Governor John M. Patterson Children 3 Died February 3, 1978 Succeeded by James Allen Political party Democratic Role Legislator Party Democratic Party | Preceded by Art Hanes Name Albert Boutwell Education University of Alabama Preceded by William G. Hardwick Profession Lawyer Spouse Helen Balfour (m. 1934) | |
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Similar People Bull Connor, Spike Lee, Terence Blanchard | ||
Albert Burton Boutwell (November 13, 1904 – February 3, 1978) was the 19th Lieutenant Governor of Alabama. A Democrat, Boutwell served Governor John Malcolm Patterson of the same political party, from 1959-1963.
Boutwell graduated from the University of Alabama with a bachelor of law degree in 1928. While attending university, Boutwell was a member of two fraternities: the Sigma Delta Kappa law fraternity and the Alpha Phi Epsilon honorary Forensic Fraternity. In his graduating year, Boutwell was also the Student Government Association President.
After practicing law for many years, Boutwell was elected to the Alabama Senate in 1946. He was re-elected for a second term, during which he served as the president pro-tem. During his third term, Boutwell served as Chairman of the Interim Legislative Committee on Segregation in the Public Schools, and was elected lieutenant governor in 1958.
Considered a moderate by many white citizens of Birmingham during the Civil Rights Movement, Boutwell's election in 1963 as mayor was seen by many as a rejection of Eugene "Bull" Connor's policies on the former City Commission. He was elected just before the mass demonstrations of the "Birmingham Campaign" led by Martin Luther King, Jr. and Fred Shuttlesworth. He took office shortly after those demonstrations were met with violence at the hands of police dogs and fire hoses deployed by the lame duck Connor. He was in office a few months before the forced integration of Birmingham schools by the National Guard and the bombing of 16th Street Baptist Church, which killed four young girls.
The Municipal Auditorium was renamed in honor of Boutwell.