Anthony Foxx facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Anthony Foxx
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| 17th United States Secretary of Transportation | |
| In office July 2, 2013 – January 20, 2017 |
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| President | Barack Obama |
| Deputy | John Porcari Victor Mendez |
| Preceded by | Ray LaHood |
| Succeeded by | Elaine Chao |
| 54th Mayor of Charlotte | |
| In office December 7, 2009 – July 1, 2013 |
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| Preceded by | Pat McCrory |
| Succeeded by | Patsy Kinsey |
| Personal details | |
| Born |
Anthony Renard Foxx
April 30, 1971 Charlotte, North Carolina, U.S. |
| Political party | Democratic |
| Spouse |
Samara Ryder
(m. 2001) |
| Children | 2 |
| Education | Davidson College (BA) New York University (JD) |
Anthony Renard Foxx (born April 30, 1971) is an American lawyer and politician. He served as the United States Secretary of Transportation from 2013 to 2017. Before that, he was the Mayor of Charlotte, North Carolina from 2009 to 2013.
Foxx was first elected to the Charlotte City Council in 2005. When he won the mayoral election in 2009, he became the youngest person to be Charlotte's mayor. He was also the second African American to hold this important role. President Barack Obama chose him to be the Secretary of Transportation in 2013. The Senate voted 100-0 to approve him. When he took office, he was the youngest person serving in the President's Cabinet.
After leaving government, Foxx worked for the company Lyft. Since September 2023, he has been a professor at the Harvard Kennedy School. In January 2024, it was announced that he would become a co-director of the Kennedy School's Center for Public Leadership in July 2024.
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Early Life and Education
Anthony Foxx was born in Charlotte, North Carolina, on April 30, 1971. His mother, Laura Foxx, and his grandparents, James and Mary Foxx, raised him. He attended Piedmont Open IB Middle School and graduated from West Charlotte High School.
In 1993, he graduated from Davidson College. He was the first African American student body president there. Foxx studied history in college. Later, he earned a law degree (called a J.D.) from New York University School of Law in 1996.
Legal Career
After finishing law school, Foxx returned to Charlotte. He worked briefly at a law firm. Then, he became a clerk for Judge Nathaniel R. Jones in Cincinnati. A clerk helps a judge with their work.
Later, Foxx worked for the United States Department of Justice. He also worked for the United States House of Representatives Judiciary Committee. This committee deals with laws and justice. In 2004, he managed the election campaign for Representative Mel Watt.
In 2001, he came back to Charlotte to work as a business lawyer. Even when he was on the city council, he continued to work part-time as a lawyer.
Political Career
Serving Charlotte as Mayor
Foxx was first elected to the Charlotte City Council in 2005. He won an "at-large" seat, meaning he represented the whole city. He was re-elected in 2007. In 2009, he became Charlotte's 54th mayor. He was the youngest person to hold this job. He was re-elected as mayor in 2011. He was the first Democratic mayor of Charlotte since 1987.
When Foxx became mayor, Charlotte was facing a very difficult economic time. The city lost many jobs during a recession. Foxx worked to improve the city's public safety pay plan. He also helped create more than 4,000 new jobs. He held meetings with people who were unemployed. He also pushed for changes to help small businesses get loans. He also asked White House officials for money to help the economy recover.
Foxx also helped save a big transportation project for the city. This was the Blue Line Extension, a light rail project. It was at risk because of lower sales tax money.
Leading as Secretary of Transportation
On April 29, 2013, President Barack Obama announced that he would nominate Anthony Foxx. He wanted Foxx to be the United States Secretary of Transportation. This job involves overseeing all transportation in the country. On June 27, 2013, the Senate voted to approve him. The vote was unanimous, meaning everyone agreed. Foxx then left his job as mayor to take on this new federal role.
As Secretary, Foxx worked on important transportation laws. He helped create the "Grow America Act" and the "FAST Act." These laws helped fund roads, bridges, and other transportation projects. He also made it easier to get permits for projects. Foxx also created new rules for using drones for business. He developed a plan for self-driving cars. He also started the "Smart City Challenge." This challenge encouraged cities to use new technologies in their transportation systems.
Foxx was chosen as the designated survivor for the 2015 State of the Union Address. This means he was kept in a safe, secret location during the speech. This is done in case of an emergency, to ensure the government can continue to operate.
Private Sector and Academia
In October 2018, Foxx joined Lyft, a company that provides rides. He became their chief policy officer. In this role, he worked on rules and laws that affected the company. He stepped down from this role in October 2021 but continued to advise Lyft.
In September 2023, Foxx became a professor at the Harvard Kennedy School. This is a famous school at Harvard University that teaches about public policy and government. In January 2024, it was announced that he would become a co-director of the school's Center for Public Leadership. He was set to start this new role in July 2024.
Personal Life
Anthony Foxx is married to Samara Ryder. She is also a lawyer. They have two children, a daughter and a son.
See also
In Spanish: Anthony Foxx para niños
