Difference between revisions of "Bull Connor"
| Line 50: | Line 50: | ||
==Death and legacy== | ==Death and legacy== | ||
Connor died on March 10, 1973, in Birmingham, and is interred at Elmwood Cemetery.<ref name=politicalgraveyard/> | Connor died on March 10, 1973, in Birmingham, and is interred at Elmwood Cemetery.<ref name=politicalgraveyard/> | ||
| + | |||
| + | Modern left-wing propagandists occasionally engage in spurious designation Connor as a "right-winger"/"conservative," entirely ignoring his history of supporting the New Deal and various economic progressive reforms. The liberal media outlet ''[[Salon]]'', blaming "conservatives" for racism, modified a quote by Connor to create a false equivalence between the peaceful, patriotic civil rights activism of the 1960s and contemporary neo-Marxist woke ideology.<ref>Elfenbein, Caleb (August 6, 2023). [https://www.salon.com/2023/08/06/the-past-isnt-dead-teaching-the-truth-about-americas-racial-history-is-critical/ The past isn't dead: Teaching the truth about America's racial history is critical]. ''Salon''. Retrieved October 3, 2023.</ref> | ||
==References== | ==References== | ||
Revision as of 00:56, October 4, 2023
| T. Eugene “Bull” Connor | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| |||
| Former President of the Alabama Public Service Commission From: January 18, 1965 – January 17, 1972 | |||
| Predecessor | Jack Owen | ||
| Successor | Kenneth Hammond | ||
| Former Birmingham Commissioner of Public Safety From: 1957–1963 | |||
| Predecessor | Robert Lindbergh | ||
| Successor | (none, position abolished) | ||
| Former Birmingham Commissioner of Public Safety From: 1937–1954 | |||
| Predecessor | W. O. Downs | ||
| Successor | Robert Lindbergh | ||
| Former State Representative from Alabama From: 1935–1937 | |||
| Predecessor | ??? | ||
| Successor | ??? | ||
| Information | |||
| Party | Democrat | ||
| Spouse(s) | Beara Levens | ||
Theophilus Eugene Connor (July 11, 1897 – March 10, 1973[1]), known as T. Eugene Connor or more commonly Bull Connor, was a prominent left-wing[2] Democratic Party leader in Alabama known for his militant white supremacism consistent with the state's Progressive tradition. Alabama was a hard-core Confederate state which was still coming to terms with the end of the American Civil War and the emancipation of the slaves.
Connor known for his extremist reprisals against peaceful civil rights demonstrations in Birmingham, Alabama, where his shameful actions epitomized the racial problems that long existed in the South. The "public safety" commissioner's card-carrying, partisan allegiance with violent Democratic segregationists is infamously remembered to this day for his public manifestation of unrestrained, animalistic savagery unleashed upon activists in the civil rights movement.
Early life and background
Connor was born on July 11, 1897, in Selma, Alabama. In his early career, he worked as a reporter for sports on Birmingham radio.[1]
Political career
Connor was first elected to the Alabama House of Representatives in 1934.[1] Connor remained a loyal Democrat throughout his career and life. In 1936 he was elected Commissioner of Public Safety of Birmingham, Alabama and served in that position for the better part of three decades. A white supremacist,[2] Connor enforced racial segregation laws passed by the Democratic party-controlled state legislature and denied civil rights to black citizens. He is notorious for directing the use of fire hoses and police attack dogs against civil rights activists in the early 1960s, including against children supporting the protests.[3] National media broadcast these tactics on television, horrifying much of the world. The outrages served as catalysts for passage of the Civil Rights Act of 1964.
On December 26, 1951, the day following Christmas, Connor was arrested in a hotel room for adultery with Christian Brown, his secretary.[1] Although fined, convicted, and sentenced to prison, the verdict was overturned the following year.
Death and legacy
Connor died on March 10, 1973, in Birmingham, and is interred at Elmwood Cemetery.[1]
Modern left-wing propagandists occasionally engage in spurious designation Connor as a "right-winger"/"conservative," entirely ignoring his history of supporting the New Deal and various economic progressive reforms. The liberal media outlet Salon, blaming "conservatives" for racism, modified a quote by Connor to create a false equivalence between the peaceful, patriotic civil rights activism of the 1960s and contemporary neo-Marxist woke ideology.[4]
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 Index to Politicians: Connor. The Political Graveyard. Retrieved October 3, 2023.
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 Baggett, James L. (March 9, 2007). Eugene "Bull" Connor. Encyclopedia of Alabama. Retrieved October 3, 2023.
- ↑ Meet the Players: Other Figures. PBS. Retrieved October 3, 2023.
- ↑ Elfenbein, Caleb (August 6, 2023). The past isn't dead: Teaching the truth about America's racial history is critical. Salon. Retrieved October 3, 2023.