Mayor of Tuscaloosa]]. | |||
* [[George Wallace]] was elected to the Third Judicial Circuit Court. | |||
* [[Robert Glasgow Jr]] began a two-year term as [[Mayor of Adamsville]]. | |||
== | ==Education== | ||
* [[Jones Valley High School]], [[McElwain Elementary School]], and [[Powderly Elementary School]] were absorbed into [[Birmingham City Schools]]. | |||
* [[Birmingham City Schools|Birmingham]]'s [[P. D. Jackson-Olin High School|Western High School]] was renamed [[Western Olin High School]]. | |||
* [[A. H. Parker High School]] was first accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges. | |||
* The [[Birmingham Conservatory of Music]] merged with [[Birmingham-Southern College]]. | |||
* [[Lawrence Reynolds]] donated his [[Reynolds Historical Library|collection of over 13,000 rare books, manuscripts and artifacts]] to the [[UAB|Birmingham Extension Center of the University of Alabama]]. | |||
* [[Sister Mary Leo]] began teaching at [[John Carroll Catholic High School]]. | |||
* [[Stillman College]] was accredited. | |||
* [[November 13]]: A fire seriously damaged [[Edgewood Elementary School]]. | |||
==Religion== | |||
[[File:Holy Trinity-Holy Cross.JPG|right|thumb|375px|Holy Trinity-Holy Cross Greek Orthodox Cathedral was created in 1953 by the merger of two older congregations.]] | |||
* [[May 3]]: [[Concord Highland Baptist Church]] was dedicated. | |||
* [[George Murray]] succeeded [[Charles Carpenter]] as [[Episcopal Bishop of Alabama]]. | |||
* [[John Claypool]] was ordained as a minister at Belmont Heights Baptist Church in Nashville, Tennessee. | |||
* [[Fred Shuttlesworth]] succeeded [[Chester Laster]] as pastor of [[Bethel Baptist Church]]. | |||
* [[Nelson Smith Jr]] took over the pulpit at [[New Pilgrim Baptist Church]]. | |||
* [[WaterStone Church|Warrior Missionary Baptist Church]] changed its name to [[WaterStone Church|Warrior First Baptist Church]]. | |||
* [[W. Glenn Bartee]] succeeded [[Otis Kirby]] as pastor of [[Avondale United Methodist Church]]. | |||
* [[Sister Mary Joseph]] made her first profession at the Sancta Clara Monastery in Canton, Ohio. | |||
* [[Joseph Volker]] founded the [[Unitarian Universalist Church of Birmingham]], with [[Alfred Hobart]] as its first minister. | |||
* [[Concord Highland Baptist Church]] was founded with [[W. C. Stone]] as its first pastor. | |||
* [[Holy Trinity Greek Orthodox Church]] merged with [[Holy Cross Greek Orthodox Church]] to form the [[Holy Trinity-Holy Cross Greek Orthodox Cathedral]]. | |||
* [[W. M. Norwood]] began his long tenure as pastor of [[Macedonia Missionary Baptist Church]] in [[Ensley]]. | |||
==Sports== | |||
[[File:1953 Dental Clinic Game ticket.jpg|right|thumb|375px|1953 Dental Clinic Game ticket]] | |||
* The [[1953 Birmingham Barons]] began a three-season association with the New York Yankees. | * The [[1953 Birmingham Barons]] began a three-season association with the New York Yankees. | ||
* [[Joe Drake]] joined the Barons' office staff. | |||
* [[May 18]]: [[Harold Grote]] tied a [[Birmingham Barons records|Birmingham Barons record]] with two home runs in one inning. | * [[May 18]]: [[Harold Grote]] tied a [[Birmingham Barons records|Birmingham Barons record]] with two home runs in one inning. | ||
* [[August 28]]: The [[Southside Ball Association]] | * [[August 28]]: The [[Southside Ball Association]] Little League team from [[Avondale Park]] defeated New York 1-0 to claim the 1953 Little League World Series. | ||
* [[November 12]]: The [[1953 Dental Clinic Game]] was played at [[Legion Field]]. | |||
* [[November 28]]: [[1953 Alabama Crimson Tide football team|Alabama]] won the [[1953 Iron Bowl]] 10-7. | |||
* [[Sam Hairston]] was named Most Valuable Player of the Western League. | * [[Sam Hairston]] was named Most Valuable Player of the Western League. | ||
* [[John Baumgartner]] played in seven games for the Detroit Tigers. | |||
