By Carmen Rodgers
Staff report
Johnny Ford is one of the most recognizable names in Alabama politics. Ford has had a long career in Alabama politics, most notably serving as mayor of Tuskegee for many years. This is why Tallassee City Schools have asked Ford to speak in honor of Black History Month. Ford will make two appearances on Tuesday, Feb. 27, the first at 9 a.m. and a second immediately following at 10 a.m.
“This event is opened to the public and everyone is encouraged to attend,” said Jerry Cunningham, an event coordinator.
Ford was first elected mayor of Tuskegee in 1972. He and A.J. Cooper of Prichard were elected the first black mayors of cities of more than 10,000 people in the modern era in Alabama in 1972. 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 again in 2004, defeating the first black woman mayor of Tuskegee, Lucenia Williams Dunn. Facing a tough reelection for 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 with a higher turnout October runoff. As of 2015, Tuskegee has not reelected a mayor to a consecutive term since Ford won his sixth term in 1992.
Ford is the founder and director eneral 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 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 rejoined the Democratic Party and ran for the open state Senate district 28 in 2010 after incumbent, Myron Penn, retired. Though it is a majority-minority seat, he lost the run-off election to Billy Beasley, the brother of former Lieutenant Governor Jere Beasley.
In 2012, Ford ran again for his old job as Tuskegee mayor and in the August primary, he defeated 1st term Mayor Neal by a margin of 57-38 percent, with the third candidate, Lula Pearl-Franklin, pulling the remaining 5 percent, and as a result, did not require a run-off. Ford was then sworn into an 8th non-consecutive term as mayor.
This event is free of charge. For more information, call 333-283-2187.
