Archival Resources

Vann, David J.
Papers, 1959-1979

David Johnson Vann was born August 10, 1928 in Randolph County, Alabama. Vann graduated from the University of Alabama in 1950, and from the University's law school in 1951. He served as clerk to United States Supreme Court Justice Hugo Black, and was present in the courtroom when the court handed down the 1954 Brown v. Board of Education school desegregation decision. After completing his term as court clerk Vann settled in Birmingham and joined the law firm of White, Bradley, Arant, All and Rose. In 1963 Vann helped organize a referendum that changed Birmingham's form of government from a three-member commission to a mayor and nine-member council. Vann served as a special assistant to Birmingham mayor Albert Boutwell under the new city government.

In 1971 Vann was elected to the Birmingham city council. That same year he helped lead an unsuccessful campaign, known as "One Great City," to consolidate the city governments of Birmingham and its suburbs into a single countywide municipal government. Vann was elected mayor of Birmingham in 1975 and served one term, losing his bid for reelection to Richard Arrington, Jr. In 1980 Vann became a lobbyist and special council to Arrington, and served two terms as chair of the Birmingham Water Works and Sewer Board. As council to the mayor Vann oversaw an aggressive annexation campaign, adding substantial areas south of Birmingham to the city limits and frustrating efforts by several Birmingham suburbs to block the city's growth. Vann was active in civic organizations and was a founding board member of the Birmingham Civil Rights Institute.

David Vann died in Birmingham on June 9, 2000.

Sources:

Hill Ferguson Papers (56.6), File 56.8. Birmingham Public Library, Archives Department.

Archibald, John, "Ex-mayor David Vann dies at 71." The Birmingham News, June 10, 2000.

McFadyen, Chris, "Birmingham Breakout." Business Alabama Monthly, December 1987.

Whiting, Marvin Yeomans, One Great City: The Campaign for Consolidated Government, Birmingham, Alabama, 1970-1971. Birmingham: Birmingham Public Library, 1997.

This collection contains office files from David Vann's term as a member of the Birmingham, Alabama City Council (1970-1975) office files from Vann's term as mayor of Birmingham (1975-1979), and personal files covering the period 1959 to 1974. The collection is arranged into five series: city council correspondence; mayoral correspondence; reading files; reports, booklets, and pamphlets; and personal files. The files include material relating to the operation of the city government and departments (including extensive files on the police department), economic development, legislative reapportionment in Alabama, and the One Great City campaign for consolidated municipal government.

File level guide available in the Archives.

Birmingham (Ala.) -- Politics and government.
Mayors -- Alabama -- Birmingham.
One Great City Campaign.
Politicians -- Alabama -- Birmingham.
Vann, David J., 1928-2000.

Collection Number: 113

Size: 29 linear feet (29 boxes)

Restrictions: Standard preservation and copyright restrictions.

JB/12-11-00