* [[Paul Lehner]] played his final season with the Memphis Chickasaws. | |||
* [[Bubba Church]] was traded to the Chicago Cubs. | |||
* Pitcher [[Virgil Trucks]] was traded to the St Louis Cardinals. | |||
* [[Red Drew]]'s [[1953 Alabama Crimson Tide football team]] went 6-2-3 and lost the Cotton Bowl to Rice. | |||
* [[Shug Jordan]]'s [[1953 Auburn Tigers football team|1953 API Tigers football team]] went 7-2-1 and lost the Gator Bowl to Texas Tech. | |||
==Individuals== | ==Individuals== | ||
* [[ | * [[R. G. Armstrong]] made his Broadway debut in "End as a Man." | ||
* [[ | * [[Marvin Bass]] was hired as an assistant coach for the North Carolina Tar Heels football team. | ||
* [[Jack Bingham]] was made a partner in the firm of [[Balch & Bingham|Martin & Blakey]]. | |||
* [[Oliver Carmichael]] succeeded [[John Gallalee]] as [[List of University of Alabama presidents|president]] of the [[University of Alabama]]. | |||
* [[Asa Carter|Asa "Ace" Carter]] landed a show of his own on [[WILD-AM ]]. | |||
* [[Frank Moore Cross]] was invited to join the international committee responsible for conserving, translating and editing the Dead Sea Scrolls. | |||
* [[Joseph Cunningham]] became a professor of pathology at the [[University of Alabama School of Medicine]]. | |||
* [[Hardrock Gunter]] took a job in Wheeling, West Virginia producing "The World's Original Jamboree" radio show. | |||
* [[A. C. Keily]] served as president of the Professional Photographers of Mississippi-Alabama. | * [[A. C. Keily]] served as president of the Professional Photographers of Mississippi-Alabama. | ||
* [[ | * U.S. Attorney [[Tom King]] was made Chief Administrative Assistant to U. S. Representative [[George Huddleston Jr]]. | ||
* [[Geraldine Moore]] took over the ''[[Birmingham News]]{{'}}'' "[[What Negroes Are Doing]]" column from [[Oscar Adams Sr]]. | |||
* [[John Newsome]] was elected president of the [[Associated Industries of Alabama]]. | |||
* [[James Permutt]] succeeded [[Fred Nichols]] as president of [[Temple Beth-El]]. | |||
* [[Sol Rittenbaum]] succeeded [[James Permutt]] as president of the [[Levite Jewish Community Center|Jewish Community Center]]. | |||
* [[Henry Stanford]] became president of the Georgia State College for Women in Milledgeville. | * [[Henry Stanford]] became president of the Georgia State College for Women in Milledgeville. | ||
* [[ | * [[Evelyn Hardy|Evelyn Starks]] left the [[Gospel Harmonettes]] to pursue a teaching career. | ||
* | * [[Fant Thornley]] succeeded [[Emily Danton]] as director of the [[Birmingham Public Library]]. | ||
* [[Lawrence Whitten]] served a term as president of the [[Alabama Society of Architects]]. | |||
===Births=== | ===Births=== | ||
* [[March 1]]: [[Luther Strange]], | [[File:Coyote J Calhoun.jpg|right|thumb|Coyote J. Calhoun]] | ||
* [[May 9]]: [[Ron Jackson]], professional baseball player | * [[January 5]]: [[Mike DuBose]], football coach | ||
* [[June | * [[January 20]]: [[Gary Sheffield]], basketball coach | ||
* [[January 23]]: [[Joseph Marino]], Archbishop | |||
* [[March 1]]: [[Luther Strange]], [[Attorney General of Alabama]] and U.S. Senator | |||
* [[March 2]]: [[Rodger Smitherman]], state senator | |||
* [[March 12]]: [[Murray Hiam]], artist and educator | |||
* [[April 3]]: [[Fred Hunter]], meteorologist and "[[Absolutely Alabama]]" producer | |||
* [[April 17]]: [[Pam Huff]], television news anchor | |||
* [[April 24]]: [[Bill Lawson|"Dollar Bill" Lawson]], radio host | |||
* [[May 9]]: [[Ron Jackson|Ron "Papa Jack" Jackson]], professional baseball player | |||
* [[May 22]]: Radio disc jockey [[Coyote J. Calhoun]] ([[Jim Battan]]) | |||
* [[June 21]]: [[Charlie Moore]], professional baseball player | |||
* [[July 15]]: [[Hugo Black III]], attorney | |||
* [[July 22]]: [[Tony Petelos]], [[Jefferson County Manager]] | |||
