Lister Hill: Statesman from the South

Fred W. Morrison Series in Southern Studies

by Virginia Van der Veer Hamilton

This definitive biography of Lister Hill (1894-1984), who represented Alabama in the U.S. House of Representatives and Senate for forty-five years, is a study of the dilemma of a Deep South liberal. Hamilton questions whether his major contributions in education and health for all Americans were worth the political and personal sacrifices Hill was forced to make in order to maintain the support of his conservative supporters, most notably their opposition to civil rights legislation.
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392 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1987

Reviews

[Bruce · Rating 3 out of 5]

Lister Hill of Alabama was one of those southern Senators who came in pre-civil rights era who made
some significant contributions in legislation. But when it came to defending segregation called in
polite societies 'our peculiar institution' it was done with tenacity but mixed with southern charm.

Lister Hill was born Joseph Lister Hill to a prominent Montgomery doctor and pillar of society. From
good southern society he went into law instead of medicine and was an undergraduate of the University of Alabama and went to law school at Michigan and Columbia. He got into local politics
and that led to election to the House of Representatives in a special election in 1923.

When in 1938 there was a vacancy to the Senate due to the appointment of Hugo L. Black to the
Supreme Court. Hill won another special election to the Senate and stayed for the next 30+ years.

Public power was an issue with Hill. A significant portion of northern Alabama was part of the
Tennessee River system. George W. Norris fought for the establishment of the Tennessee Valley
Authority and Hill was a prime sponsor in the House and defended TVA vigorously in the Senate.

Alabama cotton never had a better friend than Lister Hill post Civil War. With his background you
would expect medical issues to be an interest. Hill's most lasting contribution was something
still used to this day, the Hill-Burton Act. That provides that for so many charity cases a hospital
would take, the Feds would foot the cost of a room. The south which always lagged and still does
behind the rest of the country saw an upturn in quality medical facilities.

Oddly enough he did not like Medicare and fought that as socialized medicine.

His biggest achievement might have been sheer survival. The south was angry at Harry Truman
for his civil rights championing. Hill who was Majority Whip from 1941 to 1947 gave that up, but
walking a very fine tightrope stayed in the Democratic party when others bolted and supported the
Dixiecrat candidacy of J. Strom Thurmond.

It couldn't last. With George Wallace becoming the face of the Alabama Democrats and the Republicans showing a rebirth in the south, Hill had a tough general election in 1962 against a
younger GOP opponent James Martin who almost won.

Know when to hold and know when to fold are the hallmarks of politics as well as gambling. Hill
saw clearly his era was over. I'm sure he knew from election night in 1962 that this was his last
term. The forces of realignment were working in America and Hill saw it coming.

Hill died just short of his 90th birthday in 1984 a beloved figure in Alabama at least among whites.
The book has some interesting insights into Alabama politics and how one carves out a respectable
career even while defending something evil.

[Skey He · Rating 4 out of 5]

Alabama would never elect so liberal a senator again in the next 50 years.