William Stewart, professor emeritus at the University of Alabama
By William Stewart, professor emeritus of the University of Alabama and author of "Alabama Politics in the Twenty-First Century"
A little over a week ago, Alabama lost one of its true elder statesmen--former Governor Albert Preston Brewer. Although he was originally elected to the Alabama Legislature from Morgan County in 1954, for many years he had made his home in Birmingham where he had taught new generations of young men and women the high value which should be placed on public service at all levels of government. He occupied distinguished professorial positions at both Samford University and the Cumberland School of Law located on the Samford campus south of Birmingham. My late father, Rep. William H. Stewart, Sr., mentored Rep. Brewer when he first went to the Legislature. After a short time, however, the new representative needed no mentoring and his career took flight, eventually landing him in Alabama's premier leadership position--His Excellency the Governor.
Oct. 16, 1928--Albert Preston Brewer was born in Bethel Springs, Tenn.
Jan. 9, 1955--Albert Brewer and Bob Gilchrist, Morgan County representatives, and Joe Calvin, senator, left Monday for Montgomery to attend the organizational session of the state legislature
Jan. 10, 1963--Following a long-standing custom, Alabama's incoming governor, George C. Wallace, announced whom he wanted to be his speaker in the newly assembled House of Representatives. He is Decatur Rep. Albert P. Brewer, now beginning his second term in the lower chamber. It will be Brewer's responsibility to help push through Wallace's legislative program. Rep. Brewer is only 34 so his election to this preeminent legislative leadership position is unusual.
May 3, 1966--Being a loyal supporter of George Wallace is paying big dividends for Decatur's Albert P. Brewer. Since the Alabama Constitution currently forbids governors from succeeding themselves, the Wallace leadership group in Montgomery decided that George Wallace's wife, Lurleen Burns Wallace, originally of Tuscaloosa, would run for governor and Albert Brewer, currently the speaker of the Alabama House, would seek the lieutenant governorship. In today's Democratic primary voting both Mrs. Wallace and Brewer won handily, obviating the need for runoffs. Since then Republicans haven't won a statewide election in nearly a century, their assumption of their new offices in January is viewed as a sure thing.
May 7, 1968--After many months of suffering, Governor Lurleen Wallace was given release by her Heavenly Father at home in the Governor's Mansion on South Perry Street today. As soon as Mrs. Wallace passed, her successor, Lieutenant Governor Albert Brewer, former Morgan County representative, who became the 47th governor of Alabama, contacted his old friend Probate Judge T. C. Almon and requested that he come to Montgomery and swear him in as the state's new chief executive.
July 9, 1969--The Ranch Drive-in Theatre was raided on orders of Governor Albert Brewer tonight. Obscenity charges are being brought against the operator.
May 5, 1970--Hartselle favored Decaturite Governor Albert Brewer over former Governor George Wallace in the Tuesday Democratic gubernatorial primary.
June 2, 1970--Hartselle gave incumbent Governor Albert Brewer, who had succeeded to the top job in Alabama state government a couple of years ago, on the death of Governor Lurleen Wallace, a 283 margin of victory over former George Wallace in the Democratic gubernatorial primary runoff today. Wallace had made a major appeal to Alabama voters, criticizing the fact that most African American voters, newly enfranchised by the Voting Rights Act passed five years ago, cast their ballots for Brewer. At that time winning the Democratic primary was tantamount to election in Alabama so Wallace's victory in November was a foregone conclusion.
Jan. 3, 2017--Former Governor Albert P. Brewer passed away in Birmingham today. Governor Brewer had been associated with Cumberland School of Law and Samford University for many years.