List of people from Selma, Alabama explained

The people listed below were all born in, residents of, or otherwise closely associated with Selma, Alabama:

Activism

• Patricia Swift Blalock – librarian and civil rights activist^[1]
• Joanne Bland – civil rights movement activist^[2]
• J.L. Chestnut – author, attorney, and a figure in the U.S. Civil Rights Movement^[3]
• Annie Lee Cooper – long-time civil rights activist who was active in the 1965 Selma voting rights movement^[4]
• Willis Nathaniel Huggins – historian and social activist^[5]
• Frederick D. Reese – voting rights movement leader
• Amelia Boynton Robinson – voting rights movement leader and long-time civic activist in Selma^[6]

Art

• Mary Morgan Keipp – noted figure in the art photography movement of the early 20th century^[7]
• Clara Weaver Parrish – artist^[8]
• Alison Elizabeth Taylor – artist^[9]

Athletics

• Zinn Beck – former MLB infielder; managed the first Selma Cloverleafs from 1928 to 1930, winning the Southeastern League pennant in 1930
• Curtis Berry – former professional basketball player^[10]
• David Beverly – former Auburn University and NFL player^[11]
• Charles Davis – member of the Azerbaijan national basketball team^[12]
• Cid Edwards – former NFL player^[13]
• Mia Hamm – former professional soccer player^[14]
• Candy Harris – former MLB player for the Houston Astros^[15]
• Michael Johnson – professional football player, NFL, Cincinnati Bengals^[16]
• James Ralph "Shug" Jordan – former head football coach of Auburn University^[17]
• Terry Leach – former professional baseball player MLB, baseball field at Bloch Park named for him^[18]
• Larry Marks – professional boxer^[19]
• William Clarence Matthews – former baseball player, lawyer, first head football coach for Tuskegee University and civil rights activist^[20]
• Pat McHugh – former professional football player for the Philadelphia Eagles^[21]
• Ben Obomanu – professional football player, NFL, New York Jets^[22]
• L. Vann Pettaway – men's basketball head coach of Alabama A&M from 1986 to 2011^[23]
• Ken Pettway – American player of gridiron football^[24]
• Hosken Powell – former Major League Baseball right fielder^[25]
• Cal Ramsey – former NBA player^[26]
• Ed Steele – former professional baseball outfielder^[27]

Business

• Olan Mills Sr. – photographer and founder of Olan Mills^[28]
• Richard Scrushy – founder of HealthSouth^[29]
• Craig Vetter – motorcycle designer
• Lulu White – brothel madam and procuress^[30]

Education

• Bogart Leashore – social worker, sociologist, dean of Hunter College school of social work (1991–2003)^[31]
• Minnie Bruce Pratt – educator, activist, and essayist^[32]
• Frank Warner – American folk song collector and former YMCA executive^[33]

Fashion

• Eunice W. Johnson – founder and director of the Ebony Fashion Fair^[34]

Government

• David Abner – former member of the Texas Legislature^[35]
• Ann Bedsole – member of both houses of the Alabama State Legislature 1979–1995 from Mobile, born in 1930 in Selma^[36]
• Jo Bonner – U.S Representative from 2003 to 2013^[37]
• Janice Bowling – member of the Tennessee Senate^[38]
• Jim Clark – Selma sheriff during the 1965 Voting Rights campaign^[39]
• William Benjamin Craig – U.S. Representative from 1907 to 1911^[40]
• Suzan DelBene – U.S. Representative for Washington's 1st congressional district^[41]
• Jeremiah Haralson – U.S. Representative from 1875 to 1877^[42]
• Sam Hobbs – U.S. Representative from 1935 to 1951^[43]
• Truman McGill Hobbs – United States federal judge^[44]
• Michael W. Jackson – district attorney^[45]
• Thomas S. Kenan – U.S. Representative from 1805 to 1811^[46]
• William Rufus King – Vice President of the United States, U.S. Senator, Minister to France^[47]
• William Lehman U.S. Representative from 1973 to 1993^[48]
• John Tyler Morgan – U.S. Senator from 1877 to 1907, Major General CSA^[49]
• James Perkins, Jr. – first African American mayor of Selma^[50]
• Edmund Pettus – U.S. Senator from 1897 to 1907, Brigadier General CSA^[51]
• Jeff Sessions – United States Senator^[52]
• Terri Sewell – 2010 Democratic representative for Alabama's 7th congressional district^[53]
• Benjamin S. Turner – first African American elected to U.S. Congress from Alabama (1871– Republican)^[54]
• Hattie Hooker Wilkins – first woman elected to the Alabama Legislature^[55]

