1970

1970 was the 99th year after the founding of the city of Birmingham.

Events

• The U. S. Census counted 300,910 residents in Birmingham.
• Elton B. Stephens Expressway and Malfunction Junction opened to traffic.
• UAB's graduate school was founded.
• George Scofield purchased the George Wofford residence.
• The First National Bank Building was renamed the John A. Hand Building.
• Homewood and Vestavia Hills formed their own independent school systems.
• Chilton County was added to the Birmingham planning and development district.
• October: The Jaycee's Haunted House debuted in Lakeview.

Business

• John W. Woods was named president of the First National Bank of Birmingham.
• Etheridge Brothers Barber & Style founded by Willie Etheridge, Sr and Joe Etheridge.
• Michael Matsos purchased the Golden Rule Bar-B-Q chain.
• Metalplate opened a facility in Atlanta.
• Sammy Graphos opened a second Sneaky Pete's location in Homewood.

Sports

• A Poly-Turf artificial surface was installed at Legion Field.
• Donnie Allison recorded three NASCAR wins.
• Rose Fiorella started the volleyball program at Ramsay High School.
• Pat Sullivan led the country in total offense and yards per play for the Auburn Tigers.
• Gene Bartow became the head basketball coach at Memphis State University.
• Kenny Stabler began his Oakland Raiders career.
• John Hannah became a starter for the Alabama Crimson Tide.
• March 24: Buddy Baker broke the 200 mph barrier at the Talladega Superspeedway
• October: Alabama A&M defeated Alabama State 26-18 in the Magic City Classic at Legion Field.
• December: Auburn won the 1970 Iron Bowl, 33-28.
• December: Bear Bryant begins planning to install the wishbone offense after losing to Oklahoma in the Bluebonnet Bowl.

Works

• "Touch Me", sculpture by Yaacov Agam
• Holiday for Soul Dance, album by Sun Ra and his Intergalactic Arkestra
• The Long Swift Sword of Siegfried, film produced by David F. Friedman
• The Bronx is Next, play by Sonia Sanchez
• You Can Be Anyone This Time Around audio recording by Timothy Leary

Books

• Birmingham's First Magic Century: Were You There? by Bertha Bendall Norton
• We a BaddDDD People, poems by Sonia Sanchez
• Prophets for a New Day, by Margaret Walker
• Jail Notes by Timothy Leary

Buildings

• Vestavia Hills High School
• Malfunction Junction
• Elton B. Stephens Expressway
• Construction began on the Airport Highway Park (industrial park).

People

• Angela Davis appeared on the FBI's Most Wanted list.
• Kate Jackson appeared in the television series Dark Shadows.
• Philip Alford appeared in the television series' The Intruders, and The Virginian.
• Shin Oh joined the faculty of UAB.
• Fannie Flagg appeared in the feature film, Five Easy Pieces.
• Arthur Serwitz opened his veterinary practice.
• Hudson Baggett served as interim pastor of McElwain Baptist Church.
• Hugo Black ruled in Oregon v. Mitchell that states should set the voting age for their elections.
• Neal Berte became dean of the New College at the University of Alabama.
• Gail Patrick chaired the national Christmas Seals campaign.
• Edna Snow became principal of Edgewood Elementary School.
• Timothy Leary was sentenced for a 1968 drug conviction.

Awards

• Glenn Garrett graduated from Woodlawn High School.
• Luther Strange graduated from Shades Valley High School.
• Hilbun Adams graduated from Mountain Brook High School.
• Condoleezza Rice graduated from St Mary's Academy in Denver, Colorado
• Bernard Kincaid earned his bachelor's degree from Miles College.
• Henry Parsley earned his bachelor's degree from Sewanee University.
• Elmer Harris earned his MBA from Auburn University.
• Earl Hilliard earned his MBA from Atlanta University
• Alabama Women's Hall of Fame: Julia S. Tutwiler

Births

• Christy Opara, fitness coach
• September 8, Latrell Sprewell, basketball player
• November 17: Paul Cordes Wilm, artist

Deaths

• Fant Thornley, librarian
• November 24: Ivy Andrews, baseball player

See also: List of Birmingham homicides in 1970

Context

In 1970 Paolo Soleri began constructing Arcosanti in Arizona. The Chicago Seven were found not guilty of inciting a riot at the 1968 Democratic National Convention. Guyana and Rhodesia became independent republics. The World's Fair was held in Osaka, Japan. A postal workers strike suspended mail in several major cities. Earth Day was recognized nationally. The Concorde broke the sound barrier. Cigarette ads were banned from TV. The Beatles disbanded. Apollo 13 was aborted after an explosion. Four student protesters were shot and killed at Kent State University. The national voting age was lowered to 18. Brazil won the World Cup in Mexico City. The US withdrew ground forces from Cambodia. Egypt completed the Aswan High Dam. PBS premiered on television and Doonesbury debuted in print. The Environmental Protection Agency was founded. The World Trade Center North Tower was topped out.

Notable 1970 births include actors Vince Vaughn, Minnie Driver, Matt Damon, River Phoenix, Heather Graham and Uma Thurman; musicians Queen Latifah, Beck, Debbie Gibson; and golfer Annika Sörenstam. Deaths in 1970 included Mark Rothko, Erle Stanley Gardner, E. M. Forster, Vince Lombardi, Jimi Hendrix, John Dos Passos, Janis Joplin, and Charles de Gaulle. Top grossing films of 1970 included M*A*S*H, Airport, Catch-22 and Hello, Dolly. Patton won Best Picture at the Academy Awards. Deliverance by James Dickey was published. Ursula K. Le Guin's The Left Hand of Darkness won the Pulitzer Prize for Literature.

1970s

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