SEIBELS, GEORGE G., JR.
Papers, 1963-1975

George G. Seibels, Jr., the first Republican Mayor of Birmingham, Alabama, was born in 1912 in Coronado, California. He was the son of Rear Admiral George G. Seibels of Montgomery, Alabama and great-grandson of George Goldthwaite, a chief justice of the Alabama Supreme Court and a United States Senator.

Seibels grew up in Virginia and graduated the University of Virginia with a degree in history in 1937. While at Virginia, he was the intramural light-heavy weight boxing champion for three years, and after graduation, spent one year playing professional football.

Seibels moved to Birmingham in 1938 to work in the insurance business. In December of 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, participating in the assault on Italy.

Returning to Birmingham after the war, Seibels co-chaired the committee responsible for the Vulcan statue’s Safety Torch. 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 traffic safety program.

Seibels was elected to the Birmingham City Council in 1963, served as Mayor of Birmingham from 1967 to 1975, and represented Jefferson County in the Alabama legislature from 1978 to 1990.

George Seibels died in Birmingham in March 2000.

Sources:

The Birmingham News, March 30, 2000 and April 2, 2000.

Scope and Content:

Spanning the period 1963 to 1975, the George G. Seibels, Jr. Papers contain correspondence, memoranda, reports, newspaper clippings, and photographs relating to Seibels’ four years as a member of the Birmingham City Council and his two terms as Mayor of Birmingham.

A major emphasis within the City Council Correspondence is a study of African American police officers from other Southern states. This was a major undertaking by Councilman Seibels, and the data is presented in its raw form, along with the questionnaire received from each city.

A major emphasis within the Mayoral Correspondence is the Police Department files. Topics include the retirement of Chief Jamie Moore, the shooting policy, police-community relations, and a wide range of intelligence files.

Birmingham (Ala.) -- Politics and government.
Mayors -- Alabama -- Birmingham.
Police--Alabama--Birmingham.
Politicians -- Alabama -- Birmingham.
Race relations -- Alabama -- Birmingham.
Seibels, George G., Jr., 1912-2000.

Collection Number: 263

Size: 51 linear feet (51 boxes)

Source: City of Birmingham, Alabama.

Restrictions: Standard preservation and copyright restrictions.

File Number:		Description:
		City Council Correspondence
263.1.1		June 8, 1963 to December 18, 1963
263.1.2		January 7, 1964 to May 28, 1964
263.1.3		June 1, 1964 to June 19, 1964
263.1.4		June 23, 1964 to June 30, 1964
263.1.5		July 2, 1964 to August 31, 1964
263.1.6		September 21, 1964 to November 29, 1964
263.1.7		December 1, 1964 to December 30, 1964
263.1.8		January 4, 1965 to January 30, 1965
263.1.9		February 1, 1965 to February 26, 1965
263.1.10		March 1, 1965 to March 31, 1965
263.1.11		April 1, 1965 to April 29, 1965
263.1.12		May 1, 1965 to May 31, 1965
263.1.13		June 1, 1965 to June 30, 1965
263.1.14		July 2, 1965 to July 29, 1965
263.1.15		August 2, 1965 to August 31, 1965
263.1.16		"The Government of the City of Birmingham, Alabama", August 19, 1965
263.1.17		September 1, 1965 to September 10, 1965
263.1.18		September 11, 1965 to September 20, 1965
263.1.19		September 21, 1965 to September 24, 1965
263.1.20		September 25, 1965 to September 30, 1965
263.1.21		October 1, 1965 to October 9, 1965
263.1.22		October 11, 1965 to October 20, 1965
263.1.23		October 21, 1965 to October 29, 1965
263.1.24		November 1, 1965 to November 16, 1965
263.1.25		November 17, 1965 to November 30, 1965
263.1.26		December 1, 1965 to December 10, 1965
263.1.27		December 14, 1965 to December 30, 1965
263.1.28		January 1, 1966 to January 14, 1966
263.1.29		January 15, 1966 to January 21, 1966
263.1.30		January 24, 1966 to January 31, 1966
263.1.31		February 1, 1966 to February 8, 1966
263.1.32		February 9, 1966 to February 15, 1966
263.1.33		February 16, 1966 to February 18, 1966
263.1.34		February 21, 1966 to February 28, 1966
263.1.35		March 1, 1966 to March 8, 1966
263.1.36		March 9, 1966 to March 16, 1966
263.2.1		March 17, 1966 to March 21, 1966
263.2.2		March 22, 1966 to March 31, 1966
263.2.3		April 4, 1966 to April 10, 1966
263.2.4		April 11, 1966 to April 20, 1966
263.2.5		April 21, 1966 to April 29, 1966
263.2.6		May 2, 1966 to May 15, 1966
263.2.7		May 16, 1966 to May 31, 1966
263.2.8		June 1, 1966 to June 10, 1966
263.2.9		June 11, 1966 to June 16, 1966
263.2.10		June 17, 1966 to June 21, 1966
263.2.11		June 22, 1966 to June 30, 1966
263.2.12		July 1, 1966 to July 15, 1966
263.2.13		July 18, 1966 to July 31, 1966
263.2.14		August 1, 1966 to August 31, 1966
263.2.15		September 1, 1966 to September 9, 1966
263.2.16		September 12, 1966 to September 20, 1966
263.2.17		September 21, 1966 to September 30, 1966
263.2.18		October 1, 1966 to October 10, 1966
263.2.19		October 11, 1966 to October 20, 1966
263.2.20		October 21, 1966 to October 31, 1966
263.2.21		November 1, 1966 to November 30, 1966
263.2.22		December 1, 1966 to December 13, 1966
263.2.23		December 14, 1966 to December 30, 1966
263.2.24		January 1, 1967 to January 13, 1967
263.2.25		January 14, 1967 to January 21, 1967
263.2.26		January 22, 1967 to January 27, 1967
263.2.27		January 30, 1967 to January 31, 1967
263.2.28		February 1, 1967 to February 10, 1967
263.2.29		February 13, 1967 to February 20, 1967
263.3.1