Famous+Alabamians

= =  FAMOUS ALABAMIANS HELEN KELLER .Helen Keller was born on June 27,1880. She was born in Tuscumbia, a small town in Alabama. She died on March 21, 1960. She was deaf and blind. But Helen learned the name of every thing and Helen learned how to read. Helen Keller graduated from Radcliffe. She made a good living from their lectures. Helen filled the following years with lectures tours, speaking of her experiences to crowds. Her talks were interpreted sentence by sentence followed by question and answer sessions. by Cassie and Taylor

HANK AARON When he was born: Hank Aaron on February 5, 1934. Where he was born: Hank Aaron was born in Mobile, AL. When he became famous: Hank Aaron is famous because he is a baseball player. He won three Gold Glove Awards. What he did: Hank Aaron was a baseball player. Where he lives: Hank Aaron lives in Atlanta, Georgia. Family: Hank Aaron has a brother, named James, and a sister named, Alfredia. Childhood: In his junior year he transferred out of a segregated high school to attend the Allen Institute in Mobile. Also they have a neighborhood park. //by Daniel//

DAVEY ALLISON David Allison was born on February 25, 1961. He died on July 13, 1993. Davey lived in Hollywood, FA. Childhood: Davey always had an athletic nature. He played many sports. He grew up in Hueytown and played baseball, basketball, and football. He began working at Bobby Allison racing at the age of 12. Davey Allison's family: a dad named Bobby Allison and an uncle, Donnie Allison and a brother named Clifford. He was the oldest of 4 children born to Bobby and Judy. The family moved to Hueytown, Alabama and along with Bobby's brother, Donnie Allison, family friend, Red Farmer and Neil Bonnett became know in racing circles as the "Alabama Gang". Schooling: He was going to high school. What he did: He was a race car driver. He raced 26 times. Why he became famous: He was named 1987 NASCAR rookie of the year. He won a total of 19 races. //by Julia and Aiyme//

CHARLES BARKLEY Charles Barkley was born February 20, 1963. He is still living. He was born in Leeds, Alabama. His childhood was good. He is the son of Frank Barkley and Charcey Glenn Codomentic. He has a wife named Maureen, children Christian. He went to college at Auburn University. He won four awards. He excelled as a player and led the SEC in rebounding each year. He was a crowd pleaser, professional basketball player. In 1984, he was selected fifth in the first round of the 1984 National Basketball Association NBA draft. He was a member of the Philadelphia 76ers in 1984 and the Phoenix Suns in 1992. He was a spoksperson for Nike. He won championships in 1994 and 1995. //by Latosha//

PAUL "BEAR" BRYANT Paul "Bear" Bryant was born on September 11, 1913 and he died on January 26, 1983. He was born outside of Fordyce, Arkansas. His family was poor. Paul's father,Monroe, was a farmer and his mother,Ida, tended to the family. Monroe became ill when Paul was a toddler forcing his wife to run the farm. Bear Bryant lived in Kentucky and also in Alabama while he coached the Crimson Tide football team. Childhood: Paul "Bear" Bryant was the 11th of 12 children who were born to William Monroe and Ida Kilgore Bryant. Schooling: Since he decided to leave highschool before completing his diploma, Bryant had to enroll in Tuscaloosa highschool's 1934 national championship. Bryant's football career began as an eighth grader playing for Fordyce high school. After graduating in 1936, Bryant took a coaching job at University in Jackson, Tennessee. But he left the position when offered an assistant coaching position. The hall of fame of the National Football League NFL. It opened in Canton, OH on September 7, 1963 with seven charter inductees. //by Kaleb and Jose//

TALLULAH BANKHEAD She died on December 12, 1968, at the age of 66 in New York City, New York. //by Leah, Christy and Maura//
 * Where she was born**: Tallulah was born on January 31, 1902, in Huntsville, AL
 * Family**: Her family members were John Emery, William Bankhead, and Adelaide Eugenia Bankhead.
 * Childhood**: Tallulah has been descibed as ''an extremely homely child, overweight, and with a deep husky voice resulting from chronic bronchitis".
 * Schooling**: Her family sent Tallulah to various schools in an attempt to keep her out of trouble which included a year at a Catholic Convent school.
 * How she became famous**: She moved to New York City to live with her aunt. She didn't make any headway on the stages of New york city, so she pulled up stakes and moved to London in 1923 to try her luck there. For several years she was the most popular actress in London.
 * Her job(s**): She was a screen, stage, radio, and television actress. In 1923, she made her debut on the London stage.
 * Interesting facts**: At 15, Tallulah won a movie magazine and a beauty contest. She guest starred on "I Love Lucy".

