Alabama Men’s Hall of Fame Selects 2026 Inductees

A stalwart congressman, a civil rights icon, and an accomplished architect will officially join the Alabama Men’s Hall of Fame at an induction ceremony on Tuesday, Sept. 15, at The Club in Birmingham.

The three inductees are:

Hon. Carl Atwood Elliott

Hon. Carl Atwood Elliott (1913–1999) was a seven-term U.S. Congressman from Jasper, Alabama, who served from 1949 to 1965, representing the state’s 7th district. Born in Franklin County, he rose from modest rural beginnings, working his way through the University of Alabama School of Law. Elliott became a leading advocate for public education and expanded opportunity, particularly for underserved and rural communities across the South. He based his political principles on assistance to the needy, racial tolerance, and better educational opportunities for all. He was a principal author of the National Defense Education Act of 1958, which increased federal support for science, mathematics, and foreign language education during the Cold War.

In 1990, Elliott was the inaugural recipient of the John F. Kennedy Profile in Courage Award, recognizing his political bravery and commitment to advancing education despite opposition. Today, he is widely remembered for his enduring contributions to federal education policy and his efforts to improve the lives of ordinary Americans.

Hon. John Robert Lewis

Hon. John Robert Lewis (1940– 2020) was a distinguished American congressman and one of the most influential leaders of the historic civil rights movement. Born near Troy, Alabama, to sharecroppers, Lewis grew up in a segregated society that shaped his lifelong commitment to justice and equality.

As a young activist, Lewis became a founding member and later the chairman of the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee (SNCC), helping organize sit-ins, Freedom Rides, and voter-registration efforts. He was a key figure in the 1963 March on Washington and courageously led marchers across the Edmund Pettus Bridge in Selma, Alabama, in 1965, where he was brutally attacked on “Bloody Sunday.”

Lewis entered public service as an Atlanta city councilman before being elected to the U.S. House of Representatives in 1986, where he served Georgia’s 5th district for more than three decades. Known as the “conscience of Congress” and “the boy from Troy,” he remained a steadfast advocate for civil rights, voting rights, and social justice until his death in 2020.

Samuel M. Plato

Samuel M. Plato (1882–1957) was a pioneering African American architect, builder, and contractor whose work spanned the early to mid‑twentieth century. Born in Waugh, Alabama, he learned carpentry from his father before pursuing formal education at Simmons College in Louisville and completing architectural training through correspondence study.

Plato began his career in Marion, Indiana, in 1902, where he overcame significant racial barriers to establish himself as a respected designer and contractor. He later relocated to Louisville, Kentucky, where he spent the remainder of his life creating churches, schools, homes, and civic buildings that served African American communities.

Throughout his career, Plato gained national recognition by securing major federal contracts, including the construction of at least thirty-eight U.S. post offices and wartime housing during World War II. His other notable works include a wide variety of buildings, including Greek Revival and Craftsman-style houses, elegant mansions, banks, churches, schools, office buildings, and theaters. Eight of his buildings are listed on the National Register of Historic Places, including the Broadway Temple A.M.E. Zion Church in Louisville, KY.

The Alabama Men’s Hall of Fame induction ceremony luncheon will be held on Tuesday, Sept. 15, at 11:30 a.m. at The Club in Birmingham. For information and reservations, contact the Hall of Fame by telephone at 205-706-1289.

Founded by the state legislature in 1987, the Alabama Men’s Hall of Fame recognizes men “whose lives have impacted the state, nation, and world.” Honorees must have been deceased for two years. Hall board members represent Alabama's seven congressional districts. The Women’s Committee of 100 for Birmingham sponsors the program. The Hall of Fame is located on the third floor of Samford University’s Harwell Goodwin Davis Library. The Alabama Women’s Hall of Fame is located at the University of West Alabama in Livingston.