1927

1927 was the 56th year after the founding of the city of Birmingham.

Events

• January 14: The Town of Hollywood was incorporated with Clarence Lloyd as its mayor.
• February 11: The state legislature approved the merger of Edgewood, Grove Park and Rosedale into the newly-incorporated City of Homewood.
• Oak Mountain State Park was established.]
• October 5: Aviator Charles Lindbergh visited Birmingham during his 22,000-mile national tour sponsored by the Daniel Guggenheim Fund for the Promotion of Aeronautics. He landed at Messer Field, spoke at the Tutwiler Hotel on the importance of investing in aviation infrastructure and was toasted at Municipal Auditorium.
• December 26: The Alabama Theatre opened with a screening of "The Spotlight".

Business

• Sid Lee's Alabama Grocery Company dropped its other activities and became the Buffalo Rock Company.
• Birmingham News publisher Victor Hanson acquired the rival Birmingham Age-Herald and began publishing a joint Sunday edition as The Birmingham News Age-Herald.
• The predecessor to West End's Alley's Drugs opened.
• April 22: The first C. F. Penn Hamburgers opened in Hartselle.
• May: The Oxmoor Furnaces ceased operation.
• The hoist at Woodward Iron Company's Redding Shaft on Red Mountain was removed, but the opening continued to serve as ventilation for the Songo No. 1 Mine.
• Alice Furnaces shut down.
• August: The Luquire Insurance Company was founded.
• Passenger rail service to Shelby Furnace from Columbiana was ended.
• Alabama Power Company merged with the Gulf Electric Power Company.

Government

• January 17: Bibb Graves was sworn in as Governor of Alabama, succeeded William Brandon.
• March 4: Hugo Black was sworn into the U.S. Senate, taking the place of retiring Senator Oscar Underwood.
• April 11: The U.S. Supreme Court upheld punitive damages for employers of negligent workers in wrongful deaths in "Louis Pizitz Dry Goods Co. v. Yeldell"

Education

• Howard College opened a Pharmacy School.
• Bessemer Colored High School graduated its first class.

Sports

• January 1: Alabama and Stanford tied 7-7 in the Rose Bowl.
• Alabama Power Company and the Birmingham Post claimed silver loving cups at the conclusion of the 1927 Indoor Baseball League of Birmingham season.

Works

• Alabama State Land Act of 1927
• November 10: Jimmie Tarlton and Tom Darby recorded "Birmingham Jail" for Columbia Records.

Books

• Honor Bound, novel by Jack Bethea

Buildings

• Anderson Electric built a new plant at 44th Street and 7th Avenue North.
• The Avon Building in Lakeview was constructed for the Avon Theatre and the Exclusive Furniture Shop.
• Birmingham Fire Station No. 3 was constructed on Highland Avenue.
• Birmingham Fire Station No. 22 was constructed on Clairmont Avenue.
• The new Birmingham Public Library opened in Woodrow Wilson Park.
• The Country Club of Birmingham built a sprawling new clubhouse in Mountain Brook.
• Ensley First United Methodist Church completed an education building.
• The Mediterranean-styled Ensley Theatre opened.
• The Famous Theater opened on 4th Avenue North.
• The elaborately ornamented Florentine Building on 2nd Avenue North was completed.
• Greater Shiloh Baptist Church began worshiping in the basement of their church building, still under construction.
• A classroom wing was added to Industrial High School.
• The 6-story Kenilworth Arms apartment building on Highland Avenue opened.
• The Little Theatre opened at Caldwell Park.
• Lloyd Hall was built for the University of Alabama's chemistry department.
• The Thomas Martin residence on Stratford Road was built for Alabama Power Company president Thomas Martin.
• Minor High School was rebuilt after a fire.
• The landmark Quinlan Castle apartment building on 21st Street South opened.
• The project to roof over the infield bleachers at Rickwood Field was completed.
• The Venetian Village Building on 11th Street South was completed.
• The 17-story Art Deco Watts Building was completed on 20th Street North.
• The George Wofford residence was built on Salisbury Road.
• November 19: The 21,000 seat Legion Field opened with a game between Howard College and Birmingham-Southern.
• December 25: The Alabama Theatre opened its doors for a private preview party.

Demolitions

• Oak Grove Elementary School was destroyed by fire.
• The Jefferson County Bank Building was torn down to make way for the Florentine Building.

Individuals

Births

• Restaurateur Jack Caddell was born in Birmingham.
• Radio host, educator and jazz vocalist Jesse Champion was born in Dolomite.
• Grocer, restaurateur and Civil Rights guard Joe Hendricks was born in Boligee, Green County.
• Illustrator Phil Neel was born.
• Music critic Oliver Roosevelt was born.
• Toy store owner Herman Spivey was born in Atlanta, Georgia.
• Sculptor and educator Hannah Stewart was born.
• Attorney and publisher Asa Rountree III was born in Birmingham.
• Wrestler Tojo Yamamoto was born Harold Watanabe in Hawai'i.
• Alabama State Hornets football coach George James was born.
• Birmingham Zoo director Jack Throp was born in Arizona.
• April 12: University of Alabama School of Medicine dean James Pittman was born in Orlando, Florida.
• April 27: Civil Rights activist Coretta Scott King was born Coretta Scott in Heiberger, Perry County.
• April 27: Champion shot-putter and attorney Charlie Fonville was born in Birmingham.
• May 6: Singer, songwriter, Miss Alabama and Mrs. Mickey Rooney B. J. Baker was born Betty Jane Phillips in Birmingham.
• May 25: Gynecologist and BJCC board member Gil Wideman was born in Walker County.
• May 27: Mathematics professor Abdulalim Shabazz was born Lonnie Cross in Bessemer.
• July 29: Actress and educator Betty Caldwell was born Alice Elizabeth Caldwell in Birmingham.
• August 17: City planner and Auburn University professor Robert Juster was born in London, England.
• September 30: Novelist Cecil Dawkins was born in Birmingham.
• October 6: Alabama Power Company president Joe Farley was born in Birmingham.
• October 14: Grocer Dominic Lusco was born.
• November 13: Actor Hal Lynch was born in Birmingham.
• November 18: R&B singer Hank Ballard was born John Henry Kendricks in Detroit, Michigan.
• November 26: UAB administrator Gloria Howton was born Gloria Sterman in Reform, Pickens County.
• December 6: Formal wear dealer J. O. Tant, Jr was born.
• December 31: Dancer, choreographer and Birmingham Civic Ballet founder Lola Mae Jones Coates was born Lola Mae Jones.

Graduations

• Theater manager Norris Hadaway graduated from Bessemer High School.

Marriages

• Alberta Robinson married William Shuttlesworth.
• Howell Vines married Alma Huey.

Deaths

• Architect Daniel Reamer died.
• March 7: Birmingham Ice & Cold Storage Co. president Franklin Rushton died in Birmingham.
• April 8: Convicted murderer Horace DeVaughan was executed at Kilby State Prison in Atmore.
• August 15: Avondale Mills founder and former Governor of Alabama B. B. Comer died in Birmingham.

Context

1920s

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