John Tomas Radney (June 18, 1932 – August 7, 2011) was an American attorney and Democratic politician.

Early and family life

Alabama Alabama ( ) is a U.S. state, state in the Southeastern United States, Southeastern and Deep South, Deep Southern regions of the United States. It borders Tennessee to the north, Georgia (U.S. state), Georgia to the east, Florida and the Gu ...

during the

Great Depression The Great Depression was a severe global economic downturn from 1929 to 1939. The period was characterized by high rates of unemployment and poverty, drastic reductions in industrial production and international trade, and widespread bank and ...

, With his older brother Hugh Radney paying his way by working on the family farm, Radney graduated from

Auburn University Auburn University (AU or Auburn) is a Public university, public Land-grant university, land-grant research university in Auburn, Alabama, United States. With more than 26,800 undergraduate students, over 6,100 post-graduate students, and a tota ...

, where he was a member of the

Phi Kappa Tau Phi Kappa Tau (), commonly known as Phi Tau (), is a collegiate fraternity located in the United States. The fraternity was founded in 1906. As of May 2024, the fraternity has 161 chartered chapters, 83 active chapters, 7 associate chapters, a ...

fraternity, receiving a bachelor of science in education, then a master's degree in history in 1952. He received his law degree from

University of Alabama School of Law The University of Alabama School of Law, (formerly known as the Hugh F. Culverhouse Jr. School of Law at The University of Alabama) located in Tuscaloosa, Alabama is the only public law school in the state. It is one of five law schools in the ...

in 1955. Radney served in the

Judge Advocate General's Corps, United States Army The Judge Advocate General's Corps of the United States Army, also known as the U.S. Army JAG Corps, is the legal arm of the United States Army. It is composed of Army Officer (armed forces), officers who are also lawyers ("judge advocates"), wh ...

during the Korean War. In 1962, he married the former Madolyn Anderson, whose father had served in the

Alabama Legislature The Alabama Legislature is the legislative branch of the government of the U.S. state of Alabama. It is a bicameral body composed of the House of Representatives and Senate. It is one of the few state legislatures in which members of both cham ...

. During their 49 years of marriage, they raised three daughters (Ellen Radney Price, Fran Radney Harvey and Hollis Radney Lovett) and a son, Thomas (Catie) Anderson Radney.

Career

Radney established a law office in Alexander City, the largest city in the area. He had a legal practice both civil and criminal encompassing several surrounding counties. He also served as a municipal judge in Alexander City. Radney also served as President of the Board of Trustees at

Alabama State University Alabama State University (ASU, Bama State, or Alabama State) is a public historically Black university in Montgomery, Alabama. Founded in 1867, during the Reconstruction era, it was one of about 180 " normal schools" established by state gove ...

and of the Alexander City Chamber of Commerce, as well as on the boards of trustees or directors of Huntington College, Carraway Methodist Hospital in

Birmingham Birmingham ( ) is a City status in the United Kingdom, city and metropolitan borough in the metropolitan county of West Midlands (county), West Midlands, within the wider West Midlands (region), West Midlands region, in England. It is the Lis ...

, and Russell Medical Center and the First Methodist Church in Alexander City. Radney was also active in the

American Legion The American Legion, commonly known as the Legion, is an Voluntary association, organization of United States, U.S. war veterans headquartered in Indianapolis, Indiana. It comprises U.S. state, state, Territories of the United States, U.S. terr ...

Junior Chamber of Commerce The United States Junior Chamber, also known as the Jaycees, JCs or JCI USA, is a leadership training service organization and civic organization for people between the ages of 18 and 40. It is a branch of Junior Chamber International (JCI). ...

Kiwanis Club Kiwanis International ( ) is an international service club founded in 1915 in Detroit, Michigan. It is headquartered in Indianapolis, Indiana, United States, and is found in more than 80 nations and geographic areas. In 1987, the organization ...

of Alexander City, Elks Lodge, and Masons. A liberal

Democrat Democrat, Democrats, or Democratic may refer to: Politics *A proponent of democracy, or democratic government; a form of government involving rule by the people. *A member of a Democratic Party: **Democratic Party (Cyprus) (DCY) **Democratic Part ...

