Algernon J. Cooper facts for kids

Algernon Johnson Cooper, Jr. (born May 30, 1944) is an American politician and lawyer. He served as the mayor of Prichard, Alabama. Cooper was one of the first black elected officials in Prichard. He was also one of the first black mayors in the modern era.

Early Life and Education

Algernon Johnson Cooper, Jr. was born on May 30, 1944. His birthplace was Mobile, Alabama. His parents were Gladys Catherine Mouton and Algernon Johnson Cooper, Sr. His sister is Peggy Cooper Cafritz, who was known for her charity work. They grew up in the Catholic faith.

Cooper went to St. Peter Claver Elementary School in Mobile. In 1958, he moved to Marmion Academy in Aurora, Illinois. He was the first black student there and graduated in 1962. He then attended the University of Notre Dame. He earned a bachelor's degree in 1966. In 1969, he got his law degree from New York University.

Cooper's brother, Gary Cooper, also became a politician. He was elected to the Alabama House of Representatives.

Political and Legal Career

In 1967, Cooper joined the staff of United States Senator Robert F. Kennedy. He later worked on Kennedy's presidential campaign in 1968. Cooper was with Senator Kennedy when he was sadly killed. Cooper attended Kennedy's funeral. He also helped Coretta Scott King on the funeral train.

From 1968 to 1969, Cooper was the national treasurer for the American Bar Association's Law Student Division. In 1968, he started the National Black Law Students Association. On December 18, 1970, Cooper became the first black member of the Mobile Bar Association.

In 1970, he worked for the NAACP Legal Defense and Educational Fund. He helped challenge a law in Alabama. This law made it harder to desegregate schools. He worked to make sure all children could attend integrated schools.

Serving as Mayor

Becoming Mayor

In 1972, Cooper ran for mayor of Prichard, Alabama. This was a city where segregationist Governor George Wallace often spoke. Cooper came in first among seven candidates in the first election. The current mayor, Vernon O. Capps, was in second place. In the final election, Cooper won against Capps. This made him the first black elected official in Prichard.

Some people incorrectly thought he was the first black mayor in Alabama since the Reconstruction era. Also, some thought he was the first black person to defeat a white mayor in Alabama. But the first person to do this was Andrew Hayden in Uniontown, Alabama.

Cooper was elected again in 1976. He won against city council member Alford Turner and Fleicito Ramos.

Time as Mayor

In 1972, Cooper officially became the mayor of Prichard, Alabama. In October of that year, Cooper and four other black mayors in Alabama started the Alabama Conference of Black Mayors. Cooper later became the chairman of this group.

In 1972, Cooper supported John Sparkman for the United States Senate. He believed Sparkman had a better chance to win than the only black candidate, John L. LeFlore. Cooper did say he disagreed with Sparkman on civil rights issues. He also felt that electing the Republican candidate would be bad for Alabama.

In 1975, there was an incident where a gunshot was fired into Cooper's house. A man was arrested and later sentenced to prison for this.

In 1978, Cooper faced a legal challenge related to his work. He pleaded innocent and a jury found him not guilty.

In October 1978, Cooper wrote a letter of resignation. But he later said he wrote it out of frustration and was not formally resigning. In 1980, Cooper was asked to be an aide to Moon Landrieu. Landrieu was the United States House and Urban Development Secretary. On June 1, 1980, Cooper resigned as mayor to work full-time as an aide.

Running for the Alabama Legislature

In 1979, a spot opened in the Alabama House of Representatives. Cooper wanted to run for this seat. However, he did not meet the residency rule for the district. He was removed from the ballot and did not challenge this decision. Cooper then supported Bonnie Hicks for the seat.

In 2007, Cooper ran for the Alabama Senate in the 32nd district. He was the Democratic candidate. But he was defeated by the Republican candidate, Trip Pittman.