1962
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1962 was the 91st year after the founding of the city of Birmingham.
Events
- March: The City of Moody was incorporated.
- May 20: Our Lady of the Angels Monastery was officially established in Irondale by Mother Angelica.
- May 31: Liberty National Life Insurance began offering tours to its Miss Liberty statue, hosted by "Liberty Belles".
- Operation New Birmingham was created as a committee of the Downtown Improvement Association.
- A group of architects met with area business leaders and volunteered to put together a master plan for Birmingham's central business district.
- Birmingham Post-Herald editor Jimmy Mills was arrested for publishing an election-day editorial suggesting how citizens should vote.
- November: Birmingham voters approved a change in government from a City Commission to a Mayor and City Council.
- Jim Henson's Muppet characters "Wilkins and Wontkins" began appearing in advertisements for Red Diamond.
- Hugo Black wrote a decision in Engel v. Vitale declaring state-sanctioned prayer in public schools unconstitutional.
- The FBI Birmingham Division from the Martin Building to the 2121 Building.
- Hortense and Isadore Pizitz donated the Boulder Canyon Nature Area to Vestavia Hills.
- The Hoover Volunteer Fire Department was organized.
- Rock and roll band The Counts formed in Ensley Highlands.
- Festival of Arts: Salute to Arts Around Us
Civil Rights Movement
- January 1: Rather than integrate city parks, the Birmingham City Commission closed them to the public altogether.
- January 16: Three churches were damaged by dynamite explosions.
- February 12: Martin Luther King, Jr spoke at an ACMHR-sponsored "Lincoln's Birthday Rally" at 16th Street Baptist Church, telling the crowd "We are prepared to walk in, sit in, ride in or anything else that it takes to do away with segregation."
- March - June: Student leaders from Miles College, Daniel Payne College, Booker T. Washington Business College and Birmingham-Southern College organized a Selective Buying Campaign to pressure merchants to desegregate their stores and hire black workers.
- April 3: In retaliation for boycotts, the Birmingham City Commission ended its appropriation to a surplus food program.
- May: During the SCLC's annual meeting, Shuttlesworth invited King to lead demonstrations in Birmingham.
- November 7: A 1962 Birmingham special election, widely viewed as a referendum on the power wielded by Bull Connor, results in a change to a Mayor-Council form of government.
- December 14: Bethel Baptist Church was bombed a third time, the explosion occurred across the street, but still shattered windows at the church and parsonage.
- Fred Shuttlesworth, Martin Luther King, Jr and other leaders met with Vice President Lyndon Johnson and Attorney General Robert Kennedy.
Business
- Chris McNair opened a photography studio.
- Gene and Bettie Crutcher opened Gene Crutcher Books at Five Points South.
- Homestead House furniture store opened in Bessemer.
- A 150-room Holiday Inn opened on 3rd Avenue North.
- The Red Lion Lounge opened in Homewood.
- Sherer's Drive-In opened a location in Tupelo, Mississippi.
- Upside Down Plaza opened in the Highland Plaza shopping center.
- Sterling Edwards's son Leon took over Edwards Chevrolet.
- May 23: Tapawingo Plunge swimming pool in Pinson Valley reopened under new ownership.
- July 3: Birmingham's first McDonald's restaurant opened in the Central Park neighborhood.
- November 2: Discount retailer G. E. S. opened in West End.
- November 2: Discount retailer Maxam opened at the Skyland Shopping Center in Tuscaloosa.
- November 28: The Strand Theater closed.
Religion
- March 18: A. D. King was installed as pastor of First Baptist Church of Ensley.
- John Cross became pastor of 16th Street Baptist Church.
- John Colreavy was appointed pastor of St Anthony's Church in Ensley.
Sports
- January 1: The 1961 Alabama Crimson Tide football team defeated Arkansas in the Sugar Bowl to claim a national championship.
- January: Paul "Bear" Bryant signed a new 10-year contract, worth $18,000 per year, to remain head coach of the Alabama Crimson Tide football team.
- June 28: The first race on the reconfigured 5/8ths mile Birmingham International Raceway was held.
- Bobby Bowden went to Florida State University as an assistant coach under Bill Peterson.
- Bart Starr led the Green Bay Packers to the first of his five NFL championships with the team.
- Bobby Allison won NASCAR's modified special division championship.
- Phil Neel's "Aubie" cartoon took to walking upright.
- Jim Davenport batted .297 with 14 home runs and 58 RBI over 144 games for the San Francisco Giants.
- [{December 1]]: Alabama beat Auburn 38-0 in the 1962 Iron Bowl at Legion Field.
