List of University of Alabama people

Art and humanities

Mark Childress, author (Crazy in Alabama)

William Christenberry, artist

Jean Cox, opera singer

Kevin Crawford, Shakespeare scholar

Done P. Dabale, founder and Bishop, United Methodist Church in Nigeria

Borden Deal, novelist and short story writer

Blanche Evans Dean, conservationist, naturalist and schoolteacher

Tim Earley, poet

Winston Groom, author (Forrest Gump)

Sigmund Hecht (1849–1925), Hungarian-born rabbi in Montgomery, Milwaukee and Los Angeles, received a Doctorate of Divinity from the University of Alabama in 1886

Jim Hilgartner, author

May Lesser Hyman, medical illustrator

Dale Kennington, artist

Tanner Latham, writer and podcaster

Harper Lee, Pulitzer Prize winner, author of To Kill a Mockingbird (attended, but did not graduate)

Everette Maddox, poet

Ray Reach, jazz musician and Director of Student Jazz Programs at the Alabama Jazz Hall of Fame

Michelle Richmond, author

K. Lee Scott, choral composer and conductor

Kathryn Stockett, author of 2009 novel The Help

Gay Talese, author and journalist

William Y. Thompson, historian

Ann Waldron (1924–2010), author

Business

Winton M. Blount, Chairman of Blount International and former Postmaster General

David G. Bronner, Director of Alabama Pension Systems

Samuel DiPiazza, former Chief Executive Officer of PricewaterhouseCoopers

James M. Fail, chairman of Bluebonnet Savings Bank

Janet Gurwitch, former Executive Vice President of Merchandising at Neiman Marcus, co-founder of Gurwitch Products, the manufacturer of Laura Mercier Cosmetics

Marillyn Hewson, Chairman, President and Chief Executive Officer of Lockheed Martin

Joe McInnes, Director of Alabama Department of Transportation, Executive Vice President of Blount International

Patrice Oppliger, Assistant Professor of Communication, Boston University College of Communication

Thom S. Rainer, president and CEO of LifeWay Christian Resources

Entertainment

Norbert Leo Butz, Broadway actor

Tom Cherones, director of Seinfeld

Ashley Crow, actress

Cristin Duren, Miss Florida USA 2006

Michael Emerson, actor

Debra Marshall, former WWE and WCW diva

Sonequa Martin-Green, actress

Madeline Mitchell, Miss Alabama USA 2011 and Miss USA 2011 (2nd runner-up)

Anastasia Muñoz, voice actress at Funimation

Jim Nabors, actor

Ray Reach, jazz pianist, singer, arranger and composer; director of student jazz programs at the Alabama Jazz Hall of Fame

Steve Sample, Sr., jazz arranger, composer and educator

Sela Ward, actress

Christopher Woodrow, movie producer

Politics and government

John W. Abercrombie, United States Congressman from Alabama (1913–17) and President of the University of Alabama (1902–11)

James B. Allen, United States Senator from Alabama (1969–78)

Maryon P. Allen, United States Senator from Alabama (1978), wife of James B. Allen

Herschel Whitfield Arant (1910), noted 20th-century U.S. legal academic and jurist

William Brockman Bankhead, US House of Representatives (1917–33), (1933–40), Speaker of the House (1936–40)

Cynthia Bathurst, 1974, animal rights activist and founder/director of Safe Humane Chicago

Bill Baxley, Lieutenant Governor of Alabama from 1983–1987

Ann Bedsole, first Republican woman to serve in the Alabama House of Representatives (1979–83) and first woman to serve in the Alabama State Senate (1983–95), resident of Mobile

Robert J. Bentley, Governor of Alabama, elected 2010

Don Black, founder of Stormfront

Hugo Black, US Supreme Court Justice (1937–1971)

Leon Bramlett, All-American football player at the United States Naval Academy; played at Alabama only in 1942; the Republican nominee for governor of Mississippi in 1983

