1924

1924 was the 53rd year after the founding of the city of Birmingham.

Events

• January 4: The first edition of the Avondale Sun was published.
• January 6: The Birmingham Police Department made several arrests of people suspected of being involved in an Axe syndicate whioh was blamed for numerous armed robberies and murders.
• January 15: Russian pianist and composer Sergei Rachmaninoff performed in Birmingham.
• February 21: Auburn's WMAV-AM began airing regular Thursday and Saturday evening broadcast programs.
• March 13: A rare snowfall dropped 6 inches on Birmingham.
• May 22: The Pennsylvania Serenaders kicked off the summer season at Edgewood Park's "Dreamland" dance hall.
• August: A fire damaged the Hardie-Tynes foundry.
• September: The Birmingham News sponsored a "Better Homes Show" with as many as 25,000 people visiting two model homes furnished by the R. B. Broyles Furniture Co. and the Ben M. Jacobs Furniture Co.
• September 28: The Birmingham News published a design attributed to Erskine Ramsey for a monumental Civic Center surrounding Woodrow Wilson Park.
• October: The Robert E. Lee Klan No. 1 hosted a rally which filled the grandstands at Rickwood Field with more than 23,000 people.
• October: A fight broke out at Joy Young Restaurant, requiring 6 detectives and 2 patrolmen to break up.
• December 19: The Frolic Theater opened its doors to a white audience for a special "Midnight Review" with a bill topped by Ida Cox.
• The Jefferson County Free Library bookmobile was launched by the Jefferson County Board of Revenue and the Birmingham Library Board.
• A 43-acre parcel was added to Elmwood Cemetery.
• North Birmingham's Mineral Springs Park was dedicated as a Birmingham city park.
• The Alabama National Guard's 114th Observation Squadron was redesignated as the 106th Observation Squadron.
• Scenes for the Famous Players-Lasky Corporation's feature film "Coming Through" were shot in Brookside.
• Carrie Hill curated an exhibit of paintings by George Elmer Browne at the Southern Club, on behalf of the Birmingham Art Club.
• The Boy Scouts of America's South Jefferson County Council was established in Bessemer.
• Behrens' Park in Southside was renamed for Mortimer Jordan III.
• Naylor's Seven Aces Orchestra headlined the season at the Cascade Plunge's "Cloud Room".
• The U.S. Navy Zeppelin ZR-1 "Shenandoah" visited Roberts Field.
• Independent Presbyterian Church acquired the former Charles Perry residence in Bluff Park as a permanent site for the Children's Fresh Air Farm.
• The Sumiton Post Office was established.

Business

• The Alabama Consolidated Coal Company was acquired by the Sloss Sheffield Steel and Iron Company.
• The Ingalls Iron Works Company acquired the Birmingham Tank Company.
• D. J. Cassimus renamed his Terminal Candy Kitchen the Peanut Depot.
• James N. Rose founded the Jobe-Rose Jewelry Company.
• The Birmingham Railway, Light & Power Company absorbed the lines of the Birmingham Tidewater Railway.
• The law firm of Tillman, Bradley & Baldwin became Bradley, Baldwin, All & White.
• ACIPCO founder John Eagan left the company to his employees at his death.
• A. N. Chappell & Co. began marketing its products under the "Bama" brand name.

Establishments

• The Birmingham Boys Club opened Camp Horner on the Cahaba River.
• John Callaway opened the Edgewood Drug Company.
• The Hercules Powder Plant opened a plant northwest of Bessemer.
• The Sloss Ready-Mix Concrete Plant opened.
• A. Page Sloss Sr founded Sloss Real Estate.
• The architectural firm of Turner & McPherson began practicing.
• Brotherhood Cemetery in Hueytown opened.
• The Georgia-based Knights of the Ku Klux Klan, Inc. was incorporated in Alabama with attorney James Esdale as agent.
• The Alabama Association for the Blind was incorporated.

Disestablishments

• The Preston Motors Corporation failed.
• The Valley View Mine closed.
• Blue Creek Cemetery in North Johns closed.
• Little Family Cemetery in Leeds closed.

