Title
Reuben Hall Wright, 1890-1964
Subject
Judges
Civic leaders
Description
Born in 1890, Reuben Hall Wright, was a lawyer, circuit court judge, civic leader and longtime member of the Tuscaloosa City Board of Education.
Judge Wright, a native of West Blocton, AL, died in 1964. He was a graduate of West Blocton High School, the University of Alabama (UA) and UA Law School. His law practice grew successfully in Tuscaloosa and in 1947, he was appointed by Gov. Jim Folsom as a circuit court judge for the Sixth Judicial Circuit. He was later elected to a full term in 1948 and served 17 years.
An active, civic-minded leader, Judge Wright was involved in many key leadership roles in Tuscaloosa’s development. A veteran of World War I, he earned the rank of captain in the U.S. Army and later served as Post Commander of the Tuscaloosa American Legion Post. He served as President of the Tuscaloosa Bar Association, the Greater Tuscaloosa Chamber of Commerce, and the Alabama Circuit Court Judges Association.
Judge Wright worked tirelessly on major initiatives, especially in education, health care, and transportation. He wrote the enabling bill that allowed the city and county to levy a 1-cent sales tax to finance the construction and setting up the administration of the hospital through a board of directors. As chairman of the Chamber’s Highway Committee, he forcefully worked to get a new bridge across the Black Warrior River, today known as the Woolsey Finnell Bridge. Some of his greatest contributions were in education, serving more than 30 years as a member of the City Board of Education.
In 2004, he was inducted posthumously into the Tuscaloosa County Civic Hall of Fame by the Chamber of Commerce of West Alabama.
Material from the Chamber of Commerce of West Alabama was used in this description.
Judge Wright, a native of West Blocton, AL, died in 1964. He was a graduate of West Blocton High School, the University of Alabama (UA) and UA Law School. His law practice grew successfully in Tuscaloosa and in 1947, he was appointed by Gov. Jim Folsom as a circuit court judge for the Sixth Judicial Circuit. He was later elected to a full term in 1948 and served 17 years.
An active, civic-minded leader, Judge Wright was involved in many key leadership roles in Tuscaloosa’s development. A veteran of World War I, he earned the rank of captain in the U.S. Army and later served as Post Commander of the Tuscaloosa American Legion Post. He served as President of the Tuscaloosa Bar Association, the Greater Tuscaloosa Chamber of Commerce, and the Alabama Circuit Court Judges Association.
Judge Wright worked tirelessly on major initiatives, especially in education, health care, and transportation. He wrote the enabling bill that allowed the city and county to levy a 1-cent sales tax to finance the construction and setting up the administration of the hospital through a board of directors. As chairman of the Chamber’s Highway Committee, he forcefully worked to get a new bridge across the Black Warrior River, today known as the Woolsey Finnell Bridge. Some of his greatest contributions were in education, serving more than 30 years as a member of the City Board of Education.
In 2004, he was inducted posthumously into the Tuscaloosa County Civic Hall of Fame by the Chamber of Commerce of West Alabama.
Material from the Chamber of Commerce of West Alabama was used in this description.
Source
Chamber of Commerce of West Alabama
Contributor
Brenda Harris (Description)
Type
Drawing
Identifier
1245
Coverage
Tuscaloosa County (AL)