George G. Siebels Jr., Date of Birth, Place of Birth, Date of Death

    

George G. Siebels Jr.

Alabama Republican politician

Date of Birth: 16-Jul-1913

Place of Birth: Coronado, California, United States

Date of Death: 28-Mar-2000

Profession: businessperson, politician

Nationality: United States

Zodiac Sign: Cancer


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About George G. Siebels Jr.

  • George G.
  • Seibels, Jr.
  • (July 16, 1913 – March 28, 2000), was the first Republican to serve as the mayor of Birmingham, Alabama.
  • Seibels was born in 1913 in Coronado, California.
  • He was the son of Rear Admiral George Seibels, Sr., of Montgomery, Alabama, and a great-grandson of George Goldthwaite, former chief justice of the Alabama Supreme Court and a United States senator. Seibels was reared in Virginia and graduated in 1937 from the University of Virginia at Charlottesville with a Bachelor of Arts in history.
  • At the university, he was the intramural light-heavy weight boxing champion for three years.
  • After graduation, he spent one year playing professional football. Seibels moved to Birmingham in 1938 to work in the insurance business.
  • In December 1941, he enlisted in the United States Navy and was commissioned an officer in 1942, rising to the rank of lieutenant.
  • He served on anti-submarine duty and on a combat minesweeper in the North African and Mediterranean theatres, having participated in the assault on Italy. Returning to Birmingham after the war, Seibels co-chaired the committee responsible for the safety torch on the Vulcan statue.
  • He received the Distinguished Service Award from the Alabama Jaycees for traffic safety promotion.
  • In 1947, Birmingham won first place in the Jaycees National Safety Award contest with Seibels as chairman of the local Traffic Safety Committee.
  • The George G.
  • Seibels Traffic Safety Award is now given annually by the Jaycees to the traffic safety chairman whose city has had the best program. Seibels, widely known as a Republican, was elected in the non-partisan election to the Birmingham City Council in 1963.
  • He was part of the progressive slate of council candidates that successfully changed the city charter and ousted "Bull" Connor and his segregationist supporters from City Hall.
  • After a single term on the City Council he was elected mayor in 1967, succeeding the retiring Albert Boutwell, who himself had defeated the notorious "Bull" Connor four years earlier.
  • He served as Mayor from 1967 to 1975 during a period of growth for the city during which Birmingham was designated an "All-American" city.
  • He was narrowly defeated for a third term in 1975 by fellow City Councilman David Vann.
  • Three years later, in 1978 he was elected to the first of three terms representing Jefferson County in the Alabama House of Representatives.
  • As one of the first modern-era Republicans in the legislature he was a vigorous defender of the City of Birmingham.
  • He retired from elective public office in 1990 but remained active in party politics where he was affectionately known as "Mr.
  • Republican" among Alabama GOPers.
  • George Seibels died in Birmingham in March 2000.
  • His final resting place is at the Arlington Antebellum House.
  • In 2003 the Birmingham Zoo renamed its train in his honor.

Read more at Wikipedia

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