John A. Caddell, lawyer, later president pro tempore of the Board of Trustees

H. L. Sonny Callahan, U.S. House of Representatives Alabama's 1st district (1985–2003)

Henry De Lamar Clayton, Jr. (1857–1929), member of House of Representatives

Margaret Conditt, Ohio State Representative

Morris Dees, civil rights attorney, founder of the Southern Poverty Law Center

Carl Elliott, Alabama's 7th congressional district representative, 1949 to 1965

Jim Folsom, governor of Alabama from 1947 to 1951 and 1955 to 1959

Millard Fuller, founder of Habitat for Humanity International

Charles Graddick, Attorney General of Alabama (1979–1987)

Junius Foy Guin, Jr., Judge, United States District Court for the Northern District of Alabama

Lino Gutierrez, Diplomat, United States Ambassador to Argentina (2003–06), United States Ambassador to Nicaragua (1996–99)

Howell Heflin, 1971–77 Ch J Alabama Supreme Court; 1978–97 United States Senator from Alabama; graduated law school 1948

Frank Minis Johnson, Jr., federal judge whose opinions were critical to the African-American Civil Rights Movement (1954–68)

Vivian Malone Jones, first African-American graduate

Maud McLure Kelly, first woman to practice law in Alabama

Stephanie Kopelousos, Transportation Secretary, Florida Department of Transportation (2007–11)

Autherine Lucy (1956), first African-American student to be admitted to the university after winning in Lucy v. Adams; suspended after three days due to racial hostilities; her expulsion was overturned in 1980; she earned her master's degree in Elementary Education in 1992

Champ Lyons, Jr., Associate Justice, Alabama Supreme Court 1998–present; graduated law school 1965

Bert Nettles (Class of 1958), Republican member of the Alabama House of Representatives from 1969 to 1974 from Mobile

John Malcolm Patterson, Governor of Alabama 1959–63, graduated law school 1948

Bob Riley, Governor of Alabama (2003–2011)

Percy Saint, attended University of Alabama (1888–90); state district judge (1920–24) in Franklin, Louisiana, and Attorney General of Louisiana (1924–32)

Jeff Sessions, United States Attorney General from Alabama, 1997–present, United States Attorney General, graduated law school 1973

Richard Shelby, United States Senator from Alabama, 1987–present, graduated both undergrad and law school (1963)

Don Siegelman, Governor of Alabama (1999–2003)

Donald W. Stewart, United States Senator from Alabama, 1979–81

Ira B. Thompson, Alabama State Representative

Robert Smith Vance, Federal Appellate Judge, United States Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit; chaired and de-segregated State Democratic Party; assassinated December 16, 1989

Michael G. Vickers, United States Department of Defense, United States Assistant Secretary of Defense for Special Operations and Low Intensity Conflict, 2007–present

George Corley Wallace, Governor of Alabama (1963–1967, 1971–1979, 1983–1987)

Journalism and literature

Mel Allen, sportscaster for the New York Yankees, best known as the "legendary voice of the Yankees" and first host of This Week in Baseball

Rece Davis, ESPN sports analyst

Tim Earley, poet

Winston Groom, author, Forrest Gump; graduate 1965

Howell Raines, former executive editor of The New York Times; Pulitzer Prize winner for Feature Writing

Joe Scarborough, television host and former U.S. Representative from Florida

Kathryn Stockett, author, The Help

Science and technology

Lafayette Guild, Medical Director for Robert E. Lee's Army of Northern Virginia during the American Civil War and a pioneer in the research of yellow fever

Nathan Jacobson, mathematician

Mohammad Ataul Karim, physicist

Edward Barna Kurjack, anthropologist

Timothy Leary, writer and drug activist

Robert M. Lightfoot, Jr., 11th Director of NASA's Marshall Space Flight Center

Louis Rosen, nuclear physicist, the "father" of the Los Alamos Neutron Science Center