NEIL BONNETT When he was born: He was born on July 30, 1946. His death was in February 11, 1984 at Dayton Beach, Florida (auto-racing accident) Where he was born: Hueytown, Alabama Neil Bonney began his NASCAR career as a protege of the great Bobby Allison, working on the team's cars. He later became part of the famous "Alabama Gang". That included himself, Reid Farmer, and the Allison family, father Bobby, borther, Donnie, and later son Davey. He began driving in NASCAR in 1974, and earned his first victory in 1977, at the Capitol City 400, in Richmond, VA. He later successfully won back to back World 600's, NASCAR longest racer, known as the Coco-cola 600, and back to back Busch Clash (now Bud Shootout) victories. During the first practice season Daytona 500, Bonnett's car suffered a right front tire failure in the track's 4th turn. Bonnett's car hit the outside wall nearly head on. He died form those injuries. //by George// NAT "KING" COLE March 17, 1919-February 15, 1965 Was born in Montgomery, Alabama Family: Nat's father was the Reverend Edward James Cole, Sr. His mother's name was Perlina Adams Cole. Together, they had 13 children. 8 died before reaching adulthood. Where they lived: Chicago, Illinois Childhood: Nat kept moving from place to place. What things he did: Nat's early career was mainly piano playing. Nat played a lot in a trio with one of his brothers. The trio did not have a drummer because Nat's piano playing kept the rythym so well. Interesting facts: Nat became a well known singer. Nat sold over 50 million records. He was one of the first people to make records with the company called "capitol Records", and the company's headquarters was often known as "The House that Nat built". //by Angel//

JEREMIAH ANDERSON DENTON Jeremiah Anderson Denton was born in 1924, in Mobile, Alabama. Senator Denton was married to former June Maury on Thanksgiving Day, November 22, 2007. June died from complications of a heart attack she suffered three weeks earlier. She was 81 years old. They have seven children, fourteen grandchildren, and three great granddaughters. On July 18, 1965, Denton was leading eight aircraft from the USS Indeference in an attack on an enemy installation near Iohoa. He was shot down and captured by local North Vietnamese troops. Jeremiah Denton was one of the best known American soldiers to be captured by the Vietnamese during the Vietnam war. //by Gilbert, Jesse, and Reney//

AUGUSTA EVANS WILSON She was born in 1835 and died in 1909. Evans was born in Columbus. Her father's name was mathew Evans. Evans' family faced serious problems at the end of the Civil war, with the loss of their slaves and property. Augusta took money from the book that she published and that helped her family. They lived in mobile, Albama She even wrote books as a child. She has been called the foremost southern novelist. Mrs. Wilson began a nursing career during a yellow fever epidemic in Mobile. Her most famous piece of propaganca was "Macaria". She wrote novels on southern women. //by Amber//

EMMYLOU HARRIS She was a band leader. She writes songs. She divorced her husband. She had a baby named Hallie. She moved with her parents to Maryland. //by Satara, Juana, and Christina//
 * When she was born**: April 2, 1947. She is still living, at the age of 61.
 * Where she was born**: Birmingham, Alabama
 * Family**: Emmylou Harris had a military father, a Marine Corps officer who was reported missing in action in Korea in 1952.
 * Where she lives**: She has lived in Washington, DC, Birmingham, Al, New York, North Carolina, and Virginia.
 * Childhood**: She lived in North Carolina, and Woodbridge, VA
 * Schooling**: She graduated Garfield Senior Highschool
 * Job**: Whe went to New York to get a job as a waitress. Harris worked with a friend, Parson, to set up a studio.
 * When she became famous**: She was performing on stage one night in 1971. She sang with another band. Sometimes she sings by herself.
 * Interesting facts**: She won Best Female Country vocal

