Richard Arrington Jr. facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Richard Arrington Jr.
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Arrington is at a microphone, possibly for a news conference.
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| 25th Mayor of Birmingham, Alabama | |
| In office November 13, 1979 – 1999 |
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| Preceded by | David Vann |
| Succeeded by | Bernard Kincaid |
| Member of the Birmingham City Council | |
| In office 1971–1979 |
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| Personal details | |
| Born | October 19, 1934 Livingston, Alabama |
| Spouses | Barbara Jean Watts (1954–1974) Rachel Reynolds (1975–) |
| Children | Anthony, Kevin, Kenneth, Angela, and Erica |
| Residence | Birmingham, Alabama |
| Alma mater | Miles College (BA) University of Detroit (ME) University of Oklahoma (Ph.D) |
| Profession | College Professor |
Richard Arrington Jr. (born October 19, 1934) was an important leader in Birmingham, Alabama. He made history as the first African American mayor of Birmingham. Before becoming mayor, he served on the City Council.
Arrington was on the City Council for eight years, from 1971 to 1979. He then became mayor and led the city for 20 years, from 1979 to 1999. During his time in office, he worked hard to stop police brutality. He also focused on making Birmingham's economy stronger. A big goal for him was to create more fairness for all minority groups. Richard Arrington Jr. faced many challenges during his career. He worked to bring positive changes to the city. He took over from David Vann as mayor. After five terms, he retired.
Richard Arrington Jr.'s Early Life
Growing Up in Alabama
Richard Arrington Jr. was born in Livingston, Alabama. When he was five, his family moved to Fairfield, Alabama. His father got a job with U.S. Steel. This was better than sharecropping, which is a type of farming. His father also worked as a brick mason to earn more money.
Arrington's parents taught him to be self-reliant. They chose to rent their own home. They also shopped at a store owned by Black people. His mother, Ernestine, made sure they had food. She also encouraged her children to use opportunities from church and school.
Church and Community
The Arrington family went to the Crumbey Bethel Primitive Baptist Church. Richard Jr. was very active there. As a teenager, he was secretary of the Sunday School. He later became the Sunday School superintendent. He was also in the choir. Eventually, he was elected to the Board of Deacons. He stayed involved with the church throughout his political life.
Richard Arrington Jr.'s Education
Richard Arrington Jr. was a great student. He went to Fairfield Industrial High School. The principal, E. J. Oliver, was a big influence on him. Oliver was an African American leader. He taught students about good behavior and discipline. Arrington looked up to him.
Arrington graduated high school in 1951 when he was 16. He then went to Miles College in Fairfield. He studied biology there. He was a top student and a leader. He became president of his fraternity, Alpha Phi Alpha. He was also an officer in the Honor Society and the Thespian Club. He graduated with honors in 1955.
After college, Arrington became a graduate assistant. He went to the University of Detroit in Detroit, Michigan. There, he saw a mixed social environment for the first time. This helped him understand the segregation in his hometown. He earned his master's degree in 1957.
He then returned to Miles College. He taught science for six years. In 1963, he started his doctoral program. He studied Zoology at the University of Oklahoma. This was during the Birmingham Campaign. He earned his doctorate in 1966. His research was about beetles. He then returned to Miles College. He became acting Dean and later Dean of the College.
Family Life
Richard Arrington Jr. married Barbara Jean Watts. They met in high school. They had five children: Anthony, Kevin, Kenneth, Angela, and Erica. They faced challenges as a young couple. Later, Richard and Barbara divorced in 1974.
A year later, he married Rachel Reynolds. Rachel supported him in his political career. She shared his dream for a united Birmingham. His family gave him support during tough times. After he retired as mayor, he and Rachel divorced. His daughter, Erica, passed away in 2005.
City Council Member: 1971-1979
Campaigns and Elections
In 1971, Arrington ran for the Birmingham City Council. He promised to make Birmingham a city everyone could be proud of. He finished third among many candidates. He then won his seat easily in a runoff election. He became the second African American to serve on the council. Arthur Shores was the first.
