Community Affairs Committee

Birmingham's Community Affairs Committee was formed on July 16, 1963 and charged with improving race relations in Birmingham following the Birmingham Campaign of the previous spring. The group was later merged into Operation New Birmingham.

As initially formed, the committee consisted of 212 members, of whom 23 were African-American. Southern Bell vice-president Frank Newton was the first chair.

Charter members

• Joseph Apolinsky, chair of the Downtown Birmingham Display Association
• Theodore Jones, Birmingham Progressive Education Association
• Herbert Levy, Levy's Department Store
• Don Levy, president of the West End Chamber of Commerce
• Robert Gordon, attorney
• Raiford Ellis, realtor
• Frederic Ellis, district manager for North Carolina Mutual Life Insurance Co.
• Jack Boswell, engineer for Tennessee Coal, Iron and Railroad Co.
• Sallie Anderson, Birmingham Council of Colored PTAs
• Katie Jefferson, retired educator
• J. Mason Davis, attorney
• Harold Long, pastor of First Congregational Church
• Herschell Hamilton, physician
• Eugene Goldstein, president of the Ensley Kiwanis Club
• Donald Cromer, president of United Auto Workers Local 1155
• James Head, co-chair of the executive committee of the National Conference of Christians and Jews
• J. H. Berry, realtor
• John Barnett, international representative of United Auto Workers Local 1155
• Letitia Arant, Nineteenth Century Club
• Samuel Cole, president of the Sales and Manufacturing Executives Club
• James S. Crow, vice president of First National Bank of Birmingham
• W. S. Lucas, district governor of Lions International
• C. T. Hunter, division vice-president for Alabama Power Company
• Buford Word, physician
• Hollis Thompson, president of Huffman-Roebuck Lions Club
• James Scogin, president of Northside Lions Club
• John Poer, president of Alabama Cleaning Service & Supply Co.
• Wallace Withers, business representative for Sheet Metal Workers Local Union 48
• Fred Sington, Fred Sington Sporting Goods
• Mervyn Sterne, Sterne, Agee & Leach
• Dan Gaylord, president of Woodlawn Chamber of Commerce
• Carl C. Brown, president of Birmingham Real Estate Board
• Joseph Durick, Bishop, St Francis Xavier Catholic Church
• Howard Higgins, Birmingham manager for Alabama Gas Corporation
• John Hendon, president Birmingham Parking Association
• Willard Hurley, Exchange Security Bank
• Thormon Phillips, staff representative United Steelworkers District 36
• R. A. Puryear Jr, president of Alabama Gas Corporation
• Thomas Surtees, Surtees Jewelry Co.
• Lucius Pitts, president of Miles College
• E. A. Wilson, vice president of Alabama Power Company
• Joe K. Taylor, president of Birmingham Sertoma Club
• Don York, accountant
• Harold Moore, dentist
• Homer McClure Jr, junior director of Birmingham Electrical Joint Industrial Board & Apprenticeship Committee
• Robert Washington, United Steelworkers Local 1631
• Lucinda Robey, principal of Dudley School
• Abraham Woods, pastor of First Metropolitan Baptist Church
• Mathew McNulty Jr, administrator of University Hospital and Hillman Clinic
• Edith Underwood, housewife
• Mrs John E. Roberts, vice-president of Osce Roberts Stamp & Printing Co.
• Mrs Benjamin Roth, housewife
• James Montgomery, physician
• Sanders Rowland III, Rust Engineering
• Bruce Thrasher, international representative of United Steelworkers of America
• C. H. Erskine, attorney
• John Steger, executive vice president of Birmingham Chamber of Commerce
• Daniel Price, president of Jefferson County Literary Movement
• Mrs John Patterson, president of Birmingham Junior Chamber of Commerce Auxiliary
• Charles Spier, attorney
• Hugh Pemberton, president of Five Points South Lions Club
• Walter Nielson, superintendent for U.S. Pipe & Foundry
• Sidney Smyer, president of Birmingham Realty Company
• H. M. Phillips, president of Birmingham-Southern College
• Charles Zukoski Jr, retired banker
• Fred Short, secretary of Typographical Union Local 104
• Carlton McArthur, president Birmingham Junior Chamber of Commerce
• Max Spivey, president of West End Lions Club
• Henry J. Williams, principal of Henry C. Bryant School
• David Vann, attorney
• W. M. Langston, state director of Retail-Wholesale Department Store Union
• Oley Kidd, superintendent of missions, Birmingham Baptist Association
• Thomas Dykes, treasurer Alabama Optometric Association
• William Given Jr, president Birmingham Kiwanis Club
• W. P. Baxley, president Birmingham Traffic & Transportation Club
• John Grabowski, realtor
• B. Campbell Blake, president Connors Steel
• O. M. Duggan, president of United Steelworkers Local 1489
• Robert Billings, Billings Hardware Company
• Mrs B. P. Bowden
• Irving Fullington, president Birmingham Federation of Teachers
• Ola Fee, president Downtown Lions Club
• Roy Kracke Jr, dentist
• Ewing Howell, president Eastwood Optimists Club
• L. P. Compton, Hynds-Compton Paint Co.
• Abraham Berkowitz, attorney
• Milton Grafman, rabbi of Temple Emanu-El
• Ben Key, president of Speaker's Club
• Harry Brock Jr, Exchange Security Bank
• Ethel Gibson, president of the Zonta Club
• O. J. Reynolds, Laborers & Hod Carriers International
