1932

Surveying damage after the 1932 tornado outbreak.

1932 was the 61st year after the founding of the City of Birmingham.

Events

• March 21: The massive 1932 tornado outbreak killed 268, injured 1,874, and destroyed 7,000 homes and businesses in Alabama alone.
• June 7: The first Birmingham Civic Symphonic Orchestra performed at Phillips High School.
• November 24: Louis Pizitz served 5,000 Thanksgiving meals to the needy at his downtown store.
• The Birmingham Aero Club organized a National Air Carnival at the Birmingham Municipal Airport.
• The Tennessee Coal, Iron and Railroad Company's company-owned schools were turned over the the Jefferson County School System.
• West End Park was renamed for sailor Kelly Ingram.
• First Lutheran Church defaulted on their purchase of a lot at Cotton Avenue and McConnell Street.
• The Birmingham Philatelic Society was founded.
• Erskine Ramsay High School was accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools.
• Pelham First Baptist Church was reorganized.
• The last building standing in New Birmingham, Texas was demolished for highway construction.
• Sidney Smyer helped found the Alabama Economy League.

Business

• Joe Bruno opened Bruno's Bros. Grocery.
• Ben Mazer founded Mazer Lumber and Supply.
• Floral Park Bakery was renamed Marsh Bakery.
• Parisian department store was forced into receivership.
• Ben and L. A. Stein of Jacksonville, Florida reopened the Lyric Theatre as a movie house.
• WAPI-AM reorganized as a private company under W. O. Pape.
• The Bank of Alabama (Ensley) was liquidated under the control of the First National Bank of Birmingham.
• Bess Fortenberry purchased the Irondale Cafe.
• Asa Rountree, Jr founded the Industrial Publishing Company.
• Newman Waters, Sr founded the Waters Theater Company.
• WBRC-AM opened a studio in the Bankhead Hotel.

Government

• The 10th Congressional District of Alabama was vacated.
• 1932 general election
• W. C. Bryant succeeded Charles Rice as Mayor of Homewood

Sports

• Pitcher Ivy Andrews was traded from the New York Yankees to the Boston Red Sox.
• Stuffy Stewart played his last season with the Tyler (Texas) Sports.
• July 16: Satchel Paige pitched his first no-hitter in the Negro Leagues.
• September 17: Bob Adams played his final game with the Philadelphia Phillies.
• December 9: Thirteen universities, including the University of Alabama and Auburn University, split from the Southern Conference to form the Southeastern Conference.

Works

• Joseph Zoettl began work on the Ave Maria Grotto in Cullman.
• "The Boss", photograph by P. H. Polk.

Books

• No Surrender, a novel by Emma Gelders Sterne

Buildings

• Jefferson County Courthouse at Woodrow Wilson Park
• A second building for Holy Innocents Hospital was constructed.
• The Fairgrounds Raceway oval was reduced from 1 mile to 1/2 mile.
• F. W. Woolworth store, Tuscaloosa
• A new frame lunch room was constructed at Jones Valley High School.
• Montclair Road was constructed.
• Nectar Bridge over Locust Fork in Blount County was built.
• The Wood Wade building at 1st Avenue South and 14th Street was completed.

Music

• Boogie-woogie pianist Jabo Williams signed with Paramount Records.
• Brunswick Records re-released several of Lucille Bogan's blues recordings under the name "Bessie Jackson".

Individuals

• Thomas V. Neal succeeded John C. Dawson as president of Howard College.
• William Alexander succeeded William Dobyns as pastor of South Highland Presbyterian Church.
• M. L. Allen succeeded Red Cunningham as chief of the Homewood Police Department.
• Brunetta C. Hill became principal of Graymont Colored School.
• Sidney van Sheck was hired as an applied arts instructor at the Alabama Polytechnic Institute.
• Cartoonist Hubert Harper rejoined the Birmingham Age-Herald staff.
• J. Stewart French succeeded W. R. Hendrix as pastor of Highlands United Methodist Church.
• Lee Roberson was called to lead Temple Baptist Church in Greenbriar, Tennessee.
• Tat Bailey enlisted in the U.S. Navy

Births

Jim Pyburn, born November 1, 1932

• February 7: Gay Talese, author
• February 8: Raymond Boland, Catholic bishop
• March 14: Johnny Mack Gore, country musician
• April 10: George Atkins, professional football player
• May 18: Walter Anglin, disc jockey
• July 12: Otis Davis, Olympic gold medalist
• July 16: Charles Gratton, Green Acres Cafe founder
• September 18: Bob Harmon, racing promoter
• October 15: Red Farmer, race car driver
• August 25: Dan Holliman, biologist
• November 1: Jim Pyburn, baseball player and football coach
• November 27: John E. Jones, organizer of the Shelby County Fair
• December 15: John Lee Armstrong, football coach
• William Bridgers, founding dean of the UAB School of Public Health
• John C. Fletcher, Jr, biomedical ethicist
• Lola Hendricks, Civil Rights activist
• George Kirchoff, inventor of the automobile airbag
• Billy Thompson, Shelby County Coroner and County Commissioner
• Glynn West, manager of the Birmingham A's
• Marian Woods, educator and librarian
• Tommy Wrenn, dental technician and Civil Rights historian

Marriages

• March 1: Wallace Rayfield married widow Bessie Fulwood Rogers.
• John and Carol Weld divorced.

Graduations

• Emory Jackson earned a bachelor's degree at Morehouse College.
• Shug Jordan graduated from Auburn University.
• Hugh Stubbins earned a bachelor's degree at the Georgia Institute of Technology.
• Bob Waldrop graduated from high school.

Deaths

• April 2: Mattie Sue Percy drove off a bridge.
• April 28: Engineer and postmaster Truman Aldrich died.
• Architect William Weston

Context

1930s

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Births - Deaths - Establishments - Events - Works