1951

1951 was the 80th year after the founding of the city of Birmingham.

Events

• April 23: Marine platoon sergeant Harold Wilson displayed "fearless and untiring leadership," while wounded facing an assault in Korea. He was awarded the Medal of Honor for his actions.
• May 21: A major fire destroyed a cluster of 20 duplexes in Fairfield while Birmingham Fire Department trucks stood idly by, awaiting Bull Connor's order permitting them to assist.
• July: Birmingham annexed 13 square miles of unincorporated Jefferson County, including the Powderly community and areas between Gate City and Mountain Brook.
• October: The American Cast Iron Pipe Company placed its Lamprecht Collection of Iron Art on loan to the Birmingham Museum of Art.
• November 25: The Southern Railway's Crescent passenger train collided head on with the Southerner near the depot in Woodstock, killing 17 people.

Business

• July 1: The Town House apartments opened.
• Johns Funeral Home merged with Ridout's Brown-Service Mortuary to form Johns-Ridout's Funeral Parlor.
• The Royal Theatre on 2nd Avenue North closed.
• Niki's Restaurant opened on 2nd Avenue North.

Sports

• September 8: The NFL's Washington Redskins defeated the New York Giants 14-10 in an exhibition game at Legion Field.
• 1951 Iron Bowl
• See also: 1951 Legion Field schedule

Works

Buildings

• Brown Elementary School
• Burks Pan-Am Service Station
• Canterbury Shop
• Clark's Service Station
• Crippled Children's Clinic
• Essex House
• First Lutheran Church
• Five Points South YMCA
• Flintridge Building (dedicated December 22)
• Highland Towers
• One Minute Car Wash
• Sheraton Apartments
• Sokol's
• The Club
• Town House
• BTNB Five Points West branch
• Westminster Presbyterian Church
• Education Building at First Baptist Church of Sylacauga
• St Paul Methodist Church

Individuals

• James Durrett succeeded Tinsley Harrison as dean of the Medical College of Alabama.

Births

• January 22: Alveda King, minister and social activist
• February: Dieter Brock, football player
• March 11: Mike Tracy, Drummond Company CEO
• April 26: Johnny Curry, state representative
• May 22: Larry Thomas, little leaguer
• June 17: John Garrett, Birmingham Bulls goaltender
• August 21: Ron Casey, editor
• November 3: Tom Blosser, musician
• November 26: Stephen Rolfe Powell, glass artist and educator
• December 12: Steve Durbano, Birmingham Bulls defenseman
• December 14: Walter Knapp, pianist
• Ramon Arias, restaurant franchisee
• Alfred Bahakel, judge
• Tommy Brigham, real estate executive
• Margaret Burnham, art conservator
• William Carter, author and professor
• Gary Palmer, politician
• Alan Potts, original owner of Silvertron Cafe
• David Roberson, lobbyist

Marriages

• June 11: John Hodnett married Mary Anne Quinnelly.

Graduations

• Richard Arrington from Fairfield Industrial High School
• William Rushton III from Princeton University

Deaths

• February 28: Joseph Loveman, president of Loveman's department store
• June 16: Philipp Mock, Titanic survivor
• November 25: 17 people died in the 1951 Southern Railway crash

Context

In 1951, the Korean War continued. Nuclear bomb testing began at the Nevada Proving Grounds. The Twenty-second Amendment to the U.S. Constitution, limiting Presidents to two terms, was ratified. Comic strip Dennis the Menace first appeared in newspapers. Rodgers and Hammerstein's The King and I opened on Broadway. The first thermonuclear weapon was tested on Enewetok Atoll in the Marshall Islands by the U.S. CBS's Eye logo premiered on TV. Direct dial coast-to-coast telephone service began in the U.S. in a limited fashion. Libya became independent from Italy.

1950s

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