1960

Eastwood Mall opened in 1960.

1960 was the 89th year after the founding of the city of Birmingham.

Events

B-Liner bus

• January 4: Chattanooga developers proposed a massive urban renewal of Rosedale, for a modern shopping and office complex known as Southgate Center.
• April 3: Reverend Herbert Oliver was arrested from his home for "vagrancy" by Birmingham police. He was released on bond the next morning and found not guilty in the Birmingham Municipal Court that evening.
• June 17: Barber James Armstrong filed "Armstrong v. Board of Education of Birmingham" in federal court, leading to the system's racial desegregation three years later.
• July 10: A rock'n'roll concert at the Municipal Auditorium was stopped by police after a shooting in the restroom.
• July 14: A crowd of white teenage rock'n'roll fans at Don's Teen Town in Bessemer chased off a gathering of 80 or so Klansmen planning to jump the deejay, Shelley Stewart.
• August 26: Richard Nixon spoke at a campaign rally on the steps of Birmingham City Hall.
• September 1: Bob Truett succeeded the previously ousted Tom Briskey as director of the Birmingham Zoo.
• December 5: Hugo Black wrote the Supreme Court decision in Boynton v. Virginia, establishing federal regulation of accommodations for interstate passengers.
• The Birmingham Transit Company began using B-Liner buses.
• Hueytown was incorporated.
• The Jefferson County Department of Health began inspecting X-ray equipment and other radiation sources.
• Parts of Lakeshore were annexed into Homewood.
• Margaret was incorporated.
• Jimmy Morgan commissioned a master plan for a future Birmingham Botanical Gardens.
• Montgomery police commissioner L. B. Sullivan sued The New York Times and Fred Shuttlesworth for libel.
• Arthur Winograd succeeded Arthur Lipkin as conductor of the Birmingham Symphony Orchestra.
• The Spies Nutrition Clinic at Hillman Hospital closed upon the death of Dr Tom Spies.

Business

Jack's hamburgers

• November 23: The first Jack's restaurant chain was opened in Homewood by Jack Caddell.
• Charles Kleibacker launched his private fashion label in New York City.
• Frank Samford Jr became president of Liberty National Life Insurance Company.
• Sexton's Seafood was founded in Destin, Florida.
• Massey Business College closed its doors.
• Jim Lunceford founded Jim & Jim's Body Shop in Homewood.
• Consolidated Pipe & Supply was founded.
• Gene and Martha Smith founded Little House on Linden Art Center.

Education

• The Alabama Polytechnic Institute became Auburn University.
• Bob Bales joined the staff of Pepperdine University.
• A. C. Dickinson became the first principal of Hayes High School.
• Paul Laurence Dunbar High School closed.
• Alden Gannett became president of Southeastern Bible College.
• Marketer Morris Mayer joined the faculty of the University of Alabama.
• Irondale Public Library was formally incorporated.

Government

• October 3: Robert Guillot succeeded Verner Adams as Mayor of Vestavia Hills.
• Sonny Penhale ran unsuccessfully for Mayor of Helena.
• The Vestavia Hills Park and Recreation Board was created.

Media

• Golfer Charley Boswell appeared on This is Your Life
• Paul Williams, Eddie Kendricks, Otis Williams, Melvin Franklin, and Elbridge Bryant founded The Elgins, soon to be renamed "The Temptations".
• The blue-roofed Pilgrim Church appeared in an advertising campaign for the National Steel Corporation.
• Bessemer's WBCO-AM switched its call sign to WYAM-AM.
• Circle 6 Ranch switched formats to become the Benny Carle Show.
• The New York Herald Tribune created the "Irita Van Doren Book Award."

Religion

• March 6: Martin Luther King Jr was featured speaker for "Men's Day" at New Pilgrim Baptist Church.
• Julian Aland left the pulpit at Temple Emanu-El.
• Seymour Atlas left the pulpit at Knesseth Israel Congregation.
• Ralph Clark became pastor of First Baptist Church of Mount Olive.
• John Claypool became pastor of Crescent Hill Baptist in Louisville, Kentucky.
• Jerome Cooper succeeded Nathan Goldstein as president of the Jewish Community Center of Birmingham.
• Paul Hardin was elected Bishop of the Methodist church.
• James L. Myers became pastor of Nichols Temple AME Church.
• Ted Tibbs became organist at Southside Baptist Church.
• Canaan Missionary Baptist Church was condemned by the City of Bessemer and demolished.