* [[July 28]]: [[Don Black]], [[Ku Klux Klan]] leader and "[[Stormfront]]" founder | |||
* [[August 14]]: [[Harold Jackson]], newspaper columnist | |||
* [[August 23]]: [[Billy Shields]], professional football player | |||
* [[August 25]]: [[David Ullrich]], [[Birmingham-Southern College]] English professor | |||
* [[September 16]]: [[Jerry Pate]], professional golfer | |||
* [[September 19]]: [[Ann Florie]], [[Leadership Birmingham]] director | |||
* [[October 14]]: [[Willie Florence]], furniture dealer and attorney | |||
* [[October 23]]: [[Angelo Sarris]], restaurateur | |||
* [[November 27]]: [[Charlie Brown III]], industrialist and civic booster | |||
* December: [[Eli Gold]], sports announcer | * December: [[Eli Gold]], sports announcer | ||
* [[December 13]]: [[Charles Salvagio]], attorney | |||
* [[December 20]]: [[Steve Orel]], founder of [[World of Opportunity]] | |||
* [[December 27]]: [[Marillyn Hewson]], CEO of Lockheed Martin | |||
* [[Gail Andrews]], director of the [[Birmingham Museum of Art]] | |||
* [[Emory Anthony]], attorney | * [[Emory Anthony]], attorney | ||
* [[Rick Batson]], architect | |||
* [[Bill Bryant]], orthopedist | |||
* [[Robert W. Carter]], Chief of the [[Adamsville Police Department]] | |||
* [[Shirley Gavin Floyd]], [[Smithfield]] neighborhood president | |||
* [[Anthony Greene]], superintendent of [[Fairfield City Schools]] | |||
* [[Charles Hollis]], sports writer | |||
* [[Roger James]], symphonic violinist | |||
* [[Cathy Sloss Jones]], real estate developer | * [[Cathy Sloss Jones]], real estate developer | ||
* [[Myron Massey]], [[Fairfield Police Department]] | * [[Myron Massey]], [[Fairfield Police Department]] | ||
* [[Ronald McDowell]], artist | |||
* [[Michael Melvin]], Chief of the [[Kimberly Police Department]] | |||
* [[Mike Naylor]], guitarist and knife maker | |||
* [[Dudley Reynolds]], president of [[Alagasco]] | |||
* [[Stanley Shafferman]], entrepreneur | |||
* [[Bob Tedrow]], owner of the [[Homewood Musical Instrument Co.]] | |||
* [[Ernestine Williams]], independent distributor | |||
===Marriages=== | ===Marriages=== | ||
Line 50: | Line 179: | ||
* [[Theodore Peoples]] married [[Annie Louise Peoples|Annie Louise Berry]]. | * [[Theodore Peoples]] married [[Annie Louise Peoples|Annie Louise Berry]]. | ||
* [[Freddie Rogers]] married [[Pearlie Rogers|Pearlie McCarthy]]. | * [[Freddie Rogers]] married [[Pearlie Rogers|Pearlie McCarthy]]. | ||
* [[Hank Penny]] married Sue Martin. | |||
* [[June 18]]: [[Martin Luther King Jr]] married [[Coretta Scott King|Coretta Scott]] in [[Marion]]. | |||
* [[August 22]]: [[Bill Steltemeier]] married [[Ramona Steltemeier|Ramona Schnupp]]. | |||
===Awards=== | ===Awards=== | ||
* [[Alabama Hall of Fame]]: [[John Tyler Morgan]] | |||
* [[Birmingham Woman of the Year]]: [[Eleanor Bridges]] | * [[Birmingham Woman of the Year]]: [[Eleanor Bridges]] | ||
* [[Miss Alabama]]: [[Virginia McDavid]] | |||
* [[Miss Samford|Miss Howard College]]: [[Marguerite Rutledge Blackwell]] | |||
* [[Mr Crestwood]]: [[Carl Johnsey]] | |||
* [[University of Alabama]] [[Algernon Sydney Sullivan Award]]: [[George Murray]] | * [[University of Alabama]] [[Algernon Sydney Sullivan Award]]: [[George Murray]] | ||
Line 59: | Line 195: | ||
* Composer [[Ezra Sims]] earned a diploma in Chinese from the U.S. Army Language School. | * Composer [[Ezra Sims]] earned a diploma in Chinese from the U.S. Army Language School. | ||
* Pastor [[Fred Shuttlesworth]] completed a bachelor's degree in English from the [[Alabama State University|Alabama State Teachers College]] in Montgomery. | * Pastor [[Fred Shuttlesworth]] completed a bachelor's degree in English from the [[Alabama State University|Alabama State Teachers College]] in Montgomery. | ||
* [[Gene Bartow]] earned a degree from Truman State University in Kirksville, Missouri. | |||
* [[Ira De Ment]] graduated from the [[University of Alabama]]. | |||
