is a U.S.
. It encompasses the counties of
. It also includes parts of
counties. It almost surrounds the entire city of
. The
, Alabama's 6th Congressional District is now the suburban Birmingham-area district with nearly all of the urban precincts having been removed over the past couple of decades. A continual process of redistricting by Democratic state governments has seen the 6th District take on an increasingly unusual shape and becoming one of the most Republican districts in the country, voting 78% for
.
The demography of the district consists mostly of middle and upper middle-class white-collar families who work in Birmingham. Increasingly, the population of the Birmingham districts has become racially polarized, with most
mostly in nearby Shelby County (which both grew by 44% in the 1990s and has become more than 90% white), whilst the African American population has remained largely in urban areas.
Once the vanguard district for issues of steel production and metalworking in the South, the economic issues of the district in recent years have centered around the banking industry (Birmingham being the second largest banking area in the South) and health care/medical research. Socially the district remains conservative; however,
Alabama's 6th Congressional District was originally created in 1843. It encompassed the northeastern portion of Alabama, approximately the modern counties of
The district had a population of 66,111 as of the 1840 U.S. Census, which made it the second least populous district in Alabama. Neither Cullman County nor Etowah County existed at the time, so only the eastern portion of what today is Cullman County was in the district. In the case of St. Clair County, it appears that only about half of St. Clair County in 1843 was in the district.
The district was redrawn in 1855. This was done in time for the election of representatives to the
which was held August 6th, 1855. The new boundaries put
in the 6th District and removed St. Clair County. These boundaries remained in place until the
When Alabama again elected representatives to the U.S. Congress in 1868 for the halfway completed
, the 6th District consisted of northwestern Alabama. The only county remaining in the district from before was Blount County. It also encompassed
counties. Colbert County did not exist at the time, but was part of Franklin County. This was one of the areas of Alabama where the Democrats soonest regained control after the Civil War.
In 1876, the 6th District was redrawn again. The sixth-most northern counties (including
which now existed) were transferred to the new Alabama 8th Congressional District, while the six counties southwestward from Jefferson County were transferred to the 6th District.
This set of boundaries only existed for one election. By the time of the 1878 election, Cullman County had been formed. It was in the 6th District, but Blount County was moved to the 8th District. The boundaries did not exactly correspond to county lines at that time, and with another change in county boundaries by 1880 even more area in the general vicinity of Blount County was moved to the 7th District. This process was continued in 1884 with the removal of Cullman County from the district.
The year of 1892 saw more changes in the boundaries of the 6th District. Winston County was moved to the 7th District. At the same time Jefferson County was placed in the new 9th District. By this time the 6th District consisted of west central Alabama. In the 1892 election there were about 22,000 votes cast in the 6th District as opposed to 30,000 cast in the 9th District.
and some other areas in the southern portion of Alabama's 9th Congressional District were transferred to the 6th District.
| Congress |
Years |
Representative |
Party |
Notes |
| District created March 4, 1843 |
28th-House of Representatives:Following the 1840 United States Census, Congress reapportioned the House to include 223 seats . During this congress, one House seat was added for the new state of Florida .- Senate :*President: Vacant...
-29th-House of Representatives:During this congress, two House seats were added for each of the new states of Texas and Iowa.-Leadership:-Senate:* President: George M. Dallas * President pro tempore: Willie P. Mangum...
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March 4, 1843 - March 3, 1847 |
Reuben Chapman Reuben Chapman was an American lawyer and politician. Born in 1799 in Bowling Green, Virginia, he represented Alabama in the U.S. House from 1835 to 1847 and served as the 13th Governor of the U.S. state of Alabama from 1847 to 1849. He died in Huntsville, Alabama in 1882.-External links:**...
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Democratic The Democratic Party is one of two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Republican Party. The party's socially liberal and progressive platform is largely considered center-left in the U.S. political spectrum. The party has the lengthiest record of continuous...
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Redistricted Redistricting is the process of drawing United States electoral district boundaries, often in response to population changes determined by the results of the decennial census. In 36 states, the state legislature has primary responsibility for creating a redistricting plan, in many cases subject to...
from the |
30thThe Thirtieth United States Congress was a meeting of the legislative branch of the United States federal government, consisting of the United States Senate and the United States House of Representatives. It met in Washington, D.C. from March 4, 1847 to March 3, 1849, during the last two years of...
-36thThe Thirty-sixth United States Congress was a meeting of the legislative branch of the United States federal government, consisting of the United States Senate and the United States House of Representatives. It met in Washington, D.C. from March 4, 1859 to March 4, 1861, during the third and fourth...