Eugene Allen Smith (A.B. 1862), geologist; president of the GSA 1913

Robert Van de Graaff, physicist, inventor of Van de Graaff generator

Jimmy Wales, co-founder of Wikipedia

Heather Willauer (PhD 2002), research chemist and inventor of a method for synthesizing jet fuel from seawater

E.O. Wilson, entomologist known for work on evolution and sociobiology; Pulitzer Prize winner

Professional basketball

Richard Hendrix, professional basketball player

Active NBA players

Alonzo Gee, Cleveland Cavaliers

Gerald Wallace, Boston Celtics

Maurice "Mo" Williams, Cleveland Cavaliers

JaMychal Green, Memphis Grizzlies

Retired NBA players

Jason Caffey, Chicago Bulls, 20th pick overall, 1995

Leon Douglas, Detroit Pistons, 4th pick overall, 1976

T.R. Dunn, Portland Trail Blazers, 2nd round, 1977

Robert Horry, Houston Rockets, San Antonio Spurs, Los Angeles Lakers, Phoenix Suns, 11th pick overall, 1992

Buck Johnson, Houston Rockets, 20th pick overall, 1986

Reggie King, Kansas City Kings, 18th pick overall, 1979

Antonio McDyess, Denver Nuggets, 2nd pick overall, 1995

Derrick McKey, Seattle SuperSonics, 9th pick overall, 1987

Eddie Phillips, New Jersey Nets, 21st pick overall, 1982

James Robinson, Portland Trail Blazers, 21st pick overall, 1993

Roy Rogers, Vancouver Grizzlies, 22nd pick overall, 1996

Latrell Sprewell, Golden State Warriors, New York Knicks, Minnesota Timberwolves, 24th pick overall, 1992

Ennis Whatley, Kansas City Kings, 13th pick overall, 1983

WNBA players

Dominique Canty, Detroit Shock, 29th pick overall, 1999

Basketball coaches

Lenny Fant (Master's degree), University of Louisiana at Monroe, then Northeast Louisiana State University, 1957–79

Professional football

Active NFL players

Mark Anderson, Houston Texans

Javier Arenas, Kansas City Chiefs

Mark Barron, Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Anthony Bryant, free agent

Antoine Caldwell, Houston Texans

James Carpenter, Seattle Seahawks

Simeon Castille, San Diego Chargers

Tim Castille, Kansas City Chiefs

Josh Chapman, Indianapolis Colts

Ha Ha Clinton-Dix, Green Bay Packers

Terrence Cody, Baltimore Ravens

Landon Collins, New York Giants

Brodie Croyle, Indianapolis Colts

Kenneth Darby, St. Louis Rams

Marcell Dareus, Buffalo Bills

Brandon Deaderick, New England Patriots

D. J. Fluker, San Diego Chargers

Wallace Gilberry, Kansas City Chiefs

Bobby Greenwood, Kansas City Chiefs

Cornelius Griffin, Washington Redskins

Roman Harper, New Orleans Saints

Dont'a Hightower, New England Patriots

Mark Ingram, 2009 Heisman Trophy winner, New Orleans Saints

Kareem Jackson, Houston Texans

Jarret Johnson, Baltimore Ravens

Marquis Johnson, St. Louis Rams

Mike Johnson, Atlanta Falcons

Rashad Johnson, Arizona Cardinals

Julio Jones, Atlanta Falcons

Dre Kirkpatrick, Cincinnati Bengals

Eddie Lacy, Green Bay Packers, NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year (2013)

Anthony Madison, Pittsburgh Steelers

Evan Mathis, Philadelphia Eagles

AJ McCarron, Cincinnati Bengals

Le'Ron McClain, Kansas City Chiefs

Rolando McClain, Oakland Raiders, Baltimore Ravens, and Dallas Cowboys

DeQuan Menzie, Kansas City Chiefs

C.J. Mosley, Baltimore Ravens

Antwan Odom, Cincinnati Bengals

Charlie Peprah, Green Bay Packers

Trent Richardson, Cleveland Browns and Indianapolis Colts

DeMeco Ryans, 2006 NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year, Philadelphia Eagles