* [[Ward McIntyre]] graduated from [[Birmingham-Southern College]]. | |||
* [[Miller Gorrie]] graduated from [[Shades Valley High School]]. | |||
* [[John Grenier]] completed his law degree at Tulane University. | |||
* [[Basil Hirschowitz]] completed a surgical fellowship at the University of Michigan. | |||
* [[Bill Holdefer]] graduated from Loyola University in Baltimore, Maryland. | |||
* [[Bob Moody]] completed his bachelor's in architecture at the [[Auburn University|Alabama Polytechnical Institute]]. | |||
* [[Elmer Moree]] completed his master's in education at the [[University of Alabama]]. | |||
* [[Richard Pizitz]] graduated from Harvard Business School. | |||
* [[William Poole]] earned his bachelor of architecture at the [[Auburn University|Alabama Polytechnical Institute]]. | |||
* [[William Powell]] earned his bachelor's degree at the [[University of Alabama]]. | |||
* [[Thompson Reynolds]] graduated from [[Howard College]]. | |||
* [[Richard Shelby]] graduated from [[Hueytown High School]]. | |||
* [[Homer Smith]] graduated from Princeton University. | |||
* [[Joel P. Smith]] graduated from Florida State University in Tallahassee, Florida. | |||
* [[Sandra Sokol]] graduated from [[Ramsay High School]]. | |||
* Author [[Gay Talese]] graduated from the [[University of Alabama]]. | |||
* [[David Vann]] completed his master of laws at George Washington University in St Louis, Missouri. | |||
===Retirements=== | |||
* [[Eloise Hanna]] retired from [[WBRC 6|WBRC-TV]]. | |||
* [[Cliff Holman]] was honorably discharged from the U.S. Army. | |||
* [[O. V. Hunt]] retired from professional photography. | |||
* [[Raymond Jones]] retired from selling insurance. | |||
* [[Dana Ousler]] retired from [[Ousler Sandwiches]]. | |||
* [[W. A. Parker]] retired as Superintendent of [[Tarrant City Schools]]. | |||
* [[Asa Rountree Jr]] retired from the command of the [[Alabama Wing of the Civil Air Patrol]]. | |||
===Deaths=== | ===Deaths=== | ||
* [[June 27]]: [[Mary Anderson (inventor)|Mary Anderson]], | * [[January 7]]: [[Joe Kelley]] died with 40 other servicemen returning from Korea in a plane crash near Bear Lake, Idaho. | ||
* [[January 18]]: [[Newt Joseph]], Negro Leagues baseball player | |||
* [[May 30]]: [[Oscar Wells]], banker | |||
* [[June 27]]: [[Mary Anderson (inventor)|Mary Anderson]], real-estate developer, rancher, viticulturist and inventor | |||
* July: [[Vernon Reaver]], theater manager | |||
* [[August 15]]: [[Erskine Ramsay]], mining engineer, inventor and philanthropist | |||
* [[November 3]]: [[Fred Brockman]], [[Birmingham Police Department]] officer killed on duty. | |||
* [[Inez Lopez]], writer | |||
* [[Shiney Moon]], artist | |||
* [[Ned McCormack]], [[Homewood Police Department]] officer killed on duty. | |||
:''See also: [[List of homicides in 1953]]'' | :''See also: [[List of homicides in 1953]]'' | ||
==Works== | ==Works== | ||
* "Get It", single by The Royals with [[Hank Ballard]] | |||
* "Jan", single by [[Paul Bascomb]] | |||
===Books=== | ===Books=== | ||
* The ''[[Alabama Review]]'' began publishing edited installments from [[Mary Gordon Duffee]]'s "[[Sketches of Alabama]]". | |||
===Buildings=== | ===Buildings=== | ||
* [[March 11]]: [[Howard College]] broke ground for its new [[Shades Valley]] campus. | [[File:Town House postcard.jpg|thumb|right|250px|The Town House Motor Hotel]] | ||
* [[March 22]]: The [[Birmingham VA Medical Center]] was dedicated. | |||
* [[June 11]]: [[Howard College]] broke ground for its new [[Shades Valley]] campus. | |||
* The [[Alabama Theatre]]'s projection system and screen were upgraded for CinemaScope. | * The [[Alabama Theatre]]'s projection system and screen were upgraded for CinemaScope. | ||
* [[Bethel Baptist Church Cemetery (Pratt City)]] | |||
