Ford family (Tennessee)
The Ford family is an African-American political family from Memphis, Tennessee in the United States. Below is a list of members of the Tennessee-based family:[1]
- Newton Ford (1856–1919), a civic leader around the southern section of Shelby County, was elected as a county squire from 1888 to 1900.
- Lewie Ford (1889-1931) started the family funeral business and became allied with E.H. Crump, an influential white politician in Memphis and the state in the early 20th century.
- Newton Jackson Ford (1914–1986) was an undertaker and businessman, and his wife Vera (Davis) Ford (1915–1994), were prominent members of the African-American community. N.J. Ford unsuccessfully ran for the Tennessee House in 1966. He opened N.J. Ford Funeral Home (later changed to N.J. Ford and Sons Funeral Home) in 1932.
- Harold Ford Sr. (May 20, 1945- ) is a Democratic former member of the United States House of Representatives who represented the Memphis, Tennessee area for 11 terms—from 1975 until his retirement in 1997[2]
- Harold Ford Jr. (May 11, 1970- ) served five terms in the United States House of Representatives from Tennessee's 9th congressional district, centered in Memphis, from 1997 to 2007.[3]
- Jake Ford (October 1, 1972- ) twice unsuccessfully ran for the TN 9th District in 2006 and 2008.
- John N. Ford (May 3, 1942- ) served in the Memphis City Council in 1971 representing South Memphis' District 6 and served for 30 years in the Tennessee Senate beginning in 1974.
- Kemba Ford unsuccessfully ran for Memphis City Council in 2011, and ran but lost for TN State House 91st district in 2013.
- Emmitt H. Ford (December 13, 1943 – November 10, 2014) represented the Tennessee House of Representatives' 86th district encompassing Shelby County from 1975 to 1981.
- Joe Ford (1954-), who was a Shelby County Commissioner and served as interim mayor of Shelby County in 2009 and 2010.
- Justin Ford, who was a Shelby County Commissioner from 2009 to 2014.
- James W. Ford (1949-2001), was a Shelby County commissioner.
- Edmund Ford (1955- ), who served two terms on the Memphis City Council, elected in October 1999.
- Dr. Edmund "Ed" Ford Jr. Archived July 20, 2016, at the Wayback Machine (1979- ), who has served on the Memphis City Council since 2007. In 2018, he was elected to his cousin Justin's seat on the Shelby County Commission.
- Ophelia Ford (July 5, 1950- ), who represented Tennessee Senate's District 29, which covers South Memphis and North Memphis.
- Harold Ford Sr. (May 20, 1945- ) is a Democratic former member of the United States House of Representatives who represented the Memphis, Tennessee area for 11 terms—from 1975 until his retirement in 1997[2]
- Newton Jackson Ford (1914–1986) was an undertaker and businessman, and his wife Vera (Davis) Ford (1915–1994), were prominent members of the African-American community. N.J. Ford unsuccessfully ran for the Tennessee House in 1966. He opened N.J. Ford Funeral Home (later changed to N.J. Ford and Sons Funeral Home) in 1932.
- Lewie Ford (1889-1931) started the family funeral business and became allied with E.H. Crump, an influential white politician in Memphis and the state in the early 20th century.
See also
References
- ^ Jenny Jarvie (May 13, 2007). "In Memphis, a troubled political dynasty wanes". The LA Times. Retrieved February 12, 2017.
- ^ Office of History & Preservation, U. S. House of Representatives (2008). "Harold Eugene Ford Sr. Representative, 1975-1997, Democrat from Tennessee". Black Americans in Congress, 1870-2007. Washington: Government Printing Office. Archived from the original on April 7, 2011. Retrieved February 12, 2017.
- ^ "FORD, Harold, Jr. House Bio". House.gov. Retrieved February 12, 2017.