, Radney became President of the Tallapoosa County Young Democrats and won election to the

Alabama State Senate The Alabama State Senate is the upper house of the Alabama Legislature, the state legislature of the U.S. state of Alabama. The body is composed of 35 members representing an equal number of districts across the state, with each district conta ...

in 1966. He served from 1967 until 1971. A firm supporter of

John F. Kennedy John Fitzgerald Kennedy (May 29, 1917 – November 22, 1963), also known as JFK, was the 35th president of the United States, serving from 1961 until his assassination in 1963. He was the first Roman Catholic and youngest person elected p ...

despite Massive Resistance in Alabama, Radney maintained strong loyalty to the

Kennedys The Kennedy family () is an American political family that has long been prominent in American politics, public service, entertainment, and business. In 1884, 35 years after the family's arrival from County Wexford, Ireland, Patrick Joseph "P ...

as a Democratic Party delegate. After his support for Senator

Ted Kennedy Edward Moore Kennedy (February 22, 1932 – August 25, 2009) was an American lawyer and politician from Massachusetts who served as a member of the United States Senate from 1962 to his death in 2009. A member of the Democratic Party and ...

during the

1968 Democratic National Convention The 1968 Democratic National Convention was held August 26–29 at the International Amphitheatre in Chicago, Illinois, United States. Earlier that year incumbent President Lyndon B. Johnson had announced he would not seek reelection, thus making ...

in Chicago prompted death threats against him and his family, Radney announced that he would retire from politics following the expiration of his state senate term. Despite this pledge, Radney ran for

Lieutenant Governor of Alabama The lieutenant governor of Alabama is the president of the Alabama Senate, elected to serve a four-year term. The office was created in 1868,1868 Const. art. V, § 1 abolished in 1875,1875 Const. art. V, § 1 and recreated in 1901.AL Const. art. ...

in 1970 but lost and returned to his legal practice. He remained active in his political party as a mentor to younger politicians and a long-time member of the Alabama Democratic Executive Committee. On January 16, 2003, Alabama governor

Don Siegelman Donald Eugene Siegelman ( ; born February 24, 1946) is an American politician who was the 51st governor of Alabama from 1999 to 2003. To date, Siegelman is the last Democrat as well as the only Catholic to serve as Governor of Alabama. Siegelma ...

declared "Tom Radney Day" and dozens of prominent Democrats attended Radney's receipt of the declaration, including former senator

Howell Heflin Howell Thomas Heflin (June 19, 1921 – March 29, 2005) was an American lawyer and politician. A member of the Democratic Party, he represented Alabama in the United States Senate from 1979 to 1997. Early life Heflin was born on June 19, 1921, i ...

and former congressman

Ronnie Flippo Ronnie Gene Flippo (born August 15, 1937) is an American politician and accountant who served seven terms as a United States Congressman from Alabama from 1977 to 1991. Early life and education Flippo was born August 15, 1937, in Florence, Al ...

. Radney had championed a rule which prevented candidates from running as a Democrat who had not supported the party's nominees in the previous four years.".Cep pp. 88-90; 266 He cherished the nickname "Mr. Alabama Democrat", particularly after Governor

George Wallace George Corley Wallace Jr. (August 25, 1919 – September 13, 1998) was an American politician who was the 45th and longest-serving governor of Alabama (1963–1967; 1971–1979; 1983–1987), and the List of longest-serving governors of U.S. s ...

left the party.

Notes

{{DEFAULTSORT:Radney, Tom People from Randolph County, Alabama People from Tallapoosa County, Alabama Auburn University alumni University of Alabama School of Law alumni Military personnel from Alabama United States Army Judge Advocate General's Corps Alabama lawyers Alabama state court judges Democratic Party Alabama state senators 1932 births 2011 deaths 20th-century Alabama state court judges 20th-century American lawyers 20th-century members of the Alabama Legislature