1960
1960 was the 89th year after the founding of the city of Birmingham.
Events
- Hueytown was incorporated.
- Margaret was incorporated.
- The Alabama Polytechnic Institute became Auburn University.
- The Birmingham Transit Company began using B-Liner buses .
- Parts of Lakeshore were annexed into Homewood.
- The Vestavia Hills Park and Recreation Board was created.
- The New York Times sued Fred Shuttlesworth for libel.
- Paul Laurence Dunbar High School closed.
- Jimmy Morgan commissioned a master plan for a future Birmingham Botanical Gardens.
- The Jefferson County Department of Health began inspecting X-ray equipment and other radiation sources.
Business
- Jack's restaurant chain was founded by Jack Caddell.
- Frank P. Samford, Jr became president of Liberty National Life Insurance Company.
- Sexton's Seafood was founded in Destin, Florida.
Media
- Paul Williams, Eddie Kendricks ,Otis Williams, Melvin Franklin, and Elbridge Bryant founded The Elgins, soon to be renamed "The Temptations".
- Golfer Charley Boswell appeared on This is Your Life
- The blue-roofed Pilgrim Church appeared in an advertising campaign for the National Steel Corporation.
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.
Works
- Fate in a Pleasant Mood (LP) by Sun Ra and His Myth Science Arkestra
- Artist Barbara Evans sold her first paintings.
- The Birmingham Grotto of the National Speleological Society launched its Cavea Novea newsletter.
Books
- Richard Yates began writing Revolutionary Road after suffering a mental breakdown and divorce.
Buildings
- Bryan Educational Building at Third Presbyterian Church
- Camp Jimmy Goodwin
- Cherokee Campground
- Eastwood Mall
- Hayes High School
- Health Sciences Research Building
- Hixson Hall
- J. S. Abrams High School
- St George Melkite Greek Catholic Church
- The marquee at the Alabama Theatre was replaced.
- A 2-story addition to Barrett Elementary School was completed.
- Construction of Logan Martin Dam began.
People
- John Swindle succeeded R. B. Knox as Chief of the Birmingham Fire Department.
- Arthur Winograd succeeded Arthur Lipkin as conductor of the Birmingham Symphony Orchestra.
- Composer Hugh Martin suffered a nervous breakdown.
- Stylist Jay Sebring married model Cami.
- Marketer Morris Mayer joined the faculty of the University of Alabama.
- A. C. Dickinson became the first principal of Hayes High School.
- Jerome Cooper succeeded Nathan Goldstein as president of the Jewish Community Center of Birmingham.
- John Grenier became chair of the Jefferson County Young Republicans.
- Bull Connor was elected to the Democratic National Committee
- Pilot Joe Shannon flew a C-47 transport to Europe during the Berlin crisis.
- Alden Gannett became president of Southeastern Bible College.
- Robert Guillot succeeded Verner Adams as Mayor of Vestavia Hills.
- Painter Jack Whitten enrolled at the Cooper Union in New York City.
- Clarence Marble enlisted in the army.
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.
Pastorates
- James L. Myers became pastor of Nichols Temple AME Church.
- Ralph Clark became pastor of First Baptist Church of Mount Olive.
- Seymour Atlas left the pulpit at Knesseth Israel Congregation.
- Julian Aland left the pulpit at Temple Emanu-El.
- John Claypool became pastor of Crescent Hill Baptist in Louisville, Kentucky.
- Paul Hardin was elected Bishop of the Methodist church.
Births
- March 13: Oliver Robinson, politician and former basketball player
- April 14: Mike Jones football player and coach
- August 25: Ashley Crow, actress
- August 29: Bill Latham, baseball player
- September 15: Mike Davis, UAB Blazers basketball coach
- October 10: Rod Foster, basketball player
- October 12: Steve Lowery, golfer
- Cindy Cason: Homewood City Schools administrator
- Jim Howard, product designer and entrepreneur
- Wanda Jones, antiques dealer
- David Marsh, swimming and diving coach
- Scott Stantis, cartoonist
- Mac Underwood, accountant, Birmingham Water Works manager
Deaths
- February 29: George Huddleston, Sr, U. S. Congressman
- December 11: Mike Donahue, Auburn Tigers coach
- Henry Edmonds, founder of Independent Presbyterian Church
- James Burt, Jr, first husband of Anne Woodward.
- See also: List of Birmingham homicides in 1960
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 |
<< 1960 1961 1962 1963 1964 1965 1966 1967 1968 1969 >> |
Births - Deaths - Establishments - Events - Works |