* The connector between [[U.S. Highway 31]] and the "[[Florida Short Route]]" in [[Rosedale]] was begun. | * The connector between [[U.S. Highway 31]] and the "[[Florida Short Route]]" in [[Rosedale]] was begun. | ||
* Widening of [[U.S. Highway 31]] between [[Shades Mountain]] and the [[Cahaba River]] was begun. | * Widening of [[U.S. Highway 31]] between [[Shades Mountain]] and the [[Cahaba River]] was begun. | ||
* [[Bush Hills Academy|Charles B. Glenn Vocational High School]] | |||
* [[Concord Highland Baptist Church]] in [[Concord]] | |||
* [[Davis Middle School|Bessemer Junior High School]] opened. | |||
* [[Leeds National Guard Armory]] | |||
* A new building for [[Bluff Park United Methodist Church]] was completed. | |||
* An expansion of [[Holy Family Community Hospital]] was built. | |||
* A playing field was constructed on the east side of [[Phillips High School]]. | * A playing field was constructed on the east side of [[Phillips High School]]. | ||
* A parsonage for [[ChristWay Church|North Birmingham Church of God]] on [[32nd Street North]]. | * A parsonage for [[ChristWay Church|North Birmingham Church of God]] on [[32nd Street North]]. | ||
* [[Minor High School]] stadium | |||
* [[St Theresa Catholic Church]] in [[Leeds]] | |||
==Context== | ==Context== |
Latest revision as of 11:49, 14 May 2024
1953 was the 82nd year after the founding of the city of Birmingham.
Events
- January 6: The Red Gap Branch of the Birmingham Mineral Railroad between Hedona and Irondale was abandoned.
- March 4: "Confederate Flag Day" was recognized by the Alabama State Legislature.
- April 18: The 1953 Siluria tornado killed eight people and caused damage to the Buck Creek Mill.
- April 19: The Birmingham Transit Company's last streetcar trip was completed on the No. 27 Ensley No. 38 South East Lake streetcar line.
- Birmingham Transit Company sold its remaining fleet of nearly-new streetcars to the Toronto Transit Commission and replaced all lines with buses.
- September 17: Actress Gloria Swanson made special appearances at the downtown Loveman's store.
- September 17: The Crestwood Civic Club was organized.
- October 5-10: The 1953 Alabama State Fair was held.
- The Birmingham Festival of Arts was held as a "Festival of the Seven Arts".
- The first of the Coleman Lakes opened to public use.
- The Crestwood Civic Club was founded.
- Fountain Heights Methodist Church purchased the former Weather Forecast Office Birmingham on 13th Street North.
- Richard Howard donated his collection of Japanese prints to the Birmingham Museum of Art.
- "Birmingham Bop" swept across the city's dance floors.
- Mel Torme performed at the Lotus Supper Club.
Business
- January: The Federal Communications Commission granted WAFM-TV a permit to increase its transmitter power for around-the-clock broadcasting.
- Alabama Gas Corporation was spun off from Southern Natural Gas Company.
- Storer Broadcasting of Toledo, Ohio purchased WBRC-TV for $2.3 million and switched it from Channel 4 to Channel 6.
- The Birmingham News Company purchased WAFM-TV, WAPI-AM and WAPI-FM and moved their studios to Red Mountain.
- Riverbend Farm in Ragland ceased bottling and distribution of its dairy products.
- Marino's grocery moved to its present location on Avenue E Ensley.
- Development of the Crestwood Shopping Center was first announced, but delayed due to opposition.
- Brown-Service Funeral Homes was merged into Ridout's Brown Service.
- The Vulcan Motor Lodge was purchased by Mac McGrady and renamed the St Francis Hotel Courts.
- Woodward Iron Company closed its Mine No. 3, the last iron ore mine on Red Mountain.
- Woodward Iron Company closed its coal mine shafts at Muscoda (but continued to extract coal from the area accessed by the Pyne Mine hoist shaft.
- The Empire Mine in Walker County was converted into a surface mine.
- Mrs Todd's Cafeteria moved to the new Town House motor hotel.
- Roy Welch bought half of Joe Gunther's wrestling promotion.
