Harold Ford Sr. facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Harold Ford Sr.
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| Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Tennessee |
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| In office January 3, 1975 – January 3, 1997 |
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| Preceded by | Dan Kuykendall |
| Succeeded by | Harold Ford Jr. |
| Constituency | 8th District (1975–1983) 9th District (1983–1997) |
| Member of the Tennessee House of Representatives from the 5th district |
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| In office 1971–1975 |
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| Preceded by | James I. Taylor |
| Succeeded by | Emmitt Ford (86th district) |
| Personal details | |
| Born |
Harold Eugene Ford
May 20, 1945 Memphis, Tennessee, U.S. |
| Political party | Democratic |
| Spouses |
Dorothy Bowles
(m. 1969; div. 1999)Michelle Roberts
(m. 1999) |
| Children | 5, including Harold Jr. |
| Alma mater | John A. Gupton College, AA Tennessee State University, B.S. Howard University, M.B.A. |
| Relatives | John Ford (brother) Ophelia Ford (sister) |
Harold Eugene Ford Sr. (born May 20, 1945) is an American politician. He was a member of the Democratic Party. He served in the United States House of Representatives for 11 terms. He represented the area of Memphis, Tennessee, from 1975 until he retired in 1997.
Harold Ford Sr. was the first African-American to represent Tennessee in the U.S. Congress. He is part of the important Ford political family from Memphis.
During his 20 years in Congress, Ford helped bring a lot of federal money to his district. He did this through his work on the House Ways and Means Committee. He worked to get more government help for people with lower incomes. This included job training, health care, and extra unemployment benefits. He also supported welfare as a safety net.
He supported President Jimmy Carter's plans to rebuild central cities. He disagreed with President Ronald Reagan's cuts to programs like Medicare and food stamps. He suggested new laws to help people move from government support to jobs. However, these ideas didn't become law.
In 1987, Harold Ford Sr. faced accusations related to business loans. He said the accusations were unfair and politically motivated. While the legal process was happening, he lost some of his leadership roles in Congress. But he stayed in Congress. In 1993, a jury found him innocent of all charges.
He decided to retire from Congress in 1996. His son, Harold Jr., then successfully ran for his father's seat. After retiring, Harold Sr. has stayed active in the Democratic Party. He has also worked as a lobbyist. He now lives in Florida and the Hamptons.
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Early Life and Education
Harold Ford Sr. grew up in the West Junction neighborhood of South Memphis. He was the eighth of 15 children. His parents, Newton Jackson Ford and Vera (Davis) Ford, were important members of the African-American community. His mother was a homemaker. His father was an undertaker and businessman. He opened the N.J. Ford Funeral Home in 1932.
The Ford family has been involved in politics for a long time. His great-grandfather, Newton Ford, was a respected civic leader. He was elected as a county squire from 1888 to 1900.
Harold Ford graduated from Geeter High School in 1963. He earned his B.S. degree from Tennessee State University in Nashville in 1967. He also studied there for another year. He is a member of the Alpha Phi Alpha fraternity. In 1969, he earned a mortuary science degree from John A. Gupton College. He worked in his family's funeral business until 1974. In 1982, he earned a Master of Business Administration from Howard University.
Political Journey
Serving in the State Legislature
Harold Ford used his family's strong connections in Memphis to gain support. This helped him when he first ran for office. He also ran a well-organized campaign. He benefited from more black voters participating after the Voting Rights Act.
In 1970, he was elected to the Tennessee House of Representatives. He was one of the youngest members and one of the few African Americans to serve in the Tennessee General Assembly at that time. In his first term, he became the majority whip. He also led a state committee that looked into utility rates.
He was a delegate to the Democratic State Convention. He also attended the national Democratic National Conventions from 1972 to 1996.
Representing Tennessee in Congress
In 1974, after serving two terms in the Tennessee legislature, he ran for Congress. He sought the Democratic nomination for the 8th U.S. Congressional district in Memphis. He easily won against three other candidates.
In the main election, he ran against Republican Dan Kuykendall, who had served four terms. At that time, the district still had more white voters. However, new district maps in 1970 included more African-American voters. Ford ran on a platform that aimed to attract both black and white voters. He focused on improving the economy.
He ran a large and well-organized campaign. He used paid workers, volunteers, and his own energy to encourage people to vote. He also received support from black churches and famous people. People were also unhappy with the Republican Party after the Watergate scandal. When the votes were first counted, it looked like Kuykendall had won by a small amount. But after a recount, Ford won by 744 votes.
Harold Ford became the first African-American to represent Tennessee in the United States Congress. He was re-elected many times by large margins. He secured the black vote and also won many white votes in his district. After the 1983 census, his district was renamed the 9th District. It was designed to have a majority of black voters. With more white families moving away, Ford continued to win re-election with over 70 percent of the vote. Even after facing accusations, he still won with more than 50 percent of the vote.
He served on several important House committees. These included Banking, Currency and Housing, and Veterans' Affairs. He was also on the Select Committee on Assassinations. This committee investigated the death of Martin Luther King Jr., among others.
He joined the powerful House Ways and Means Committee in 1975. He led the subcommittee on Public Assistance and Unemployment. He also served as the chairman of the House Select Committee on Aging from 1991 to 1995.
Ford used his position on the House Ways and Means Committee to bring a lot of federal money to his district. His main goal in Congress was to help people with lower incomes. He pushed for more federal government help for job training, health care, and extra unemployment benefits. He also supported welfare as a safety net. He supported Democratic President Carter's plans to rebuild central cities. He opposed cuts to programs like Medicare and food stamps that happened during Republican President Ronald Reagan's time.
Ford suggested new laws for welfare reform. These laws aimed to help parents with children over six gradually move from welfare to work. This plan would have cost a lot to start because of the education and job training parts. The Reagan administration did not support it.
Facing Challenges
In 1987, federal prosecutors brought charges against Ford. These charges were based on information from two bankers. Ford was accused of receiving large loans that prosecutors said were actually bribes. Ford insisted that the loans were legitimate business deals for him and his family's funeral home.
His first trial in Memphis in 1990 ended without a decision. The jury was divided, with eight black members voting to clear him and four white members voting to convict. The judge decided that a fair jury could not be found in Memphis. This was because Ford was very popular there. So, the judge ordered a new trial with jurors from rural counties 80 miles away. These counties were mostly white and Republican.
Ford appealed this jury selection plan twice, saying it violated his right to a fair jury. Both appeals were denied. In 1993, a jury of 11 white members and 1 black member found Ford innocent of all charges. During the seven years these charges were pending, Ford remained a U.S. Representative. However, Congress removed him from his committee leadership roles. After he was found innocent, these roles were given back to him.
Life After Congress
In 1996, Harold Ford's son, Harold Jr., returned to Tennessee. He had been working in New York City and finished his education at the University of Pennsylvania and University of Michigan Law School. He then ran for his father's retiring seat and won. Harold Ford Sr. hoped that his son would not need to use the same tough approach he sometimes used, especially concerning race.
Personal Life
Harold Ford married Dorothy Bowles in 1969. They had three children: Harold Jr., Newton Jake, and Sir Isaac. They divorced in 1999. He later married Michelle Roberts, and they have two children: Andrew and Ava.
He is a member of the Alpha Phi Alpha fraternity. He is also a Baptist. Harold Ford Sr. is now retired. He splits his time between Tennessee and Fisher Island in Miami-Dade County, Florida. He continues to be active in the Democratic Party.
See also
