1950
1950 was the 79th year after the founding of the City of Birmingham.
Events
- The Birmingham Museum of Art is created by the City of Birmingham.
- The Birmingham Zoo obtains land at Lane Park.
- The Birmingham Post-Herald is formed from the merger of the Birmingham Post and Birmingham Age-Herald.
- Birmingham passes an ordinance outlawing communism.
- Bull Connor campaigns unsuccessfully for Governor of Alabama
- WBRC 6 begins producing live local programs and expands its nightly newscast.
- The Jimmie Hale Mission moves to 24th Street and 3rd Avenue North.
- Calhoun Shoes founded.
- Post office established for Fultondale.
- Marcus Hancock becomes Birmingham Police Chief.
- Shades Cahaba High School is converted to an elementary school.
- Green Acres Cafe opens in North Birmingham.
- Cooper Green is created a Knight of St Olaf by the King of Norway.
- Alton Earl Potts becomes pastor of McElwain Baptist Church.
- WFMH-FM goes on the air at FM 101.1 in Cullman.
- WAFM-FM relocates to FM 99.5.
- Norris Hadaway takes over management of the Alabama Theatre.
- Temple Beth-El undertakes an interior renovation.
- November 8: Vestavia Hills is incorporated
Sports
- Rickwood Field is expanded with new box seats and relocated dugouts.
- Satchel Paige signs with the St Louis Browns.
- Sam Hairston wins the Negro American League triple crown with a .424 average, 17 home runs and 71 RBI.
- Alabama State wins the Magic City Classic by a score of 16-12.
- Alabama defeated Auburn 34-0 in the 1950 Iron Bowl.
Music
- The Gospel Harmoneers are re-named the Gospel Harmonettes.
Film
- The Underworld Story with Mary Anderson
- Last of the Buccaneers with Mary Anderson
- Hunt the Man Down with Mary Anderson
Births
- Anthony Barnes, Birmingham Water Works Board President
- Watson Brown, former UAB Blazers football coach
- Paul Ferrone, Alabama Symphony Orchestra manager
- January 18: Pat Sullivan, Samford Bulldogs football coach
- February 10: Lonnie Holley, artist
- May 4: Jack Baker, baseball player
- July 11: Larry DeLucas, astronaut and scientist
- August 8: Greg Bass, radio host and studio owner
- August 13: Freeman Hrabowski, president of the University of Maryland Baltimore County
- September 2: Lamar Johnson, baseball player
Graduations
- Herman Spivey, aeronautical engineering. University of Alabama
Buildings
- Birmingham City Hall
- St Elias Maronite Church
- THC Drive In, Adamsville
- Bethel A.M.E. Church reopened after repairs from a 1946 fire.
Context
1950 saw recognition for the People's Republic of China and Israel. The world's population stood at about 2.5 billion. Mt Lamington in New Guinea erupts, killing 5,000. India forms a republic. The Soviet Union successfully tests a nuclear bomb. L. Ron Hubbard's Dianetics is published. The Korean War began in June. Uruguay wins the FIFA World Cup. Florence Chadwick swims the English Channel. Pope Pius XII accepts the theory of evolution. Peanuts and Beetle Bailey both debut in newspapers. Truth or Consequences debuts on television. Mother Teresa begins her work in Calcutta. Shirley Temple retires from show business, and Ben Hogan wins the U. S. Open.
Notable 1950 births included Natalie Cole, Julius Erving, Jay Leno, Stevie Wonder, Princess Anne, and Tom Petty. Deaths that year included George Orwell, Edgar Rice Burroughs, Al Jolson, George Bernard Shaw, and King Gustaf V of Sweden.
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