Government

• 1924 primary elections
• 1924 general election

Education

• Bluff Park Elementary School opened.
• Fairfield Industrial High School opened.
• Construction of Edgewood Elementary School began.

Religion

• Central Park Presbyterian Church was founded.
• Avondale Baptist Church was renamed South Avondale Baptist Church.

Sports

• August 20: Stuffy Stewart set a still-standing Birmingham Barons record with 5 stolen bases in a game.
• Boxer Petey Sarron competed in the 1924 Olympic Games in Paris, France.
• Lincoln Normal School won their first football game against the State Agricultural and Mechanical College for Negroes 30-0, a match-up that later became known as the Magic City Classic
• The "Erskine Ramsay Cup" was first presented to the Birmingham high school that exhibited the greatest commitment to sportsmanship.
• Harold "Red" Drew began coaching the Birmingham-Southern Panthers football team.
• Jenks Gillem began coaching the Howard Bulldogs football team.
• Hank Crisp began coaching the Alabama Crimson Tide men's basketball team.
• The 1924 Alabama Crimson Tide football team won the Southern Conference championship.
• Joe Hewitt managed the Birmingham Black Barons.
• The Alabama High School Athletic Association joined the National Federation of State High School Associations.

Works

• Bed Rock, novel by Jack Bethea
• "A Park System for Birmingham" report by the Olmsted Brothers to the Birmingham Park and Recreation Board.

Buildings

• 2121 1st Avenue North, commercial building on 1st Avenue North (downtown)
• 2127 1st Avenue North, commercial building on 1st Avenue North (downtown)
• 32nd Street Baptist Church in Lakeview, demolished in 2021
• American Standard Plumbing warehouse on 5th Avenue South
• Frank Hartley Anderson residence on 11th Court South
• Angwin Service Funeral Company on Avenue F Ensley
• Bama Theatre in Tuscaloosa
• William Bankhead residence in Jasper
• Birmingham Fire Station No. 24 in Central Park
• Bluff Park Elementary School
• Municipal Auditorium in downtown Birmingham
• Caheen Building on 2nd Avenue North
• Center Point School
• Claridge Manor Apartments in Highland Park
• Colored Masonic Temple on 4th Avenue North
• Edgewood Drug Company on Oxmoor Road in Edgewood
• Ensley Baptist Church education building on Avenue E Ensley
• Fairfield Industrial High School
• Fairview United Methodist Church on Warrior Road
• Federal Reserve building on 5th Avenue North
• First Christian Church education building on 7th Avenue North
• Gate City Elementary School addition on Georgia Road
• Grant Chapel African Methodist Episcopal Church in East Lake
• Gregg Building on 20th Street North
• Harmony Street Baptist Church in North Avondale
• Highland Plaza Apartments on Highland Avenue
• Highlands United Methodist Church educational building at Five Points South
• Holy Innocents Hospital in Lakeview
• Industrial High School in Smithfield
• M. Paul Phillips Library at Birmingham-Southern College
• Mack Truck Garage on 6th Avenue South
• Oster Brothers Furniture building on 3rd Avenue North
• The Plaza Garages on 10th Terrace South
• Porter's interior remodeling
• Sloss Ready-Mix Concrete Plant on 1st Avenue North
• Tuscaloosa City Hall
• Warrior Reserve Steam Plant in Walker County
• D. O. Whilldin office on 21st Street North
• Improvements to East Lake Park, including an expanded bathing area, a merry-go-round, a miniature railroad and other rides
• Concrete bridge on U. S. Highway 11 over the Sucarnoochee River in Sumter County
• Construction of Alabama State Highway 174 to Pell City began.
• W. S. Wyman completed a water line to Alberta City.
• The Rushton Memorial Carillon was installed at First Presbyterian Church.
• The Theatrical Stage Employees Local No. 78 erected a monument at Elmwood Cemetery.

