Honoring Alabama Governors and Their Biographers

Alabama Governors, A Political History of the State.
Edited by Samford Alumna Margaret E. Armbrester and Samuel L. Webb.
Foreword by Governor Albert P. Brewer.

The story of Alabama's governors has been often bizarre, occasionally inspiring, but never dull. Several of the state's early governors fought duels; one killed his wife's lover. A reconstruction Era-governor barricaded himself in his administrative office and refused to give it up when voters failed to re-elect him.

This collection of new biographical essays, written by 34 noted historians and political scientists, details the personalities and policies, in and out of office, of those who have served as the state's highest elected official. Taken together, the essays provide a unified political history of the state, with the recurring themes of race, federal-state relations, economic development, taxation and education.

About the Authors

Margaret Armbrester is assistant professor of history at the University of Alabama at Birmingham and author of John C. Persons: Citizen-Soldier. Samuel Webb is associate professor of history at the University of Alabama at Birmingham and author of Two-Party Politics in the One-Party South.

Contributors