Howard Bayless
Encyclopedia
Howard J. Bayless III is an American healthcare professional and politician
from Birmingham, Alabama
. On October 9, 2007, he was elected to the Birmingham Board of Education
, making him the first openly gay man elected to public office in the state of Alabama. He did not seek re-election in 2009 but ran for Birmingham City Council against incumbent councilwoman Valerie Abbott, losing by 60% to 38%. His term on the school board ended in December 2009.
A product of Birmingham City Schools, he graduated from L. Frazier Banks High School
in 1983. He went on the University of Montevallo
and, years later, to Saint Francis University
. Since 1989, he has worked at Bradford Health Services, a healthcare organization that provides substance abuse services to patients across Alabama and the southeastern United States.
A Crestwood resident since 1994, he ran in 2007 to replace Mike Higginbotham on the Birmingham School Board, representing District 3. Facing Earnest J. Lumpkin III, he won handily: gathering 4,059 votes (77.9%) to his opponent's 1,154 (22.1%). In so doing, he became the first openly gay man and only the second openly LGBT
person elected to public office in Alabama (Patricia Todd
had been the first, elected to the state House of Representatives
in 2006).
He has held leadership positions in Equality Alabama, the Equality Fund of Alabama and the Equality Federation, as well as volunteering with many other organizations. Both his campaigns won the support of the Gay & Lesbian Victory Fund
.
Politics of the United States
The United States is a federal constitutional republic, in which the President of the United States , Congress, and judiciary share powers reserved to the national government, and the federal government shares sovereignty with the state governments.The executive branch is headed by the President...
from Birmingham, Alabama
Birmingham, Alabama
Birmingham is the largest city in Alabama. The city is the county seat of Jefferson County. According to the 2010 United States Census, Birmingham had a population of 212,237. The Birmingham-Hoover Metropolitan Area, in estimate by the U.S...
. On October 9, 2007, he was elected to the Birmingham Board of Education
Birmingham City Schools
Birmingham City Schools is the public school district that serves the U.S. city of Birmingham, Alabama.It is currently the fourth largest school system in Alabama behind Mobile County Public School System, Jefferson County School System, and Montgomery Public Schools...
, making him the first openly gay man elected to public office in the state of Alabama. He did not seek re-election in 2009 but ran for Birmingham City Council against incumbent councilwoman Valerie Abbott, losing by 60% to 38%. His term on the school board ended in December 2009.
A product of Birmingham City Schools, he graduated from L. Frazier Banks High School
L. Frazier Banks Middle School
L. Frazier Banks Middle School was a former high school and middle school in the Birmingham Public School System in Birmingham, Alabama, USA. The school, which was named for former superintendent L...
in 1983. He went on the University of Montevallo
University of Montevallo
The University of Montevallo is a four-year public university located in Montevallo, Alabama, USA. Founded in 1896, it is Alabama's only public liberal arts college and a member of the Council of Public Liberal Arts Colleges. Programs are offered through the Michael E...
and, years later, to Saint Francis University
Saint Francis University
Saint Francis University is a four-year, coeducational Catholic liberal arts university in Loretto, Pennsylvania. It was founded in 1847 and conducted under the tradition of the Franciscan Friars of the Third Order Regular...
. Since 1989, he has worked at Bradford Health Services, a healthcare organization that provides substance abuse services to patients across Alabama and the southeastern United States.
A Crestwood resident since 1994, he ran in 2007 to replace Mike Higginbotham on the Birmingham School Board, representing District 3. Facing Earnest J. Lumpkin III, he won handily: gathering 4,059 votes (77.9%) to his opponent's 1,154 (22.1%). In so doing, he became the first openly gay man and only the second openly LGBT
LGBT
LGBT is an initialism that collectively refers to "lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender" people. In use since the 1990s, the term "LGBT" is an adaptation of the initialism "LGB", which itself started replacing the phrase "gay community" beginning in the mid-to-late 1980s, which many within the...
person elected to public office in Alabama (Patricia Todd
Patricia Todd
Patricia Todd is an American politician from Alabama. A Democrat, she is a member of the Alabama House of Representatives representing District 54 in downtown Birmingham...
had been the first, elected to the state House of Representatives
Alabama House of Representatives
The Alabama House of Representatives is the lower house of the Alabama Legislature, the state legislature of the U.S. state of Alabama. The House is composed of 105 members representing an equal amount of districts, with each constituency containing at least 42,380 citizens. There are no term...
in 2006).
He has held leadership positions in Equality Alabama, the Equality Fund of Alabama and the Equality Federation, as well as volunteering with many other organizations. Both his campaigns won the support of the Gay & Lesbian Victory Fund
Gay & Lesbian Victory Fund
The Gay & Lesbian Victory Fund is an American political action committee dedicated to increasing the number of openly LGBT public officials in US political life.The Victory Fund was founded in 1991...
.