Brad Smelley, Cleveland Browns

Justin Smiley, Miami Dolphins

Andre Smith, Cincinnati Bengals

Deshea Townsend, Indianapolis Colts

Najee Harris, Baltimore Ravens

John Parker Wilson, Atlanta Falcons, Jacksonville Jaguars

T.J. Yeldon, Jacksonville Jaguars

Retired NFL players

Shaun Alexander, Seattle Seahawks and Washington Redskins, 2005 NFL MVP

Bob Baumhower, Miami Dolphins

Cornelius Bennett, Buffalo Bills

Thomas Boyd, Detroit Lions

Wesley Britt, New England Patriots

Paul Ott Carruth, Green Bay Packers

Jeremiah Castille, Denver Broncos

Glen Coffee, San Francisco 49ers

John Copeland, Cincinnati Bengals

Howard Cross, New York Giants

Bob Cryder, New England Patriots

Eric Curry, Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Chris Goode, Indianapolis Colts

Lemanski Hall, Houston Oilers

Jon Hand, Indianapolis Colts

Charley Hannah, Tampa Bay Buccaneers

John Hannah, New England Patriots

Patrick Hape, Tampa Bay Buccaneers and Denver Broncos

Paul Harris, Tampa Bay Buccaneers and Minnesota Vikings

Bobby Humphrey, Denver Broncos

Scott Hunter

Don Hutson, Green Bay Packers

Wilbur Jackson, San Francisco 49ers

Joey Jones, Atlanta Falcons

Lee Roy Jordan, Dallas Cowboys

E. J. Junior, St Louis Cardinals

Emanuel King, Cincinnati Bengals

B'Ho Kirkland, Brooklyn Dodgers (NFL)

Barry Krauss, Indianapolis Colts

Antonio Langham, Cleveland Browns

Larry Lauer, Green Bay Packers

Antonio London, Detroit Lions and Green Bay Packers

Marty Lyons, New York Jets

John Mangum, Chicago Bears

Keith McCants, Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Greg McElroy, New York Jets and Cincinnati Bengals

Don McNeal, Miami Dolphins

Chris Mohr, Buffalo Bills

Russ Mosley, Green Bay Packers

Michael Myers, Denver Broncos

Joe Namath, New York Jets

Billy Neighbors, Boston Patriots

Ozzie Newsome, Cleveland Browns, GM of football operations for the Baltimore Ravens

David Palmer, Minnesota Vikings

Ray Perkins, Baltimore Colts

Mike Pitts, Atlanta Falcons

Dwayne Rudd, Minnesota Vikings

Jeff Rutledge, New York Giants

Chris Samuels, Washington Redskins

Sam Shade, Cincinnati Bengals

Ken Stabler, Oakland Raiders

Siran Stacy, Philadelphia Eagles

Bart Starr, two-time Super Bowl MVP for the Green Bay Packers

Rebel Steiner, Green Bay Packers

Dwight Stephenson, Miami Dolphins

George Teague, Green Bay Packers

Derrick Thomas, Kansas City Chiefs

Richard Todd, New York Jets

Kevin Turner, New England Patriots

NFL Hall of Fame

John Hannah

Don Hutson

Joe Namath

Ozzie Newsome

Ken Stabler

Bart Starr

Dwight Stephenson

Derrick Thomas

Other sports

Softball

Kelly Kretschman, USA Olympic softball player from 2004–08

Haylie McCleney, USA Olympic softball player selected for the 2014 season

Jaclyn Traina, USA Olympic softball player selected for the 2014 season

Baseball

Mel Allen, legendary "voice of the New York Yankees" and first host of This Week in Baseball

Lance Cormier, player with the Baltimore Orioles; also played for the Arizona Diamondbacks and the Atlanta Braves

