Fob James facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Fob James
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| 48th Governor of Alabama | |
| In office January 16, 1995 – January 18, 1999 |
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| Lieutenant | Don Siegelman |
| Preceded by | Jim Folsom Jr. |
| Succeeded by | Don Siegelman |
| In office January 15, 1979 – January 17, 1983 |
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| Lieutenant | George McMillan |
| Preceded by | George Wallace |
| Succeeded by | George Wallace |
| Personal details | |
| Born |
Forrest Hood James Jr.
September 15, 1934 Lanett, Alabama, U.S. |
| Political party | Republican (early 1970s–1978, 1994–present) |
| Other political affiliations |
Democratic (before early 1970s, 1978–1994) |
| Spouse | Bobbie Mooney |
| Children | 4, including Tim James |
| Profession | Politician, football player, civil engineer |
| Military service | |
| Allegiance | United States |
| Branch/service | US Army |
| Years of service | 1956–1958 |
| Rank | Second lieutenant |
| Unit | Corps of Engineers |
Forrest Hood "Fob" James Jr. (born September 15, 1934) is an American politician, engineer, and former football player. He served as the 48th governor of Alabama. He was a Democrat from 1979 to 1983. Later, he became a Republican and served again from 1995 to 1999.
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Early Life and Football Star
Fob James was born in Lanett, Alabama. His parents named him Forrest Hood James, but everyone called him "Fob" since he was a boy. After finishing high school in 1952, he went to Auburn University. There, he played football for the famous coach Ralph "Shug" Jordan.
In 1955, James was named an All-American. This means he was recognized as one of the best college football players in the country. He earned a degree in civil engineering in 1957. For a short time in 1956, he even played professional football in Canada for the Montreal Alouettes. After college, he joined the US Army and served for two years as a lieutenant in the Corps of Engineers.
From Engineer to Business Leader
After his military service, James worked as a heavy construction engineer. He was married and had started a family. In 1959, his second son, Gregory, was diagnosed with cystic fibrosis, a serious illness. To help pay for medical bills, James looked for new opportunities.
In 1961, James decided to start his own business. He wanted to make plastic-coated barbells. In 1962, he founded Diversified Products Inc. This company made fitness equipment and was known for its special plastic-disc barbells. The company grew very quickly. It started in his basement and eventually employed 1,500 people. They had plants in different cities and sold a lot of equipment. James was the CEO until 1977, when the company was sold.
Sadly, his son Gregory died from cystic fibrosis when he was eight years old. In his honor, James helped establish the Gregory Fleming James Cystic Fibrosis Research Center at the University of Alabama at Birmingham in 1981. This center helps with important research into the disease.
Before becoming governor, James also served as president of the Alabama Citizens for Transportation from 1972 to 1974. This group created a plan for highways across the state, which the Alabama Legislature later adopted.
Becoming Governor: First Term
In 1978, Fob James decided to run for governor of Alabama. He had been a Democrat, then left the party, and then returned to run as a Democrat. He won the election and became the governor of Alabama.
During his first term, the state faced some money problems. Governor James worked hard to improve things. He focused on making education better and improving the state's mental health system. He also worked to fix issues with crowded prisons and strengthen the Medicaid system, which helps people with healthcare costs.
To save money, James combined different state agencies. He also cut state spending by ten percent and put a freeze on hiring new state employees. He made sure that K-12 schools received more funding, which was a big focus for him. He also helped improve state highways using money from oil funds.
One of his important achievements was making the Alabama government more inclusive. He appointed Oscar W. Adams Jr. to the Alabama Supreme Court. This made Adams the first African American to hold such a position. He also appointed other African Americans to important roles in his government.
What Happened Between Terms?
After his first term, James decided not to run for governor again in 1982. This allowed former governor George Wallace to return to office. However, James soon wanted to be governor again. He ran in the Democratic primary elections in 1986 and 1990 but did not win.
During this time, he worked with his sons in several businesses. He managed a marina and worked with companies that focused on preventing coastal erosion and developing landfills. In 1994, James decided to change parties again, becoming a Republican. He ran for governor once more. He won the Republican primary and then narrowly defeated the current Democratic Governor, Jim Folsom Jr., to win his second term.
Governor Again: Second Term
During his second term, Governor James was a strong conservative. He believed in individual freedom and states' rights. He even chose not to attend meetings of the National Governors Association. He also created the Alabama Budget Isolation Process, which is still used today to help the legislature make decisions about the state budget.
As governor, he continued to appoint diverse people to important positions. He appointed Aubrey Miller, an African American, to lead the Alabama Tourism Department. He also appointed Beth Chapman, who was the first woman in Alabama's history to serve as Appointments Secretary.
Focus on Education
Governor James worked with the Alabama legislature to pass a new education reform plan called the James Educational Foundation Act. This law required local schools to raise more money through property taxes. It also increased the number of academic subjects students needed to take to graduate. The law allowed the state superintendent of education to take control of schools that were not performing well. James continued to prioritize K-12 education, which sometimes caused tension with colleges and universities.
He also famously refused to accept federal money from a program called Goals 2000. He believed that taking this money would give the federal government too much control over Alabama's schools. Even though he protested, the state board of education voted to accept the funding. They used the money to buy computers for classrooms across the state.
Life After Being Governor
In 1998, James ran for a third term as governor. He faced tough competition in the Republican primary. After winning the primary, he had little money left for the main election. The Democratic candidate, Don Siegelman, easily won the election. Siegelman's main idea was to create a state lottery to fund college scholarships, which James opposed.
After his defeat, James returned to a semi-retired life. He said he wanted to spend more time with his children and grandchildren. Fob James and his wife, Bobbie, live in Florida.
