James R. Ford

James R. Ford
Ford
Mayor of Tallahassee, Florida
In office
1972–1972
Preceded byGene Berkowitz
Succeeded byJoan Heggen
In office
1976–1976
Preceded byJohn R. Jones
Succeeded byNeal D. Sapp
In office
1982–1982
Preceded byHurley W. Rudd
Succeeded byCarol Bellamy
Personal details
Born(1925-12-01)December 1, 1925
Leon County, Florida
DiedOctober 11, 2017(2017-10-11) (aged 91)
Political partyDemocratic
Alma materFlorida A&M University

James R. Ford (December 1, 1925 – October 11, 2017) was an American educator, politician, and businessman. In 1972, Ford became the first African-American mayor of Tallahassee, Florida, and the first Black mayor of a U.S. state capital city. He later served for fourteen years as a city commissioner, being repeatedly re-elected.