Larry Paul Langford (March 18, 1946 – January 8, 2019) was an American politician and convicted felon who had a one-term tenure as the mayor of the city of Birmingham, Alabama.

Langford raised money and generated public interest and support for Visionland Theme Park (now known as Alabama Splash Adventure), located near Bessemer.

[5] Langford stunned many when he emerged as a top contender in a field of 10 candidates that included incumbent mayor Bernard Kincaid.

Langford was long a proponent of a domed stadium for the city, intended to replace the aging Legion Field as a venue for football on the collegiate and professional levels.

He held Bible studies for municipal workers at City Hall each week and was a frequent speaker at public prayer services and church events.

He called upon "all Bishops, Priests, Pastors, Ministers and all of our citizens of various denominations and creeds" to join him in donning burlap sacks and having their heads smeared with ashes during a prayer rally at Boutwell Auditorium.

"[11] Langford injured relations with the Birmingham LGBT community in May 2008 when he refused to sign a proclamation for the annual Central Alabama Pride Parade, an event that had been held on the city's south side every year since 1989.

"[12] Lambda Legal, an LGBTQ legal advocacy group, and Birmingham civil rights attorney David Gespass filed suit on behalf of the Central Alabama Pride group against Larry Langford seeking an order from the courts to prohibit the mayor from discriminating against LGBTQ organizations in administering city services.

However, in May 2008, the mayor announced that he would neither sign a proclamation nor allow city workers to hang the banners based on his religious beliefs that do not "condone that lifestyle choice."

In addition to advocating the construction of a domed football stadium, Langford frequently proposed unique and ambitious projects for Birmingham.

Though Birmingham is more than 250 miles (400 km) inland from the Gulf of Mexico, Langford proposed that a canal be constructed from the Tennessee-Tombigbee Waterway so that cruise ships could dock in the city.

"[18] Following the gift, Langford explained his belief that the unicorn had been a unifying symbol during the reign of King James VI and I who brought together England and Scotland.

In May 2008, the Jefferson County Department of Health began posting advertisements on buses in Birmingham to promote testing and treatment for syphilis.

At the time, Jefferson County faced the highest concentration of syphilis cases in the United States, prompting the public outreach campaign.

[22] The lawsuit alleged Langford accepted more than $156,000 in cash and benefits from Montgomery investment banker William B. Blount in exchange for county bond business.

According to the indictment, William Blount helped Langford receive a $50,000 loan, which was used to purchase jewelry, including a Rolex watch, and designer clothes.

[35] He was released on December 28, 2018, after U.S. District Court Judge Scott Coogler commuted his sentence to time served due to deteriorating health conditions.