Mike Espy facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Mike Espy
Espy in 2012
25th United States Secretary of Agriculture
In office January 22, 1993 – December 31, 1994
President	Bill Clinton
Preceded by	Edward Madigan
Succeeded by	Dan Glickman
Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Mississippi's 2nd district
In office January 3, 1987 – January 22, 1993
Preceded by	Webb Franklin
Succeeded by	Bennie Thompson
Personal details
Born	Alphonso Michael Espy (1953-11-30) November 30, 1953 (age 71) Yazoo City, Mississippi, U.S.
Political party	Democratic
Spouse	Portia Ballard
Children	3
Relatives	Chuck Espy (nephew) Henry Espy (brother)
Education	Howard University (BA) Santa Clara University (JD)

Alphonso Michael Espy (born November 30, 1953) is an American lawyer and politician. He served as the 25th United States Secretary of Agriculture from 1993 to 1994 under President Bill Clinton. He was the first African American and the first person from the Deep South to lead this department.

As a member of the Democratic Party, Espy was also a U.S. representative for Mississippi's 2nd congressional district from 1987 to 1993. He later ran for the United States Senate in Mississippi in 2018 and 2020.

Early Life and Schooling

Mike Espy was born in Yazoo City, Mississippi. His grandfather, Thomas J. Huddleston Sr., was a very important community leader. He started a group that ran the Afro-American Hospital, which provided healthcare to Black people in Mississippi for many years.

Espy went to Howard University in Washington, D.C., where he was active in student government. After college, he moved to California and earned a law degree from Santa Clara University School of Law in 1978.

Political Career

Espy meeting with President Bill Clinton in 1993.

Espy during his time as Secretary of Agriculture.

Before entering national politics, Espy worked as a lawyer and held several government jobs in Mississippi. He served as an Assistant Secretary of State and later as an Assistant State Attorney General.

A Historic Election to Congress

Espy's official portrait as a U.S. Congressman.

In 1986, Espy made history when he was elected to the U.S. Congress. He became the first African-American to represent Mississippi in Congress since the Reconstruction era after the Civil War. He represented Mississippi's 2nd district and was reelected three times.

Serving as Secretary of Agriculture

In 1992, President-elect Bill Clinton chose Espy to be the new Secretary of Agriculture. The Secretary of Agriculture is in charge of the U.S. Department of Agriculture, which oversees farming, food safety, and forestry. After the Senate approved his appointment, Espy left his seat in Congress to join the president's cabinet.

Espy served in this role from 1993 to 1994. He left the position after questions were raised about gifts he had received. A few years later, a court looked into the matter and found that he had not broken any laws.

Campaigns for the U.S. Senate

In 2018, Espy ran for a United States Senate seat in Mississippi. The election was very close, but he lost to his Republican opponent, Cindy Hyde-Smith.

Two years later, in 2020, Espy ran for the same Senate seat again. He once more faced Cindy Hyde-Smith and lost the election, but he still received a large amount of support from voters in Mississippi.

What Espy Believes: Political Views

Espy is known for having moderate political views, meaning he sometimes agrees with both Democrats and Republicans.

• The Economy: He supports policies that help businesses grow, like free trade, but also wants to be careful with government spending.
• Healthcare: Espy believes that expanding government health programs like Medicaid is important. He says this would help keep hospitals in rural areas open.
• Gun Policy: He supports the right of people to own guns.
• Immigration: Espy has said he does not support building a wall on the U.S. border because it would cost too much.

Life Outside of Politics

After serving as Secretary of Agriculture, Espy returned to working as a lawyer. In 2008, he joined a large law firm. One of his most important cases was the Pigford lawsuit. In this case, he helped thousands of Black farmers who had been treated unfairly by the government.

Espy has three children. He is married to Portia Ballard.

Election Results

U.S. House of Representatives

U.S. Senate

See Also

• List of African-American United States Cabinet members
• List of African-American United States representatives