BO JACKSON Bo Jackson was born in Nov. 30, 1962 Bo Jackson was born in Bessemer, AL His families names are father steel worker sons names are garret and nichols wifes name is linda dauger name is morgan. were they live. Bo currently resides in the suburbs of chicago, IL. pepole in famaly. bo was the eighth of ten cildren. Childhood: Bo says, "We never had enough food. But at least I could beat on other kids an dsteal their lunch money an dbuy myself something to eat." Because of a crippling stuttering problem, Bo did not show his talents in the classroom, but on the athletic field, he was an exceptional baseball player. to this day he and his family live in Burrige, Illinois. From 1987-1990, he played two professional sports, He rushed 2782 yards, and he made 16 touchdowns. His final game was August 10, 1994. He made the Alabama Hall of Fame and the Chicago Hall of Fame and the Missouri Hall of Fame. //by Jordan, Daniel and David//

KATE JACKSON When she was born: October 29, 1948. When she became famous and why: Kate began as a Max Factor and Revlon model. she has three Emmys and four Golden Globes nominations, an Award of Excellence from the VCLA Drama Departments and two awards for her work with children. She was the first "angel" to be cast in "Charlie's Angels". Family: In 1978, Jackson married fellow southerner, Andrew Stevens. They divorced in 1980. She later married David Greenwald in 1982. But they divorced two years later. Her third marriage was Tom Hart in 1991. They also divorced two years later. Where she lives: New York City Childhood: She has a younger sister Jamie. Her parents' names are Hogan and Ruth. Schooling: She went to school at Brookhill School for girls. What she did: She was an American actress, director, and producer for the TV show, "Scarecrow and Mrs. King". Interesting facts: She has won several Golden Globe awards. In 1988, she starred in the film "Loverboy". She successfully battled breast cancer twice, in 1987 and 1989. //by Brooklyn and Angelica//

CORETTA SCOTT KING When she was born: April 27, 1927. She died on January 13, 2006. She was 78 years old when she died. She was born in Heiberger, Al. Family: She married Martin Luther King on January 18, 1953. They have four children: Volanda Derise, born in 1955, Martin Luther III, born in 1957, Dexter Scott, born in 1961, and Bernice Abertine, born in 1963. Where they Lived: September, 1954, they moved to Montgomery, Alabama. Childhood: She walked four miles a day to attend the one-room Crossroad School in Marion, Alabama, while the white students rode buses to an all white school closer by. Young Coretta excelled at her studies particularly music, and graduated. Schooling: She graduated in 1945. She received a BA in music and education. Job: King traveled to India to accept an award that had been granted to her husband the previous year, and on the way there she visited Italy where she was given a special audience with the Pope. When she became famous: They went to many places and she went with Martin Luther King, Jr. and she wrote books. //by Yuliana//

CARL LEWIS Carl Lewis was born on July 1, 1961. He is 47 years old. He was born in Birmingham, AL. His father is Bill Lewis, his mother is Evelyn Lewis, and his sister is Carol Lewis. Frederick Carlton Lewis is the son of two star atheletes who attended Tuskegee Institute. His father, Bill Lewis ran track and played football. His mother, Evelyn, was a world class hurdler (a runner who jumps over a series of hurdles), who represented the United States in 1951. By the time Carl, the thrid of four children was born, his parents were coaching young athletes in track and field events. Carl became a track runner. He went to a high school. Lewis was the dominate sprinter and long jumper. He was named Athlete of the Year by "Track and Field News" in 1983. Lewis became famous in 1993, because he was the world's best long jumper. [|Carl Lewis Video] //by Tyler and John// HARPER LEE where they live they lived in a town with their mom. what they did in the 1950's she work as a reservation clerk with eastern air lins and boac in new york. //by Pola, Alexis and Danica//
 * When there were born:** she was born April 28, 1926.
 * Where she was born**: Monroeville Alabama.
 * Family:** children is Amasa Coleman Lee and France cunningham Finch Lee and mother father.
 * Childhood:** one of her closest childhood was Truman Capote, another writer.
 * Schooling:** in high school Lee developed an interest in English literatare. After graduating in1994, she went to a female college.
 * When She became famous**: After her first year in the law program, Lee began expressing to her family that writing not the law was her true calling.