- The weekly 15-minute Mr. Twister Time debuted on WBRC 6.
Establishments
- Bert Bank founded the Alabama Football Network.
- The Dixie Cycle & Toy Co. opened in the W. S. Brown Mercantile Building.
- Floyd & Beasley Transfer was incorporated.
- Robert Luckie Jr founded Luckie & Co.
- Mayfield Cleaners, operating since 1946, was incorporated.
- Michael Matsos opened a second location of La Paree restaurant in the Holiday Inn on Bessemer Super Highway.
- Jimmy and Inez Pappas founded Jimez's restaurant in Hueytown.
- Frank Lovoy founded Lovoy's Italian Restaurant in Homewood.
- Pasquale and Vincent Gramaglia founded Pasquale's Pizza & Pasta in Cincinnati, Ohio.
- William Veenschoten founded Veenschoten & Company.
- WBCO-AM went on the air.
- December: Toney and Vince Carnaggio opened Carnaggio's restaurant in Midfield
Government
- February 23: The city of Alabaster was incorporated.
- April: Cooper Green resigned from the Birmingham City Commission to become a vice president of the Alabama Power Company.
- Jimmy Morgan succeeded Cooper Green as President of the Birmingham City Commission.
- The Birmingham Department of Parks and Recreation purchased the Arlington home in West End for $53,000, raised through private donations.
- May 5: 1953 primary elections and 1953 Birmingham municipal election
- September 8: Alabama ratified the 19th amendment to the U.S. Constitution.
- October 6: The city of Midfield was incorporated.
- October 13: The city of Adamsville was re-incorporated.
- Douglas Arant was appointed to the United States Department of Justice's National Committee To Study The Antitrust Laws.
- Hobart Grooms was appointed to the United States District Court for the Northern District of Alabama by President Dwight Eisenhower.
- Seybourn Lynne was made chief judge of the United States District Court for the Northern District of Alabama.
- Hal McCall succeeded James Robertson as Mayor of Tuscaloosa.
- George Wallace was elected to the Third Judicial Circuit Court.
- Robert Glasgow Jr began a two-year term as Mayor of Adamsville.
Education
- Jones Valley High School, McElwain Elementary School, and Powderly Elementary School were absorbed into Birmingham City Schools.
- Birmingham's Western High School was renamed Western Olin High School.
- A. H. Parker High School was first accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges.
- The Birmingham Conservatory of Music merged with Birmingham-Southern College.
- Lawrence Reynolds donated his collection of over 13,000 rare books, manuscripts and artifacts to the Birmingham Extension Center of the University of Alabama.
- Sister Mary Leo began teaching at John Carroll Catholic High School.
- Stillman College was accredited.
- November 13: A fire seriously damaged Edgewood Elementary School.
Religion
- May 3: Concord Highland Baptist Church was dedicated.
- George Murray succeeded Charles Carpenter as Episcopal Bishop of Alabama.
- John Claypool was ordained as a minister at Belmont Heights Baptist Church in Nashville, Tennessee.
- Fred Shuttlesworth succeeded Chester Laster as pastor of Bethel Baptist Church.
- Nelson Smith Jr took over the pulpit at New Pilgrim Baptist Church.
- Warrior Missionary Baptist Church changed its name to Warrior First Baptist Church.
- W. Glenn Bartee succeeded Otis Kirby as pastor of Avondale United Methodist Church.
- Sister Mary Joseph made her first profession at the Sancta Clara Monastery in Canton, Ohio.
- Joseph Volker founded the Unitarian Universalist Church of Birmingham, with Alfred Hobart as its first minister.
- Concord Highland Baptist Church was founded with W. C. Stone as its first pastor.
- Holy Trinity Greek Orthodox Church merged with Holy Cross Greek Orthodox Church to form the Holy Trinity-Holy Cross Greek Orthodox Cathedral.
- W. M. Norwood began his long tenure as pastor of Macedonia Missionary Baptist Church in Ensley.
Sports
- The 1953 Birmingham Barons began a three-season association with the New York Yankees.
- Joe Drake joined the Barons' office staff.
- May 18: Harold Grote tied a Birmingham Barons record with two home runs in one inning.
- August 28: The Southside Ball Association Little League team from Avondale Park defeated New York 1-0 to claim the 1953 Little League World Series.
- November 12: The 1953 Dental Clinic Game was played at Legion Field.
- November 28: Alabama won the 1953 Iron Bowl 10-7.
- Sam Hairston was named Most Valuable Player of the Western League.
