Roderick Royal facts for kids

Roderick V. Royal was born on October 4, 1965. He is a former member of the Birmingham City Council and once served as its President.

Royal also briefly held the important role of Mayor of Birmingham, Alabama. He was the 32nd Mayor, serving for two months from November 2009 to January 2010. He stepped into the mayor's office after the previous mayor, Larry Langford, left the position. Royal became acting mayor after Carole Smitherman and was chosen as Council President on November 24, 2009. His time as mayor ended when William A. Bell became the new mayor on January 26, 2010.

Early Life and Education

Roderick Royal grew up in Birmingham. He showed leadership skills from a young age. He was elected student council president at Carrie A. Tuggle Elementary School. He then held the same position at A. H. Parker High School.

After high school, Royal continued his education. He earned a bachelor's degree in political science from Tuskegee University. Later, he received a master's degree in public administration from Webster University in Saint Louis, Missouri. He also completed a law enforcement program at the University of Alabama.

Serving His Community

Royal has always been involved in his community. When Birmingham started its Community Participation Program, he was a youth member of the Fountain Heights Neighborhood Association. He later became the secretary of the East Thomas Neighborhood Association for two terms.

He has had many different jobs, showing his commitment to public service. He worked as a statewide coordinator for Job Corps. He was also an instructor at Miles College. Royal served as a police officer and was an officer in the United States Army during Operation Desert Storm. Later, he worked as an assistant for the City Council. He also served on several charity boards, helping others in need.

A Leader in Birmingham City Council

Roderick Royal was first elected to the Birmingham City Council in 2001. He was re-elected in 2005 and again in 2009. During his time on the Council, he worked on several important projects.

One of his key achievements was getting money to extend sewer service to communities that didn't have it. He also started a program to give breakfast bars to elementary school students. Another important campaign he led was for public-sponsored dental care in schools. These efforts helped improve the lives of many people in Birmingham.

Family Life

Roderick Royal is married and has three children.