If women can be recognized for their achievements and their involvements to the state, then, by all means, men are entitled to the same privilege. It turned out that the Alabama Women’s Hall of Fame was first established than the Men’s Hall of Fame. With the help of Mrs. Albert Lee Smith, Jr., who was the President of the Women’s Committee of 100 for Birmingham, the great men of Alabama were inducted in their own Hall of Fame. Some of the men are Lloyd Noland, Thomas McAdory Owen, Walker Reynolds, and Lewis Martin Smith. Most of the names had made contribution in the field of politics.

William Rufus DeVane King (1786-1853)

William King made his fellow Alabamians proud of his political involvement. He was the first US Senator from South Alabama and it marked the start of his prestigious career. After being a senator, he became an ambassador to France. One of his achievements as a diplomat was the annexation of Texas without interference from Europe.

King was listed in the country’s history as the only official who took the oath of office on foreign territory. He ended his political involvement a month after he was elected as the US Vice President but it was not for any other reason. He only retired when he was on the brink of death. Truly, King served the state, and the country, until his last day.

Oscar Wilder Underwood (1862-1929)

Oscar Underwood was not a native Alabamian. He was born in Louisville, Kentucky and got his law degree at the University of Virginia. He became a resident of Birmingham, Alabama in 1884.

His achievements were during his years in Alabama. He was a part of the Congress for quite some time in which he was involved in a number of major committees. His work in the Congress did not go unnoticed. In fact, he was elected in the Senate and continued on making legislation that would ultimately benefit the nation. One of the Acts that Underwood was famous for was the Underwood Tariff Act of 1913 which stated that the tariff rates should be changed from 40% to 25%. This was not his only Act. He had passed other legislations, each of them translating his desire for a better nation.

Lister Hill (1894-1984)

Lister Hill made it big in the Senate. Although he started out in the Congress, he was best remembered for his works when he was in the Senate. He became the Chairman of the Senate Committee on Labor and Public Welfare which was a prime position if one wanted to have a hand in forming legislations on issues that really matters.

Among his contributions that made considerable change in the development of the country were the National Institutes of Health, Social Security, Medicare, the National Library of Medicine, the Comprehensive Health Planning and Public Health Service Act, and, of course, the Hill-Burton Act which paved way to the foundation of thousand new hospitals and medical facilities.

In the words of William S. White, a well-regarded journalist, “Countless millions owe their lives to Lister Hill. He has done more for the public health than any American in history.”