Butch Hobson, former Alabama football player, served as a third baseman and manager in MLB for the Boston Red Sox

Frank Lary, major league pitcher, most notably for the Detroit Tigers; selected to the 1960 and 1961 All-Star Team; awarded Gold Glove Award in 1961

Dave Magadan, most notably with the New York Mets; now hitting coach for the Boston Red Sox

Frank Menechino, infielder for the Oakland Athletics and Toronto Blue Jays for seven total seasons

Dustan Mohr, outfielder for the Minnesota Twins and San Francisco Giants

Andy Phillips, first baseman for the Pittsburgh Pirates

Del Pratt, utility player for the St. Louis Browns

David Robertson, relief pitcher with the Chicago White Sox

Emeel Salem, center fielder for the Tampa Bay Rays

Joe Sewell, most notably with the Cleveland Indians; member of the Baseball Hall of Fame

Luke Sewell, younger brother of Joe Sewell; played 21 seasons as a catcher in the major leagues, mostly with the Cleveland Indians; also managed 11 seasons for the St. Louis Browns and the Cincinnati Reds

Craig Shipley, Australian-born baseball player, played on various teams, most notably the San Diego Padres 1986–1998; career batting average of .271

Fred Sington, Alabama 1929–30 All American football tackle, 1955 Football Hall of Fame, Brooklyn Dodgers

Riggs Stephenson, left fielder for the Cleveland Indians and Chicago Cubs

Al Worthington, nicknamed "Red;" pitcher with several teams from 1953 to 1969, most notably the Minnesota Twins; considered their first great closer

Football – college coaching

Bill Battle ('62), Head Coach, University of Tenn 1970–76, Alabama end 1961–62

Bobby Bowden ('48), former Head Coach, Florida State Seminoles

Paul "Bear" Bryant ('36), Head Coach, Alabama Crimson Tide, Texas A&M Aggies, Maryland Terrapins, Kentucky Wildcats

Neil Callaway ('78), Head Coach, UAB Blazers football

Sylvester Croom ('75), former Head Coach, Mississippi State Bulldogs

David Cutcliffe ('76), Head Coach, Duke football

Danny Ford ('70 and '71), former Head Coach, Clemson University

Frank Howard ('30), former Head Coach, Clemson University

Hootie Ingram ('55), former Head Coach, Clemson University

Charley Pell ('64), former Head Coach, Clemson University

Ray Perkins ('66), former Head Coach, Alabama Crimson Tide

Mike Riley ('74), Head Coach, Oregon State Beavers football

Jackie Sherrill ('65), Head Coach, Washington State 1976, University of Pittsburgh 77-81, Texas A&M 82-88, Mississippi State 1995–2003, Bama player 1962–65 (running back)

Mike Shula ('87), former Head Coach, Alabama Crimson Tide

Steve Sloan ('65), head coach, Vanderbilt University 73-74, Texas Tech 75-77, Ole Miss 78-82, Duke 83-86, Bama quarterback 1965 (national champs)

Dabo Swinney ('93), Head Coach, Clemson University

Football – NFL coaching

Freddie Kitchens ('97), Tight Ends Coach, Arizona Cardinals

Ray Perkins ('66), New York Giants, Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Jeff Rutledge ('79), Quarterbacks Coach, Arizona Cardinals

Golf

Justin Thomas, All American, PGA Tour Player, won events in 2015 and 2016

Jason Bohn, won PGA Tour events in 2005 and 2010

Bud Cauley, All American and PGA Tour player

Steve Lowery, won PGA Tour events in 1994, 2000 and 2008

Jerry Pate, PGA Tour and Champions Tour player, 1976 U.S. Open winner, broadcast golf analyst for ABC, CBS and BBC

Dicky Pride, PGA Tour and Nationwide Tour player, won a tour event in 1994

Michael Thompson, PGA Tour winner 2013

Bobby Wyatt, All American, winner of 2012 Sunnehanna Amateur and 2013 Walker Cup, PGA Tour player

