The office of mayor of Birmingham, Alabama, United States, was established with the incorporation of the city in 1871. Robert Henley was appointed by Governor Robert B. Lindsay to a two-year term. Until 1910, the Mayor presided over an ever-expanding Board of Aldermen who generally campaigned on the same ticket. Progressive reformers lobbied for a change in the form of government that year, resulting in the creation of a five-member Board of Commissioners (later reduced to three members). The President of the Commission, though not formally holding the title, was widely acknowledged as "Mayor" under that system.Harris, Carl V. (1977) Political Power in Birmingham, 1871–1921. Twentieth-Century America Series. Knoxville: University of Tennessee Press.
As Birmingham grew, it eventually became the county seat of Jefferson County. Before Birmingham, the county seats were established first at Carrollsville (1819–1821), then Elyton (1821–1873). For many years, Birmingham was viewed as underrepresented in the state and federal legislature because its representation did not increase proportionately with its population growth. The city's new urban needs were ignored by rural officials, who refused to redistrict the area appropriately to represent the influx of immigrants and manual laborers, among others. The transition of Birmingham to the seat of Jefferson County allowed its local politics to become more influential on the state level.
In 1963, as part of another progressive effort, this time to unseat Public Safety Commissioner Bull Connor, the form of government was again changed by referendum. Reorganized under Alabama's Mayor Council Act of 1955, the city government consisted of a mayor and nine at-large City Council representatives. Changing demographics in the city's electorate led to the election of Birmingham's first African-American mayor, Richard Arrington Jr., in 1979.Casey, Ron (1979) "The Election of Birmingham's Black Mayor " Southern Changes: The Journal of the Southern Regional Council. Vol. 2, No. 3.Franklin, Jimmie Lewis (1989) Back to Birmingham: Richard Arrington, Jr., and His Times. Tuscaloosa: University of Alabama Press.
In 1989 a change was made to elect council members by district, with 4-year terms coming at the midpoint of the mayoral term (allowing sitting council members to campaign for the mayoral office without having to resign their seats).Haeberle, Steven H. (1997) "Exploring the Effects of Single-Member Districts on an Urban Political System." Urban Affairs Review. Vol. 33, No. 2, pp. 287–97.
Mayors Image Representative Years Electoral historyMayors of BirminghamRobert HenleyDecember 19, 1871 – July 1872Appointed by Robert B. LindsayW. J. McDonaldJuly 1872Acting Mayor while Henley was absentThomas TateJuly 1872Interim MayorRobert HenleyJuly 1872 – April 22, 1873Died James Robert Powell1873–1875Succeeded after Robert Henley's death. William Harrington Morris1875–1878Henry M. Caldwell1878Thomas Jeffers1878–1882A. O. Lane1882–1888B. A. Thompson1888–1890A. O. Lane1890–1892David J. Fox1892–1894James A. Van Hoose1894–1896Frank V. Evans1896–1899Mel Drennen1899–1905 George B. Ward1905–1908Frank P. O'Brien1908–1910Culpepper Exum1910–1913Presidents of the Birmingham City Commission George B. WardNovember 1913 – 1917 Mayor of Birmingham, Alabama, 1905–1908Chose not to re-run Nathaniel Barrett1917–1921David E. McClendon1921–1925 James M. Jones Jr.1925–1940Cooper Green1940–1953James W. Morgan1953–1961Art Hanes1961–1963Mayors of BirminghamAlbert Boutwell 1963–1967George G. Siebels Jr. 1967–1975 David Vann 1975 – November 12, 1979 Richard Arrington Jr.November 13, 1979 – 1999First African-American mayor William A. Bell1999Interim Mayor Bernard Kincaid 1999 – November 12, 2007 Larry LangfordNovember 13, 2007 – October 28, 2009Carole SmithermanOctober 29, 2009 – November 2009Acting MayorFirst African-American female mayorRoderick RoyalNovember 2009 – January 25, 2010Acting Mayor William A. BellJanuary 26, 2010 – November 27, 2017 Randall WoodfinNovember 28, 2017 – present
President of the Commission Representative Years Electoral historyCulpepper Exum1913George B. WardNovember 1913 – 1917Mayor of Birmingham, Alabama, 1905–1908Chose not to re-runNathaniel Barrett1917–1921David E. McClendon1921–1925James M. Jones Jr.1925–1940Cooper Green1940–1953James W. Morgan1953–1961Art Hanes1961–1963
Mayor-Council Act of 1955 The Mayor-Council Act was a law passed by the Alabama State Legislature which restructured the municipal government of the City of Birmingham. It was intended to provide the citizens of Birmingham with more appropriate representation in government that was reflective of population changes during the century. It also attempted to balance the legislative and executive powers of the municipal government by removing the President of the Commission's ability to vote on proposed actions, instead giving the Mayor only veto power. The act was adopted following a vote by a referendum of Birmingham citizens on November 6, 1962. The first mayor under the Act was elected on March 5, 1963, as Albert Boutwell defeated incumbent Commissioner of Public Safety Bull Connor.
See also Timeline of Birmingham, Alabama 2025 Birmingham, Alabama mayoral election
References
External links City of Birmingham, Alabama official website