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March 4, 1847 - January 30, 1861 |
Williamson Robert Winfield Cobb Williamson Robert Winfield Cobb was an American politician who served the state of Alabama in the U.S. House of Representatives between 1847 and 1861. He was born in Rhea County, Tennessee on June 8, 1807 to David Cobb and Martha Bryant. He moved with his father, David Cobb, in 1809 to Bellefonte,...
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37thThe Thirty-seventh United States Congress was a meeting of the legislative branch of the United States federal government, consisting of the United States Senate and the United States House of Representatives. It met in Washington, D.C. from March 4, 1861 to March 4, 1863, during the first two...
-39thThe Thirty-ninth United States Congress was a meeting of the legislative branch of the United States federal government, consisting of the United States Senate and the United States House of Representatives. It met in Washington, D.C. from March 4, 1865 to March 4, 1867, during the first month of...
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(1861-1868) |
Civil WarThe American Civil War was a civil war fought in the United States of America. In response to the election of Abraham Lincoln as President of the United States, 11 southern slave states declared their secession from the United States and formed the Confederate States of America ; the other 25...
and Reconstruction |
40thThe Fortieth United States Congress was a meeting of the legislative branch of the United States federal government, consisting of the United States Senate and the United States House of Representatives. It met in Washington, D.C. from March 4, 1867 to March 4, 1869, during the third and fourth...
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July 21, 1868 - March 3, 1869 |
Thomas Haughey Thomas Haughey was a U.S. Representative from Alabama.Born in Glasgow, Scotland, Haughey received a limited education.Immigrated to the United States with his father, who settled in New York City....
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RepublicanThe Republican Party is one of the two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Democratic Party. Founded by anti-slavery expansion activists in 1854, it is often called the GOP . The party's platform generally reflects American conservatism in the U.S...
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41st-House of Representatives:- Senate :* President : Schuyler Colfax* President pro tempore: Henry B. Anthony - House of Representatives :* Speaker: James G. Blaine -Members:This list is arranged by chamber, then by state...
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March 4, 1869 - March 3, 1871 |
William Crawford SherrodWilliam Crawford Sherrod was an American politician and Confederate officer from Alabama. He attended the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Afterward, he was a planter and served as a Delegate to the Democratic National Convention from Alabama in 1860...
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Democratic The Democratic Party is one of two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Republican Party. The party's socially liberal and progressive platform is largely considered center-left in the U.S. political spectrum. The party has the lengthiest record of continuous...
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42ndThe Forty-second United States Congress was a meeting of the legislative branch of the United States federal government, consisting of the United States Senate and the United States House of Representatives. It met in Washington, D.C. from March 4, 1871 to March 3, 1873, during the third and fourth...
-43rdThe Forty-third United States Congress was a meeting of the legislative branch of the United States federal government, consisting of the United States Senate and the United States House of Representatives. It met in Washington, D.C. from March 4, 1873 to March 4, 1875, during the fifth and sixth...
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March 4, 1871 - March 3, 1875 |
Joseph Humphrey Sloss Joseph Humphrey Sloss was an American politician who served the state of Alabama in the U.S. House of Representatives between 1871 and 1875. He was born in Somerville, Morgan County, Alabama on October 12, 1826. He studied law, was admitted to the bar, and entered practice in St. Louis, Missouri...
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44thThe Forty-fourth United States Congress was a meeting of the legislative branch of the United States federal government, consisting of the United States Senate and the United States House of Representatives. It met in Washington, D.C. from March 4, 1875 to March 4, 1877, during the seventh and...
-45th-House of Representatives:-Leadership:-Senate:*President: William A. Wheeler *President pro tempore: Thomas W. Ferry -House of Representatives:*Speaker: Samuel J. Randall -Members:This list is arranged by chamber, then by state...
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March 4, 1875 - March 3, 1879 |
Goldsmith W. HewittGoldsmith Whitehouse Hewitt was a U.S. Representative from Alabama.-Biography:Born near Elyton , Jefferson County, Alabama, Hewitt attended the country schools....
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46thThe Forty-sixth United States Congress was a meeting of the legislative branch of the United States federal government, consisting of the United States Senate and the United States House of Representatives. It met in Washington, D.C. from March 4, 1879 to March 4, 1881, during the last two years of...
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March 4, 1879 - October 1, 1880 |
Burwell Boykin Lewis Burwell Boykin Lewis represented both Alabama's 6th congressional district and Alabama's 8th congressional district in the United States House of Representatives.- Early life :...
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Resigned after accepting position as President of the University of AlabamaThe University of Alabama is a public coeducational university located in Tuscaloosa, Alabama, United States....
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46thThe Forty-sixth United States Congress was a meeting of the legislative branch of the United States federal government, consisting of the United States Senate and the United States House of Representatives. It met in Washington, D.C. from March 4, 1879 to March 4, 1881, during the last two years of...
