Dwight Clinton Jones facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Dwight Clinton Jones
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| 79th Mayor of Richmond | |
| In office January 1, 2009 – December 31, 2016 |
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| Preceded by | Douglas Wilder |
| Succeeded by | Levar Stoney |
| Chair of the Democratic Party of Virginia | |
| In office March 15, 2014 – June 27, 2015 |
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| Preceded by | Charniele Herring |
| Succeeded by | Susan Swecker |
| Member of the Virginia House of Delegates from the 70th district |
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| In office January 12, 1994 – January 1, 2009 |
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| Preceded by | Lawrence D. Wilder Jr. |
| Succeeded by | Delores McQuinn |
| Personal details | |
| Born |
Dwight Clinton Jones
February 3, 1948 Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, U.S. |
| Political party | Democratic |
| Children | 3 |
| Residence | Richmond, Virginia |
| Alma mater | Virginia Union University United Theological Seminary |
| Profession | Minister |
Dwight Clinton Jones was born on February 3, 1948. He is an American politician and a pastor. He served as the 79th Mayor of Richmond, Virginia. Mayor Jones started his first term on January 1, 2009. He was re-elected and began his second term on January 12, 2013. His time as mayor ended on December 31, 2016, when Levar Stoney became the new mayor. Jones is a member of the Democratic Party. He was also chosen to be the chairman of the Democratic Party of Virginia on March 15, 2014.
Contents
About Dwight Jones
Early Life and Education
Dwight Clinton Jones was born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. He later moved to Richmond, Virginia. He went to Virginia Union University and earned a Bachelor of Science degree in 1970. He continued his studies there and received a Master of Divinity degree in 1973. Later, he earned his Doctorate from United Theological Seminary in Dayton, Ohio.
Family and Profession
Dwight Jones is married and has three children. Their names are Dwight, Derik, and Nichole. Besides his political career, he is also a Baptist minister. He serves as the senior pastor at the First Baptist Church of South Richmond.
Dwight Jones's Political Journey
Serving on the School Board
Mr. Jones began his public service on the Richmond City School Board in 1979. He helped make important decisions about schools in the city. From 1982 to 1985, he was the chairman of the School Board. This meant he led the meetings and guided the board's work.
Time in the Virginia House of Delegates
In 1993, Dwight Jones was elected to the Virginia House of Delegates. This is a part-time job where he helped make laws for the state of Virginia. He represented the 70th District, which included parts of Richmond. He served in this role from 1994 until 2008. He decided not to run for re-election that year.
Becoming Mayor of Richmond
Dwight Jones became the 79th Mayor of Richmond on January 1, 2009. As mayor, he worked to improve the city. One of his big achievements was building new schools.
New Schools for Richmond
During his time as mayor, four new schools were built in Richmond:
- Broad Rock Elementary
- Oak Grove-Bellemeade Elementary
- Martin Luther King, Jr. Middle School
- Huguenot High School
Huguenot High School was especially important because it was the first new high school built in Richmond in 40 years! This helped provide modern learning spaces for students.
Improving City Services
Mayor Jones also oversaw other important projects for the city. In 2012, a new fire station (Fire Station 17) was completed. This was the first new fire station built in Richmond in 18 years. It replaced a very old station from 1917, which was designed for horse-drawn equipment.
A new Richmond City Jail was also built and opened in July 2014. The old jail, built in the 1960s, had many problems like being too crowded and needing repairs. The new jail helped solve these issues.
End of Mayoral Term
Mayor Jones's term ended on December 31, 2016. He was succeeded by Levar Stoney.
Images for kids
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Dwight Clinton Jones in 2015.