JOE LOUIS Joe louis was born on May 13, 1914. He died on April 12, 1981 at the age 66 from a heart attack in the Desert Springs Hospital, in Las Vegas, Nevada. When Joe Louis died in 1981, he was eulogized. Where he was born: He was born in Lafayette, Alabama. When he became famous: He was a heavy wight boxing champion. What he did: He began a 12 year reign as boxing's heavy weight champion of the world Family: He was the son of Larry Barrow, a sharecropper, and Lilly Lewis. Childhood: His father was a cotton picker from Alabama and his family fought with poverty for most of his childhood. Interesting facts: Nick named the "Brown Bomber", he is considered to be one of the greatest in boxing. [|joe louis video] //by Mario//

STEVE GRISSOM Steve Grissom was born in June 26 1963 45 is his age. Steve Grissom was born in Gadsden, Alabama. Steve's father, Wayne was a sponsor of short track drivers. He now lives in Concord, NC. Grissom began his racing career as a youth, working on cars with his father Wayne in their home state of Alabama. He soon began racing cars himseif. He was Captain of his high school football and basketball teams. He eventually joined the champion ship in 1982. in 1993, Grissom ran an additional cup race for diamond ridge motorsport at New Hampshire International Speedway. Grissom made his Busch series debut in 1986, at the freeland 200, in the 31 oldsmolble owned by his father. He started 16th but finished 30th due to engine trouble. //by Mario V., Dionico and Francisco// WILLIE MAYS Willie Mays, Jr. was born May 6, 1931 in Westfield, Al. During his 22 year career as a speedy center fielder, he stole 338 bases, won 11 gold glove awards for his defensive skills, amassed 3213 hits and slugged 660 homeruns. From the time he could walk, Mays was either throwing, catching or hitting a baseball. Mays's mother, Ann, had been a high school track star, and it was clear early Willie had inherited her speed. He is a retired American baseball player who played the majority of his career at New York and San Francisco Giants, before finishing with the New York Mets. Nicknamed the "say Hey Kid,' Mays was elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1979, his first yeart of eligibility. Many considered him to be the greatest all-round baseball player of all time. Mays won 2 MVP awards and tied a record of 24 appearances in an All-Star game. Mays professional baseball career began in 1947 when he played briefly with the Catanooga Choo Choos, in Tennessee. Then Mays returned to his home state and joined the Birmingham Black Barons on the Negro American League. Finally in 1950, Mays signed with the Giants and went with their class-B affiliate in Trenton, New Jersey. //by Erick// JESSE OWENS

Jess was born on September 12, 1913, in Oakville, Alabama. Owens and Minnie ruth Solomon met at Fairmount Junior High School in cleveland. When he was 15 years old, and she was 13 years old. They dated steadily throughout high school. They were married in 1935. Ruth gave birth to their first baby daughter, Gloria, in 1936. They had two more daughters, Mareine, born in 1937, and Beverly, born in 1940. He smoked for 35 years, and died of lung cancer at age 66 in Tucson, Arizona in 1980. He was buried in Oakwoods Cemetery in Chicago.

When Owens was nine, he moved to the Glenville section of Cleveland, Ohio. When he first got there, his teacher called him J.C. (instead of James Cleveland). But the other kids couldn't understand his country accent, so they called him Jesse. At Ohio highschool, Owens won three events at the 1933 National Interscholastic Championships. In Chicago, his job was running in 1939. He was an American Track and Field athlete who set a world record in the running broad jump, also called the long jump, that stood for 25 years. He won four gold medals at the 1936 Olympic games in Berlin. [|jesse owens video]

