Remembering Former Legislator and Minister Bryant Melton Jr.
Former West Alabama State Legislator, Bryant Melton, Jr. has passed away. Melton served in the Alabama House of Representatives as a Democrat from District 70 in Tuscaloosa from 1982 to 2006. The 85-year-old had most recently served as Associate Pastor at 1st African Baptist Church in Tuscaloosa since 2010.
Melton was a native of Sprott in Perry County and graduated from Lincoln High School. While at Lincoln, he served as President of the SGA as well as the President of his Senior Class. He graduated from Stillman College with a BS Degree in Chemistry.
He made Tuscaloosa his home where he was actively involved in numerous community activities. According to his church bio, he was a founding member of the Board of Directors of West Alabama Sickle Cell Association, a former member and Chairman of the Alabama Sickle Cell Oversight and Regulatory Commission, and former Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Community Service Programs of West Alabama (CSP). He was also a founding member and former Chairman of the Board of Directors of the McDonald Hughes Multi-Purpose Community Center. He oversaw a two-million-dollar expansion while serving as chairman. He took great pride in serving as a Scout Master for the Boy Scouts of America.
Melton was sentenced to 15 months in federal prison for a fraud scheme at the Alabama Fire College in 2008. He told U.S. District Judge Karon Bowdre, the judge in the case, "I have betrayed the public trust, and I have taken steps to correct it. I accept full responsibility for my actions". Melton gained significant respect for the way he handled his mistake and lived the remainder of his life. He did not let that define him.
Bryant Melton left an important legacy that cannot be overlooked. He was a pioneering legislator who was the first black elected to public office in Tuscaloosa County since Reconstruction. That legacy includes helping to redesign the structure of Tuscaloosa city and county governments and the city school board to be more representative of their populations.
A public viewing is set for Friday, January 9, 2026, 1:00 PM - 5:30 PM at Van Hoose & Steele Funeral Home, 2615 Stillman Boulevard, Tuscaloosa.
Visitation will be Saturday, January 10, 2026, 11:00 AM - 12:00 Noon at First African Baptist Church, 2621 Stillman Boulevard, Tuscaloosa.
Funeral Services will be Saturday, January 10, 2026, 12:00 Noon at First African Baptist Church.
Interment will be Monday, January 12, 2026, 11:00 AM at Alabama National Cemetery,
3133 Hwy 119, Montevallo.
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