History Alabama Legislature

1 history

1.1 establishment
1.2 reconstruction era
1.3 civil rights era

history

jefferson davis being sworn in president of confederate states of america on february 18, 1861, on steps of alabama state capitol.


establishment

the alabama legislature founded in 1818 territorial legislature alabama territory. following federal alabama enabling act of 1819 , successful passage of first alabama constitution in same year, alabama general assembly became fledged state legislature upon territory s admission state. term of state representatives 2 years , term of state senators 4 years.

the general assembly 1 of 11 state legislatures of confederate states of america during american civil war. following state s secession union in january 1861, delegates across south met @ state capital of montgomery create confederate government. between february , may 1861, montgomery served confederacy s capital, alabama state officials let members of new southern federal government make use of offices. provisional confederate congress met 3 months inside general assembly s chambers @ alabama state capitol, while jefferson davis inaugurated confederacy s first , president on steps of capitol.

however, following complaints southern bureaucrats on montgomery s uncomfortable conditions and, more importantly, following virginia s entry confederacy, confederate government moved richmond in may 1861.

reconstruction era

following confederacy s defeat in 1865, state government underwent transformation. upon state s readmission united states in 1868, radical republicans, including white northerners known carpetbaggers , scalawag southern republicans, , freedmen african americans dominated both state governorship , general assembly. first time, blacks vote , elected legislature. biracial legislature passed new constitution in 1868, establishing public education first time, institutions such orphanages , hospitals care citizens of state.

as in other states during reconstruction, former confederate , insurgent redeemer forces democratic party gradually overturned republicans force , fraud. elections surrounded violence paramilitary groups aligned democrats worked suppress black voting. 1874 state general elections, general assembly dominated white bourbon democrats.

both resulting 1875 , 1901 constitutions disenfranchised blacks. late in 19th century, populist-republican coalition gained 3 congressional seats , influence in state legislature. after suppressing movement, democrats passed new constitution in 1901; disenfranchised blacks , tens of thousands of poor whites, excluding them political system decades. democratic-dominated legislature passed jim crow laws creating legal segregation , second-class status african americans. 1901 constitution changed name of general assembly alabama legislature.

civil rights era

a notable event of civil rights movement took place in montgomery, rosa parks refusal give seat white passenger on city bus in december 1955. , other african-american residents conducted more year-long montgomery bus boycott end discriminatory practices on buses, 80% of passengers african americans. both parks , rev. martin luther king, jr., new pastor in city led movement, gained national , international prominence these events.

throughout late 1950s , 1960s, alabama legislature , series of succeeding segregationist governors massively resisted school integration , demands of social justice civil rights protesters. during period, legislature created alabama state sovereignty commission. mirroring mississippi s named authority, commission acted state intelligence agency spy on alabama citizens suspected of sympathizing civil rights movement. kept lists of suspected activists , participated in economic boycotts, such firing jobs , eviction rentals, affected many activists. passed on names of suspected activists local governments , citizens groups such white citizens council, enforcer of segregation.

following federal constitutional amendment banning use of poll taxes in federal elections, voting rights act of 1965 authorizing federal oversight , enforcement of fair registration , elections, , 1966 supreme court ruling poll taxes @ level unconstitutional, african americans began register , vote again in numbers proportional population. elected state legislature , county , city offices first time since late 19th century.

federal court cases extended citizens rights in different way. although required state constitution redistrict after decennial censuses, alabama legislature had not done turn of century 1960. in addition, state senators elected geographic counties. result, representation in legislature did not reflect state s changes in population, development of major urban, industrialized cities such birmingham. residents paid more in taxes , revenues state government received in services. services , investment support major cities had lagged due under-representation in legislature.

under principle of 1 man, 1 vote, united states supreme court ruled in reynolds v. sims (1964) both houses of state legislature need based on population , redistricted needed according decennial census. challenge brought citizens of birmingham. when ruling implemented in alabama court order in 1972.

in may 2007, alabama legislature officially apologized slavery, making fourth deep south state so.