Literature

• Katharine Hopkins Chapman (1870/72/73-1930) - author and historian^[56]
• Sarah Johnson Cocke – writer and civic leader^[57]
• W. C. Morrow – writer^[58]
• William O. Walker – former editor of the Call and Post^[59]
• Sheyann Webb – writer^[60]
• Kathryn Tucker Windham – storyteller, author, photographer, and journalist^[61]

Military

• Howard W. Gilmore – World War II submarine commander who posthumously received the Medal of Honor^[62]
• William J. Hardee – Lieutenant General CSA, author of Hardee's Military Tactics used by both Union and Confederate troops^[63]
• Catesby ap Roger Jones – Naval Commander, Captain of the ironclad ship CSS Virginia in its battle with the USS Monitor during the first conflict between iron warships in world history^[64]
• John Melvin – first American naval officer to die in World War I^[65]

Music

• Randall Atcheson – concert pianist^[66]
• Kenny Brown – blues slide guitarist^[67]
• Mattie Moss Clark – former gospel music singer, The Clark Sisters^[68]
• Jimmy Gresham – soul musician^[69]
• Johnny Moore – lead singer for The Drifters^[70]
• Bill Moss – gospel music singer^[71]
• Oscar Toney, Jr. – soul singer^[72]
• Asher HaVon - winner of NBC's The Voice

Parapsychology

• Edgar Cayce – famed psychic^[73]

Religion

• Moses Anderson – Roman Catholic bishop^[74]
• T. J. Jemison – president of the National Baptist Convention, USA, Inc. from 1982 to 1994^[75]
• Lippman Mayer – rabbi^[76]
• Clarence Rufus J. Rivers – priest and composer of liturgical music^[77]
• Milton L. Wood – Bishop Suffragan in the Episcopal Diocese of Atlanta from 1967 to 1974^[78]

Science

• Shwetak Patel – computer scientist and entrepreneur^[79]

Television and film

• Gregg Hale – film producer^[80]