Individuals

• September 23–26: Jefferson County Sheriff Thomas Shirley attended the Imperial Klonvocation of the Knights of the Ku Klux Klan in Kansas City, Missouri as the organization's "Imperial Klexter".
• Oscar Underwood was a candidate for the Democratic nomination for President of the United States.
• Dorothy Sebastian divorced Allen Stafford.
• Charles McDowell served two days as Governor of Alabama during the absence of William Brandon.
• Geneva Mercer moved with Giuseppe and Dorothea Morretti to Florence, Italy.
• W. W. Tarleton succeeded Hartley Brownell as Mayor of Edgewood.
• A. J. Farley succeeded J. M. Spruiell as Mayor of Leeds.
• T. B. Self succeeded George Thomason as Mayor of Tarrant.
• Fannie Blevins took over as principal of the Tuggle Institute.
• Donald Beatty was commissioned as a 1st Lieutenant in the U.S. Army Air Corps.
• John Persons was appointed Lieutenant Colonel in the Alabama National Guard.
• Archibald Carmichael was appointed to the University of Alabama Board of Trustees.
• Seale Harris published a paper first documenting the medical condition of hyperinsulinism.
• Mary Echols served as a delegate to the 1924 Democratic National Convention in New York City.

Births

• January 27: Ella Jones, church organist and music minister
• February 1: Ben Branscomb, pulmonologist
• March 14: Revis Hall, superintendent of Jefferson County Schools
• April 23: J. B. Stoner, white supremacist ideologue and terrorist
• May 22: Wallace Carden, analytical chemist
• May 22: Ed Jones, photographer
• May 23: Karl Friedman, attorney
• July 7: Johnny Simmons, basketball and baseball player
• July 15: Jeremiah Denton, U.S. Senator
• July 21: Angelena Rice, educator
• July 21: Frank Carnaggio restaurateur
• July 23: Billy McCary, U.S. Navy seamn
• July 28: Anne Braden, journalist and Civil Rights activist
• August 3: John Fuller, architect and activist
• August 16: Margaret Livingston, Birmingham Museum of Art volunteer leader
• August 22: Walter Johnsey, Alabama Power Company executive
• August 23: Tommy Langston, Birmingham Post-Herald photographer
• September 3: Bill Greason, Major League pitcher and minister
• September 12: Bubba Church, Major League pitcher
• October 24: Orzell Billingsley, attorney and Civil Rights leader
• October 24: Billy Pappas, restaurateur
• November 9: Mel Bailey, Jefferson County Sheriff
• November 18: William Thuss Jr, occupational clinician
• November 20: Ernest Brock, Alabama Crimson Tide football team physician
• November 30: Tom York, television host
• December 1: Leven Hazlegrove, chemist
• December 6: Dick Hawley, radio announcer and sportcaster
• December 18: Luvenia Little, mother of William Bell
• December 21: John Blackburn, University of Alabama administrator
• December 31: Wilbur Harden, jazz musician
• Margie Orr Carter, educator and "Miss Birmingham"
• Billy Gamble, business instructor
• Evelyn Martin, nurse
• Joe Sacco, typewriter retailer
• Charles Sutton, pest control professional and Homewood City Council member
• Ronald Weathers, sportswriter

Graduations

• Blanche Dean earned a bachelor's degree in chemistry at the University of Alabama.
• Paul Hardin completed his bachelor's degree at Wofford College in Spartanburg, South Carolina.
• Artist Ernest Henderson graduated from Phillips High School.
• Literary figure Richmond Beatty graduated from Birmingham-Southern College.
• Birmingham Museum of Art director Richard Howard graduated from Harvard University.
• Social worker Alice Pigman graduated from Austin High School in Chicago, Illinois.

Awards

• Mildred Adams was crowned "Miss Birmingham".
• Judson Dowling was presented with the Birmingham News Loving Cup.
• A. H. Parker was awarded the "Negro Citizens' Loving Cup".

Deaths

• February 3: Basil Allen, attorney and judge
• February 26: Alfred Eubank, dentist
• March 3: John Eagan, ACIPCO founder
• March 21: Samuel Ullman, hardware dealer, civic leader and poet
• April 13: Edmund Rucker, Confederate officer and businessman
• June 21: Gene Walker, motorcycle racer
• November 5: Carrie Tuggle, educator
• December 19: Henry Badham Sr, industrialist and banker

1920s

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Births - Deaths - Establishments - Events - Works