The city of Montgomery, the capital and second-largest city of the U.S. state of Alabama, has been the birthplace and home of these notable individuals.
Arts and entertainment
NameNotabilityReferences Jensen Buchanan Soap opera actress Brett Butler Actress and comedy performer Glenn Howerton Actor/writer, It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia Rusty Joiner Model/actor Michael O'Neill Actor, The West Wing Octavia Spencer Academy Award-winning actress Bill Traylor Self-taught artist, painter Michael Young Emmy-winning actor
Music
NameNotabilityReferences Gloria D. Brown R&B, soul, funk, pop singer Clarence Carter Blind soul singer and guitarist Nat King Cole Jazz singer and pianist John Collins Jazz guitarist Dirty Rap duo Doe B Rapper Eddie Floyd Soul singer/songwriter Frankie Jaxon Jazz and vaudeville singer Claude Jeter Gospel singer Howard Johnson Jazz musician Jamey Johnson Country singer-songwriter Joe Morris Jazz trumpeter Nell Rankin Opera singer Tommy Shaw Guitarist of Styx Robert Shimp Recording engineer and producer Toni Tennille Singer, Captain & Tennille Big Mama Thornton Blues singer Hank Williams, Sr. Country singer Jett Williams Country singer, daughter of Hank
Civil rights
NameNotabilityReferences Ralph Abernathy Baptist minister, Southern Christian Leadership Conference leader Inez Baskin Journalist and activist Johnnie Carr Montgomery Improvement Association president, Montgomery bus boycott co-organizer Claudette Colvin Pioneer of the civil rights movement Morris Dees Southern Poverty Law Center founder Mahala Ashley Dickerson First black female attorney in Alabama Hazel Nell DukesActivist and president of the NAACPFred Gray Attorney, founding member of the Montgomery Improvement Association Richard H. Harris Jr. Prominent civil rights leader, pharmacist and Tuskegee Airmen TUSKEGEE AIRMEN ACTIVISTS AFTER WORLD WAR II. Daniel L. Haulman Air Force Historical Research Agency. 11 March 2015. Alabama Civil Rights Tourism Association. https://civilrightstourism.org/site/dr-richard-harris-house/ Vernon Johns Minister, mentor to early civil rights leaders Martin Luther King Jr. Minister, founded the Montgomery Improvement Association and the Southern Christian Leadership Conference while in Montgomery, led the Montgomery bus boycott and Selma to Montgomery march Martin Luther King III Advocate, SCLC president Yolanda King Advocate and actress E. D. Nixon Attorney (Browder v. Gayle), local NAACP president, Montgomery Improvement Association founderRosa Parks Sparked the Montgomery bus boycott
Literature and journalism
NameNotabilityReferences Zelda Fitzgerald Writer, wife of F. Scott Fitzgerald Jim Fyffe Auburn Tigers radio announcer Anne George Writer, 1994 Alabama State Poet Mary Katharine Ham Writer, columnist, Fox News contributor Joseph Lewis Freethinker Everette Maddox Poet Harold E. Martin Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist Charles Moore Photographer, chronicled the Civil Rights Movement Gin Phillips Writer T.K. Thorne Writer; books, poetry, short stories and screenplays Barbara Wiedemann Poet, English professor at Auburn Montgomery
Military
NameNotabilityReferences William W. Allen Major general in the Confederate States Army Samuel Cooper First full general of the Confederate States Army John G. Crommelin United States Navy rear admiral, 1960 vice presidential candidate James T. Holtzclaw General in the Confederate States Army Frank McIntyre Chief of the Bureau of Insular Affairs, 1912–1929 Danyell E. Wilson First African American female tomb guard for the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier (Arlington) at Arlington National Cemetery The Associated Press. “Alabamian becomes first black woman to guard Tomb of the Unknowns.” DAVID PACE. January 22, 1997. https://apnews.com/article/3097d06ac67797636e9f1028e7aeb4c3
Politics