- John Baumgartner played in seven games for the Detroit Tigers.
- Paul Lehner played his final season with the Memphis Chickasaws.
- Bubba Church was traded to the Chicago Cubs.
- Pitcher Virgil Trucks was traded to the St Louis Cardinals.
- Red Drew's 1953 Alabama Crimson Tide football team went 6-2-3 and lost the Cotton Bowl to Rice.
- Shug Jordan's 1953 API Tigers football team went 7-2-1 and lost the Gator Bowl to Texas Tech.
Individuals
- R. G. Armstrong made his Broadway debut in "End as a Man."
- Marvin Bass was hired as an assistant coach for the North Carolina Tar Heels football team.
- Jack Bingham was made a partner in the firm of Martin & Blakey.
- Oliver Carmichael succeeded John Gallalee as president of the University of Alabama.
- Asa "Ace" Carter landed a show of his own on WILD-AM .
- Frank Moore Cross was invited to join the international committee responsible for conserving, translating and editing the Dead Sea Scrolls.
- Joseph Cunningham became a professor of pathology at the University of Alabama School of Medicine.
- Hardrock Gunter took a job in Wheeling, West Virginia producing "The World's Original Jamboree" radio show.
- A. C. Keily served as president of the Professional Photographers of Mississippi-Alabama.
- U.S. Attorney Tom King was made Chief Administrative Assistant to U. S. Representative George Huddleston Jr.
- Geraldine Moore took over the Birmingham News' "What Negroes Are Doing" column from Oscar Adams Sr.
- John Newsome was elected president of the Associated Industries of Alabama.
- James Permutt succeeded Fred Nichols as president of Temple Beth-El.
- Sol Rittenbaum succeeded James Permutt as president of the Jewish Community Center.
- Henry Stanford became president of the Georgia State College for Women in Milledgeville.
- Evelyn Starks left the Gospel Harmonettes to pursue a teaching career.
- Fant Thornley succeeded Emily Danton as director of the Birmingham Public Library.
- Lawrence Whitten served a term as president of the Alabama Society of Architects.
Births
- January 5: Mike DuBose, football coach
- January 20: Gary Sheffield, basketball coach
- January 23: Joseph Marino, Archbishop
- March 1: Luther Strange, Attorney General of Alabama and U.S. Senator
- March 2: Rodger Smitherman, state senator
- March 12: Murray Hiam, artist and educator
- April 3: Fred Hunter, meteorologist and "Absolutely Alabama" producer
- April 17: Pam Huff, television news anchor
- April 24: "Dollar Bill" Lawson, radio host
- May 9: Ron "Papa Jack" Jackson, professional baseball player
- May 22: Radio disc jockey Coyote J. Calhoun (Jim Battan)
- June 21: Charlie Moore, professional baseball player
- July 15: Hugo Black III, attorney
- July 22: Tony Petelos, Jefferson County Manager
- July 28: Don Black, Ku Klux Klan leader and "Stormfront" founder
- August 14: Harold Jackson, newspaper columnist
- August 23: Billy Shields, professional football player
- August 25: David Ullrich, Birmingham-Southern College English professor
- September 16: Jerry Pate, professional golfer
- September 19: Ann Florie, Leadership Birmingham director
- October 14: Willie Florence, furniture dealer and attorney
- October 23: Angelo Sarris, restaurateur
- November 27: Charlie Brown III, industrialist and civic booster
- December: Eli Gold, sports announcer
- December 13: Charles Salvagio, attorney
- December 20: Steve Orel, founder of World of Opportunity
- December 27: Marillyn Hewson, CEO of Lockheed Martin
- Gail Andrews, director of the Birmingham Museum of Art
- Emory Anthony, attorney
- Rick Batson, architect
- Bill Bryant, orthopedist
- Robert W. Carter, Chief of the Adamsville Police Department
- Shirley Gavin Floyd, Smithfield neighborhood president
- Anthony Greene, superintendent of Fairfield City Schools
- Charles Hollis, sports writer
- Roger James, symphonic violinist
- Cathy Sloss Jones, real estate developer
- Myron Massey, Fairfield Police Department
- Ronald McDowell, artist
- Michael Melvin, Chief of the Kimberly Police Department
- Mike Naylor, guitarist and knife maker
- Dudley Reynolds, president of Alagasco
- Stanley Shafferman, entrepreneur
- Bob Tedrow, owner of the Homewood Musical Instrument Co.
- Ernestine Williams, independent distributor
Marriages
- Actor Mary Anderson married cimematographer Leon Shamroy.
