Biography;

Journalist; educator.  Born–February 4, 1949, Aliceville.  Parents– William and Attie Bell Thomson.  Married Kristi Garrison. Children–one.  University of Alabama, B.A.,. 1972; M.A., 1974; Ph. D., 1995.  Reporter for several newspapers:  Tuscaloosa News, Huntsville Times, Shreveport (LA) Times, Orlando Sentinel, 1974-1992; associate editor, Mobile Press-Register, 1992-95.  Professor of Journalism, University of Alabama, 1996-2003.  Advocate of constitutional reform in Alabama; helped create Alabama Citizens for Constitutional Reform. Finalist for Pulitzer Prize, 1995; Society of Newspaper Editors Distinguished Writing Award, 1999; Clarence Cason Award for Contributions to Alabama arts and letters, 2004.   Died November 26, 2003.

Source;

Obituary, Tuscaloosa News, November 24, 2003.

Editor and Contributor;

A Century of Controversy: Constitutional Reform in Alabama.  Tuscaloosa:  University of Alabama Press, 2001.

Contributor;

For the Love of Alabama; Journalism by Ron Casey and Bailey Thomson.  Tuscaloosa; University of Alabama Press, 2011.

Editor;

“Introduction,” 90 degrees in the Shade, by Clarence Cason.  University of Alabama Press, 2001.