User:A Girly Pop/Richard Arrington Jr.

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Richard Arrington Jr.
Arrington is at a microphone, possibly for a news conference.
Born	October 19, 1934 Livingston, Alabama
Education	Miles College 1955 (BA); University of Detroit 1957 (MA); University of Oklahoma 1963 (PhD)
Occupation	Birmingham City Council 1971-1979; Birmingham Mayor 1979-1999
Predecessor	David Vann
Successor	Bernard Kincaid
Spouse	Barbara Jean Watts (1954–1974) Rachel Reynolds (1975–)
Children	5
Parents	Richard Arrington Sr. (father) Ernestine Arrington (mother)

Richard Arrington Jr. (born October 19, 1934 in Livingston, Alabama) was the first Black mayor of the city of Birmingham, Alabama (U.S.) and the second African American on the City Council. He served on the council for two terms from 1971-1979 and was mayor of the city for serving 20 years from 1979 to 1999. While in office as mayor and on the City Council, he worked to end police brutality, rebuild the city's economy, and promote equality for all minorities. He Arrington replaced David Vann and, upon retiring after five terms in office, installed then-City Council president William A. Bell as interim mayor. Bell went on to lose the next election to Bernard Kincaid.

Early Life

Education

Richard Arrington Jr. He was also a standout student at Fairfield Industrial High School where he was influenced by the principal, E. J. Oliver. The African American principal led the high school and the students within focusing on morality and discipline. E.J. Oliver became the first leader that young Arrington looked up to. where Arrington had first decided to study tailoring, but with those classes full, when those classes were full, he instead learned dry cleaning. He graduated high school in 1951 at the age of 16. he took a job at a cleaner and Afterwards, he applied to Fairfield's Miles College. Arrington majored in biology at Miles and excelled in the classroom and as a leader, rising to the presidency of his chapter of the Alpha Phi Alpha fraternity. He was also an officer in the Honor Society and the Thespian Club. He graduated cum laude in 1955.

Richard Arrington Jr. took a position as a graduate assistant at the University of Detroit in Detroit, Michigan. While there, he first experienced an integrated social environment and gained the perspective necessary to effectively critique the established segregation of his hometown. He earned a master's degree in 1957 and returned to Miles College as an Assistant Professor of Science where he taught for six years. before entering Arrington entered the University of Oklahoma doctoral program in Zoology in 1963 in the midst of the Birmingham Campaign between African American protesters and city authorities in Birmingham. He earned his doctorate at Oklahoma in 1966, completing a dissertation on the "Comparative Morphology of Some Dryopoid Beetles", and, at the urging of President Lucius Pitts, returned to Miles as acting Dean and Director of the Summer School. He was quickly promoted to Chair of the Natural Sciences Department and eventually was named Dean of the College.

Personal Life and Family

The young Arrington met his first wife, Barbara Jean Watts, in high school. In his third year of college, while still living at home, Richard Arrington Jr. he married Barbara Jean Watts. Barbara travelled with Arrington to the University of Detroit where the young couple faced difficulties. Despite struggling to adjust to the big urban city, the two enjoyed their years together. After losing their first child during childbirth, Barbara spent most of her time on their second child, Anthony (Tony) Arrington. After getting his master's at Detroit, the young family moved to Oklahoma for Arrington's doctoral degree. While there, Barbara struggled in the mostly white community. The family faced isolation along with fears for their children: Tony, Kenneth, and Kevin. Despite the schools being integrated, Arrington and Barbara worried about the lack of black students and mentors. Although Arrington spent a lot of hours working on his degree, he made time to play with his kids and family. After returning to Birmingham in 1966, the couple began to face marital problems. As Arrington took a job at the Alabama Center for Higher Education (ACHE) and Barbara began to deepen her faith, the two faced political disagreements. Along with their differing religious views, the couple began to drift apart. At this point, the couple had five children (Anthony, Kevin, Kenneth, Angela, and Erica). In 1974, Arrington and Barbara divorced.

Arrington's wife, Rachel, is standing beside him, and former mayors George Seibels and David Vann are on the left.

A year later, Richard Arrington Jr. met Rachel Reynolds at his work whom he married soon after. As Arrington continued in his political career, Rachel supported him in his dream for a unified Birmingham. Even though he held the responsibility and role of City Council member and Mayor, his wife and family offered a lot of support and stability during those struggling times. A few years after his retirement from mayor, Arrington faced his second divorce along with the death of his daughter, Erica, in 2005.

Religious Views

Arrington and his family attended the Crumbey Bethel Primitive Baptist Church in Fairfield, Alabama. There, he became highly involved in many church activities and leadership roles. Richard, Arrington, while still a teenager, served as secretary of the Sunday School at Crumbey Bethel Primitive Baptist Church. Soon he was Sunday School superintendent, a member of the choir, and eventually elected to the Board of Deacons which he continued to participate in throughout his political career.