• Steve Yates, executive secretary Jefferson County Medical Society
• Charles Morgan Jr, attorney
• J. Vernon Patrick Jr, attorney
• H. T. Scott Jr, secretary-treasurer of the Alabama State Chiropractic Association
• Joseph Volker, vice-president University of Alabama Medical Center
• Mrs Harvey Hooks, president Birmingham Federation of Garden Clubs
• Beverly Head Jr, Hendricks & Mays investments
• Preston Haskel Jr, Pratt Coal Co.
• E. M. Friend, attorney
• B. Roper Dial, manager at Sears Roebuck & Co.
• Joel Boykin, dentist
• Robert Crowder, research director for Birmingham Chamber of Commerce
• Bernice Johnson, educator
• L. S. Gaillard Jr, contractor
• Howard Gregg, president of Daniel Payne College
• A. G. Gaston, president of Booker T. Washington Insurance Agency
• S. Richardson Hill, dean of the Medical College of Alabama
• Peter A. Hall, attorney
• Milton Durrett, president of the Alabama Restaurant Association
• William Brannon, secretary of the Democratic Executive Committee of Jefferson County
• Louise Branscomb, physician
• Rudolph Hubbard, executive secretary Civitans International
• Elbert Hobson, Hobson Roofing Co.
• William Echols Jr, president Birmingham Eastwood Kiwanis Club
• James Lee Jr, president of Buffalo Rock
• Tom King, president of East End Optimists Club
• W. R. J. Dunn Jr, president of Dunn Construction
• Henry Goodrich, vice-president of Rust Engineering
• William Engel, Engel Agencies
• A. A. Billingsley, vice-president of Crestwood Optimists Club
• Ferd Weil, president of Birmingham Downtown Action Committee
• Arthur Shores, attorney
• Robert Woodrow, president of Jefferson County Co-ordinating Council
• W. Landon Miller, pastor of Ruhama Baptist Church
• J. L. Ware, president of Birmingham Ministerial Association
• James Permutt, co-chair of the executive committee of the National Conference of Christians and Jews
• Mason Moore, United Steelworkers of America
• C. W. Phillips, former Jefferson County Schools assistant superintendent
• Herbert Pauly, president of Ensley Rotary Club
• Herbert Smith Jr, president of Vulcan Rivet & Bolt Corp.
• E. W. Taggart, dentist
• John Nixon, dentist
• Bernard Monaghan, president of Vulcan Materials
• Johnny Wallis, president of Downtown Optimists Club
• Donald Stafford, president Birmingham Labor Council AFL-CIO
• D. P. Stroup, president of West Hills Lions Club
• George Plaisance, state manager Marcal Paper
• Stewart Wiggin, president East Lake Lions Club
• Abie Milton, Milton's Department Store
• Angelo Paradiso, attorney
• George Murphree, vice president of Bank for Savings
• Clyde Wade, vice president Hinkle Supply Co.
• Frank Wade, The Catholic Week
• Sidney Mazer, president of the Birmingham Furniture Association
• Robert Weatherly, retired management consultant
• Bill Shaw Jr, president of the Young Men's Business Club
• N. Manly Yeilding Jr, president of the Breakfast Optimists Club
• Thomas Crawford, assistant to president of United Mine Workers District 20
• Robert Jemison III, president of the Exchange Club of Birmingham
• Audie Mays, Alpha Portland Cement Co.
• Hall Thompson, Thompson Tractor Company
• Mrs Arthur Benson, past-president Women's Civic Club
• O. N. Todd Jr, pastor of Pentecostal Holiness Church
• George Brownell, Brownell Tours
• James Adams, president of Birmingham Architects Association
• John Schmarky, attorney
• Margaret Oliver, president of the League of Business & Professional Women
• Calvin McCulloh, president of the Shades Valley Optimists Club
• James Morgan, president of Molton, Allen & Williams
• Mrs James Quarles, president of Junior League of Birmingham
• Morton Wallack, rabbi of Temple Beth-El
• Mrs Donald Collins, president of the Service Guild of Birmingham
• Houston Brice Jr, secretary-treasurer of Brice Building Company
• Virginia Bryan
• William Acker Jr, attorney
• Jake Antonio Jr, president of Woodlawn Lions Club
• Joe Aloia, president of North Birmingham Chamber of Commerce
• John Henley III, president of Birmingham Publishing Co.
• William Hulsey, president of Garber, Cook & Hulsey
• Mrs G. C. Boner, president Women's Chamber of Commerce
• Jack Callaway, Jax Seed & Hardware Co.
• Mrs John Baird, president of Junior Women's Civic Club
• Walter Bouldin, president of Alabama Power Company
• Mark Hodo, president of City Federal Savings & Loan Association
• Mrs Edwin Griffis, president Birmingham PTA Council
• Oscar Adams Jr, attorney
• George Harduvel, Round Table Restaurant
• J. E. Ward, business representative Plumbers & Steam Fitters Union Local 91
• Morris Sher, president King Kredit Clothing Co.
• Howard Strevel, international representative United Steel Workers
• Denson Franklin, pastor of First Methodist Church
• A. V. Weibel, president of Tennessee Coal, Iron & Railroad Co.
• George Peach Taylor, attorney
• Amos Kirby, Carraway Methodist Hospital
• Frank Lankford, attorney
• W. S. Pritchard, attorney
• S. D. Moxley

References

• Logue, Mickey (July 17, 1963) "After initial session— Committee called forward step for city" The Birmingham News - via Birmingham Public Library Digital Collections
• "Committee from all walks of life" (July 17, 1963) The Birmingham News - via Birmingham Public Library Digital Collections