Arrington won because many African Americans voted. Groups like the Jefferson County Progressive Democratic Council helped. His second election for City Council was even smoother. He won without needing a runoff.
Key Policies and Achievements
While on the council, Arrington worked for affirmative action. This meant trying to ensure fair hiring for minorities. He wanted city departments to have plans for hiring minorities. He also wanted businesses that worked with the city to hire minorities. Some of these ideas faced opposition. However, revised plans were later passed. These plans helped with recruitment and stopped discrimination.
Arrington also pushed for an investigation into police actions. There were reports of police brutality. One case involved Willis "Bugs" Chambers Jr. He was an African American suspect. He died in police custody in 1972. Arrington insisted the council investigate. This investigation was a big step for the city. It led to a closer look at police procedures.
Another case involved Bonita Carter. She was an 18-year-old African American girl. A white police officer killed her in 1979. The mayor at the time, David Vann, did not fire the officer. This led Arrington to decide to run for mayor. He wanted to end police brutality and bring more change.
Mayor of Birmingham: 1979-1999
Winning the Mayoral Elections
Richard Arrington Jr. won the 1979 mayoral election. A group called the Jefferson County Citizens Coalition helped. They encouraged many Black voters to participate. Arrington had strong support from African American voters. This helped him become Birmingham's first African American mayor.
In 1983, Arrington ran for his second term. He won with 60% of the votes. For his third term in 1987, he faced three opponents. He still won with 64% of the vote. In 1991, he ran for his fourth term. He faced a federal investigation at this time. Even so, he easily won reelection. In 1995, he ran for his fifth and final term. He had seven opponents but still won with 54.9% of the vote.
Building a Better Birmingham
As mayor, Richard Arrington Jr. worked to improve Birmingham's economy. The city still had high unemployment after the Great Depression. He worked to bring new businesses to the city. He wanted to expand beyond just the steel industry.
Under his leadership, the University of Alabama at Birmingham became the city's largest employer. It also provided important medical research and healthcare. Arrington also added nearby areas to the city. This helped increase its land and tax money.
He pushed for policies to boost the economy. He created groups to help rebuild the city center. He used federal money to make Five Points South a modern area. In 1989, he created the Birmingham Plan. This program set goals for construction projects in the city.
Changing City Government
During his 20 years as mayor, Arrington also changed the city's government. When he first became mayor, he wanted to choose his own staff. This was a challenge at first. But Arrington won this right. He was able to select department heads and staff. Many of them were minorities. This brought more professionalism and diversity to City Hall.
Arrington also helped start the Alabama New South Coalition. He was its first president. This group worked for liberal causes. In 1992, he appointed the city's first African American chief of police, Johnnie Johnson Jr..
Challenges Faced by Richard Arrington Jr.
Richard Arrington Jr. faced many challenges during his time in public service. He was investigated by federal agencies. These investigations lasted throughout his political career.
The investigations began shortly after he joined the City Council in 1972. At that time, Arrington was speaking out against police brutality. He was also supporting fair hiring practices. He helped create a group that encouraged African Americans to vote. Federal agents looked into his activities.
Later, in the 1980s, the investigations continued. They looked into his finances and political meetings. Arrington always denied any wrongdoing. There were even listening devices found in City Hall. These were on the mayor's telephone. The city could not prove who placed them.
In 1989, a real estate developer told Arrington something important. He said federal agents had tried to get him to falsely accuse the mayor of wrongdoing. The goal was to get Arrington to accept a bribe. The developer was supposed to buy property with zoning issues. Then, he would ask Arrington for help. Undercover agents would be involved. However, other African American politicians refused similar offers. The plan to involve Arrington was stopped.
In 1990, the investigations started again. Many of Arrington's records were requested. A city consultant was found guilty of fraud. Some people tried to link her actions to the mayor. However, her conviction was later overturned. Arrington's records showed he was not involved.
In 1992, Arrington refused to give up some personal logs. He believed they could be used to create false accusations. He was sent to prison for two days for this refusal. After a new U.S. Attorney took over, Arrington gave up his records. He promised to cooperate fully. The investigation found no evidence of him taking bribes or doing anything illegal.