Notes and References

1. Web site: PATRICIA SWIFT BLALOCK Obituary: View PATRICIA BLALOCK's Obituary by The Birmingham News . Obits.al.com . June 25, 2014.
2. Web site: Joanne Bland. Sep–Oct 2003. Baylor Magazine. January 28, 2012.
3. News: J.L. Chestnut Jr., 77; Selma Lawyer and Early Leader in Civil Rights Movement. The New York Times . September 30, 2008 . Bruce . Weber. June 24, 2014 .
4. Web site: Annie Lee Cooper Death News . Selmatimesjournal . November 24, 2010 . June 24, 2014.
5. Web site: Willis Nathaniel Huggins (1886–1941): historian, activist, and community mentor. – Free Online Library . Thefreelibrary.com . June 25, 2014.
6. Web site: Amelia Boynton Robinson . Encyclopedia of Alabama . June 25, 2014.
7. Web site: Mary Morgan Keipp . Encyclopedia of Alabama . June 25, 2014.
8. Book: Brown, C. Reynolds . Clara Weaver Parrish . 1980 . Montgomery Museum of Fine Arts . Montgomery . 1–32 . 978-0-89280-016-2 .
9. Web site: Lower East Side Printshop . printshop.org . June 25, 2014 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20120213100221/http://www.printshop.org/web/Collect/Exhibitions/benefit/AuctionArtist/Taylor.html . February 13, 2012 .
10. Web site: French Babe . Curtis Berry . Thedraftreview.com . November 16, 2011 . June 25, 2014.
11. Web site: David Beverly . David Beverly, P at . National Football League . June 25, 2014.
12. Web site: Chuck Davis – Turkish Basketball League Player . TBLStat.net . November 8, 2022.
13. Web site: Cid Edwards Past Stats, Statistics, History, and Awards . databaseFootball.com . October 9, 1943 . June 25, 2014 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20141018202206/http://www.databasefootball.com/players/playerpage.htm?ilkid=EDWARCID01 . October 18, 2014 .
14. Web site: Mia Hamm . Encyclopedia of Alabama . June 25, 2014.
15. Web site: Candy Harris Statistics and History . Baseball-Reference.com . June 25, 2014.
16. Web site: Michael Johnson . Michael Johnson, DE for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers at . National Football League . December 30, 2013 . June 25, 2014.
17. Web site: [{{College Football HoF/url|id=1845}} National Football Foundation > Programs > College Football Hall of Fame > SearchDetail ]. Footballfoundation.org . September 25, 1910 . June 25, 2014.
18. Web site: Terry Leach Stats, Video Highlights, Photos, Bio | Major League Baseball: Team . Major League Baseball . March 27, 2014 . June 25, 2014.
19. Web site: Larry Marks – Boxer . Boxrec.com . April 13, 1972 . June 25, 2014.
20. Web site: College Star | Baseball Hall of Fame . Baseballhall.org . February 21, 2013 . June 25, 2014.
21. Web site: Pat McHugh . Pat McHugh, DB at . National Football League . January 4, 2014 . June 25, 2014.
22. Web site: Ben Obomanu . Ben Obomanu, WR for the New York Jets at . National Football League . December 30, 2013 . June 25, 2014.
23. Web site: Bulldog Basketball . Alabama A&M University . June 24, 2014 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20160304142501/http://grfx.cstv.com/photos/schools/alab/sports/m-baskbl/auto_pdf/AAMUNotes.pdf . March 4, 2016 .
24. Web site: Ken Pettway . justsportsstats.com . May 12, 2015.
25. Web site: Hosken Powell Statistics and History . Baseball-Reference.com . June 25, 2014.
26. Web site: Cal Ramsey NBA & ABA Stats . Basketball-Reference.com . June 25, 2014.
27. Web site: Ed Steele Negro League Statistics & History . Baseball-Reference.com . August 8, 1916 . June 25, 2014.
28. Web site: Olan Mills Studios in Alabama . Encyclopedia of Alabama . June 25, 2014.
29. Web site: Richard Scrusy Biography . June 24, 2014 . A&E Television Networks.
30. Rose, "Storyville, New Orleans" University of Alabama Press, pg. 40
31. News: Inge . Victor . 2007-07-01 . Educator Dr. Bogart Leashore dies . 1 . The Selma Times-Journal . 2023-10-30.
32. Web site: Guide to the Minnie Bruce Pratt Papers, 1870s–2005, bulk 1975–2005 | Rubenstein Library . Library.duke.edu . June 25, 2014.
33. http://www.lazyka.com/linernotes/personel/WarnerFrank.htm Biography in Stambler and Landon, Encyclopedia of Folk, Country and Western Music, New York, St. Martin’s Press, 1969
34. Jensen, Trevor. "Eunice W. Johnson dies at 93; gave Ebony magazine its name", Los Angeles Times, January 5, 2010. Retrieved January 9, 2010.
35. Web site: ABNER, DAVID, SR. | The Handbook of Texas Online| Texas State Historical Association (TSHA) . Tshaonline.org . June 9, 2010 . June 25, 2014.
36. Web site: Ann Smith Bedsole (2002). archives.state.al.us. May 28, 2014.
37. Web site: Jo Bonner – U.S. Congress Votes Database. The Washington Post . June 25, 2014.
38. Web site: Janice Bowling's Political Summary – Project Vote Smart . Votesmart.org . June 25, 2014.
39. Web site: Sheriff Jim Clark, icon of segregationist era, dies – US news – Life – Race & ethnicity . NBC News . June 6, 2007 . June 25, 2014.
40. Web site: CRAIG, William Benjamin – Biographical Information . Bioguide.congress.gov . June 25, 2014.
41. Web site: DELBENE, Suzan K. – Biographical Information . Bioguide.congress.gov . June 25, 2014.