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December 8, 1880 - March 3, 1881 |
Newton Nash Clements Newton Nash Clements was a U.S. Representative from Alabama.Born in Tuscaloosa County, Alabama, Clements was graduated from the University of Alabama at Tuscaloosa in 1858...
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47thThe Forty-seventh United States Congress was a meeting of the legislative branch of the United States federal government, consisting of the United States Senate and the United States House of Representatives. It met in Washington, D.C. from March 4, 1881 to March 4, 1883, during the administration...
-48thThe Forty-eighth United States Congress was a meeting of the legislative branch of the United States federal government, consisting of the United States Senate and the United States House of Representatives. It met in Washington, D.C. from March 4, 1883 to March 4, 1885, during the last two years...
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March 4, 1881 - March 3, 1885 |
Goldsmith W. HewittGoldsmith Whitehouse Hewitt was a U.S. Representative from Alabama.-Biography:Born near Elyton , Jefferson County, Alabama, Hewitt attended the country schools....
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49thThe Forty-ninth United States Congress was a meeting of the legislative branch of the United States federal government, consisting of the United States Senate and the United States House of Representatives. It met in Washington, D.C. from March 4, 1885 to March 4, 1887, during the first two years...
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March 4, 1885 - March 3, 1887 |
John Mason Martin John Mason Martin was a U.S. Representative from Alabama, son of Joshua Lanier Martin.Born in Athens, Alabama, Martin attended the common schools, the high school in Green Springs, Alabama, and the University of Alabama at Tuscaloosa.He was graduated from Centre College, Danville, Kentucky, in...
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50thThe Fiftieth United States Congress was a meeting of the legislative branch of the United States federal government, consisting of the United States Senate and the United States House of Representatives. It met in Washington, D.C. from March 4, 1887 to March 4, 1889, during the third and fourth...
-59thThe Fifty-ninth United States Congress was a meeting of the legislative branch of the United States federal government, composed of the United States Senate and the United States House of Representatives. It met in Washington, DC from March 4, 1905 to March 4, 1907, during the fifth and sixth...
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March 4, 1887 - March 3, 1907 |
John H. Bankhead John Hollis Bankhead was a U.S. senator from the state of Alabama.-Biography:He was born on September 13, 1842. He was appointed, then elected, to serve out the remainder of the term left by the death of John Tyler Morgan, and was later re-elected twice. He served in the Senate from June 18, 1907...
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60thThe Sixtieth United States Congress was a meeting of the legislative branch of the United States federal government, composed of the United States Senate and the United States House of Representatives. It met in Washington, DC from March 4, 1907 to March 4, 1909, during the last two years of...
-63rd- House of Representatives:*Democratic : 291 *Republican : 134*Progressive : 9*Independent : 1TOTAL members: 435-Senate:*President of the Senate: Thomas R. Marshall*President pro tempore: James P. Clarke-Senate:...
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March 4, 1907 - March 3, 1915 |
Richmond P. Hobson |
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64thThe Sixty-fourth United States Congress was a meeting of the legislative branch of the United States federal government, composed of the United States Senate and the United States House of Representatives. It met in Washington, DC from March 4, 1915 to March 4, 1917, during the third and fourth...
-74th-House:Also 2 Delegates, 3 Resident Commissioners-Senate:*President of the Senate: John N. Garner *President pro tempore: Key Pittman -Majority leadership:*Majority leader: Joseph T. Robinson...
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March 4, 1915 - January 3, 1937 |
William B. Oliver |
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75thThe Seventy-fifth United States Congress was a meeting of the legislative branch of the United States federal government, composed of the United States Senate and the United States House of Representatives. It met in Washington, DC from January 3, 1937 to January 3, 1939, during the first two years...
-80thThe Eightieth United States Congress was a meeting of the legislative branch of the United States federal government, composed of the United States Senate and the United States House of Representatives. It met in Washington, DC from January 3, 1947 to January 3, 1949, during the third and fourth...
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January 3, 1937 - January 3, 1949 |
Pete Jarman Peterson Bryant Jarman was a U.S. Representative from Alabama.-Early life:Born in Greensboro, Alabama, Jarman attended the public schools, the Normal College, Livingston, Alabama, and Southern University, Greensboro, Alabama...
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| 81st The Eighty-first United States Congress was a meeting of the legislative branch of the United States federal government, composed of the United States Senate and the United States House of Representatives...
-82ndThe Eighty-second United States Congress was a meeting of the legislative branch of the United States federal government, composed of the United States Senate and the United States House of Representatives. It met in Washington, DC from January 3, 1951 to January 3, 1953, during the last two years...