- Theodore Peoples married Annie Louise Berry.
- Freddie Rogers married Pearlie McCarthy.
- Hank Penny married Sue Martin.
- June 18: Martin Luther King Jr married Coretta Scott in Marion.
- August 22: Bill Steltemeier married Ramona Schnupp.
Awards
- Alabama Hall of Fame: John Tyler Morgan
- Birmingham Woman of the Year: Eleanor Bridges
- Miss Alabama: Virginia McDavid
- Miss Howard College: Marguerite Rutledge Blackwell
- Mr Crestwood: Carl Johnsey
- University of Alabama Algernon Sydney Sullivan Award: George Murray
Graduations
- Coach Bobby Bowden graduated from Howard College.
- Composer Ezra Sims earned a diploma in Chinese from the U.S. Army Language School.
- Pastor Fred Shuttlesworth completed a bachelor's degree in English from the Alabama State Teachers College in Montgomery.
- Gene Bartow earned a degree from Truman State University in Kirksville, Missouri.
- Ira De Ment graduated from the University of Alabama.
- Ward McIntyre graduated from Birmingham-Southern College.
- Miller Gorrie graduated from Shades Valley High School.
- John Grenier completed his law degree at Tulane University.
- Basil Hirschowitz completed a surgical fellowship at the University of Michigan.
- Bill Holdefer graduated from Loyola University in Baltimore, Maryland.
- Bob Moody completed his bachelor's in architecture at the Alabama Polytechnical Institute.
- Elmer Moree completed his master's in education at the University of Alabama.
- Richard Pizitz graduated from Harvard Business School.
- William Poole earned his bachelor of architecture at the Alabama Polytechnical Institute.
- William Powell earned his bachelor's degree at the University of Alabama.
- Thompson Reynolds graduated from Howard College.
- Richard Shelby graduated from Hueytown High School.
- Homer Smith graduated from Princeton University.
- Joel P. Smith graduated from Florida State University in Tallahassee, Florida.
- Sandra Sokol graduated from Ramsay High School.
- Author Gay Talese graduated from the University of Alabama.
- David Vann completed his master of laws at George Washington University in St Louis, Missouri.
Retirements
- Eloise Hanna retired from WBRC-TV.
- Cliff Holman was honorably discharged from the U.S. Army.
- O. V. Hunt retired from professional photography.
- Raymond Jones retired from selling insurance.
- Dana Ousler retired from Ousler Sandwiches.
- W. A. Parker retired as Superintendent of Tarrant City Schools.
- Asa Rountree Jr retired from the command of the Alabama Wing of the Civil Air Patrol.
Deaths
- January 7: Joe Kelley died with 40 other servicemen returning from Korea in a plane crash near Bear Lake, Idaho.
- January 18: Newt Joseph, Negro Leagues baseball player
- May 30: Oscar Wells, banker
- June 27: Mary Anderson, real-estate developer, rancher, viticulturist and inventor
- July: Vernon Reaver, theater manager
- August 15: Erskine Ramsay, mining engineer, inventor and philanthropist
- November 3: Fred Brockman, Birmingham Police Department officer killed on duty.
- Inez Lopez, writer
- Shiney Moon, artist
- Ned McCormack, Homewood Police Department officer killed on duty.
- See also: List of homicides in 1953
Works
- "Get It", single by The Royals with Hank Ballard
- "Jan", single by Paul Bascomb
Books
- The Alabama Review began publishing edited installments from Mary Gordon Duffee's "Sketches of Alabama".
Buildings
- March 22: The Birmingham VA Medical Center was dedicated.
- June 11: Howard College broke ground for its new Shades Valley campus.
- The Alabama Theatre's projection system and screen were upgraded for CinemaScope.
- Bethel Baptist Church Cemetery (Pratt City)
- The connector between U.S. Highway 31 and the "Florida Short Route" in Rosedale was begun.
- Widening of U.S. Highway 31 between Shades Mountain and the Cahaba River was begun.
- Charles B. Glenn Vocational High School
- Concord Highland Baptist Church in Concord
- Bessemer Junior High School opened.
- Leeds National Guard Armory
- A new building for Bluff Park United Methodist Church was completed.
- An expansion of Holy Family Community Hospital was built.
- A playing field was constructed on the east side of Phillips High School.
- A parsonage for North Birmingham Church of God on 32nd Street North.
- Minor High School stadium
- St Theresa Catholic Church in Leeds
Context
1950s |
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