Sidney Smyer: Difference between revisions
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Smyer's family moved to [[Birmingham]] around [[1900]] and operated a dairy farm near the [[Alabama State Fairgrounds]]. He attended [[West End Elementary School]] and [[Central High School|Birmingham High School]]. He went on to earn a degree from the [[University of Alabama School of Law]] and served in the army during [[World War I]]. | Smyer's family moved to [[Birmingham]] around [[1900]] and operated a dairy farm near the [[Alabama State Fairgrounds]]. He attended [[West End Elementary School]] and [[Central High School|Birmingham High School]]. He went on to earn a degree from the [[University of Alabama School of Law]] and served in the army during [[World War I]]. | ||
On returning to Birmingham, Smyer and his brother, [[Shuford Smyer|Shuford]] joined the law firm of his uncles [[Edgar Smyer|Edgar]] and [[Rufus Smyer|Rufus Smyer]], who represented industrial interests. Smyer helped create the [[Alabama Economy League]] in [[1932]] and lobbied the [[Alabama State Legislature]] on behalf of the "[[Big Mules]]". In [[1934]] he was elected to the State House of Representatives. A year later he was appointed general counsel to the board of the Birmingham Realty Company. He was named vice-president of the firm in [[1942]] and president in [[1953]]. In [[1967]] his son, [[Sidney Smyer, Jr|Sidney, Jr]] succeeded him as president and he became chairman of the board. | On returning to Birmingham, Smyer and his brother, [[Shuford Smyer|Shuford]] joined the law firm of his uncles [[Edgar Smyer|Edgar]] and [[Rufus Smyer|Rufus Smyer]], who represented industrial interests. Smyer helped create the [[Alabama Economy League]] in [[1932]] and lobbied the [[Alabama State Legislature]] on behalf of the "[[Big Mules]]". In [[1934]] he was elected to the State House of Representatives, and re-elected in [[1938]], taking over [[Bull Connor|Eugene "Bull" Connor]]'s former seat. A year later he was appointed general counsel to the board of the Birmingham Realty Company. He was named vice-president of the firm in [[1942]] and president in [[1953]]. In [[1967]] his son, [[Sidney Smyer, Jr|Sidney, Jr]] succeeded him as president and he became chairman of the board. | ||
During Smyer's 14 year term as president of Birmingham Realty, he increased gross rental incomes from $343,000 to $1,243,000 and constructed 40 new commercial buildings, establishing himself as a prime force in the postwar development of Birmingham's downtown. He was a charter member of the [[Jefferson County Planning Commission]] when it was formed in [[1947]] and earned the nickname "Mr. Zoning" for his efforts. | During Smyer's 14 year term as president of Birmingham Realty, he increased gross rental incomes from $343,000 to $1,243,000 and constructed 40 new commercial buildings, establishing himself as a prime force in the postwar development of Birmingham's downtown. He was a charter member of the [[Jefferson County Planning Commission]] when it was formed in [[1947]] and earned the nickname "Mr. Zoning" for his efforts. | ||
Smyer was also active in a laymen's association at [[HIghlands United Methodist Church|Highlands Methodist Church]] which actively opposed integrationist voices in the national Methodist denomination. | |||
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Revision as of 17:27, 13 May 2012
Sidney William Smyer (born May 30, 1897 in Cherokee County; died August 1985) was an attorney, state legislator, president of the Birmingham Realty Company and chairman of the Birmingham Chamber of Commerce in 1963. That Spring he took responsibility for negotiating on behalf of the Senior Citizens Committee to forge the Birmingham Truce that culminated mass Civil Rights demonstrations of the Birmingham Campaign.
Smyer's family moved to Birmingham around 1900 and operated a dairy farm near the Alabama State Fairgrounds. He attended West End Elementary School and Birmingham High School. He went on to earn a degree from the University of Alabama School of Law and served in the army during World War I.
On returning to Birmingham, Smyer and his brother, Shuford joined the law firm of his uncles Edgar and Rufus Smyer, who represented industrial interests. Smyer helped create the Alabama Economy League in 1932 and lobbied the Alabama State Legislature on behalf of the "Big Mules". In 1934 he was elected to the State House of Representatives, and re-elected in 1938, taking over Eugene "Bull" Connor's former seat. A year later he was appointed general counsel to the board of the Birmingham Realty Company. He was named vice-president of the firm in 1942 and president in 1953. In 1967 his son, Sidney, Jr succeeded him as president and he became chairman of the board.
During Smyer's 14 year term as president of Birmingham Realty, he increased gross rental incomes from $343,000 to $1,243,000 and constructed 40 new commercial buildings, establishing himself as a prime force in the postwar development of Birmingham's downtown. He was a charter member of the Jefferson County Planning Commission when it was formed in 1947 and earned the nickname "Mr. Zoning" for his efforts.
Smyer was also active in a laymen's association at Highlands Methodist Church which actively opposed integrationist voices in the national Methodist denomination.
References
- Eskew, Glenn T. (1997) But for Birmingham: The Local and National Movements in the Civil Rights Struggle. Chapel Hill: University of North Carolina Press. ISBN 0807846678
- Spence, Steve (2011) "Cultural Globalization and the US Civil Rights Movement." Public Culture, Vol. 23, No. 3, pp. 551-72