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January 3, 1949 - January 3, 1953 |
Edward deGraffenried Edward Degraffenried was a U.S. Representative from Alabama.Born in Eutlw, Alabama, Degraffenried graduated from Gulf Coast Military Academy, Gulfport, Mississippi, in 1917....
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| 83rd The Eighty-third United States Congress was a meeting of the legislative branch of the United States federal government, composed of the United States Senate and the United States House of Representatives. It met in Washington, DC from January 3, 1953 to January 3, 1955, during the first two years...
-87th-House of Representatives :-Senate:* President: Richard Nixon , until January 20, 1961** Lyndon Johnson , from January 20, 1961* President pro tempore: Carl Hayden -House of Representatives:...
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January 3, 1953 - January 3, 1963 |
Armistead I. Selden, Jr. Armistead Inge Selden, Jr. was a U.S. Representative from Alabama.-Early life and military service:Born in Greensboro, Alabama, Selden attended the public schools. He graduated from Greensboro High School in 1938 and from the University of the South, Sewanee, Tennessee, in 1942...
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Redistricted Redistricting is the process of drawing United States electoral district boundaries, often in response to population changes determined by the results of the decennial census. In 36 states, the state legislature has primary responsibility for creating a redistricting plan, in many cases subject to...
to the |
| 88th The Eighty-eighth United States Congress was a meeting of the legislative branch of the United States federal government, composed of the United States Senate and the United States House of Representatives. It met in Washington, DC from January 3, 1963 to January 3, 1965, during the last year of...
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January 3, 1963 - January 3, 1965 |
District inactive, all representatives elected At-large on a general ticket |
| 89th -House of Representatives:- Senate :* President of the Senate: Hubert Humphrey , starting January 20, 1965* President pro tempore: Carl Hayden - Majority leadership :* Majority Leader and Democratic Conference Chairman: Mike Mansfield...
-96thThe Ninety-sixth United States Congress was a meeting of the legislative branch of the United States federal government, composed of the United States Senate and the United States House of Representatives. It met in Washington, DC from January 3, 1979 to January 3, 1981, during the last two years...
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January 3, 1965 - January 3, 1981 |
John H. Buchanan, Jr. |
RepublicanThe Republican Party is one of the two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Democratic Party. Founded by anti-slavery expansion activists in 1854, it is often called the GOP . The party's platform generally reflects American conservatism in the U.S...
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97thThe Ninety-seventh United States Congress was a meeting of the legislative branch of the United States federal government, composed of the United States Senate and the United States House of Representatives. It met in Washington, DC from January 3, 1981 to January 3, 1983, during the final weeks of...
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January 3, 1981 - January 3, 1983 |
Albert L. Smith, Jr. Albert Lee Smith, Jr. was an Alabama politician who represented the 6th district in the United States House of Representatives during the 97th Congress .-Early life:...
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98thThe Ninety-eighth United States Congress was a meeting of the legislative branch of the United States federal government, composed of the United States Senate and the United States House of Representatives. It met in Washington, DC from January 3, 1983 to January 3, 1985, during the third and...
-102nd-House of Representatives:- Senate :* President:Dan Quayle * President pro tempore: Robert Byrd - Majority leadership :* Majority Leader: George Mitchell* Majority Whip: Wendell Ford- Minority leadership :...
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January 3, 1983 - January 3, 1993 |
Ben Erdreich Benjamin Erdreich is a former United States congressman from Alabama.-Early life:Erdreich was born in Birmingham, Alabama to an upper-middle class family. He attended Yale University, graduating in 1960. He served as editor of the Alabama Law Review while attending the University of Alabama law...
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Democratic The Democratic Party is one of two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Republican Party. The party's socially liberal and progressive platform is largely considered center-left in the U.S. political spectrum. The party has the lengthiest record of continuous...
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103rd- House of Representatives :- Leadership :- Senate :* President: Dan Quayle , until January 20, 1993** Al Gore , from January 20, 1993* President pro tempore: Robert Byrd - Majority leadership :* Majority Leader: George Mitchell...
-111thThe One Hundred Eleventh United States Congress was the meeting of the legislative branch of the United States federal government from January 3, 2009 until January 3, 2011. It began during the last two weeks of the George W. Bush administration, with the remainder spanning the first two years of...
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January 3, 1993 - Present |
Spencer BachusSpencer Thomas Bachus III is the U.S. Representative for , serving since 1993. He is a member of the Republican Party and the senior member of the Alabama U. S. House delegation...
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RepublicanThe Republican Party is one of the two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Democratic Party. Founded by anti-slavery expansion activists in 1854, it is often called the GOP . The party's platform generally reflects American conservatism in the U.S...
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