Sports

• December 17: Alabama tied Texas 3-3 in the Bluebonnet Bowl
• Races were first held on the newly-paved track at the Birmingham International Raceway.
• Dude Hennessey joined Bear Bryant's staff at the University of Alabama.

Individuals

• July 1: John M. "Mac" Breckinridge began serving as Birmingham City Attorney.
• Bull Connor was elected to the Democratic National Committee
• John Grenier became chair of the Jefferson County Young Republicans.
• Clarence Marble enlisted in the army.
• Composer Hugh Martin suffered a nervous breakdown.
• Pilot Joe Shannon flew a C-47 transport to Europe during the Berlin crisis.
• John Swindle succeeded R. B. Knox as Chief of the Birmingham Fire Department.
• Bob Truett succeeded Tom Briskey as director of the Birmingham Zoo.
• Painter Jack Whitten enrolled at the Cooper Union in New York City.
• Arthur Winograd succeeded Arthur Lipkin as conductor of the Birmingham Symphony Orchestra.

Births

• January 5: Richard Joseph Smith, salon owner
• March 2: Debra Marshall, actress and wrestler
• March 13: Oliver Robinson, politician and former basketball player
• March 18: Bruce Pearl, basketball coach
• April 8: Siberian tigers Mandchu, Serpent, Tara and Doutchka were born at the Birmingham Zoo.
• April 14: Mike Jones football player and coach
• May 2: Scott Stantis, cartoonist
• June 1: Chris Lawson, artist
• June 29: Patricia Bozeman-Henderson, case worker
• July 12: Greg Canfield, politician and insurance executive
• August 25: Ashley Crow, actress
• August 29: Bill Latham, baseball player
• August 30: Ron Nored, AME minister and community activist
• September 15: Mike Davis, UAB Blazers basketball coach
• October 10: Rod Foster, basketball player
• October 12: Steve Lowery, golfer
• November 1: Tim Cook, CEO of Apple Inc.
• November 9: Roderick Scott, economics professor and State Representative
• December 30: Carole Griffin, singer, baker and restaurateur
• December 30: Gary Jones, theater organist
• Raed Awad, imam
• Cindy Cason, Homewood City Schools administrator
• Howard Finch, dean of Brock School of Business at Samford University
• Claude Hendrickson, equipment dealer
• Steve Hewett, banker and developer
• Jimmy Hill, grocer
• Creig Hoskins, architect
• Jim Howard, product designer and entrepreneur
• Wanda Jones, antiques dealer
• Richie Kingsmore, composer, arranger and music minister
• Janine Langston, executive director of Birmingham Public Library
• Vanessa Leonard, attorney
• Brian Mackin, banker and former UAB athletic director
• David Marsh, swimming and diving coach
• Robin Metz, artist
• Mike Oliver, journalist
• Craig Pouncey, superintendent of Jefferson County Schools
• Richard Shahan, Baptist minister
• Selwyn Vickers, Dean of the UAB School of Medicine
• Mary Bonner Wagnon, arts activist
• Mary Wiley, Birmingham Police Department vice detective
• J. Willoughby, musician and radio host
• Miriam Witherspoon, Birmingham City Council

Graduations

• Bud Moore graduated from the University of Alabama.

Marriages

• Stylist Jay Sebring married model Cami.

Awards

• Earl Hilliard graduated from Western Olin HIgh School.
• Shin Oh completed his medical degree at the Seoul National University in South Korea.
• Richard Gilliam completed graduate school.
• Dan Gaylord was named Mr Crestwood.
• Teresa Rinaldi was crowned Miss Alabama.
• Art Hanes Jr graduated from Woodlawn High School.
• Jack Bulow graduated from Southside High School of Elmira, New York.

Retirements

• First baseman Norm Zauchin retired from baseball.