Gymnastics

Terin Humphrey, United States Olympian (2004 Athens), silver medalist in team competition

Swimming & diving

Cameron Henning, Canadian Olympian (1984 Los Angeles); bronze medalist – 200m backstroke

Justin Lemberg, Australian Olympian (1984 Los Angeles); bronze medalist – 400m freestyle

Jon Olsen, United States Olympian (1992 Barcelona and 1996 Atlanta); won five medals, including four golds

Anne Poleska, German Olympian (2000 Sydney and 2004 Athens); bronze medalist – 200 breaststroke at the 2004 Summer Games

Jon Sieben, Australian Olympian (1984 Los Angeles); gold medalist – 200m butterfly

Jonty Skinner, National Swim Coach

Mark Tonelli, Australian Olympian (1976 Montreal and 1980 Moscow); gold medal – 400m medley relay

Susan Williams, United States Olympian (2004 Athens); bronze medalist – Triathlon

Tennis

Juan Carlos Bianchi, tennis professional and Venezuelan Olympian; played on the Venezuela Davis Cup team and represented Venezuela at the 1996 Summer Olympics in Atlanta

Ellis Ferreira, tennis professional and Olympian; represented South Africa at the 1996 Summer Olympics in Atlanta; once ranked no. 1 Association of Tennis Professionals doubles player in the world

Track & field

Pauline Davis-Thompson, Bahamian Olympian (1996 Atlanta and 2000 Sydney); gold medalist – 4x100 Meter Relay; gold medalist – 200 Meter Dash (Sydney) and 4x400 Meter Relay (Atlanta)

Kirani James, Grenadian Olympian (2012 London); 400m gold medalist

Jan Johnson, United States Olympian (1972 Munich Olympics); bronze medalist – Pole Vault

Emmit King, 1983 NCAA 100m champion; bronze medal in the 100m at the 1983 World Championships

Lillie Leatherwood, United States Olympian (1984 Los Angeles and 1988 Seoul); gold (Los Angeles) and silver (Seoul) medalist – 4x400 Meter Relay

Liz McColgan, British and Scottish Olympian (1988 Seoul, 1992 Barcelona and 1996 Atlanta); silver medalist – 10,000 Meter Run (Seoul)

Calvin Smith, former world record holder, 100m

Notable faculty

Dinsmore Alter, astronomy

Amalia Amaki, art

Marshall Applewhite, music instructor and founder of the Heaven's Gate cult

Anthony Joseph Arduengo III, chemistry

Margaret Atwood, English literature

Donald Barthelme, English

Robin Behn, creative writing

Philip Beidler, American literature

David T. Beito, history

Rick Bragg, author and journalist

Joel Brouwer, poetry

Guy Caldwell, University Distinguished Research Professor, biological sciences

Carl Carmer, non-fiction writing

Cornelius Carter, dance

Philip B. Coulter, political science

Philip Daileader, history

Frank Duarte, author/physicist, professor

Abdurrahim El-Keib, engineering and interim prime minister of Libya (2011–2012)

Walter Enders, economics

John Engels, poetry

Ibrahim Fawal, film

Arun Gupta, Distinguished University Research Professor, chemistry and material science

Barry Hannah, writer

John P. Hermann, Old English studies

Julie Laible, Professor of Education

Nathaniel Thomas Lupton, President (1871–1874)

Roscoe C. Martin (1903–1972), Professor of Political Science and Director of the Bureau of Public Administration at UA from 1938 to 1949

Michael Martone, creative writing

Forrest McDonald, history

Steve Sample, Sr., arranger and jazz educator, former Director of Jazz Studies

Hudson Strode, creative writing

Donald S. Strong (1912–1995), Professor of Political Science at UA (1946–1979)

Michael Tuomey, geology, mineralogy and agricultural chemistry and first Alabama State Geologist

William J. Vaughn (1834–1912), Professor of Mathematics, also alumnus