Johnny DuPree facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Johnny DuPree
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DuPree in 2011
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| Mayor of Hattiesburg | |
| In office July 2001 – July 3, 2017 |
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| Preceded by | J. Ed Morgan |
| Succeeded by | Toby Barker |
| Personal details | |
| Born | November 18, 1953 Fort Benning, Georgia, U.S. |
| Political party | Democratic |
| Spouse |
Johniece DuPree
(m. 1972) |
| Children | 2 daughters |
| Education | Jones County Junior College University of Southern Mississippi (BS, MS) Jackson State University (PhD) |
Johnny DuPree was born on November 18, 1953. He is an American politician and a member of the Democratic Party. DuPree made history as the first African-American mayor of Hattiesburg, Mississippi. He served in this role from 2001 to 2017.
In 2011, he was chosen by the Democratic Party to run for Governor of Mississippi. He was the first African-American from a major party to run for governor in Mississippi since the Reconstruction era. DuPree also ran for Secretary of State of Mississippi in 2019. In 2022, he was a candidate for Mississippi's 4th congressional district.
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Early Life and Education
Johnny DuPree was born in Fort Benning, Georgia. When he was a small boy, he moved to Hattiesburg, Mississippi. He lived there with his mother, brother, and sister.
DuPree studied at the University of Southern Mississippi. He earned both a bachelor's degree and a master's degree there. Later, he received a PhD from Jackson State University. He is also a member of the Omega Psi Phi fraternity.
Public Service Career
DuPree started his public service career in 1987. He was appointed to the Hattiesburg Public School Board. A year later, he and his wife started a real estate business.
In 1991, he was elected to the Forrest County Board of Supervisors. He worked there for 10 years. After that, he decided to run for mayor of Hattiesburg in 2001.
Mayor of Hattiesburg
In 2001, Johnny DuPree became the first African-American mayor of Hattiesburg. He won the election with 53% of the votes. He was re-elected two more times, in 2005 and 2009.
When he first ran for mayor, DuPree promised to improve education. He also wanted to support small businesses. An expert from the University of Southern Mississippi believed DuPree would help local businesses. He also thought DuPree would attract new industries.
During DuPree's time as mayor, Hattiesburg faced challenges. These included Hurricane Katrina in 2005 and a global recession in 2008. Despite this, small businesses in the city remained strong. The expert's predictions about DuPree's leadership were mostly correct.
In 2010, Hattiesburg's unemployment rate was 8.6 percent. This was lower than the state rate of 11.2 percent. It was also lower than the national rate of 11.1 percent. Crime also decreased during his time as mayor. Police reports showed a 10 percent drop in reported crime since 2008.
Elections and Political Journey
In 2011, DuPree ran for Governor of Mississippi. He won the Democratic primary election. He beat businessman Bill Luckett and two other candidates. However, he lost to the Republican candidate, Phil Bryant, in the main election.
In 2013, DuPree ran for re-election as mayor. He faced an independent candidate named Dave Ware. DuPree was first thought to have won by a very small number of votes. However, there were questions about the election results. A new election was ordered to make sure everything was fair. In the new election, DuPree won again, this time by 217 votes.
In 2017, DuPree ran for a fifth term as mayor. He was defeated by Toby Barker. Barker was a Republican member of the state House of Representatives. He ran as an independent candidate.
In 2019, DuPree ran for Secretary of State of Mississippi. He won the Democratic nomination in August. This meant he was the party's choice for the position. However, he lost the general election in November 2019. His opponent, Michael Watson, won the election.
In 2021, DuPree announced he would run for Congress. He sought to represent Mississippi's 4th congressional district. This was part of the 2022 midterm elections. He lost this election to Mike Ezell.
Personal Life
Johnny DuPree has been married to Johniece since 1972. They have two daughters named April and Monica. They also have two grandsons, Chandler DuPree Taylor and Chesney DuPree Taylor.
As of 2011, his older daughter, April DuPree Taylor, worked at the Department of Communication. This department is at the University of South Alabama. His younger daughter, Monica DuPree, was an educator. She worked in the Hattiesburg Public School District.
