SPEAKIN’ OUT NEWS
For many Alabamians, the story of Black political representation is often believed to begin in the 1960s during the Civil Rights Movement. But long before marches, court rulings, and federal voting protections reshaped the political landscape, African Americans were already serving in government — including in Huntsville.
According to Huntsville historian William Hampton, founder of Huntsville Revisited and proprietor of the Huntsville Revisited Museum, the city elected Black local officials during the Reconstruction era, shortly after the Civil War. At the time, Huntsville was organized into wards, not the council districts used today. The city was governed by elected aldermen, who served roles similar to modern city council members (Hampton interview; 256 Today).
In 1867, newly registered Black voters in Huntsville helped elect African American aldermen representing the city’s First and Fourth Wards, Hampton said. This period marked one of the earliest expansions of Black civic participation in North Alabama following emancipation.
Huntsville also employed African Americans in public service roles during the 19th century. Local newspaper accounts reported on April 15, 1880, that Robert Brandon, an African American man from a respected family of brick masons and builders, joined the Huntsville Police Department (256 Today). Members of the Brandon family were responsible for significant brickwork in Huntsville’s Twickenham and Big Spring areas, contributions that remain visible today (Hampton).
This early political and civic progress, however, was short-lived.
By the late 1800s, Alabama and much of the South adopted Jim Crow laws designed to strip African Americans of voting power. Mechanisms such as poll taxes, literacy tests, and grandfather clauses dramatically reduced Black voter registration and dismantled Black political representation across the state (Encyclopedia of Alabama; Alabama Department of Archives and History).
What Huntsville experienced locally mirrored developments statewide.
During Reconstruction, Alabama elected Black leaders to federal office. Benjamin Sterling Turner, born into slavery and sold in Selma, became the first Black American to represent Alabama in the U.S. House of Representativesduring the 42nd Congress (U.S. House Office of the Historian). Turner advocated for voting rights, human rights protections, and federal assistance for Alabama following the Civil War.
Turner later described his approach to reconciliation, saying, “I have no coals of fiery reproach to heap upon them now… let the past be forgotten,” according to congressional records (U.S. House archives). Despite his moderation, Turner’s political career ended in 1872 amid divisions among Black voters and the resurgence of white Democratic power.
Another key figure was James T. Rapier, born in Florence, Alabama, who served in the 43rd Congress from 1873 to 1875. Rapier was a leading advocate for the Civil Rights Act of 1875, which sought to ban racial discrimination in public accommodations (U.S. House Office of the Historian).
“Every day my life and property are exposed,” Rapier said during House debate, emphasizing the need for federal protections (U.S. House archives). While the law was later weakened and poorly enforced, Rapier’s advocacy remains a cornerstone of Alabama’s Black political legacy.
As Jim Crow solidified, Black political participation collapsed across Alabama. The result was nearly a century without meaningful Black representation in many local and statewide offices (Encyclopedia of Alabama).
That silence began to break in 1979, when Richard Arrington Jr. was elected mayor of Birmingham, becoming Alabama’s first Black mayor. Arrington served for 20 years, overseeing downtown redevelopment, economic growth, affirmative action policies, and police reform efforts (Encyclopedia of Alabama).
Modern Black political leadership continues that legacy. Mayor Randall Woodfin, elected in 2017, became the youngest mayor of Birmingham in more than 120 years and has emphasized neighborhood investment and economic equity (City of Birmingham).
At the federal level, U.S. Rep. Terri Sewell has represented Alabama’s 7th Congressional District since 2011 and remains the first Black woman in the state’s congressional delegation (U.S. House Office of the Historian).
In 2025, Alabama made history again with the election of U.S. Rep. Shomari Figures, marking the first time two Black members of Congress have served Alabama simultaneously (Alabama Reflector; U.S. House Biographical Directory).
At the state level, Anthony Daniels, Minority Leader of the Alabama House of Representatives, has served since 2014 and plays a central role in legislative debates affecting education, health care, and economic opportunity (Ballotpedia).
Beyond elected office, Black political influence in Alabama continues through education, science, and advocacy. Dr. Sheila Nash-Stevenson, a NASA engineer and Madison City Schools board member, exemplifies how leadership extends beyond traditional political roles (Alabama A&M University).
Community organizations also remain vital. Project Say Something, founded by Camille Goldston Bennett, works to confront racial injustice through education, advocacy, and community empowerment.
As Hampton often notes, Black history is not “little-known” because it did not exist — it is little-known because it was rarely recorded or taught. From Huntsville’s Black aldermen in the 1860s to today’s elected leaders, Black political representation in Alabama has been persistent, powerful, and repeatedly challenged.
Understanding how Jim Crow laws interrupted that progress helps explain why voting rights and representation remain central issues today. Black political power in Alabama was not new — it was interrupted.
Sources
• Alabama Department of Archives and History, African American Legislators in Reconstruction Alabama
• Encyclopedia of Alabama, Congressional Reconstruction in Alabama; Richard Arrington Jr.
• U.S. House of Representatives, Office of the Historian
• U.S. House Biographical Directory of Congress
• 256 Today, “Huntsville’s Little-Known Black History” (William Hampton interview)
• Huntsville Revisited Museum & Archives (William Hampton)
• Alabama Reflector, coverage of Shomari Figures’ election
• Ballotpedia, Anthony Daniels
• City of Birmingham official records
• Alabama A&M University profiles