NameNotabilityReferences John Abercrombie U.S. representative (1912–1917), president of the University of Alabama (1902–1911) Winton M. Blount United States Postmaster General (1969–1972) and philanthropist Bobby Bright Mayor (1999–2009), U.S. representative (2009–2011) Katie BrittU.S. senator (2023–present)Charles Waldron Buckley U.S. representative (1868–1873) Artur Davis U.S. representative (2003–2011) William Louis Dickinson U.S. representative (1965–1993) Edward C. Elmore Confederate States of America treasurer Benjamin Fitzpatrick 11th governor of Alabama (1841–1845); United States senator (1848–9, 1953-5, 1855–61) and president pro tempore (1857–60) Emory Folmar Mayor (1977–1999) Jim Folsom Jr. 50th governor of Alabama (1993–1995), lieutenant governor (1987–1993, 2007–2011) MacDonald Gallion Attorney general of Alabama (1953–63, 1967–71) Bibb Graves 38th governor of Alabama (1927–1931, 1935–1939) Dixie Bibb Graves First female United States senator from Alabama (1937–1938) J. Lister Hill U.S. representative (1923–38), U.S. senator (1938–69), Senate Majority Whip (1941–47), known for the Hill-Burton Act Perry O. Hooper Jr. Member of Alabama House of Representatives (1984–2003) Perry O. Hooper Sr. Alabama Supreme Court 27th chief justice (1995–2001) Thomas G. Jones 28th governor of Alabama (1890–1894) Claude R. Kirk Jr. Governor of Florida (1967–1971) Ann McCrory First Lady of North CarolinaGordon Persons 46th governor of Alabama (1951–1955) Martha Roby Congresswoman from Alabama's 2nd congressional district (2011–2021) Joe M. Rodgers Construction executive, United States Ambassador to France Dorothy Tillman Former Chicago alderman Steve Windom 28th lieutenant governor of Alabama (1999–2003) William Lowndes Yancey U.S. representative (1844–46), Fire-Eater secession advocate, Confederate diplomat and Senator
Science and medicine
NameNotabilityReferences Percy Lavon Julian Chemist Julian family in the 1900 U.S. Census; Montgomery, Alabama; He lived with his wife's siblings: Mather P. Adams (1884-?); George Adams (1886-?); Carrie L. Adams (1891-?); Ethel M. Adams (1893-?). James is listed as a mail carrier. J. Marion Sims In the 1840s, Montgomery's leading physician and medical experimenterDorothy Tennov Psychologist Kathryn C. Thornton Astronaut, part of STS-61 mission to repair the Hubble Space Telescope
Sports
NameNotabilityReferences Austin Adams Atlantic League of Professional Baseball pitcher for the Lexington LegendsMarlon Anderson Major League Baseball player for seven teams Alonzo Babers Gold medal-winning sprinter at 1984 Summer Olympics (400m and 4 × 400 m relay) Reggie Barlow NFL wide receiver, Super Bowl XXXVII champion, Alabama State head coach Fred Beasley Pro Bowl fullback with San Francisco 49ers Terry Beasley Auburn Tigers wide receiver, member of College Football Hall of Fame Caesar Belser American Football League and NFL defensive back, Super Bowl IV champion Ray Black Jr. NASCAR driverTom Boswell National Basketball Association player, 1976 champion with Boston Celtics Aundray Bruce National Football League player, 1988 NFL draft first overall selection Antoine Caldwell Houston Texans and former Alabama Crimson Tide offensive lineman Monreko Crittenden American Indoor Football Association and Auburn Tigers player Johnny Davis NFL running back, Super Bowl XVI champion with San Francisco 49ers Chris Dickerson Bodybuilder, 1982 Mr. Olympia Richmond Flowers NFL safety Oscar GambleMajor League Baseball outfielderLeslie Gaston Professional soccer player Orlando Graham NBA forward Carlos Hendricks Football defensive back Tarvaris Jackson NFL quarterback for Minnesota Vikings Terrence Long Major League Baseball outfielder Tom Neville American Football League tackle Tom Oliver Major League Baseball outfielder and manager Quentin Riggins Professional football player Kirby Smart Head football coach of the Georgia BulldogsBart Starr Pro Football Hall of Fame quarterback for Green Bay Packers, 5-time NFL champion Allen Trammel Professional football player Freeman White Consensus All-American and professional football player Willie Wilson Major League Baseball outfielder and 1985 World Series champion Delmon Young Major League Baseball outfielder
Others NameNotabilityReferencesHerbert Baumer Architect Adele Goodman Clark Suffragist and artist Frances Scott Fitzgerald Daughter of F. Scott Fitzgerald Bob Jones Jr. Bob Jones University president and chancellor Lisa S. Jones Businesswoman, founder of EyeMail Inc. Henry Lehman Cotton broker and financier, company developed into the Lehman Brothers conglomerate Adolph S. MosesRabbi of Kahl MontgomeryJerry Parr Secret Service agent, saved Ronald Reagan during assassination attempt Albert Parsons Anarchist, labor activist, Haymarket Riot organizer Blake Percival Whistleblower Priscilla Cooper Tyler Daughter-in-law of president John Tyler
See also List of people from Alabama List of mayors of Montgomery, Alabama Alabama State University alumni
References