{{short description|American politician}} {{for|the English physician|William Abraham Bell}} {{More footnotes needed|date=December 2020}} {{Use mdy dates|date=December 2015}} {{Infobox officeholder | name = William A. Bell | image = William A. Bell, Sr. (ca. 2008).jpg | caption = Bell in 2008 | order = 33rd Mayor of Birmingham | term_start = January 26, 2010 | term_end = November 27, 2017<ref name=BellLeavesOffice>{{cite web|last=Edgemon|first=Erin|url=https://www.al.com/news/birmingham/index.ssf/2017/11/this_is_a_new_day_at_city_hall.html|title='This is a new day at city hall:' Randall Woodfin sworn in as Birmingham mayor|work=The Birmingham News|date=November 28, 2017|accessdate=November 28, 2017}}</ref> | predecessor = Roderick Royal | successor = Randall Woodfin | party = Democratic | birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1949|6|1}} | birth_place = Birmingham, Alabama, U.S. | death_date = | death_place = }} '''William A. Bell Sr.''' (born June 1, 1949) is an American politician who served as the 33rd mayor of Birmingham, Alabama, from 2010 to 2017. He had previously held the office on an interim basis in 1999.<ref name=OfficeMayor>{{cite web|title=Office of the Mayor|url=http://www.informationbirmingham.com/birmingham-mayors-office.aspx|work=Birmingham Alabama official website|accessdate=January 16, 2011|archive-date=January 3, 2011|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110103054639/http://www.informationbirmingham.com/birmingham-mayors-office.aspx|url-status=dead}}</ref><ref name=BellLeavesOffice/> Prior to that, he had served several terms on the Birmingham City Council. He is a member of the Democratic Party.

== Political career ==

===Birmingham City Council=== Bell was first elected to the Birmingham City Council in November 1979, and in 1985 became the first African-American selected to serve as council president.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://birminghamwatch.org/follow-path-mayor-bell-reflects-40-years-public-service/|title="You Have to Follow Your Own Path:" Mayor Bell Reflects on 40 Years of Public Service|last=Prickett|first=Sam|date=2017-11-21|website=BirminghamWatch|language=en-US|access-date=2020-04-13}}</ref>

===Mayor=== Bell was the only mayor in the city's history that brought in over $2 billion of business development for Birmingham and was instrumental in overseeing the renaissance of Birmingham with projects that brought international recognition including the World Games, the Senior Games, Railroad Park, Regions Baseball Field, worked with President Obama and UNESCO in naming Birmingham a World Heritage site and National Park that also recognized Birmingham's Civil Rights History. Other Civil Rights historical landmarks that are included in Bell's visionary project include the Sixteenth Street Baptist Church, Bethel Baptist Church, the Birmingham Civil Rights Institute, the A.G. Gaston Motel and several other historical sites. Bell also led in the development of the Birmingham Sports Crossplex and over $300 million in capital improvements for the Birmingham City School System and the University of Alabama in Birmingham, in spite of coming into office with a $77 million deficit left by the prior administration. Bell grew the city of Birmingham reserves to over $350 million when he left office. On December 15, 2015, Bell was involved in a physical altercation with Councillor Marcus Lundy during a city council meeting. Both men were treated at a local hospital for minor injuries.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.al.com/news/birmingham/2015/12/birmingham_mayor_william_bell_18.html|title=Birmingham mayor William Bell, councilman Marcus Lundy taken to hospital after fight|date=December 15, 2015 |publisher=al.com}}</ref> Two days after the altercation, Bell and Lundy publicly apologized in a press conference.

Facing re-election, Bell finished second in the primary election on August 22, 2017 among twelve candidates and advanced to the general election. On October 3, 2017, Bell was defeated by former Birmingham Board of Education President Randall Woodfin.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.al.com/news/birmingham/index.ssf/2017/10/birmingham_mayoral_runoff_live.html|title=Birmingham mayoral race: Randall Woodfin defeats William Bell; live election updates|date=October 4, 2017 |publisher=al.com}}</ref>

After his loss, Bell appeared onstage at the Magic City Classic alongside T.I. and declared that Woodfin would take Birmingham "to the motherfucking top." Woodfin jokingly referenced the incident during his inaugural address a month later. Bell notably did not attend Woodfin's inauguration.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://birminghamwatch.org/woodfin-takes-office-mayor-promises-spirit-collaboration-city-hall/|title=Woodfin Takes Office as Mayor, Promises Spirit of Collaboration at City Hall|last=Prickett|first=Sam|date=2017-11-28|website=BirminghamWatch|language=en-US|access-date=2020-04-13}}</ref>

== Personal life == Bell is a Catholic.<ref>{{Cite web|last=Crocker|first=Steve|title=Birmingham Mayor William Bell meets with Vatican officials|url=https://www.wbrc.com/story/29597408/birmingham-mayor-william-bell-meets-with-vatican-officials|access-date=2021-02-24|website=WBRC FOX6|date=July 21, 2015 |language=en-US}}</ref>

== References == {{Reflist}}

{{S-start}} {{s-off}} {{s-bef|before=Richard Arrington Jr.}} {{s-ttl|title=Mayor of Birmingham, Alabama (Interim) |years=1999}} {{s-aft|after=Bernard Kincaid}} {{s-bef|before=Roderick Royal (Interim)}} {{s-ttl|title=Mayor of Birmingham, Alabama |years=2010–2017}} {{s-aft|after=Randall Woodfin}} {{end}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Bell, William A.}} Category:Mayors of Birmingham, Alabama Category:20th-century mayors of places in Alabama Category:21st-century mayors of places in Alabama Category:African-American mayors in Alabama Category:Alabama Democrats Category:University of Alabama at Birmingham alumni Category:Living people Category:1949 births Category:20th-century Roman Catholics Category:21st-century Roman Catholics Category:Alabama city council members Category:African-American Catholics Category:American Roman Catholics Category:21st-century African-American politicians Category:20th-century African-American politicians Category:Candidates in the 2021 United States elections