Johnny Ford
Encyclopedia
Johnny L. Ford is an American
politician
and former mayor of Tuskegee, Alabama
, and an Alabama State Representative
. He was raised as a child and attended elementary school in Tuskegee. He is a graduate of Tuskegee Institute High School. Ford received his B.A.
in History and Sociology from Knoxville College
, his Master's of Public Administration from Auburn University Montgomery
, and has received four Honorary Doctorate Degrees. He has three children: John, Christopher, and Tiffany.
, elected the first black mayors of cities of more than 10,000 people in the modern era in Alabama in 1972 (although Hobson City
had been black-run since its incorporation in 1899, but it was a smaller community). After serving six terms as mayor, Ford was defeated in 1996 by Ronald D. Williams, a former political aide. Two years later in 1998, Ford ran for and won State Representative of the 82nd District from Macon County
. He served from 1999 until 2004. In February 2003, he switched to the Republican Party
, becoming Alabama's first black Republican in the state legislature in more than 100 years.
Preferring to serve in his old office as mayor, he resigned from the legislature and was elected mayor in 2004, defeating the first black woman mayor of Tuskegee, Lucenia Williams Dunn by a 54-46% margin. Facing a tough reelection to an 8th non-consecutive term in 2008, which featured 5 candidates, challenger Omar Neal led in the August municipal election by just 12 votes (927 to 915) over Ford. Credited with turning out the "youth vote" from Tuskegee University
, Neal defeated Ford by a 54-46% margin (1,463 to 1,270), in a higher turnout October runoff. As of 2008, Tuskegee has not reelected a mayor to a consecutive term since Ford won his sixth term in 1992.
Ford is the founder and Director General of the World Conference of Mayors and also serves as President of Johnny Ford and Associates, Inc. Ford is the President-emeritus and Founder of the National Conference of Black Mayors. He was an appointed to the Presidential Advisory Committee on Federalism and the U.S. Intergovernmental Policy Advisory Committee on Trade. Ford is also a past President of the Alabama League of Municipalities, is a member of Kappa Alpha Psi
, and the founding President of the Tuskegee Optimist Club.
Ford has rejoined the Democratic party and is running for the state Senate. Though it is a majority-minority seat, he lost the run-off election to Billy Beasley.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
politician
Politician
A politician, political leader, or political figure is an individual who is involved in influencing public policy and decision making...
and former mayor of Tuskegee, Alabama
Tuskegee, Alabama
Tuskegee is a city in Macon County, Alabama, United States. At the 2000 census the population was 11,846 and is designated a Micropolitan Statistical Area. Tuskegee has been an important site in various stages of African American history....
, and an Alabama State Representative
Alabama House of Representatives
The Alabama House of Representatives is the lower house of the Alabama Legislature, the state legislature of the U.S. state of Alabama. The House is composed of 105 members representing an equal amount of districts, with each constituency containing at least 42,380 citizens. There are no term...
. He was raised as a child and attended elementary school in Tuskegee. He is a graduate of Tuskegee Institute High School. Ford received his B.A.
Bachelor of Arts
A Bachelor of Arts , from the Latin artium baccalaureus, is a bachelor's degree awarded for an undergraduate course or program in either the liberal arts, the sciences, or both...
in History and Sociology from Knoxville College
Knoxville College
Knoxville College is a historically black liberal arts college in Knoxville, Tennessee, USA. Founded in 1875 by the United Presbyterian Church of North America, the school has an enrollment of approximately 100 students, and offers a Bachelor of Science degree in Liberal Studies and an Associate...
, his Master's of Public Administration from Auburn University Montgomery
Auburn University Montgomery
Auburn University at Montgomery is a coeducational public university located in Montgomery, Alabama, USA. It is governed by the Auburn University Board of Trustees, but is not a branch campus of Auburn University. It was established by an act of the Alabama Legislature in 1967...
, and has received four Honorary Doctorate Degrees. He has three children: John, Christopher, and Tiffany.
Political career
Ford was first elected mayor of Tuskegee in 1972. He was, along with A.J. Cooper of PrichardPrichard, Alabama
Prichard is a city in Mobile County, Alabama, in the United States.Prichard borders the north side of Mobile, as well as the Mobile suburbs of Chickasaw, Alabama, Saraland, Alabama, and the unincorporated sections of Eight Mile, Alabama. As of 2005 Census Bureau estimates, the population of the...
, elected the first black mayors of cities of more than 10,000 people in the modern era in Alabama in 1972 (although Hobson City
Hobson City, Alabama
Hobson City is a town in Calhoun County, Alabama, United States. At the 2000 census the population was 878. It is included in the Anniston-Oxford Metropolitan Statistical Area....
had been black-run since its incorporation in 1899, but it was a smaller community). After serving six terms as mayor, Ford was defeated in 1996 by Ronald D. Williams, a former political aide. Two years later in 1998, Ford ran for and won State Representative of the 82nd District from Macon County
Macon County, Alabama
Macon County is a county in the U.S. state of Alabama. Its name is in honor of Nathaniel Macon, a member of the United States Senate from North Carolina. Developed for cotton plantation agriculture in the nineteenth century, it is one of the counties in Alabama within the Black Belt of the South.As...
. He served from 1999 until 2004. In February 2003, he switched to the Republican Party
Republican Party (United States)
The Republican Party is one of the two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Democratic Party. Founded by anti-slavery expansion activists in 1854, it is often called the GOP . The party's platform generally reflects American conservatism in the U.S...
, becoming Alabama's first black Republican in the state legislature in more than 100 years.
Preferring to serve in his old office as mayor, he resigned from the legislature and was elected mayor in 2004, defeating the first black woman mayor of Tuskegee, Lucenia Williams Dunn by a 54-46% margin. Facing a tough reelection to an 8th non-consecutive term in 2008, which featured 5 candidates, challenger Omar Neal led in the August municipal election by just 12 votes (927 to 915) over Ford. Credited with turning out the "youth vote" from Tuskegee University
Tuskegee University
Tuskegee University is a private, historically black university located in Tuskegee, Alabama, United States. It is a member school of the Thurgood Marshall Scholarship Fund...
, Neal defeated Ford by a 54-46% margin (1,463 to 1,270), in a higher turnout October runoff. As of 2008, Tuskegee has not reelected a mayor to a consecutive term since Ford won his sixth term in 1992.
Ford is the founder and Director General of the World Conference of Mayors and also serves as President of Johnny Ford and Associates, Inc. Ford is the President-emeritus and Founder of the National Conference of Black Mayors. He was an appointed to the Presidential Advisory Committee on Federalism and the U.S. Intergovernmental Policy Advisory Committee on Trade. Ford is also a past President of the Alabama League of Municipalities, is a member of Kappa Alpha Psi
Kappa Alpha Psi
Kappa Alpha Psi is a collegiate Greek-letter fraternity with a predominantly African American membership. Since the fraternity's founding on January 5, 1911 at Indiana University Bloomington, the fraternity has never limited membership based on color, creed or national origin...
, and the founding President of the Tuskegee Optimist Club.
Ford has rejoined the Democratic party and is running for the state Senate. Though it is a majority-minority seat, he lost the run-off election to Billy Beasley.