//by Edgar and Junior// CONDOLEEZZA RICE //Hannah and Victoria// LIONEL RICHIE Lionel Richie was born on June 20, 1949. He is still alive. He was born in Tuskegee, Alabama. He was married to Brenda Harvey for 17 years. Before they divorced, they adopted two children. Then Lionel married Diane Alexander and adopted 3 children. Now he lives in California. His childhood at home was actually on the Tuskegee School campus. When he went to high school at Joliet, he was an all-star tennis player. When he went to college, he accepted a tennis scholarship with a major in economics. His maternal grandmother favored classical music and did not like Lionel's first tries at pop song writing. When he formed a band he went to highschool. He released his self-titled debut album in 1982. The album hit #3 on the music charts, and sold over 4 million copies. In 1983, his follow up album "Can't Slow Down" sold over twice as many copies, and won 2 Grammy awards and "Album of the Year". This shot him into the first ranks of international super stars. //by Ali and Devany// DAVID SATCHER Dr. Satcher was born in Anniston, Alabama on March 2, 1941. Dr. Satcher' and his wife, Nola have four childen in Maryland. Dr.Satcher lives in Bethesda. WHEN, AT THE AGE OF TWO, HE FELL DANGEROUSLY ILL WITH WHOOPING COUGH THE LOCAL HOSPITAL WAS NOT AN OPTION FOR HIS AFRICAN AMERICAN FAMILY ; HIS FATHER PERSUADED THE ONLY LOCAL BLACK DOCTOR, FRED JACKSON TO WALK SEVERAL MILES TO THEIR HOME ON HIS DAY OFF TO TREAT SATCHER. DR. SATCHER GRADUATED FROM MORE HOUSE COLLEGE IN 1963. DAVID IS THE 16TH SURGEON GENERAL. HE WAS PRESIDENT OF MENARRY COLLEGE IN NASHVILLE, TENNESSEE, FROM 1962 TO 1993. //by Justin and Jose//
 * When she was born**: Condoleezza Rice was born on Nov 14,1954. She was born in Birmingham AL.
 * Family**: She had a father and a mother, step mother. Her mother worked at a high school as a science teacher. She lived in Tuscalloosa.
 * Childhood**: She knew how to figure skate at age 3. She was an only child.
 * Schooling**: She passed highschool and could read music notes before she could read words. She enrolled at the University of Denver when she was just 15 and earned her four year degree by the time she was 19 years old.
 * Job**: She was assistant to President f Bushor the National Security affairs, commonly referred to as the National Security Advisor, on January 22, 2001.
 * Interesting facts**: She is 58 years old and she was a second term for President George W. Bush. Rice started learning French, music, and figure-skating. Her favorite song was "yo. yo. Mama". She knew Dr. Martin Luther King. She goes to tthe White house. In her school there were 1400 children.

ROSA PARKS

when she was born: on February 4 ,1913 were she was born : in Pine Leve, Alabama Family: brother nameD Sylvester Mother named Leona Father named James Where she lives: in Pine Level, Alabama and on a farm Childhood: Rosa Parks liked to fish and she liked to work Schooling: White people had a bigger school. She finished college Her job: She worked a as seamstress When she became famous: She helped by making a law that black people can be with white people [|rosa parks video] //by Luis//

HEATHER WHITESTONE

Heather Whitestone was born February 24, 1973. She is 35 years old. Heather was born in Dothan, Alabama. Childhood: When Heather was 18 months old, she had haemophilus influenzae virus. Her doctors also suspect that she simultaneously contracted meningitis. This left her deaf.

Schooling: In fourth grade, heather learned about the story of a young woman from Alabama who would forever change her life; Helen keller. Helen became Heather's role-model. Unfortunately, Heather was unable to keep up with her classwork and began to fall behind her peers. At eleven years old, Heather asked her family to send her to a special school.

Family: Heather attributes much of her success to her mother, Daphne Grey, who initially taught her to speak sign language. Job: She makes skin care products to help people. Heather's children are her priority. Even though Heather continues to travel, she is pleased to be able to spend most of her time at home. While at home in Atlanta, she has the opportunity to work on new sounds that she is hearing with her cochlear implant. Heather Whitestone is currently a motivational speaker and lives in the Atlanta area. Since relinquishing her title in Sept. of 1995, Heather has had the opportunity to work with several corporate/non-profit and civic organizations. Heather made an appearance at the national press club in Washington, D.C. where she was invited to kick off the nation's largest public service campaign to identify early hearing loss, which was created by the Miss America organization and the Alexander Graham Bell Association for the Deaf.

Heather Whitesone McCallum became the first Miss America with a disablity on September 1994. //Shawnee, Angelica, Lencha, and Dezzie//

   You can find out about many of our famous Alabamians at the links below: [|www.starsofalabama.com] [|www.archives.state.al.us] [|www.al.com]