Deaths

• February 29: George Huddleston Sr, U.S. Congressman
• April 26: James Freeman, millionaire and Jasper City Manager
• May 2: Frank Cross Sr, pastor of Ensley Highlands Presbyterian Church
• June 20: E. D. Henley, founder of Birmingham Electric Battery Co.
• September: Orville Schanbacher, president of Loveman's
• November 4: Gus Jebeles, restauranteur and Birmingham Barons owner
• December 11: Mike Donahue, Auburn Tigers coach
• December 11: Wrestler Tor Yamato died from an accidental gunshot wound to the abdomen.
• James Burt Jr, first husband of Anne Woodward.
• Henry Edmonds, founder of Independent Presbyterian Church
• Hugh Morrow, attorney and State Senator

See also: List of Birmingham homicides in 1960

Works

• The Birmingham Grotto of the National Speleological Society launched its Cavea Novea newsletter.
• Artist Barbara Evans sold her first paintings.
• Fate in a Pleasant Mood (LP) by Sun Ra and His Myth Science Arkestra

Books

• Preliminary reports for the 1960 Birmingham Metropolitan Audit were released.
• Richard Yates began writing Revolutionary Road after suffering a mental breakdown and divorce.

Buildings

• 631 Reba Street in Forestdale
• Olmsted Building at 1211 27th Place South
• 2717 7th Avenue South
• A. G. Gaston Building
• J. S. Abrams High School
• Alabaster City Hall and Alabaster Public Library
• Blountsville Public Library
• Bryan Educational Building at Third Presbyterian Church
• Caldwell Mill Road bridge over Cahaba River tributary
• Camp Jimmy Goodwin
• Cherokee Campground
• Doctor's Center
• Eastwood Mall
• Fort Mortimer H. Jordan Alabama National Guard 109th Evacuation Hospital Armory
• St George Melkite Greek Catholic Church
• Guaranty Federal Savings and Loan on 1st Avenue North
• Hayes High School
• Health Sciences Research Building
• The Highlander at Highland Office Park
• Hixson Hall
• Our Lady of Sorrows Catholic Church
• Guest House Motor Inn
• St Theresa Catholic Church parish house
• Warren Place shopping center in Vestavia Hills
• Weibel Drive (now Aaron Aronov Drive)
• Williamson-Willey Pontiac Plaza
• The marquee at the Alabama Theatre was replaced.
• A 2-story addition to Barrett Elementary School was completed.
• Construction of Logan Martin Dam began.
• The Lane House in Auburn was purchased by the Auburn Women's Club.
• Expansion of the St Francis Hotel Courts to 112 rooms.

Demolitions

• Canaan Missionary Baptist Church
• Howard College's East Lake campus
• Munger Bowl stadium at Birmingham-Southern College

Context

1960 was a leap year, marked by John F. Kennedy's successful campaign for President. Construction of the Aswan Dam was begun in Egypt. Joanne Woodward was honored with the first star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. Adolph Coors III was kidnapped and murdered. The Winter Olympics were held in Squaw Valley, California. Elvis Presley concluded his military service. A United Airlines flight collided with a TWA flight over Staten Island, killing 134 people. The US launched its first weather satellite. Brazil moved its capital from Rio de Janeiro to Brasilia. The USSR shot down an American U2 spy plane. Mossad agents captured Adolf Eichmann in Buenos Aires. Several African colonies gained their independence. Harper Lee's To Kill a Mockingbird was published. The Beatles began a long club date in Hamburg. The Summer Olympics were held in Rome. Gold medalist Cassius Clay made his professional boxing debut. Hurricane Donna ravaged the Atlantic coast. Huntsville's Marhsall Space Flight Center was dedicated. The world's population stood at just over 3 billion people.

Ben-Hur won several Academy Awards including Best Picture. Elvis Presley dominated the pop charts with "It's Now Or Never," and "Are You Lonesome Tonight?", along with Chubby Checker's "The Twist".

Notable 1960 births include those of singers Michael Stipe, Joan Jett and Bono, diver Greg Louganis, tennis star Ivan Lendle, outfielder Kirby Puckett, actors Antonio Banderas, Sean Penn and Valerie Bertinelli, murderer Jeffrey Dahmer, quarterback John Elway, saxophonist Branford Marsalis, soccer star Diego Maradona, and rapper Chuck D.

Deaths in 1960 included those of authors Albert Camus and Boris Pasternak, philanthropist John D. Rockefeller Jr, lyricist Oscar Hammerstein, and actor Clark Gable.

1960s

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Births - Deaths - Establishments - Events - Works