The Alabama Academy of Honor recognizes one hundred living Alabamians for outstanding accomplishments and services to Alabama and the United States. . By act of the Alabama Legislature,Alabama Code Title 41, Chapter. Alabama Academy of Honor. 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, 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.
Supreme Court Justice Hugo Black was the only person to ever decline membership in the Academy, after a vow to refuse all honors.
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. . The Academy was intended to honor notable living Alabama citizens, since several organizations already existed in the state for posthumous recognition.
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.
Members by election year
Source:Alabama Academy of Honor. Academy of Honor Inductees by Year.
2025
Bernard LaFayette Jr. - Civil rights activist with the Southern Christian Leadership Conference, and the national coordinator for the Poor People’s Campaign in 1968
Sandy Stimpson - Executive vice-president of Scotch and Gulf Lumber, three terms as mayor of Mobile; board member of Business Council of Alabama, the Mobile Area Chamber of Commerce and the Alabama Policy Institute; and a founding member of the Partners for Environmental Progress, and Prichard Preparatory School
Ray Watts - Longest-serving president of the University of Alabama at Birmingham
2020
Jo Bonner---U.S. Congressman, 1st District of Alabama, 2003-2013
J. Gary Cooper----U.S. Ambassador to Jamaica, 1994-1997
Bryan Stevenson----Human rights advocate, founder of Equal Justice Initiative
2019
No inductees
2018
Walter Bell----banker, Alabama Insurance Commissioner
U. W. Clemon----1st African-American Federal judge in Alabama
Ann Florie-----public servant
D. Paul Jones, Jr.------banker
Stancil Starnes-------lawyer/insurance executive
2017
Kay Ivey----2nd female Governor of Alabama
Deborah Edwards Barnhart------CEO, Space and Rocket Center
Cynthia Tucker Haynes-------Journalist; 1st African-American editor of Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Cathy Sloss Jones------Real estate executive
2016
Jack Hawkins, Jr.-------Chancellor of Troy University
Claude Nielsen--------CEO, Coca-Cola
2015
Richard Arrington----1st African-American mayor of Birmingham, Alabama
Raymond Harbert------Investment firm chairman
Vincent "Bo" Jackson, Jr.------Sports legend (NFL/MLB)
Charles Krulak-----USMC general/business executive
Caroline Novak------Chairman of A+ Education Partnership
Randy Owen------Founding member of country music group ALABAMA
2014
Judy Bonner----1st female president of the University of Alabama
Tim Cook----businessman
John Croyle------businessman/football player
Jim Hudson, Jr.-------businessman
Margaret Porter-------Mayor of Mountain Brook, Alabama
Nick Saban-------head football coach, University of Alabama
Jeff Sessions--------U.S. Senator from Alabama, U.S. Attorney General
Edgar Weldon---------businessman
2013
Johnny Johns----businessman
Fournier J. "Boots" Gale III ----lawyer
Seth Hammett----businessman, college president, Alabama Speaker of the House
2012
Ralph Cook----lawyer
Jay Gogue------president of University of Auburn
Alice Lee-------sister of author Harper Lee; oldest practicing attorney in Alabama
Tommy Lowder------real estate
Beverly Phifer Wingard------business executive
James Stephens------business executive
2011
Robert Bentley------Governor of Alabama
Charles Anderson-----media executive, Books-A-Million
David Cooper----maritime business executive
John Denson II---lawyer
J.M. Jenkins IV----business executive
Barbara Larson----1st executive director of Leadership Alabama
John Lewis-----U.S. Representative, Georgia; civil rights advocate
Robert Witt-----president of University of Alabama
2010
John Buchanan------U.S. Rep., Alabama's 6th District
Elbert Drummond-----business executive
Carol Garrison-------president, University of Alabama Birmingham (UAB)
2009
Angus Cooper II------maritime business executive
Donald James------business executive
James Dean Martin-----U.S. Rep., Alabama's 7th District
Charles McCrary------chairman of Alabama Power
Frank Stitt--------renowned chef and cookbook author
2008
Vaughan Morrissette------civic leader/volunteerism advocate
William E. Smith, Jr.--------business executive
Odessa Woolfolk-------founder of Birmingham Civil Rights Institute
2007
Hank Aaron------sports legend (MLB); broke Babe Ruth's career homerun record
