The Alabama Academy of Honor recognizes one hundred living Alabamians for outstanding accomplishments and services to Alabama and the United States.[1] By act of the Alabama Legislature,[2] only one hundred living people may be members at any time. Up to ten additional members per year are elected by current members when honorees pass away,[3] by majority vote in order of highest vote total. Any Alabama citizen or Academy member may nominate people for election. Living present and past governors of Alabama are automatically members of the Academy and do not count against the 100-person maximum. At any time, no more than twenty-five percent of the Academy's members may be politicians.[4]
Supreme Court Justice Hugo Black was the only person to ever decline membership in the Academy, after a vow to refuse all honors.[1]
Establishment
The Alabama Academy of Honor was created by the Alabama State Legislature on October 29, 1965, through Act 15 of the Third Special Session of the 1965 Legislature of Alabama.[5] The Academy was intended to honor notable living Alabama citizens, since several organizations already existed in the state for posthumous recognition.[1]
On March 10, 1965, Missouri native and Alabama citizen Emmett Bryan Carmichael wrote to Alabama Governor George C. Wallace to suggest modeling an Academy after Missouri's "Academy of Squires". The idea was postponed until Governor Albert P. Brewer revived interest in the legislation. On October 25, 1968, a committee appointed by Governor Brewer and chaired by Emmett Carmichael selected the first ten members (as well as four governors). On a somewhat annual basis, later elections selected several new Alabamians until the 100-person cap was reached.[1]
James Lee, Jr.----business executive/CEO, Buffalo Rock
Ernest Williams----paper industry executive
1986
Tom Bevill (1921-2005)---U.S. Representative (4th & 7th districts) of Alabama (1967-1997)
Dr. Ira Lee Myers (1924-2008)---Alabama State Health Officer (1963-1986)
Louis J. Willie, Jr. (1923-2007)---Insurance executive
Wallace Davis Malone, Jr. (1936- )----CEO SouthTrust Bank
Thomas Edward Rast (1920-2003)----Real estate executive
1985
Joseph Sam Bruno (1912-1996)----Founder of Bruno's grocery store chain
Emil Carl Hess (1918-?)----owner of the Parisian apparel chain
William Jackson Edwards, III (1928- )---U.S. Representative (1st District), from AL (1965-1985); 1st Republican from this district since Reconstruction Era.
William David Sellers, Jr. (1913-1990)---Business executive & philanthropist
1984
Wallace R. Bunn (1923-2011)---CEO of Bellsouth Corp.
Joseph McConnell Farley (1927-2010)---Birmingham attorney, president of Alabama Power (1969-1989)
John Witherspoon Woods (1931-2002)---Banking executive
Oliver H. Delchamps, Jr. (1933- )---Director, U.S. Chamber of Commerce; heir to Delchamps grocery store chain
Henry Calvin Goodrich (1920-2011)----Business executive; pres. of Southern Natural Resources
1983
Charles Albert Boswell (1916-1995)---insurance executive, blind professional golfer, AL Commissioner of Revenue
Harry B. Brock, Jr. (1925-2015)-----Financier and philanthropist
John Key McKinley (1920-2014)---CEO of TEXACO
Frank Arthur Plummer (1912-1987)---Banking executive.
Frank Brooks Yeilding, Jr. (1904-1992)---Banking executive
Thomas E. Bradford, Sr. (1909-2002)----Chairman, Bradford Gipin Food Brokers
Joseph Lamar Lanier (1906-2000)----Noted textile manufacturer
William Flynt Nichols (1918-1988)---U.S. Representative, 3rd and 4th Districts (1967-1988)
Joab Langston Thomas (1933-2014)---President of the University of Alabama
1982
Young Jacob Boozer, Jr. (1912-2000)----Business leader and college baseball star (UA)
Kenneth R. Daniel (1913-2008)--Business and railroad executive (inducted also in 2009)
Glenn Ireland II (1926-2015)---Business executive. Alabama Commissioner of Mental Health.
Prime Francis Osborn III
Howard Earle Skipper (1915-2006)---Noted American oncologist
Dr. Buris Raye Boshell (1926- )---Noted physician in the area of diabetes research.
Jeremiah Andrew Denton, Jr (1924-2014)---U.S. Senator, Alabama (1981-1987); the first Republican to be popularly elected in Alabama since the direct election of U.S. Senators began in 1914, the first Republican senator since Reconstruction to represent Alabama in the U.S. Senate, and the first Catholic to be elected to statewide office in Alabama.
Kirkman O'Neal (1890-1988)---founder of Oneal Steel.
Dr. James Allen Pittman, Jr. (1927-2014)---dean of UAB Medical School.
Mary George Jordan Waite (1917-1990)---president of Farmer's and Merchant's Bank of Cherokee County.
1981
Travis Massey Bedsole (1913-2011)---Mobile, AL attorney for 60 yrs
Charles Trueheart Clayton (1911-?)---President, Liberty National Insurance
William Houston Blount (1922-2011)----Philanthropist, president of Vulcan Materials
Conrad Murphree Fowler (1918-2007)----Probate Judge of Shelby County, special prosecutor for "Phenix City Cleanup" (1954)
1980
Dr. John M. Chenault (1914-1992)----President of Decatur General Hospital
William Hulsey (1901-1985)---Investment banker and art collector
Kench Lott, Jr. (1920-1995)----President of Merchant's Bank (Mobile, AL)
Frank Samford, Jr. (1921-1986)----President of Liberty National Insurance
Arthur Shores (1904-1996)----American civil rights attorney; Alabama'a "Drum Major For Justice".
John Harbert III (1921-1995)---Founder and CEO of Harbert Construction
Dr. Thomas N. James (1925-2010)---World renowned cardiologist
James Mills (1900-1998)----Editor, Birmingham Post (1950-1967)
1979
Robert Bamberg, Jr., Alabama Commissioner of Agriculture & Industries (1959-1962)
