Birmingham, Alabama is within both parts of Jefferson County and Shelby County. It was founded during 1871. It was primarily planned to be an industrial city based on steel production. However, Birmingham also became a medical research center as well.

 

Among its famous people are:

 

• Bobby Allison, NASCAR legend, (Hueytown)
• Donnie Allison, NASCAR driver, (Hueytown)
• Davey Allison, NASCAR legend, (Hueytown)

• Richard Arrington Jr., first black mayor of Birmingham

• Mary Badham, actress

• Tallulah Bankhead, actress (Jasper)

• Charles Barkley, basketball player (Leeds)

• Amber Benson, actress

• Hugo Black, senator, United States Supreme Court justice, and member of the Ku Klux Klan (Harlan)

• Thomas Edwin Blanton, Jr., white supremacist and co-conspirator in the 16th Street Baptist Church bombing

• Neil Bonnett, NASCAR driver (Hueytown)

• Bobby Bowden, long time head coach- Florida State University football team

• Nell Carter

• Herman Frank Cash, white supremacist and co-conspirator in the 16th Street Baptist Church bombing

• Robert Edward Chambliss, white supremacist and co-conspirator in the 16th Street Baptist Church bombing

• Bobby Frank Cherry, white supremacist and co-conspirator in the 16th Street Baptist Church bombing

• Christopher Clowdus, classical conductor

• N. Lee Cooper, President American Bar Association

• Jerricho Cotchery, NFL player- New York Jets

• Courteney Cox, actress (Mountain Brook)

• Deidre Downs, 2005 Miss America (Pelham)

• Paul Finebaum; columnist, author, radio talk show host (Birmingham) born Memphis, Tennessee

• Louise Fletcher, actress

• Tod Griffin, American actor

• John M. Harbert, billionaire businessman (Mountain Brook)

• Emmylou Harris, singer

• # Howell Heflin; judge, Chief Justice - Alabama Supreme Court, United States Senator (1978-97) (Leighton) born Poulan, Georgia

• Bo Jackson, multi-sport athlete

• Kate Jackson, actress

• Carl Lewis, track and field athlete

• Donald Logan, former chairman of Time Warner

• Rebecca Luker, singer and actress (Helena)

• Hugh Martin, songwriter

• Willie Mays, Hall of Fame MLB center fielder

• Robert R. McCammon, horror writer

• Jim Nabors, actor (Sylacauga)

• Terrell Owens, infamous American football player (Alexander City)

• Gail Patrick, actress and television producer

• Walker Percy, author

• Howell Raines, former New York Times editor

• Condoleezza Rice, former United States Secretary of State

• Wayne Rogers, actor

• Jay Sebring, Charles Manson murder victim

• Richard C. Shelby, current United States Senator

• Fred Shuttlesworth, civil rights activist

• Warren St. John, author, journalist

• Gail Strickland, character actress

• Pat Sullivan, American football player

• John R. Taylor, teacher, author, publisher

• Fred Thompson; former United States senator from Tennessee, actor (Sheffield)

• Mark Waid, writer (Hueytown)

• Daniel Wallace, writer

• E. O. Wilson, biologist and writer

• Tobias Wolff, author

• Ray Woodard, "Father of soccer in Alabama" (Pelham)

 

Birmingham was mentioned in the works of Randy Newman, Tracy Lawrence, Blackhawk, Pirates of the Mississippi, Charlie Daniels, Duke Ellington and Leadbelly.