John Ford (Tennessee politician) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
John Ford
|
|
|---|---|
Ford being investigated as part of Operation Tennessee Waltz
|
|
| Member of the Tennessee Senate from the 29th district |
|
| In office 1974 – May 28, 2005 |
|
| Succeeded by | Ophelia Ford |
| Personal details | |
| Born | May 3, 1942 Memphis, Tennessee |
| Political party | Democratic |
John Newton Ford (born May 3, 1942, in Memphis, Tennessee) is a former Democratic politician. He served as a member of the Tennessee State Senate. John Ford is also part of the Ford family, a well-known African-American political family in Tennessee. He is the older brother of former U.S. Representative Harold Ford, Sr. and the uncle of Harold Ford, Jr..
John Ford left his position in the Tennessee State Senate on May 28, 2005. This happened during an investigation known as Operation Tennessee Waltz. He later faced legal issues related to this investigation.
Contents
The Ford Political Family
The Ford family is very active in politics in Tennessee. Many members of the family have held important public offices. This shows how dedicated they are to serving their community.
- Harold Ford, Sr. was the first African American from Tennessee elected to the U.S. House of Representatives since the Reconstruction period. He served from 1974 to 1997.
- Harold Ford, Jr., Harold Ford, Sr.'s son, later took his father's place in the U.S. House of Representatives.
- Joe Ford has been involved in local politics for a long time. He was a commissioner for Shelby County and served as its temporary mayor in 2009 and 2010.
- James Ford, who has passed away, was also a commissioner for Shelby County.
- Emmitt Ford served several terms in the Tennessee House of Representatives.
- Ed Ford served two terms on the Memphis City Council.
- Ed Ford Jr. followed his father onto the Memphis City Council.
- Justin Ford, Ed Ford's nephew, served on the Shelby County Board of Commissioners.
- Ophelia Ford served as a state senator in the Tennessee General Assembly. She represented District 29 from 2005 to 2014.
Early Life and Education
John Ford grew up in South Memphis with 11 brothers and sisters. He graduated from Geeter High School in 1960. After high school, he went to Tennessee State University in Nashville. He earned a bachelor's degree there in 1964.
Ford also attended John A. Gupton College in Nashville. He received an associate's degree in mortuary science. This degree allowed him to become a licensed funeral director. Later, he earned a master's degree from Memphis State University (now the University of Memphis) in 1978. While at Memphis State, he was active in the Alpha Phi Alpha fraternity. He is also a member of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP).
Political Career Highlights
John Ford began his political career in 1971. He was first elected to the Memphis City Council, representing District 6 in South Memphis. He served on the City Council until 1979. In 1974, he was elected to the Tennessee Senate. This was the same year his brother, Harold Sr., was elected to the U.S. House of Representatives.
Ford was re-elected as a state senator seven times. He served in the senate for more than 30 years. From 1992 to 1996, he also served as the Shelby County General Sessions Court Clerk. In the state senate, Ford was the chairman of the General Welfare, Health, and Human Resources Committee. He was also a leader in groups like the National Conference of State Legislators. He served one term as Speaker pro Tempore of the Tennessee Senate. This role means he could lead meetings when the main Speaker was not there.
Legal Challenges and Resignation
On May 26, 2005, John Ford was part of a group of politicians who faced legal issues. These issues came from an investigation called Operation Tennessee Waltz. This investigation looked into claims of improper dealings with a company. Ford resigned from the Tennessee State Senate shortly after, on May 28, 2005.
In April 2007, a jury found that Ford had accepted money in connection with the investigation. He was later sentenced to time in federal prison. He began his sentence in April 2008 and was released in August 2012.