- The 1962 Alabama Crimson Tide football team
- The 1962 Auburn Tigers football team went 6-3-1
Works
- The feature film version of To Kill a Mockingbird with Mary Badham as Scout and Philip Alford as Jem premiered.
- Ezra Sims "Third Quartet" premiered.
- Festival of Arts logo designed by George Hackney.
Books
Buildings
- September 8: Saint Mark United Methodist Church held services in their new building.
- December 18: The conservatory at the Birmingham Botanical Gardens was completed.
- The Bank for Savings Building was completed.
- A new 87-foot-tall air traffic control tower was completed at Birmingham Municipal Airport.
- Shades Valley Family YMCA on Montgomery Highway opened.
- Chace Lake Country Club opened.
- Lloyd Wood Middle School in Northport opened.
- University Hospital School of Nursing Residence at UAB
- Jefferson County Courthouse annex.
- The Bull Connor's house in Crestwood was constructed.
- The 1909 Clark Building downtown was modernized.
- Ensley Baptist Church added an education wing.
- The First Baptist Church of Boldo added a Sunday School wing.
- Excavation for the Elton B. Stephens Expressway's Red Mountain cut began.
- Construction of the Parliament House hotel began.
- Sylvan Springs Town Hall was built.
- A rectory for St Elias Maronite Church was built.
- An addition to the Birmingham News building was completed.
- The first phase of Vestavia Hills' Wald Park opened.
- Paving of the runway at Bessemer's Durham Airport began.
- A major renovation of the Comer Building resulted in its re-naming as the "City Federal Building".
People
- Birmingham-Southern College president Henry Stanford left to head the University of Miami.
- Tom King became city attorney for Alabaster.
- John E. Davis, Jr succeeded Milton Andrews as president of The Club.
- Louis Marty succeeded Charles Vines as principal of Hueytown High School.
- Gordon Starr succeeded Harriett Grimes as principal of Powell Elementary School.
- Ward McEntyre joined WBRC-6, replacing Bart Darby as news reporter, sports announcer, and host of "Bozo the Clown".
- Charles Money joined Vincent Carnaggio's Pediatrics East.
- Architect David O. Whilldin retired from practice.
Births
- March 1: Jim McElwain, college football coach
- March 2: Al Del Greco, NFL kicker and sports radio host
- March 3: Tim James, asphalt paving contractor and bridge developer
- March 21: Mark Waid, comic book writer
- March 31: Gregg Carr, NFL lineman and orthopaedic surgeon
- April 26: Jimmy Kitchens, NASCAR driver
- May 22: Steve French, Alabama State Senate
- May 25: Lionel James, NFL running back
- June 8: Chris Dupont, restaurateur
- June 11: John Mark Stallings, son of coach Gene Stallings
- July 19: Chris Woods, NFL receiver
- July 25: Mark Cullum, Birmingham News editorial cartoonist
- August 3: SI Reasoning, musician, dancer, artist, playwright and activist
- August 11: Ennis Whatley, NBA player
- September 30: Dave Magadan, Major League baseball player
- October 7: Dale Watson, country singer/songwriter
- October 29: Joey Jones, NFL receiver and college football coach
- November 18: John Carter, Homewood Police Department corrections officer
- November 30: Bo Jackson, NFL running back and Major League Baseball player
- Ondray Agee, Alabama Power Company meter reader and Kingston neighborhood officer
- Murry Bartow, UAB Blazers basketball head coach
- Elisa Burns-Macon, Birmingham City Schools and Altamont School teacher
- Colin Coyne, real estate developer and business consultant
- Steve Dubrinsky, restaurateur
- Julie Hitt, Miss Alabama
- Steven Hoyt, Birmingham City Council
- Karmi Ingber, rabbi of Knesseth Israel Congregation
- David Maluff, restaurateur
- Tadd McVay, HealthSouth chief financial officer
- Jennifer Trammell, CEO of the Greater Shelby County Chamber of Commerce
Graduations
- Jim Carns earned a bachelor's degree in Engineering at the University of Alabama.
- Jack Farr graduated from Shelby County High School.
- Bernard Kincaid graduated from Western-Olin High School.
- Sandy Posey graduated high school in West Memphis, Arkansas.
Marriages
- December 9: Banker Pete Norris married Ann Deaver.
Awards
Deaths
- See also: List of homicides in 1962
Context
In 1962
Top grossing films of 1962
Notable books published in 1962
Popular music in 1962
Notable births in 1962 included
Notable deaths included
1960s |
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