Leah Rawls Atkins-------educator/historian
Mike Goodrich------business executive
James Harrison, Jr.------pharmacist, founder and CEO of Harco, Inc. Drug Stores
2006
Regina Benjamin--------physician/Surgeon General of the United States
Miller Gorrie-------business executive
Bill Ireland-------business executive
Edwin Bridges-------director of Department of Archives and History
Wayne Flynt--------historian
2005
Fred Gray-------civil right attorney and legislator
Ted C. Kennedy------business executive
Richard Shelby------U.S. Senator from Alabama
Gail Trechsel------art museum director
2004
Bill Cabanis------U.S. Ambassador to the Czech Republic
Catherine Randall------educator
Hall Thompson------business executive/golf cart developer
Cameron Vowell------philanthropist
William Warren, Jr.------CEO, Children's of Alabama Hospital
2003
Bob Riley-----Governor of Alabama
Don Logan------business executive
Malcolm Portera-----education executive
Van Richey-------business executive
Kathryn Tucker Windham----author known for Jeffrey stories
2002
James Head------business executive/equal rights advocate
John Godbold------Federal judge, 11th Circuit Court of Appeals
George Murray-----civil rights advocate/Episcopal bishop/"Call To Unity"
Condoleezza Rice-----U.S. National Security Advisor/U.S. Secretary of State
Cordell Wynn------president of Stillman College
2001
Ann Reynolds-------president of UAB
Harper Lee---author of "To Kill A Mockingbird"
Sidney McDonald-----educator/legislator/business executive
Marvin Engel-----business executive
Thomas Meredith------education executive
2000
John McMahon, Jr.------business executive
William Muse-----president of Auburn
Sandral Hullett-----medical executive
Rosa Parks-----civil rights pioneer
1999
J. Mason Davis, Jr.------civil rights attorney
Drayton Nabers, Jr.-------insurance executive
Sabert Oglesby, Jr.-------pioneer in air pollution control
Don Siegleman-----Governor of Alabama
1998
Charles LeMaistre-------physician, chairman of M.D. Anderson Cancer Institute
Stanley Mackin-------bank executive
Lee Styslinger, Jr.-----business executive
Robert Weil-------business executive
1997
James Clark------mayor of Eufaula, Alabama/state legislator
Emory Folmar-----mayor of Montgomery, Alabama
Robert Luckie, Jr.-----advertising executive
Benjamin Russell-----timber executive
Herb Sklenar-----business executive
Larry Striplin------coach/athletic director, Belmont University
1996
Ann Bedsole----1st Republican female in Alabama House/1st female state senator
Thomas Bradford, Jr.------business executive
Frank Bromberg, Jr.------business executive
Alston Callahan-----pioneer in reconstructive eye surgery
Thomas Corts-----president of Samford University
Edward Friend III-----lawyer
William Spencer III------business executive
1995
Philip Austin-------education executive
Elton B. Stephens------business executive
E.O. Wilson--------ecology scientist
1994
No inductees
1993
David Bronner------CEO, Retirement System of Alabama
Tom Carruthers-----lawyer
James E. Folsom, Jr.-------Governor of Alabama
Elmer Harris-----CEO, Alabama Power
Earl Sayers------president, University of Alabama
1992
No inductees
1991
Harry Ayers-------Publisher, Anniston Star
Basil Hirschowitz------scientist, developed optical fiber for flexible endoscope
Barrett Shelton, Jr.-------newspaper executive
Bill Edmonds-----civil engineer, business executive
Frank Moody-----CEO, Alabama Power
Margaret Tutwiler-------noted U.S. State Department official
1990
Max Cooper----noted immunologist
Willard Hurley-----bank executive
Crawford Johnson III----CEO, Coca-Cola
James E. Martin----president of Auburn
Joseph Moquin-----business executive
1989
Houston Brice, Jr.-----business executive
Garry Drummond----business executive
Daniel McCall, Jr.-----Alabama State Supreme Court Justice
Holt Rast------business executive/state legislator
1988
Aaron Aronov------real estate developer
Carl Bailey-----CEO, South Central Bell
Eugene Gwaltney----business executive
Olin King-----business executive
Yetta Samford, Jr.------lawyer
James Wilson, Jr.----business executive
1987
Thomas Bartlett----educator, president of American University in Cairo
Claude Bennett----medical scientist/educator
Edward Friend, Jr.----corporate/real estate attorney
Guy Hunt------Governor of Alabama
Joseph Lanier, Jr.----business executive
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 , 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)