42. Web site: HARALSON, Jeremiah – Biographical Information . Bioguide.congress.gov . June 25, 2014.
43. Web site: HOBBS, Samuel Francis – Biographical Information . Bioguide.congress.gov . June 25, 2014.
44. Web site: History of the Federal Judiciary . Fjc.gov . June 25, 2014.
45. Web site: Michael Jackson, District Attorney . Northeastern University . June 24, 2014 . https://web.archive.org/web/20130506201317/http://nuweb9.neu.edu/civilrights/wp-content/uploads/DA_Jackson_on_the_Jimmie_Lee_Jackson_case.pdf . May 6, 2013 . dead .
46. Web site: KENAN, Thomas – Biographical Information . Bioguide.congress.gov . June 25, 2014.
47. Web site: KING, William Rufus de Vane – Biographical Information . Bioguide.congress.gov . June 25, 2014.
48. Web site: LEHMAN, William – Biographical Information . Bioguide.congress.gov . June 25, 2014.
49. Web site: MORGAN, John Tyler – Biographical Information . Bioguide.congress.gov . June 11, 1907 . June 25, 2014.
50. News: Selma's former mayor wants his job back . Benn . Alvin . January 12, 2012 . . June 24, 2014 .
51. Web site: PETTUS, Edmund Winston – Biographical Information . Bioguide.congress.gov . July 27, 1907 . June 25, 2014.
52. Web site: SESSIONS, Jefferson Beauregard III (Jeff) – Biographical Information . Bioguide.congress.gov . December 24, 1946 . June 25, 2014.
53. Web site: SEWELL, Terri – Biographical Information . Bioguide.congress.gov . June 25, 2014.
54. Web site: TURNER, Benjamin Sterling – Biographical Information . Bioguide.congress.gov . June 25, 2014.
55. Web site: Hattie Hooker Wilkins (1875–1949). 2000 . The Alabama Women's Hall of Fame Profile. The Alabama Women's Hall of Fame. June 24, 2014. Marion, Alabama.
56. News: Obit. Katharine Hopkins Chapman. . 26 November 2023 . The Birmingham News . 21 May 1930 . 1.
57. Book: Alderman . Edwin Anderson . Harris . Joel Chandler . Kent . Charles W. . Smith . Charles Alphonso . Knight . Lucian Lamar . Library of Southern Literature . 1910 . Martin and Hoyt Company . 89-90 . 15 . 26 May 2022 . en . Public domain.
58. Web site: Lucky's Harvest by Ian Watson . Authors : Morrow, W C : SFE : Science Fiction Encyclopedia . Sf-encyclopedia.com . April 28, 2014 . June 25, 2014.
59. News: Barbanel . Josh . William Walker Dies – Publisher Of Black Weekly . Cleveland (Ohio) . The New York Times . October 30, 1981 . June 25, 2014.
60. Web site: Civil Rights Heroes Virtual Museum – Sheyann Webb . Classrooms.psdr3.org . June 25, 2014 . dead . https://archive.today/20140624234828/http://classrooms.psdr3.org/education/components/sectionlist/default.php?sectiondetailid=22755 . June 24, 2014 .
61. Encyclopedia: Kathryn Tucker Windham . Frances Osborn Robb . June 30, 2008 . Encyclopedia of Alabama . Auburn University . August 17, 2011.
62. Web site: US People-Gilmore, Howard W., Commander, USN . United States Navy . June 25, 2014.
63. Book: Eicher, John . 2001 . Civil War High Commands . Stanford, CT . Stanford University Press . 279.
64. Web site: US People-Jones, Catesby ap R. (1821–1877) . https://web.archive.org/web/20010711150347/http://www.history.navy.mil/photos/pers-us/uspers-j/ca-jones.htm . dead . July 11, 2001 . United States Navy . June 15, 2001 . June 25, 2014 .
65. Web site: Melvin . United States Navy . June 25, 2014.
66. Alabama Music Hall of Fame, "Alabama Music Hall of Fame Achiever – Randall Atcheson " Retrieved June 24, 2014
67. Web site: Kenny Brown . Kenny Brown | Biography . AllMusic . July 5, 1953 . June 25, 2014.
68. Web site: Artist Biography by Greg Prato . Mattie Moss Clark | Biography . AllMusic . June 25, 2014.
69. Web site: Sports Memorabilia Auctions – Auction Item . Bidami.com . June 25, 2014.
70. New York Times Johnny Moore, 64, Lead Singer for the Drifters
71. Web site: Bill Moss, 76; member of prominent gospel music family started Celestials. Los Angeles Times . June 30, 2007 . June 25, 2014.
72. Web site: Oscar Toney, Jr. . Oscar Toney, Jr. | Music Biography, Credits and Discography . AllMusic . May 26, 1939 . June 25, 2014.
73. Book: Smith , A. Robert . My Life as a Seer: The Lost Memoirs. 403.
74. http://www.aod.org/our-archdiocese/newsroom/news-releases/2013/january/bishop-moses-b-anderson-sse-has-died/ Detroit Auxiliary Bishop Moses B. Anderson, SSE, has died
75. Web site: ben Wallace . Civil rights leader Rev. T.J. Jemison dies at 95 | The Advocate – Baton Rouge, LA . Theadvocate.com . November 21, 2013 . June 25, 2014.
76. Book: The Universal Jewish Encyclopedia . The Universal Jewish Encyclopedia, Inc. . 1942 . Landman . Isaac . Isaac Landman . 7 . New York, N.Y. . 424 . en . HathiTrust.
77. Web site: Liturgical Pioneers / Pastoral Musicians and Liturgists: Clarence Rufus Joseph Rivers . Liturgicalleaders.blogspot.com . June 25, 2014.
78. Web site: Episcopal News Service: Press Release # 74092 . Episcopalarchives.org . June 25, 2014.
79. Web site: Alabama-born Shwetak Patel named 2011 MacArthur Fellow | al.com . Blog.al.com . June 25, 2014. September 23, 2011 .
80. Web site: About Haxan | Haxan Films . Haxan.com . June 25, 2014 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20091005005934/http://www.haxan.com/about/ . October 5, 2009 .